On the following morning…
Resonance Academy did not know that something new had entered its gates.
Something that did not resemble the monsters it had known.
Nor the enemies it had fought.
Instead…
Something more dangerous.
Someone who knows how to seem ordinary.
The gates of the Imperial Academy.
Students were entering as usual.
Sounds of laughter.
Discussions.
Aura training in the yards.
Everything was normal.
Until a new student appeared.
A boy with silvery-white hair.
Light crimson eyes.
The academy uniform was neatly arranged.
A calm smile.
No pressure.
No aura.
No arrogance.
Just a new student.
He stopped in front of the gate.
He looked at the massive building.
Then he smiled.
“Resonance Academy…” “So, this is where Sami Koh is.”
At that moment…
Sami was sitting in the academy café.
As usual.
In a distant corner.
A cup of coffee in front of him.
And his eyes looking out the window.
But…
Something had changed.
Ever since he began Domain training with Lisasara…
He no longer hid his presence entirely.
The Counselor had told him: “My Lord…” “The greatest mistake an Emperor can make…” “Is to disappear.” Sami asked her: “But doesn’t that attract enemies?” She smiled.
“Exactly.” “The Emperor does not keep his enemies ignorant of his location.” “He makes them think a thousand times before approaching.”
Therefore…
Since that day…
Sami had been letting out a very small part of the Imperial Domain.
Not the full power.
Not even one percent.
Just…
A presence.
An invisible shadow.
A sensation.
As if a distant palace were standing behind him.
In the café…
Students sat around him.
Not with him.
But far from him.
Months ago…
They used to sit around Sami to mock him.
Now…
They left an empty space around him.
Not just out of fear.
But out of instinct.
One student said: “Do you feel that?” His friend replied: “Since I entered.” “What?” He looked toward Sami.
“It’s like the place has become quieter.” Another laughed nervously.
“Strange.” “I feel like I’m inside a royal hall.” A student girl said: “I don’t feel pressure…” She stopped.
“Instead…” She placed her hand on her chest.
“I feel like I must act with respect.” Another student tried to explain it.
“Maybe this is an Aura technique.” His friend shook his head.
“No.” “Aura puts pressure on the body.” “This…” He looked at Sami.
“Puts pressure on the mind.”
Elsewhere…
Inside the classroom.
And as usual…
The atmosphere changed.
Students who were talking loudly…
Lowered their voices.
Those who were laughing…
Stopped for a moment.
Not because Sami asked them to.
But because his presence made them feel like they were in a place that did not allow chaos.
A student whispered: “Am I the only one who feels like a professor just walked in?” Another replied: “But he is a student.” “I know.” “And that is the scary part.”
Even the professor who entered after him stopped for a moment.
He looked at Sami.
Then at the rest of the students.
“Why are you all so quiet?” No one answered.
Because they didn’t know themselves.
As for the yard…
It was different.
The combat students were training.
Strikes.
Aura explosions.
But when Sami passed by…
The duels stopped for a moment.
Not out of fear.
But a strange feeling.
As if someone far stronger than them had walked by.
One of the fighters said: “I hate this feeling.” His friend asked him: “What feeling?” He clenched his hand.
“Like I am standing before a king.” The other laughed.
“A king?” He looked at Sami.
Then fell silent.
“…” Because he felt the same thing.
But Sami himself…
Did not know the extent of the effect.
To him…
He was just trying to train.
Trying to control the Domain.
Trying not to lose control.
In the laboratory…
Lisasara was watching him from afar.
She smiled.
“He is starting to learn.” Valdrak appeared beside her.
“But he is still suppressing his presence too much.” She said: “Because he doesn’t want to hurt others.” He looked at her.
“And that is the difference.” “Between him…” He stopped.
“And the Emperor we knew.” A thousand years ago…
The Emperor would enter halls…
And voices would fall silent.
But Sami…
Enters…
And people feel they want to become better.
Lisasara said quietly: “He is not a copy of the past.” She smiled.
“And that is better.”
But…
She was not the only one watching him.
At the academy gate…
The new student entered.
Arian Solvace.
He was carrying his file.
But before heading to the administration…
He stopped.
Because he saw someone leaving the café.
Sami Koh.
There was no music.
No dramatic moment.
Just an ordinary meeting.
A new boy.
And a well-known student.
Arian approached.
He smiled.
“You are Sami Koh, right?” Sami looked at him.
One second.
Two seconds.
Then he said: “Yes.” Arian smiled more.
“Nice to meet you.” Sami paused slightly.
Then shook his hand.
“Welcome.”
And the moment Arian touched his hand…
Something happened.
Not an attack.
Not an ability.
Just…
A realization.
Arian felt something.
Something behind Sami.
A distant palace.
A closed door.
A very old presence.
But…
Nothing showed on his face.
His smile remained the same.
As for Sami…
He felt something else.
This person…
Is very calm.
Too calm.
From afar…
Lisasara was watching.
And her smile changed.
It disappeared.
She said in a low voice: “No…” “This is not an ordinary student.” Valdrak appeared.
“You felt it?” She nodded.
“Yes.” He looked at Arian.
“Is he an enemy?” She was silent.
Then she said: “I don’t know.” And this sentence…
Was very rare for her to say.
In the classroom…
Arian sat next to Sami.
The students began to watch.
“He chose to sit next to him?” “Isn’t he afraid?” “Who is he?”
Arian smiled at Sami.
“Seems you are famous here.” Sami said: “Unfortunately.” Arian laughed.
“I didn’t expect a Rank S to be someone who dislikes fame.” Sami replied: “I didn’t expect the new student to be so talkative.” For the first time in a while…
Sami smiled.
A small smile.
But Arian noticed it.
In his first report…
He wrote:
Target: Sami Koh.
Behavior: Non-hostile.
Personality: Sarcastic, calm, hates attention.
Note: “The most dangerous thing…” “Is that he doesn’t act like someone who possesses great power.” “But like someone who doesn’t know the extent of the power he carries.”
At the end of the report…
Arian paused.
He did not write the word “Danger.” He did not write “Exterminate.” Instead, he wrote:
“Initial assessment…” “Sami Koh is not a monster.”
Then he stopped.
And added:
“And that makes things much more complicated.”
That night…
Inside Lisasara’s laboratory.
She was looking at Arian’s file.
She gave a small smile.
But her eyes were cold.
She said: “Alright…” “Let’s see…” “Who really sent you.”
And in another place…
Inside the Imperial Capital…
The first report arrived.
The President of the Council opened the file.
He read the first line.
Then he stopped.
Because Arian wrote only one sentence:
“I have met Sami Koh.” “And I am no longer sure…” “Are we watching a threat…” “Or are we watching someone the world has been waiting for.”