A new year is about to begin at Almenio, the most prestigious magic academy in the world. Hundreds of students, divided across four age groups and classes of about twenty, will soon compete for their places. Class assignments are based on skill, and with a limited number of available slots, the competition is brutal.
Renji Shibata never met his parents. His grandparents raised him until they died in an accident twelve years after his birth. Since then, he's been living alone for four years. Starting today, he lives half an hour away from the academy, despite growing up in a small town. Almenio put together a program where they financially help promising students pursue their studies. It includes a small but welcoming place to call home, within fairly close proximity to the school.
Mornings are Renji's natural enemy. He's a night owl and only got a few hours of sleep last night. With only 40 minutes left until the opening ceremony, Renji is still sound asleep. Luckily, his childhood friend came in clutch today.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Come on, dude, we're gonna be late!"
Renji doesn't budge.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Are you dead? One more knock and I'm barging in!"
Still no sign of life.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
"Alright, I'm coming in."
Renji groans as Gudo swings the door open, sunlight hitting his face like a slap. He blinks, stretches, and finally sits up, rubbing his eyes.
"You're lucky you're my friend, Gudo."
Gudo grins.
"Come on, sleeping beauty. The clock is ticking!"
Renji swings his legs off the bed.
"Yeah, yeah. Give me 10 minutes."
"10 minutes?! We're definitely gonna be late."
"Well... you should get used to me."
Gudo scoffs, but he forfeits.
Renji splashes ice-cold water on his face; a much-needed wake-up call to begin an unasked-for early morning battle. He takes a quick shower, lazily brushes his teeth, and throws on his school uniform. Twenty minutes gone in a flash.
"Yeah, we're screwed."
He locks the door to his room and they finally get going.
As they enter the streets of Almenio, reality is still settling in.
Gudo looks up at the buildings.
"Man, I still can't believe we're really here. We have so much to discover."
Renji raises his hand to his mouth and lets out a big yawn.
"I'm not sure I like it. Too much noise and chaos for me."
Gudo sighs.
"I'm sure you'll get used to it. Let's pick up the pace for now."
Gudo makes sure to absorb and enjoy the atmosphere the big city has to offer. Renji remains unimpressed.
As if by some miracle, they reach the gates right on cue. Well, they are the last people to arrive, but beggars can't be choosers. Inside the auditorium, hundreds of students are already seated. The moment Renji and Gudo step in, heads turn. Glances filled with animosity land on the duo as they make their way to a couple of empty chairs.
They sit down as the director of the academy begins their opening speech.
"Thank you for being here today. As you all know, this is the most sought-after institution available. Being accepted means we've recognized your potential. We function on a meritocracy, meaning benefits are only awarded to deserving students. Consider the first semester a testing period. If you're not up to the standards, you will be let go and replaced."
The air gets thicker once everyone hears that last part.
"This, of course, means the level of competitiveness will remain high. If you feel you're not cut out for it, you can drop out now. Any takers?"
The director looks around the room for any raised hands. There are none.
"Good. I like your confidence. Be wary though that nothing can prepare you for what's to come. I'll have you know that every year, 30% of students are replaced within the first month. The percentage grows further as we settle into the year."
The tension keeps rising.
"If you manage to keep your place, we'll be together for four years. Afterwards, a high-end job is almost guaranteed, but how high you can go depends on you. We operate harshly because everything we offer tips the balance."
Finally, some good news. Graduating here seems to guarantee a stable future.
"For all of you that are new here, the classes work in a system where you can climb and fall every semester. You have to earn your spot. We care most about individual brilliance. There are five classes, ranging from A as the highest to E as the lowest in each respective age group. Newcomers will be placed from 1A to 1E. You might wonder where you'll start. This first week, we're holding a tournament. The placements will decide fair and square."
Murmurs ripple through the auditorium with a mix of anxiety, excitement, confidence, and lack thereof.
"These are the basics of our academy. Now, each of you will come forward and draw a slip from this bowl. It will determine your placement in one of five initial brackets. This system is designed to give everyone a fair chance. Even if you lose in the first round, you'll still have a path forward. Let's proceed."
Students step up one by one. A hundred students, divided into five brackets of twenty. In an unfortunate turn of events, Renji lands in group B1 alongside Gudo.
"So," Gudo says, "I guess this means we'll have to fight each other."
"I guess so."
Once everyone is drafted, the director speaks again.
"This concludes the first step. The president of 4A will now take the word and wrap things up here. Afterwards, you'll each need to move to your assigned classrooms. The tournament starts today."