If anyone told me that my first trip to Dusk Academy, one of the greatest academy in the world, would be a nightmare, I would've laughed in their face.
But right now, there was no laughter left in me.
Only exhaustion.
Pure, bone-deep exhaustion.
The journey here?
It wasn't worth remembering.
Or rather, it was impossible to forget for all the wrong reasons.
It wasn't a journey.
It was punishment.
It was like hell.
No, scratch that, it was hell.
I had no money to pay for a car, no public transport heading this way, and no one to ask for help.
So I walked.
No.
I ran.
And oh, I regretted that decision fast.
Back when I was still rich, walking more than a few steps to the family car felt like a chore.
Now, here I was, running for miles like some desperate stray dog chasing a dream I wasn't sure I could reach.
I could feel my legs screaming at me to stop, threatening to give out with every step.
My throat was dry.
Sweat soaked through my clothes, sticking them to my skin.
My body felt hollow, like all my strength had leaked out somewhere along the road.
But finally, finally, I stood in front of the academy gates.
And despite the pain, despite the hunger gnawing at my insides, despite the storm of emotions tearing me apart... I couldn't help but stare.
"Damn..."
The word slipped out of me before I could stop it.
I'd seen pictures of Dusk Academy online.
I'd heard stories, read articles, and seen videos showing off its luxury and scale.
But seeing it with my own two eyes...
It was something else entirely.
A massive tall and wide building, was what stood out more out of everything at the far end of the wide land, it glass surfaces gleaming under the morning sun.
I exhaled slowly, wiping the sweat from my forehead.
I didn't have time to stand there gawking like a tourist.
I dragged my aching body forward.
As I approached the gate, it slid open on its own with a faint hum, smooth and effortless.
Just inside, a glowing machine flickered as I passed.
Its green light washed over me, indicating I was clear.
I barely spared it a glance.
I already knew what it was, a security scanner that detected weapons, dangerous energy signatures, or malicious intent.
If someone tried to enter with bad intentions, the light would flash red, alarms would blare, and probably half the academy's staff would drop from the skies to neutralize the threat.
But right now, there wasn't much need for that.
The academy officially opened tomorrow.
Today was quiet, only a handful of students would show up early for personal reasons.
That's probably why security was still at its most basic level.
Not that anyone would be crazy enough to try attacking Dusk Academy anyway.
This place wasn't just guarded by machines; it was home to some of the strongest awakened humans alive.
Anyone dumb enough to walk through those gates with ill intent might as well write their will on the spot.
I wasn't a bad guy.
Or at least... I wasn't yet.
So the green light stayed green, and I passed through without a hitch.
And then...
I stepped inside.
And my jaw nearly hit the floor.
Huge.
That was the only word that fit.
The inside of the academy was... massive.
It felt like a grand cathedral, with wide, arching ceilings loomed high above me.
Floors stretched out like endless rivers, hallways branched off in every direction like veins, leading to who-knows-where.
I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck.
"This is gonna take a while," I muttered.
And it would.
I knew what I meant.
Finding the secretary's office in this colossal maze was going to be a nightmare.
But maybe, just maybe...
If I was lucky, I wouldn't be wandering these halls forever.
Or probably not...