The Ascension Age

Surprisingly, Aire's group moved quite far ahead in the opening ceremony area. It became even more apparent when you thought about the over 700 thousand Stellar Risers studying here. Sure enough, the place was enormous to be able to hold so many.

However, Aire found it strange. He heard on several occasions of other students commenting that they needed to move soon to take a good position during the ceremony. However, it was about to start in just a few more minutes. It should be impossible for his group to find a place all the way ahead, right?

"Errr...I don't think there are more free seats. Shouldn't we go back?"

Altina and Kymei looked at Aire with a smile as Altina said, "Don't worry, there will definitely be seats available for us ahead."

Aire then pondered a bit before asking, "Oh, is it because of Altina's talents? They're giving special seats for those students they think are better?"

Altina nodded as she replied, "That's correct. Well, I'm not the only one, though. Your old friend also has a seat for himself."

Aire looked at Kymei in shock after that. "You?!"

Kymei's mouth twitched after seeing that, though. "What?! Did you think I was just some average student? I might not be as impressive as Altina, but I'm still quite good, alright?"

Aire had to admit that Kymei had always been good with sports. Perhaps, after he was accepted into the pre-Riser School, his talents were brought out into the limelight.

"Okay, I understand that you two have seats reserved for you," said Aire while feeling confused. "But what about me? I have nothing to do with neither of you or the geniuses with seats. Just so you know, my abilities were barely acceptable to even enter the Ascension Age school." Of course, Aire thought he would rather not come instead.

However, the moment he said those words, Altina looked at him in shock and asked, "You...barely have the talent to enter the school?"

Kymei was even more surprised as he said, "Impossible! There's no way someone with no talent whatsoever would end up in our dormitory. We thought that since you became our roommate, you also had your own abilities."

Aire was as lost as they were when suddenly, he thought of a possibility. Following that, his attention shifted to Stella inside his mind as he shouted, "S-T-E-L-L-A!!!"

Stella, who was listening to everything, suddenly looked away as if she didn't know anything, saying with a smile on her face, "What a nice day for a ceremony, truly beautiful."

"Beautiful your head!" cursed Aire while fuming. "You didn't tell me anything that you could change the system files."

Surprisingly, Aire was correct. Everything was done through the Digital Stellar Network. Like most things, the networks nowadays worked on Stellar Energy. Stellar Communication could also be done through the help of the Fourth Dimension. The Fourth Dimension was even able to let a spaceship leave the galaxy in at most a few minutes, so it was obviously much faster than electricity or even light. That being said, Stellar Energy Technology had already taken most of the world, with only a few small and remote places being the exceptions.

Stella was an assistant sent by Gigon, the god that started the Ascension Age. Naturally, she was bound to be able to use it better than anyone else in this Universe.

Aire continued to complain, "Didn't you say that you only had a single ability open, the Energy Blood Flow Assistance thing? Where did this hacking ability of yours come from?"

Stella narrowed her eyes as she defended herself, "It's just some hacking skills. Compared to the Stellar Network on the outside, this school's network is a joke. I don't need to unlock any special abilities to do that."

It turns out that Zule had nothing to do with Aire's room changing.

"Is that so?" Aire didn't feel the least bit happier, though. "Then, why the hell did you put me in the same room as these two? No, wait! Now I know why such a coincidence happened," said Aire as everything became clear in his mind.

"I was really perplexed when I found Altina in the same room. I mean, we have over 700 thousand fucking students here! What are the chances of that happening? It was always you!"

Stella felt wronged. "Why are you complaining? I told you before that your talent at the moment definitely doesn't lose to them. It's just proper that you're assigned to a dormitory where the top students stay. Shouldn't you be thankful? The facilities close to that dormitory are also the best."

Aire felt like crying. If just he knew about that before...

"Then, why didn't you give me a free room?"

Stella playfully smiled as she answered, "Because it would be boring."

Aire truly felt like giving that girl a beating. Too bad she was using his sister's face. 'Calm down, Aire, calm down. This is, in fact, something very good. I can tell her to hack the school's system and take my name off the students' system. That way, I'll be able to go home!'

Unfortunately, Aire had to drop that idea straight away because of Stella's next words.

"Unfortunately, I can only make simple changes like that one for now."

"What?!"

Aire's dream shattered straight away as he asked, "Why?!"

Stella then pointed at Aire himself and explained, "Because Aire needs to train. If you gain everything easily, how can you improve? I won't give you extra resources or anything like that. You need to fight for it yourself. Besides, the system my Soul relies on wouldn't allow me to give you extra advantages either."

Aire couldn't help but ask, "But can you...take my name out of the students' list so I can go back home?"

Stella was puzzled by that question, prompting her to ask.

"Why?"

Aire felt that there was still a chance, so he replied, "So that I can have my calm life back! I don't want to be a Stellar Riser. First of all, I couldn't care less about the Ascension Age!"

Stella pondered over it for a bit before saying, "Well, that definitely wouldn't give you an advantage. However, would you be able to reach the Stellar Manipulation Level without being here to fight for resources, receive lessons, and use the training equipment? Don't forget, we only have a year. Also, as my abilities continue to unlock, you will have to continue improving to hold them."

Stella then looked as if she wanted to cry as she continued, "I don't want to go BOOM."

"This..." Aire forgot that part...

"Ahem...perhaps staying at school isn't too bad."

Stella's eyes brightened straight away as she said, "Right?! Right?!"

Nonetheless, Aire was still annoyed with the actual situation.

"But you have to give me a free room."

Stella immediately shook her head, though.

"No can do."

"Why?"

"Because you're poor."

Aire almost vomited blood. "Common money is also included in your non-hackable rules?!"

"Yep. Well, it would be a terrible idea anyway."

Aire knew he would regret asking this...

"Why?"

But he did it anyway.

"Because you're poor."

Sure enough, he hated the reason. Nonetheless, he understood what Stella meant. "Simply put, a poor guy like me suddenly having a rich guy's life would be too suspicious, right?"

Stella nodded as she replied, "Another part of my mission is to keep my host safe, after all. Don't worry, Aire. I already gave you one of the best free shared rooms."

Altina's room, of course.

"Sigh...whatever."

During the time Stella and Aire talked, they eventually arrived at their seats. Sure enough, there was one with Aire's name on Altina and Kymei's side. It was a row of four seats at that. It was at that moment that Aire remembered something as he asked, "Oh, right! Who's the fourth member of our room?"

Following his question, a voice came from behind and replied.

"It's me."