Chapter 64: Chapter 64 : Zara , Lily and the cringelord

The elevator doors slid open with a soft hum, revealing the pristine interior. My fingers hovered over the panel with a mix of excitement and anticipation.

Floor ten. The top of the academy’s student accommodations. A place of prestige, comfort, and—finally—solitude.

The elevator hummed as it began to ascend, and I leaned against the wall, looking up at the number indicators with a grin creeping across my face.

The tension in my shoulders melted away as the floor number ticked higher, finally stopping at the number I had been waiting for—10.

The tenth floor. My floor. My very own.

Except for the top 100 cadets, every other cadet in the first year had shared dormitories—2 per room, sometimes more in the common quarters.

But not me. Oh no, fate had other plans for yours truly.

As the Rank 1 cadet of the entrance exam—yes, bask in the glory—and one of the prestigious top 10, I wasn’t just handed a pat on the back and a ’good job, kid.’

No, the top 10 cadets were granted something… different. Something exclusive. Something that practically screamed, ’You’re special, and we want you to know it.’

And honestly? I loved every second of it.

’Take that you noble bastards.’

Because while everyone else was scrambling for dorm keys and basic necessities, I was handed a VIP pass to the unknown.

Let the jealousy simmer, folks. Rank has its privileges.

“Alright, let’s see how luxurious this thing really is,” I muttered under my breath.

As the elevator ascended with a soft hum, I felt like I was rising toward a dream I never thought I’d reach.

The doors slid open with a whisper and I stepped out, greeted by a sleek, polished hallway that led to a single ornate door.

As I reached the sleek door marked “Highest Priority Access – Tier 1”, I raised an eyebrow. No handle. No button. Just a curved metallic arch over the frame, embedded with runes and a strange mirrored surface at eye level.

’Oh great, it’s one of those doors that judges you before letting you in.’

I stepped forward, and instantly, the arch glowed to life.

{ “Biometric scan initiating. Stand still.” }

Thin beams of blue light swept over my face, then across my retina, before moving down to analyze my posture, bone density, even heartbeat.

’…Creepy. But efficient.’

Before I could comment further, the mirrored surface slid aside to reveal a rune-etched panel. The metal shimmered with shifting patterns and pulsed once.

{ “Please present your mana signature for dual authentication.” }

I reached out with my hand, letting my mana flow. Threads of golden light reached from the panel and wrapped around my hand like vines, probing deeper into my aura. It felt like someone was scanning my entire magical soul.

{ “Mana signature confirmed: Alex Dragonheart.” }

{ “Biometric match confirmed. Rank: 1 Cadet.”}

{ “Advanced-tier access granted. Welcome, Cadet Alex Dragonheart.” }

With a gentle hiss, the wall split open—smooth and silent—as if the door itself bowed to let me in.

Inside was a corridor that looked more like a luxury starship than a school hallway. Floating lights danced overhead, and each step I took triggered a soft golden glow beneath my feet, reacting to my mana flow.

I whistled. “Okay… that was seriously cool.”

The door slid open with a faint hiss, and I stepped inside.

I froze.

The room… no, the floor was unlike anything I’d ever seen before.

A wide lounge area greeted me first, filled with plush, black-and-gold furnishings that practically screamed expensive. Holographic displays flickered to life as I walked in, greeting me by name and offering me a menu of room settings.

There was a massive panoramic window overlooking the entire academy grounds, from the training fields to the lush central gardens, and I could even see the distant shimmer of the Lakeshore’s inside the academy.

But what truly took my breath away was the private training room.

Walls lined with glowing runes, a reinforced floor with built-in gravity modulators, and—best of all—dozens of AI combat bots in resting pods, ready to engage in sparring at a moment’s notice. The room was massive, with adaptive terrain simulators and energy shields for high-intensity sessions.

’Damn… this is next level.’ I whispered.

“Greetings, Cadet Alex,” said a new voice. It was calm, emotionless, and distinctly artificial.

{ “I am Zara, your personal AI assistant. Would you like a tour of the floor or access the default settings?” }

I blinked. “Wait… I get my own AI assistant too?”

{ “Affirmative.” }

My grin grew wider. “Best. Day. Ever.”

I took a slow walk around the entire floor—bedroom with a king-sized memory foam bed, a bathroom with a hydrotherapy tub, a personal EtherNet console with instant access to academy resources, and even a fridge stocked with premium ready-to-eat meals.

My fingers brushed over the smooth edges of the table in the lounge, and I just… stood there. Soaking it in.

I glanced around with a doubt in my mind. “Zara, do I have to do that whole scan routine every single time I walk in here? The face beam, the mana tether, the full soul read? Feels like I just went through a magical airport.”

There was a brief pause before she responded with a faint hint of amusement.

{ “Negative, Cadet Alex. The initial biometric and mana signature scan was for security imprinting. Your unique data has now been bound to this room’s internal recognition array.” }

{ “Future access will be granted via passive proximity scan—no physical interaction required. As long as your mana core and biometric profile remain stable, the system will recognize you instantly.” }

I blinked. “So… it kind of knows me by aura now?” I asked a little confused.

{ “Correct. Your mana wavelength and biological rhythm are now part of the room’s active memory mesh. You are quite literally part of the room’s access key.” }

I crossed my arms, impressed. “Alright, that’s actually cool. Creepy. But cool.”

{ “Thank you. I strive for optimal functionality.” }

“Indeed you do.”

After that I soaked in the view of my hard-earned achievement.

A sigh escaped me. ’I’ve come a long way…’

It felt like yesterday that I was hiding behind crumbling walls of our old house with Lily, trying to sleep on cold concrete while hugging my sister for warmth.

I blinked and shook my head. I needed to share this with someone. Someone who had been with me through it all.

“Zara,” I said, walking over to the lounge, “Call Lily.”

{ “Connecting to Lily Dragonheart at Avaloria Central Hospital…” }

The moment the call connected, a hologram burst to life in front of me. Lily’s image flickered into view—crossed arms, raised brow, and a very familiar death glare.

> “Alex Dragonheart, if you so much as did anything dangerous again, I swear to the gods, I’ll come flying over and beat some sense into you!”

My smile froze. “Uh, hi—”

> “Don’t ’hi’ me! I told you to take it easy! What was that stunt in the entrance exam and then the orientation? ’Oh, look at me, I’m the king of you all!’ Are you insane?!”

A vein popped on my forehead. “Hey, hey, calm down! I lived, didn’t I? Look! No injuries!”

> “Barely!”

We glared at each other for a moment before simultaneously sighing. Classic.

Finally, I broke into a grin. “Okay, okay. I get it. But let me show you something.”

I turned the hologram around and gave her a full 360-degree view of the room.

Her jaw dropped.

> “Is that… your room?!”

“Yep,” I said, puffing my chest out. “Your big bro is now the apex cadet. Rank 1. Top of the food chain.”

Lily stared in stunned silence, eyes wide with wonder.

Light danced in her eyes, reflecting quiet emotion.

A soft smile formed as tears gathered.

“It’s… beautiful, I’m really happy for you alex.” she whispered, voice trembling.

She was silent for a second.

> “Remember our old house near the capital?” she asked softly.

I nodded. “Of course I do.”

> “The walls were cracked. The roof leaked. We used to stack cardboards against the wind.”

I exhaled slowly. “Every day was a fight for survival.”

Tears started falling from her eyes. I reached out instinctively, forgetting it was a hologram.

“I remember every second of it,” I said quietly. “But now… you don’t need to worry anymore. I’m standing tall now, Lily. I’ll tear the world apart before anything harms you. I’ll find the cure for the abyss corruption too, no matter what it takes.”

Lily’s teary face paused.

> “Awwww, that’s so adorable! Who knew my cringy big bro could spout such melodrama?”

She wiped her eyes… and then burst out laughing.

> “’I’ll tear the world apart!’ Really?! Hahaha! Oh no, stop! ’Nothing shall harm you while I live!’ Haha—what are you, a fantasy drama lead?!”

“Stop it!” I yelled, my ears burning.

> “Ohhh~ mighty Alex Dragonheart, destroyer of worlds! Bringer of melodrama! Cringe incarnate!”

My face was redder than a tomato. “LILY!”

She started mimicking my voice in dramatic tones, even holding a pillow like a sword.

> “Fear not, dear sister, for I shall bathe the earth in flames before harm may befall you!”

I buried my face in my hands. “Zara, end my life.”

{ “Command not recognized.” }

We argued. We laughed. I mocked her back. She called me an idiot. I told her she looked like a pudding.

But… I was happy.

Inwardly, I sighed. ’Lately, I’ve been saying too many cringe lines…’

I recalled the enterance exam and the orientation speech.

’If this were a novel, the idiot author would’ve been crowned the king of cringe.’

[ Author : This bastard 😠 ]

Just as I was about to say something witty, I bit my tongue.

“Ow! What the—”

Lily raised an eyebrow. “Did you just bite your tongue?”

I rubbed my mouth. ’Did someone just curse at me…?’ As soon as it came I shook the thought away.

> “Anyway,” Lily said gently, “I’m stable. Don’t worry. The doctors said my corruption hasn’t spread further.”

“Good.” I smiled. “Get some rest, okay?”

> “Only if you stop saying cringe stuff.”

“Never.”

She stuck out her tongue. “Bye, cringelord.”

“Bye, brat. And would you please stop saying that.”

> “Never.”

Before I could say anything more, the call ended.

’Huh.’ I took a huge sigh of relief after hearing about her condition.

I collapsed onto my massive, cozy bed, arms behind my head, a smile on my lips.

This… this was the life I had dreamed of.

Ding.

{ “Cadet Alex,” Zara said, “There is someone at the door. Do you wish to grant access?” }

I raised an eyebrow. “Who is it?”

{ “Analyzing… Match found in Zenith Academy’s cadet registry. Visitor identified as Seraphina Starlight.” }

I blinked.

’Seraphina…?’

Why was she here?

I sat up quickly. ” Zara, Let her in.”

{ “Access granted.” }

The door began to slide open.

——

A/N :-

Thanks for the golden tickets

@Volleyball_Reader , @ The_Lion_ Escanor

I really appreciate the support.

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