Xavier kept pace with Calypso as they followed the surge of students toward the main campus, his eyes constantly sweeping the crowd. The silver-haired goddess marched ahead with rigid posture, still refusing to acknowledge him beyond necessity.
And that's when Xavier noticed it—the lingering stares, the not-so-subtle nudges between friends, the way conversations halted as Calypso passed.
Without thinking, Xavier closed the distance between them, positioning himself directly behind Calypso. Close enough to block wandering hands, far enough to maintain the illusion of casual proximity.
"What are you doing?" Calypso said over her shoulder, finally breaking her silence.
"Making sure we get to orientation on time," he replied, voice neutral even as his eyes tracked a muscular student whose gaze had dropped well below Calypso's waistline.
She followed his line of sight and rolled her eyes. "Please. I've been ogled by actual gods. I can handle a few hormonal teenagers."
"I'm sure you can." Xavier placed a hand on her lower back, gently steering her through a bottleneck in the crowd. "But if you send someone through a wall for copping a feel, it might complicate things."
"I wouldn't—" Calypso began, then stopped herself. Her cheeks flushed pink. "Fine. Whatever. Just don't get used to playing bodyguard."
They entered the main quad, a sprawling open space dominated by a massive crystal fountain. Students streamed toward an imposing building with a domed roof—presumably the auditorium.
Xavier's hand remained at the small of Calypso's back. He frowned at the realization, then frowned deeper when he couldn't bring himself to remove it.
Why the hell do I care? She's literally a goddess. She sent me here. She's the reason I'm in this mess.
But even as the thoughts formed, his eyes narrowed at a tall student who'd stepped too close to Calypso's side. The student caught Xavier's glare and wisely changed course.
As they navigated the crowd, Xavier's attention shifted from Calypso to the students around them. A pattern emerged that he couldn't ignore—everyone looked... exceptional.
The average student at Catalyst would have turned heads in his old world. Perfect skin, symmetrical features, athletic builds. Even the "plain" ones possessed a certain glow, an idealized quality that seemed almost artificial.
"Is everyone in this world models?" Xavier muttered, more to himself than Calypso.
She glanced back at him, one silver eyebrow arched. "Essentia enhances physical attributes. Especially in awakened individuals."
"So what you're saying is, I got a free upgrade?" Xavier studied his reflection in a passing window. He'd always been handsome—had weaponized that fact throughout his career—but now there was something more.
"Don't flatter yourself," Calypso sniffed. "You looked like that before."
Xavier grinned. "So you admit I was hot in my old life too?"
The goddess made a strangled noise and quickened her pace.
"Wait a minute," Xavier jogged to catch up with Calypso. "If appearance got an upgrade, what about everything else? Speed? Strength? Reflexes? I should have tested this before—"
"Before what?"
"You know what. I would've had baseline data." Xavier ran a hand through his white hair, frustration evident in the gesture. "I can't believe I let myself get distracted."
"Distracted by what, exactly?"
"By you. By this whole situation." He gestured between them. "This isn't how I imagined my afterlife going."
"Poor baby. Did you expect fluffy clouds and angels with harps?"
"I expected hell," Xavier replied flatly. "This is... something else entirely."
They reached the auditorium entrance, funneling through massive doors with the rest of the crowd. Inside, tiered seating surrounded a central stage, all crafted from polished crystal that caught and refracted light in hypnotic patterns.
"First-years, lower level! Support and business students, upper tiers!" a staff member called.
Xavier and Calypso found seats in the designated first year. A young man with thick glasses and a tablet clutched to his chest immediately dropped into the seat beside Xavier.
"Hello! Nice to meet you! I'm in the business track, but I'm specializing in hunter management and PR. Can you believe we're actually here? At Catalyst? Home to seventeen S-rank alumni including Jonathan 'Skybreaker' Hayes who's guild cleared the Singapore Tier-4 gate in under three hours which is still the standing record though some say Dominic Black might break it once he graduates and—"
Xavier blinked at the verbal onslaught. The kid hadn't even taken a breath.
"Adrian Martin," the young man finally introduced himself, extending a hand that trembled with excitement. "Sorry, I just... I've studied hunter statistics my whole life. This is literally a dream come true."
Xavier shook the offered hand, noting the calluses that suggested Adrian did more than just study. "Xavier Valentine. This is—"
"Calypso Valentine," Adrian finished, eyes widening behind thick frames as he looked at her. "I memorized the entire first-year roster. Calypso Valentine - preliminary assessment shows unusual Essentia patterns that don't fit standard classifications."
Xavier exchanged a glance with Calypso. "You've done your homework."
"Information is power in the hunter industry," Adrian replied, tapping his tablet. "Did you know that sixty-three percent of high ranked hunters had corporate sponsorship before their second year? The networking starts now."
"Fascinating," Xavier said, already tuning out as Adrian launched into a detailed breakdown of hunter endorsement statistics.
"And of course, Dominic Black is the gold standard for first-year performance," Adrian continued, oblivious to Xavier's wandering attention. "Broke every record in the exams. Now he's practically running the Sentinels' junior division."
"Mhmm," Xavier nodded, eyes still roaming the crowd.
"They say he's already received offers from all five major corporations, but he's staying loyal to Sentinels because of their mentor program."
"Cool."
"Some people think his Essentia is too dangerous for someone his age, but I've analyzed all his public fights, and his control is actually—"
"Yeah."
A hush fell over the auditorium. Spotlights illuminated the central platform as a beautiful woman strode confidently to the podium.
"Holy crap, that's Lucy Kayama," Adrian whispered. "Vice Director of Catalyst and right-hand to Vanessa Angelo herself."
The woman adjusted the microphone. "Welcome, students, to Catalyst Hunter Academy. I am Vice Director Lucy Kayama, and it is my pleasure to oversee your orientation today."
Her voice carried authority without effort. "You represent less than one percent of applicants. Your presence here means you've demonstrated exceptional potential. Whether that potential becomes reality is entirely up to you."
Xavier sat straighter, his attention fully captured now.
"Before I outline the academic year, I'd like to introduce someone whose path you would do well to follow." Kayama's lips curved into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "The top-ranked student at Catalyst and rising star of the Sentinels guild... Dominic Black."
The auditorium erupted. Students leapt to their feet, cheering with the fervor usually reserved for rock stars or religious figures. The women's section seemed particularly enthusiastic, with several students actually screaming his name.
A tall figure emerged from stage right. Black hair, red eyes that seemed to glow under the stage lights. A smile that promised both charm and danger in equal measure.
Xavier's muscles tensed involuntarily. Something primal recognized a threat before his conscious mind could process it.
This guy... he's not just dangerous. He's lethal.
Dominic Black approached the podium, his red eyes surveying the crowd.
"Two years ago, I sat where you're sitting now. Nervous. Excited. Convinced I was special." His smile widened. "Turns out I was right."
The crowd laughed, eating from his palm.
"But most of you?" Dominic's smile never faltered as his eyes swept the room. "Most of you are wrong."
The laughter died.
"Statistically speaking, eighty-seven percent of you will never reach A-rank. Seventy percent won't even make B-rank. You'll settle into comfortable mediocrity, telling yourselves that's enough." He leaned forward slightly. "I'm here to tell you it's not."
Xavier felt it then—the subtle pulse of power emanating from the man on stage. Not Essentia being actively used, but the quiet hum of immense capability held in perfect check. Like a nuclear reactor running at one percent capacity.
"At Catalyst, we don't accept 'good enough.' We don't celebrate participation. We forge weapons against the darkness." Dominic's red eyes seemed to find Xavier specifically, holding his gaze for one unsettling moment. "So ask yourself this: Are you the blade, or are you the whetstone?"