Karl and Celeste walked through the Third Floor's Square, paying no mind to the others who had arrived before them.

Several groups had gathered in the area, students who had also cleared the Third Floor, though it was unclear at what difficulty.

Two trios stood off to the side, talking among themselves while subtly observing Karl and Celeste, their gazes carrying a hint of evaluation.

It made sense: anyone who reached this stage so quickly had to be strong, and keeping an eye on potential competitors was just common sense.

There was no saying what kind of other "trials" or "quests" this academy would give them.

Karl did the same, his focus shifting to a lone figure standing near one of the square's stone benches.

Sylas Crowell.

The red-haired man fidgeted with his smartwatch, seemingly lost in thought.

But Karl knew better than to assume he wasn't paying attention.

Sylas had participated in the Entrance Examination alongside them, and unlike Karl and Celeste, he had placed first in all three trials.

Karl wasn't foolish enough to underestimate him.

Based on what he'd seen, Sylas' profession had to be at least SSS-Rank, if not higher.

'Another EX-Rank wouldn't be possible, right? Especially since it's really rare...'

But in the end, strength alone wasn't everything.

Besides Karl and Celeste, there were over 5,000 first-year students in Starlight Academy, all of whom had come from across the world to challenge the Tower of Trials.

And that wasn't even counting the other climbers out there.

There was no telling what they'd face inside the tower, but for now, their priority was simple: clearing the Tower's Tutorial.

Without speaking to anyone, Karl and Celeste left the square, following the signs that led them to the cafeteria.

The moment they arrived, Karl couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

It wasn't just a cafeteria.

It was an entire building, massive and sleek, designed to accommodate thousands of students.

The scent of food filled the air, and holographic menus floated above the counters, displaying an overwhelming variety of meals.

Students could order whatever they wanted here, as long as they had the Credits to pay for it.

Karl ordered a pizza for 10 Credits, while Celeste, to his surprise, chose an entire family meal worth 30 Credits

Karl gave her a look as they sat down.

"Do you... always eat this much?"

Celeste's cheeks flushed.

"H-Huh? W-Well, being a mage takes a lot of energy! Restoring mana requires proper health and nutrition!"

She didn't sound too convinced by her own excuse, but Karl decided to let it slide.

Still...

His eyes flickered to a small salad that Celeste carefully set aside from her tray.

"Wait, is that for—"

Before he could finish, the Frenzied Rabbit perched on Celeste's head leaped onto the table, eagerly digging into the greens.

Karl blinked.

"Huh."

His own spirits didn't need to eat, after all, they were already dead, but could there be some kind of benefit to feeding them?

[There isn't.]

Karl sighed internally.

'Damn, a waste of credits, then.'

But still, he made a mental note to treat his spirits with care.

The Spirit Cemetery had far too many mysterious rules, and Karl wouldn't be surprised if there was an unwritten one about spirit loyalty.

Better safe than sorry.

Once they finished eating, the two left the cafeteria and stepped back onto the academy grounds.

"How about we explore for now?" Celeste suggested, stretching her arms above her head, "We're gonna have to get familiar with the place anyway."

Karl nodded in agreement.

Starlight Academy was massive, and there was no way they were the only ones interested in exploring.

For the rest of the day, Karl and Celeste wandered the campus, taking in the academy's impressive scale.

They visited the [Main Building], the [First-Year Classes Building], the [Auditorium], the [Training Arenas], and even a [Colosseum], a place clearly meant for duels.

They also found the Fourth Floor's Square, though they didn't want to go there yet.

By the time they finished, the sun had set, and the academy's many magic lanterns lit up the pathways, casting a soft glow across the buildings.

The sight was breathtaking, and students could be seen walking around, chatting and unwinding after their first day.

Karl and Celeste grabbed another quick meal, the same as before, before finally heading back to their dorm.

Karl had unsummoned Frappy earlier, just to be safe.

The more students there were, the higher the chances of someone mistaking the rabbit for a wild monster.

Eventually, they reached their dormitory, climbing the stairs to their assigned room.

Their warm beds greeted them.

It was their first night in the academy, and though the day had been eventful, Karl had a feeling this was only the beginning.

Without hesitation, he threw himself onto the mattress.

They still hadn't received their official academy uniforms, nor had they been given any real information on what came next.

For now, all they could do was wait.

But just as Karl was beginning to relax...

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Their smartwatches suddenly began blaring with notifications.

Karl furrowed his brows as he checked the message.

[Turn on your TV.]

It was just like this morning.

A new announcement was about to be made.

Without wasting time, Karl reached for the remote and powered on the TV.

Just like before, the screen lit up, revealing the same shadowy figure as last time.

[Hello, students.]

Karl frowned.

"The voice is different."

Celeste, who was sitting on her bed, nodded.

"Yeah, I noticed."

[So, your first day in the academy, and your new life, has come to an end.]

[Some of you may have already cleared the Second Floor, while a few determined ones have likely pushed through the Third.]

The figure's tone was calm, almost amused.

[But none of that matters.]

Karl narrowed his eyes.

[For this announcement will explain only a small amount of what you should expect from this academy.]

"Finally," Karl muttered.

They had been left completely in the dark so far.

Yes, Starlight Academy was hailed as the best in the world, but why?

What made it different?

[I bet many of you have wondered, if the Tower of Trials is the world's greatest challenge, then why has no information about it ever leaked to the outside world?]

Karl and Celeste immediately turned to each other, eyes widening.

They had wondered about that.

The thought had first crossed Karl's mind when they reached the Third Floor.

[The answer is simple.]

[It is because of the 'Authority of the Tower.']

"Huh."

[There will be no further information on this matter for now.]

[But what you should focus on is this: by the end of the month, you are expected to reach and complete the Fifth Floor.]

[Many new concepts and challenges will reveal themselves then.]

And just like that, the TV shut off, leaving behind more questions than answers.

Karl and Celeste exchanged glances, both equally confused.

After a long sigh, Karl lay back against his pillow.

Celeste broke the silence.

"Let's try to clear the Fourth Floor tomorrow. I really want to see what the Fifth is like."

Karl stared at the ceiling for a moment before nodding.

"...Yeah."

And with that, the first night in Starlight Academy came to an end.

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