Creation Of All Things-Chapter 82: Orientation

"How the hell did you get here?"

Joshua ran a hand through his hair, looking just as lost as Adam had felt earlier. "No idea. One second, I was walking back to the police academy with Alice, and the next—boom—I'm here. Surrounded by a bunch of aliens."

"Who you calling an alien, man?" A voice cut in.

Joshua turned to see a young guy with strange, glowing eyes staring him down.

"Uh—my bad," Joshua said, raising his hands. "Where I'm from, 'alien' just means stranger. Didn't mean anything by it."

The guy scoffed, crossing his arms. "Hmph." With that, he turned and walked away.

Joshua let out a breath, shaking his head. "Man, this place is weird." Then he turned back to Adam, his expression serious. "Alright, mind telling me where we are? And what the hell is this 'Origin Academy'?"

Adam sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Wish I could give you a proper answer, but I barely know myself." His eyes flicked over Joshua, studying him for a moment. "One thing's for sure, though—you're not human. If you were, you wouldn't be here."

Joshua blinked. "Wait, what?"

"Think about it," Adam continued. "This place is for monsters—Celestials, Demons, Gods, and all sorts of freakishly strong beings. If you got dragged here, then that means…" He trailed off, letting the weight of his words settle.

Joshua's brows furrowed. "No way… I mean, I've always been stronger than normal people, but—"

"Then you're not normal," Adam cut in. "And if you really are human? Then you're an anomaly—something way beyond what humans should be."

Joshua clenched his fists, his mind racing. "So, what now?"

Adam smirked, tilting his head toward the towering academy. "Simple. We survive. And if we're lucky? We thrive."

Joshua exhaled, shaking his head. "This is insane."

Adam shrugged. "Yeah, but it's happening. So, might as well roll with it."

Before Joshua could respond, a loud chime rang through the air, echoing across the academy grounds. Instantly, a holographic screen materialized above them, its golden letters glowing with an otherworldly light.

[All new students, report to the Grand Hall for orientation.]

A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd as figures began moving toward the massive entrance of the academy. Some walked with confidence, others with caution.

Joshua sighed. "Guess that means us too."

Adam shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. Let's go."

The two joined the flow of students entering the academy. As they stepped inside, the first thing that hit them was the sheer scale of the place. Towering marble pillars lined the entrance, each carved with intricate symbols that pulsed faintly with energy. The ceiling stretched so high it looked like its own sky, filled with shifting constellations that shimmered with every step they took.

Students of all shapes and sizes filled the vast space. Some towered over others like giants, while a few barely reached Adam's waist. Strange auras clashed in the air—some suffocatingly heavy, others eerily cold.

Joshua whistled low. "Damn. This place is unreal."

Adam scanned the room, eyes locking onto a raised platform at the far end of the hall. The same cosmic-flame-wreathed man from before stood there, his presence alone silencing the crowd.

He raised a hand, and just like that, the entire hall went dead quiet.

"Welcome to the Origin Academy," he announced, his voice carrying an undeniable weight. "From this moment on, you are students of the greatest institution in existence. But do not mistake this place for a sanctuary."

His gaze swept across the room, his burning eyes seeming to linger on certain individuals—including Adam.

"This academy is not here to protect you. It exists to forge you. To break you down and rebuild you into something greater. Some of you will thrive. Some of you… will not."

A tense silence followed.

Then, a different voice—sharp and commanding—cut through the air.

"Let's see if you even survive your first day."

A figure stepped forward from the crowd. A tall young man with silver hair and piercing violet eyes, exuding an aura so suffocatingly strong that even some of the nonchalant students stiffened.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he looked around. "Origin Academy runs on one rule—strength. If you want respect, if you want a place here, you take it." His gaze landed on Adam. "And I don't see anything special about you."

Joshua muttered under his breath. "Oh great. First day, and you're already getting called out."

Adam exhaled, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with."

The silver-haired guy stepped forward, hands in his pockets, that smirk never leaving his face. "Come on, new guy. Show us why you're even here."

The crowd shifted, forming a loose circle around them. Whispers spread like wildfire.

"Damn, already? This might be fun."

"That's Leon—one of the top-ranked students. No way a newbie's standing up to him."

"Poor bastard doesn't even know what he's walking into."

Joshua leaned toward Adam. "Dude, you sure about this? We just got here."

Adam cracked his neck. "He's not giving me much of a choice, is he?"

Leon let out a chuckle. "Tch, I was hoping you'd say that."

And then he moved.

A blur—so fast that Joshua barely caught it—before Leon was suddenly inches from Adam, fist shooting straight for his face.

Boom!

The force of the strike sent a shockwave ripping through the hall, shaking the floor. Some of the weaker students stumbled back from the sheer pressure.

But Adam?

He caught the punch.

Just like that.

A dead silence fell over the room.

Leon's smirk faltered for the first time as he stared at Adam's hand, gripping his fist like it was nothing.

Adam sighed. "Man, you're kinda slow."

Leon's eyes flashed. "What—"

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Before he could react, Adam twisted his arm and drove a knee straight into his gut.

Crack!

Leon's body folded as he was sent flying across the hall, crashing into one of the marble pillars with enough force to leave a spiderweb of cracks. A few gasps rang out, while some students just stood there, wide-eyed.

Joshua whistled. "Well… that was satisfying."

Adam rolled his shoulders. "Yeah, yeah. Can we move on now?"

The cosmic-flame-wreathed man on the platform finally spoke again, amusement flickering in his burning gaze. "Interesting. Very interesting."

Leon groaned, pulling himself out of the wreckage, eyes blazing with something between shock and excitement. "Heh… not bad, new guy." He wiped some blood from his lip and grinned. "I think I'm gonna like it here."

Adam sighed, rubbing his temples. "Great. Another weirdo."