Lia Madison tightened her grip on her bag as she stood before the towering gates of Xenith Heights. The school gleamed like a palace—modern, pristine, flawless.

  "A school of discipline. A school of brilliance."

  She exhaled, pushing down her nerves. This was her fresh start.

  As she stepped inside, her eyes scanned the massive digital leaderboard hanging above the grand staircase. Names. Ranks. Scores.

  At the very top, two words flashed in bold gold letters:

  ?? EDRIX CHARLES – RANK #1

  Lia smirked. One day, my name will be up there too.

  Then CRASH!!!!

  A deafening bang made her spin around. A student was thrown across the hallway slamming against the lockers with a sickening thud. Gasps and cheers erupted from the crowd.

  "Stay down, idiot. Section 02 doesn’t tolerate weaklings." The attacker stood over his opponent, blood dripping from his knuckles. The student on the ground spat out blood and grinned. "That all you got?"Lia’s stomach twisted. This wasn’t normal.

  Another punch flew. Another student was knocked to the ground.

  And no one, not a single teacher, not a single adult intervened.

  Instead, students whispered and placed bets like this was some kind of underground fight club.

  "Idiot from Section 03 thought he could challenge the rankings." "Tsk. He deserved it. The weak get crushed here." "Should’ve known better than to mess with Section 02."

  Lia’s breath caught."What kind of school is this?!"

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  "Tch. Rookie mistake, just standing there." A voice sharp, amused, cocky. She turned and locked eyes with him. Tall. Lean. A scar above his brow. His black uniform blazer was unbuttoned, careless, and arrogant. His smirk was calculated. Dangerous.

  He barely spared her a glance. "New girl, huh? Let me guess—you thought this school was about grades and hard work?"Lia stiffened. "What the hell else would it be about?"The boy chuckled darkly."It’s about survival. And right now? You’re prey."

  Before Lia could respond, the hallway fell silent. A presence had entered the room. Students moved aside, like waves parting for a storm. A group of students in black and gold blazers strode in dominance. Untouchable. Feared.

  At the front Edrix Charles. He didn’t need to demand attention. It was given.

  He stopped near the fight, hands in his pockets, bored, yet powerful. His sharp, ice-cold gaze flicked over the battered students.

  Then, he smirked."Pathetic. If you’re going to fight, at least make it worth watching."

  Lia stared. He’s not stopping this. He’s ENCOURAGING it.

  Then, Edrix glanced toward the digital leaderboard. His name still sat at the top—undefeated. Unchallenged."The competition for the School President’s seat is just getting started." His voice was smooth, commanding. Absolute.

  A ripple of excitement spread through the crowd.

  Lia clenched her fists. This wasn’t the school she imagined. This was war. And she had just walked straight into the battlefield.

  true nature of Xenith Heights. Until then, thanks for reading! ??