Dominic's red eyes swept across the auditorium one final time, lingering just long enough to make some of the freshmen squirm.
"The gates don't care about your feelings," he said. "They don't care about your dreams or your family or your potential. They're cosmic wounds bleeding monsters into our reality."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"But I care. Your instructors care. Catalyst cares." Dominic's smile returned, warm now instead of challenging. "Because we see what you could become. We've walked the path you're starting. And despite everything I just said, I believe some of you—" his gaze swept the crowd again "—can match up to even me."
The tension broke. Applause thundered through the auditorium, students rising to their feet in waves.
Xavier remained seated, arms crossed over his chest. The corner of his mouth twitched upward.
Nice performance. But I know a fellow bullshit artist when I see one.
"What a load of crap," Calypso muttered, just loud enough for Xavier to hear. Her silver hair had fallen forward, partially concealing her face, but he caught the tight set of her jaw. "All that 'I believe in you' garbage after spending five minutes crushing their spirits."
"Hit a nerve?"
"He reminds me of someone I knew." Calypso's pink eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. "A real piece of work who thought charm and pretty speeches could get him anything."
"Did it?"
"The years stranded on my island says no." She crossed her arms, mirroring Xavier's posture. "But he sure talked a good game."
Xavier studied her profile. The goddess looked genuinely angry—not the theatrical pouts and tantrums she'd displayed, but something deeper. Raw. Her fingers dug into the fabric of her sleeves.
Damn. She didn't even look at me this pissed off after this morning.
"Thank you, Dominic," Vice Director Kayama said, reclaiming the podium as the applause finally died down. "Always inspiring."
Dominic gave a slight bow before striding off stage.
Kayama adjusted her glasses, bringing the room's focus back to her. "Now, let's discuss what awaits you this academic year."
She tapped the podium, and a holographic display materialized above the stage—a calendar marked with color-coded events.
"The academic year consists of three trimesters, each culminating in practical examinations that will determine your advancement." Kayama's voice took on a brisk, efficient cadence. "First trimester focuses on fundamentals—Essentia control, basic combat techniques, and gate theory. Second trimester introduces specialized training based on your Essentia type. Third trimester emphasizes field experience through supervised gate clearance."
The calendar zoomed in, highlighting specific dates.
"Key events include the Autumn Assessment in November, Winter Showcase in February, and Spring Tournament in May. Your performance in these events directly impacts your rank and future opportunities."
First chance to show off comes in... eight weeks. Not much time to master this Input Buffer system.
"For those who opted for campus housing, your student portal contains that intormation. Residential advisors will distribute keys at each location starting at 3 PM." Kayama's gaze swept the room. "You may also visit your assigned classrooms today to meet your instructors, though formal classes begin Monday at 9 AM sharp."
She paused, hands resting lightly on the podium.
"One final note. While at Catalyst, you are ambassadors of the hunter community. Your conduct reflects on all of us. We expect excellence not just in combat, but in character."
Xavier barely suppressed an eye roll. He'd heard similar speeches from handlers throughout his career—morality lectures from people who'd hire him to kill for them.
"That concludes our orientation. Welcome to Catalyst Academy. May your time here forge you into the defenders humanity needs."
Students began rising, the auditorium filling with chatter as the tension of orientation dissolved into excitement.
"Well that was a waste of time," Xavier said, stretching his arms above his head. His shoulder joints popped satisfyingly. "So, what's in the student portal? Anything useful?"
"Everything!" Adrian fumbled with his bag, producing a sleek phone embossed with the Catalyst logo. "Class assignments, campus map, meal vouchers for the first week, building access codes—"
"Great." Xavier opened his own phone. "Let's see where they've stashed us."
STUDENT: VALENTINE, XAVIER
CLASS: 1-D
HOUSING: N/A
ROOMMATE: N/A
Well, looks like we're staying in that apartment.
Xavier glanced at Calypso. "You good?"
Calypso's lips pressed into a thin line. "I need to find the ladies' room first," she muttered, gathering her things. "Meet you outside."
She pushed past him without waiting for a response, silver hair swishing behind her as she navigated through the crowd.
Adrian watched her go, then looked at Xavier with undisguised curiosity. "So... you two related? The last name and the hair color..."
"Cousins," Xavier lied smoothly. "Found out recently."
"Oh! Wow, congratulations! That's—"
"Thanks." Xavier cut him off before the stammering could evolve into a full speech. "We should head out. Good meeting you, Adrian."
"Wait!" Adrian fumbled with his tablet. "Can I get your contact info? For networking purposes!"
Fuck, he's annoying I should just tell him to get lost. But, having someone so knowledgeable about the world and hunters in my circle…
"Sure." He tapped his student ID against Adrian's tablet, transferring his contact details. "Just don't spam me with hunter statistics at 3 AM."
Adrian's face lit up. "I won't! Well, not usually. Unless something really significant happens, like an S-rank sighting or a Tier-4 gate opening or—"
"Goodbye, Adrian." Xavier turned and headed for the exit, weaving through the dispersing crowd.
Outside, the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the quad. Students clustered in groups, comparing schedules and housing assignments.
Xavier found a relatively quiet spot by a decorative pillar and leaned against it, watching the crowd.
His eyes caught on a familiar figure across the quad. Dominic Black stood surrounded by admirers, his posture relaxed but alert. Even from this distance, Xavier could see the calculated nature of his charm—the perfect smile, the precisely timed laugh, the casual touches that made each person feel specially acknowledged.
He's good. Really good. Knows exactly what to give each person to keep them hooked.
It was like watching himself in a mirror, except Dominic operated on a much grander scale. Xavier had charmed marks one by one. This guy had an entire school eating from his palm.
A flash of silver caught his eye. Calypso emerged from the auditorium, her pink dress making her stand out among the more practical attire of most students. She scanned the crowd, pink eyes narrowing when they landed on Xavier.
"We need to talk."