VIVIAN
*One week later.
Vivian stood beside the entrance of the Haxia Military Academy, staring at the enormous gates towering above her.
The academy was nothing like the schools she remembered from Earth.
Massive metallic towers stretched into the clouds. Floating training platforms moved between buildings, while armed military aircraft flew overhead.
Thousands of students walked through the gates.
Some had horns. Some had tails. Some had wings.
Others looked completely human.
Vivian adjusted her uniform.
"This place is terrifying."
Her communicator suddenly vibrated.
She glanced at it.
MOTHER CALLING.
Vivian sighed and rejected the call.
A second later...
ELENA CALLING.
Rejected. Then another. It had been an entire week.
Emelianna and Elena had called her countless times.
Vivian had ignored every single one.
She had even warned Isaac not to answer their calls.
I’m not going back.
She put the communicator away.
The flying car landed behind her.
Vivian stepped down. The moment she entered the academy grounds, whispers immediately surrounded her.
"Isn’t that Vivian Astronova?"
"The one who announced the end of her parents’ marriage partnership?"
"No, she is Vivian Lilian now. Not a princess either."
"She actually came here?"
"How shameless."
"She abandoned her princess status just to follow her father? She abandoned her mother, what an ingrate!!"
"Does she really think she belongs in the military academy?"
Vivian pretended not to hear them.
She had learned something during the past week.
If she reacted to every insult, she’d never have peace.
She kept walking.
Until three female students stepped directly in front of her.
The tallest girl crossed her arms.
"Where do you think you’re going?"
Vivian stopped.
"I’m going to class."
The girl laughed.
"You?"
Her eyes traveled over Vivian’s body.
"You are a Zero-Class female."
Another girl sneered.
"She’s probably lost."
"Someone should escort her back to the Astronova Estate."
Vivian looked at them calmly.
"I know where I’m going."
She tried to walk past them.
The tallest girl stepped sideways and blocked her again.
"You haven’t awakened."
"So what makes you think you deserve to study here?"
Vivian smiled. "I don’t know. Just trying my luck."
The three girls laughed. Luck?
Vivian walked past them. Behind her, one of them whispered.
"She really thinks she’s special."
Vivian smiled faintly.
No. I don’t think I’m special.
I just know something strange is happening to my body.
Ever since the lotus appeared in her consciousness, she had felt different.
But she still had no idea what it meant. But she felt so much warm energy flowing in her veins.
And she definitely wasn’t going to tell anyone.
The first test began shortly after.
Students gathered inside the enormous central training ground.
Rows of instructors stood before them.
Above the training ground was a glass observation hall where several senior professors watched through the transparent walls.
Vivian stood quietly among the students. Nobody dared to associate with her.
A massive holographic screen displayed the testing categories.
BEAST BLOODLINE COMPATIBILITY.
SPIRITUAL CORE.
COMBAT POTENTIAL.
AWAKENING LEVEL.
One student stepped forward.
A machine scanned his body.
"Awakening level: B."
The students around him applauded.
Another student stepped forward.
"A-Class."
More cheers erupted. Vivian watched silently.
Soon, her name appeared.
VIVIAN ASTRONOVA.
The examiner looked at the screen.
Then at Vivian.
"Come forward."
She whispers to the examiner. "I am Vivian Lilian not Astronova.
The examiner said okay. But he didn’t change it.
Vivian didn’t move.
The examiner frowned.
"Student Vivian Astronova."
Vivian raised her hand.
"I don’t want to take this test."
The training ground went silent.
"What?"
Vivian calmly continued.
"I want to take the strength test."
Laughter immediately erupted.
"The strength test?"
"That’s a male assessment!"
"Does she think she’s a man?"
"She’s Zero-Class!"
Vivian ignored them.
"I want to test my physical strength."
The examiner looked confused.
"You understand that this assessment is designed for awakened males?"
"Yes."
"And you still want to take it?"
"Yes."
More laughter filled the training ground.
"Is she dumb?"
Above them, several professors exchanged looks.
One of them leaned back in his chair.
"That’s Vivian Astronova. No...Vivian Lilian." The professor laughed.
"A Zero-Class female."
"Why was she admitted?"
Another professor glanced toward a man sitting quietly at the end of the observation room.
His name was General Kael Ronan.
He was an old friend of Isaac Lilian and one of the academy’s senior commanders.
Kael folded his arms.
"I approved her admission."
A professor frowned.
"You?"
Kael nodded.
"Her father started this academy as a D-Rank soldier."
"Look at him now."
"An A-Rank commander."
"He didn’t become powerful overnight."
"He trained."
"He survived."
"And he surprised everyone."
Another professor frowned.
"Are you saying his daughter might surprise us too?"
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
"I’m saying we shouldn’t judge her before she begins."
A man sitting nearby suddenly scoffed.
His name was Vincent Hale, one of the academy’s strictest lecturers.
"Don’t be ridiculous."
"She’s a Zero-Class female."
"She hasn’t even awakened."
Kael glanced at him.
Vincent continued.
"She shouldn’t have been admitted in the first place."
Kael’s expression hardened. Vincent tapped his communicator.
"Since she insists on taking the strength test..."
He looked toward the examiner below.
"Let her."
"If she fails..."
His lips curled.
"Revoke her student license."
Kael’s eyes flashed.
"Vincent."
But Vincent ignored him.
The examiner received the message.
He looked at Vivian.
"Fine."
"Follow me."
The strength-testing area was packed with large male students. Like the Bulls clan bloodline and the Wolves clan.
At the center stood a massive black crystal stone.
It was almost three meters tall.
Metal rings surrounded its base.
The examiner explained,
"This is a military-grade Strength Stone."
"The harder the punch..."
"The greater the energy released into the stone."
"The stone measures physical force through the impact."
A large number appeared on the holographic display.
1,204
The student who punched it grinned proudly.
Another stepped forward.
1,587.
The crowd cheered.
Another.
2,031.
The students became louder. Vivian stared at the stone.
So this is what they’re going to use.
She looked down at her hands.
She still couldn’t understand what had happened to her.
The lotus and the strange energy.
The pearls. The destruction of her house.
Maybe...This was connected. Maybe she can make a way for herself through her strength.
She took a deep breath. "I know staying here and schooling would end the chase from those men. Before he knows my pregnancy is fake and this is my only chance to survive from them. They should all concentrate on their real lover Elena
"Student Vivian."
Her thoughts cut off, and she looked up.
The examiner waved her forward.
"It’s your turn."
Vivian walked toward the stone.
The male students around her immediately started laughing.
"She’s tiny."
"One punch and she’ll break her wrist."
"Someone should call a doctor."
Vivian stopped beside the stone.
She looked at the examiner.
"One question."
"Yes?"
"If this thing breaks..."
She pointed at the crystal.
"I don’t have to pay for it, right?"
The examiner burst out laughing.
"No."
"Just punch it."
Vivian nodded.
"Good."
She raised her fist. The entire training ground became quiet.
Above them, Kael leaned forward.
Vincent crossed his arms. "Watch her embarrass herself."
Vivian took one breath.
Then she punched using full force.
BOOM! The entire training ground shook.
The Strength Stone exploded. Not cracked but Exploded. Hundreds of black crystal fragments shot through the air.
The metal rings around the stone snapped apart.
A terrifying crack spread across the ground beneath Vivian’s feet.
The entire center of the training ground collapsed.
Dust and debris filled the air.
There was absolute silence. Every student stood frozen.
The examiner stared at the empty platform.
His mouth hung open.
Above them, the professors had already risen from their seats.
Vincent’s face went pale.
Kael stared at Vivian.
For the first time... Even he looked shocked. Vivian slowly lowered her fist.
She stared at the destruction around her.
"...Oops."
She swallowed.
"That probably wasn’t supposed to happen."