His Butterfly

Elena was sleeping peacefully.

For once, there was nothing she needed to worry about.

No school fees.

No unfinished assignment.

No reminder from her mother that there was barely enough money for the week.

Just sleep.

She lay curled up on one side of her small bed, her thin blanket covering half of her body. The little room around her was simple and old, but it was hers. A small wooden wardrobe stood against the wall, its paint already peeling in several places. Beside it was a tiny table holding a few textbooks, a rechargeable lamp, and a plastic cup.

Her schoolbag rested on the floor beside the bed.

There was barely enough space to walk around the bed.

The room had one small window covered with faded curtains, allowing only a little morning light to enter.

Elena shifted beneath her blanket.

She was still sleeping when-

**Bang!**

Her eyes remained closed.

Another sound followed.

**Bang! Bang!**

Elena frowned.

She pulled the blanket over her head.

"Go away."she said sleepy

The noise continued.

"Go away," she repeated sleepily.

Nothing.

Then-

**Bang!**

"ELENA!"

Her eyes snapped open.

She knew that voice.

Her younger brother.

She slowly pulled the blanket away from her face and stared at the door.

"Kai..."

Another bang came.

"Wake up!"he shouted from outside her door

Elena closed her eyes again.

"I am awake."she replied lazily ,God knew she is tired of his trouble

"No, you're not."he insists,frustrating his sister has always been the best thing

"I am."

"You're sleeping."

"Then why am I answering you?"

There was silence.

Elena smiled slightly, thinking she had won.

Then the door opened.

Her younger brother poked his head inside.

"Mum said you should wake up."

Elena stared at him.

"What time is it?"she ask taking look at him under her blanket

"Morning."he said with a smirk

"I know it's morning."

"Then wake up."

She groaned and sat up.

Her hair was messy from sleep, and her eyes were still heavy.

"Kai, why are you disturbing me?"

"I've been calling you."

"I didn't hear you."

"I know."he replied with his small smile still intact

"Then why did you keep calling me?"she said frustrated.

"Because Mum said-"he stopped with a smile that speak for him already,cause his goal is to trouble her nothing else

Elena grabbed her pillow.

Kai's eyes widened.

"Don't."

"Come here."

"No."

"Kai."

He laughed.

Elena threw the pillow.

He quickly ducked.

"Missed!"

She got out of bed.

"Kai!"

He screamed with laughter and ran.

Elena chased him out of the room.

"You little nuisance! Come back here!"she yelled after him

"You can't catch me!"he said playfully Lord knew he was more than happy

"I will catch you!"she said with a determined voice

He ran through the narrow passage toward the small parlour.

Elena followed him, nearly bumping into the old chair beside the wall.

"Kai!"

He jumped around the small sofa.

"You're too slow!"

Elena tried to grab him.

He moved away.

She followed.

They went around the sofa once.

Twice.

Then Elena almost caught him.

"Kai!"

He screamed.

From the kitchen came their mother's voice.

"Both of you!"

They froze.

"Stop running around the house!"she cautioned them with her strict voice

Elena pointed at her brother.

"He woke me up!"she said using a hand to rough her hair

Kai immediately pointed at her.

"She wants to beat me!"forming a innocent face

Their mother appeared at the kitchen entrance, holding a spoon.

"Is this how you two want to start the morning?"she asked while pointing the spoon at them simultaneously

Neither answered.

"Go and brush your teeth," their mother told Elena.

Then she looked at Kai.

"And you, stop disturbing your sister."

Kai lowered his head.

"Yes, Mum."

Elena smiled triumphantly.

Kai looked at her.

She smiled wider.

He rolled his eyes.

Elena turned toward her room.

Then-

**Knock. Knock.**

Everyone looked toward the front door.

Their mother frowned.

"Who could that be?"

Another knock came.

**Knock. Knock.**

Elena walked toward the door.

Their home rarely received visitors that early.

She opened it.

A delivery man stood outside.

He held a brown envelope.

He checked the address before looking at her.

"Elena?"

She nodded.

He handed her the envelope.

He then held out the device for her signature.

Elena signed.

The delivery man took the device, turned around, and left without saying another word.

Elena watched him walk away.

She slowly closed the door.

Her mother looked at the envelope.

"What is that?"

"I don't know."

Elena turned it around.

There was no sender's name.

No explanation.

Only her name and their home address.

Her younger brother moved closer.

"Open it."

Elena looked at her mother.

Her mother nodded.

She carefully opened the envelope.

A document was inside.

Elena pulled it out.

Her eyes moved across the page.

Then stopped.

She read it again.

Her expression changed.

"Mum..."she look at her with a wide yet confused eyes

"What?"

Elena looked at the paper.

"I think..."

She swallowed.

"I got a scholarship."he dropped the bomb

Her mother stopped what she was doing.

"A scholarship?"she asked with a confused voice

Elena nodded slowly.

She handed her the document.

Her mother read it.

Her eyes widened.

"Where?"

Elena pointed.

Her mother read the name of the institution.

**Blackthorn Academy.**

The room became silent.

Elena stared at her mother.

Her mother stared at the document.

Blackthorn Academy.

Even people who had never attended the school knew its name.

It wasn't an ordinary school.

It belonged to the mafia world.

Only children born into powerful mafia families were supposed to attend.

And there was one thing everyone knew.

**Blackthorn did not offer scholarships.**

Never.

The school had four units.

The **Diamond Unit** was the highest.

Only students with **three million points and above** could enter.

Then came the **Gold Unit**, from one million to three million points.

The **Silver Unit** followed, from eight hundred thousand to one million.

And finally-

The **O-Level**.

Zero to eight hundred thousand points.

But the points weren't simply earned through studying.

Students could earn points by winning fighting competitions, completing assignments and missions, bullying, hurting someone, and other activities connected to the school's brutal ranking system.

The higher your points, the higher your position.

The higher your position, the more respected you became.

And none of that made sense for Elena.

She came from a poor family.

She didn't have mafia connections.

She didn't know powerful people.

She had never even imagined stepping inside Blackthorn Academy.

"Mum..."

Her mother was still staring at the document.

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Who gave you this?"

"I don't know."

Her mother looked at the bottom of the document.

There was a strange signature.

No ordinary name.

Just an authorization mark.

Elena frowned.

"There isn't a sender."

Her mother shook her head.

"This doesn't make sense."

Elena looked again.

The scholarship covered everything.

Tuition.

Books.

Accommodation.

Uniform.

Everything.

Her heart began beating faster.

It was an opportunity she could never afford on her own.

But there was something else.

At the bottom of the document were words that made her stomach tighten.

**NO REFUSAL ALLOWED.**

Elena looked at her mother.

"Mum..."

Her mother read the words.

Neither of them spoke.

"Who sends someone a scholarship and tells them they can't refuse it?" Elena asked.

Her mother had no answer.

Elena looked at the school name again.

Blackthorn Academy.

Why her?

Why now?

And who had paid for it?

She suddenly remembered all the rumors.

People said the school belonged to the mafia.

People said scholarships were impossible.

People said only children born into powerful families had a place there.

Yet she was holding an official scholarship in her hands.

It didn't make sense.

Her mother finally sighed.

"I don't understand this either."

"So should I reject it?"

Her mother looked at her.

"No."

Elena blinked.

"But-"

"It is a good opportunity."

Her mother looked down at the document again.

"Whatever the reason is, you have been given an opportunity to study. We cannot afford to waste it."

Elena nodded slowly.

She knew her mother was right.

Money had always been a problem.

School had never been easy.

There had been times when Elena wondered whether she would even be able to continue her education.

Now suddenly, everything was paid for.

Maybe this was the answer to their prayers.

Still, the mystery bothered her.

She reached for her phone.

There was one person she needed to call.

Her best friend.

She dialed.

The call barely rang before it was answered.

"Elena!"

She frowned.

"Why did you sound like you were waiting for me?"

Her best friend laughed nervously.

"I was about to call you."

"Why?"

"Because something happened."

Elena sat down.

"What?"

"I received a scholarship."

She froze.

"What?"

"To Blackthorn."

Elena's eyes widened.

"You're joking."

"I wish I was."

She looked at her mother.

"Mum..."

Her best friend continued.

"I don't know who sent it. It just arrived."

Elena's heart began beating faster.

"Mine too."

Silence.

"You got one?"she asked nervously

"Yes."he replied from the other end

"When?"

"This morning."

"Mine came this morning too."

Neither of them spoke for a few seconds.

Then Elena asked,

"Does yours say everything is paid?"

"Yes."

"Does yours say no refusal allowed?"

Her best friend's voice became quieter.

"Yes."

Elena leaned back.

"So we both got mysterious scholarships to a school that doesn't give scholarships?"

"Exactly."

"That makes no sense."

"I know."

"What are we going to do?"

There was another silence.

Then her best friend laughed.

"We're going."

Elena smiled.

"We're really going."

"We have to."

They both knew why.

Neither of them had the money to attend a school like Blackthorn.

If someone had somehow opened the door for them, they couldn't simply turn around and close it.

They would go.

They would study.

They would make the opportunity count.

Even if they didn't understand why they had been chosen.

---

Later that day, Elena climbed onto her bicycle.

She was supposed to meet her boyfriend.

She had no idea that the day was about to become even worse.

She rode through the familiar streets, her thoughts still returning to the scholarship.

Blackthorn.

A new school.

A new life.

Maybe everything was finally going to change.

She reached the place where she was supposed to meet him.

She stopped her bicycle.

Then she heard laughter.

A girl's laughter.

Elena frowned.

She looked toward the building.

Her boyfriend was there.

With another girl.

Too close.

Far too close.

Elena stopped breathing.

She watched for a moment.

There was no misunderstanding.

He was cheating.

Her heart sank.

The boy suddenly saw her.

His expression changed.

"Elena!"

She turned around.

"Wait!"

She started walking toward her bicycle.

"Baby, wait!"

She ignored him.

He ran after her.

"Let me explain!"

She reached her bicycle.

"There is nothing to explain."

"Elena!"

She started the engine.

"Please!"

She didn't look at him.

He continued running after her.

"Elena, I'm sorry!"

She started riding.

He eventually stopped.

His voice became distant.

She didn't turn around.

She didn't cry.

She simply rode away.

---

An hour later, she reached her best friend's house.

Her best friend took one look at her face and immediately understood something was wrong right from her knocking cause so far as he is concerning when did she learn how to knock she just banged inside.

For the next hour, he consoled her.

Elena talked.

He listened.

She complained.

He listened.

She became angry.

He listened.

Eventually, she sighed.

"I'm done."she says after breathing in and out

"Good."he replied looking up to her

She looked at him.

"You're not going to tell me to forgive him?"she said almost sniffing

"No."he answered with a straight face no expression

"Why?"she asked after she clean the small little tears that was about to drop

"Because I never like him to begin with,from his look down to his tint hair it showed that he is nothing but a player,am actually grateful cause it's didn't take long for you to realize."

She laughed despite her condition .

The tension finally eased.

Then he looked at the scholarship document sitting on the table.

"So..."he started

Elena followed his gaze.

"Blackthorn."

They both smiled.

He pulled out his phone.

"I've been looking at pictures."

"Of the school?"

"Yeah."

He showed her.

Elena leaned closer.

The school was enormous.

Beautiful.

The buildings looked more like luxury hotels than classrooms.

Then the uniform appeared.

Elena's eyes widened.

"Oh my goodness."she said with her palm covering her mouth

He laughed at the expression on her face .

"You like it?"he said with an amuse voice

"It is beautiful."she exclaimed

The uniform was elegant, perfectly designed, with the school's emblem carefully placed on the chest.

They kept scrolling through the pictures.

Then they found the information about uniforms.

Apparently, students only had to wear the official uniform **once every semester**-on the first day.

The rest of the semester was **mufti**.

Elena smiled.

"At least we won't have to wear that every day."

"Exactly."

They laughed.

For a while, they forgot about the strange scholarship.

They forgot about the unknown person who had paid for everything.

They forgot about the words **NO REFUSAL ALLOWED.**

They were simply excited.

They were finally going somewhere they had only ever heard about.

Somewhere they could never have afforded.

Elena looked at the scholarship again.

"Do you think we'll be okay?"

Her best friend smiled.

"We'll be fine."he said even though he try to look convinced

She nodded.

"Together?"

"Together."

Elena smiled.

But neither of them noticed that the scholarship document had something they hadn't seen before.

At the very bottom, beneath the official authorization, was a small symbol.

A butterfly.

And beneath it was a single line.

**RECIPIENTS WILL REPORT ON THE FIRST DAY.**

No name.

No sender.

No explanation.

Just the instruction.

And somewhere far away, someone was already waiting for Elena to arrive at Blackthorn Academy.

**Not because she had been chosen for the scholarship.**

But because the scholarship had been created **for her.**

And whoever had arranged it knew something Elena didn't.

Something that would change her life the moment she stepped through those gates.

Elena didn't stop riding until she reached her best friend's house.

Her legs were aching by the time she jumped off the bicycle.

She leaned against it, breathing heavily.

She wasn't sure whether she was tired from riding or from everything that had happened that morning.

Her boyfriend had cheated on her.

Her entire future had suddenly changed because of a scholarship she never applied for.

And somehow, the same mysterious scholarship had been given to her best friend.

Nothing about it made sense.

She knocked.

A few seconds later, the door opened.

Her best friend stared at her.

"Elena?"

Elena walked inside without saying anything.

Her best friend closed the door behind her.

"What happened?"

Elena dropped onto the small sofa.

"My boyfriend cheated on me."

Silence.

"What?"

"I saw him."

Her best friend sat beside her.

"You're serious?"

Elena nodded.

"I went there because I wanted to tell him about the scholarship."

Her best friend sighed.

"Forget him."

"I'm trying."

"You don't need him."

Elena looked down at her hands.

"I know."

Her voice was quiet.

"But it still hurts."

Her best friend squeezed her hand.

"Then let it hurt. Just don't let him make you feel like you're not enough."

Elena looked at her.

A small smile appeared.

"Since when did you become so wise?"

"I've always been wise."

"You nearly failed mathematics."

"That has nothing to do with wisdom."

Elena laughed.

For a moment, the heaviness in her chest disappeared.

Then her eyes moved toward the bag beside her.

The scholarship letter was inside.

Her smile faded.

"What do you think about this?"

Her best friend followed her gaze.

"The school?"

"Yes."

"I think we should go."

Elena frowned.

"You aren't scared?"

"Of course I'm scared."

"Then why do you want to go?"she asked facing him

Her best friend shrugged.

"Because people like us don't usually get opportunities like this."

Elena looked at the floor.

That was exactly what frightened her.

It wasn't simply a scholarship.

It felt like someone had opened a door specifically for them.

And Elena couldn't understand why.

Her best friend pulled out the letter.

"Look at this."

She pointed at the bottom.

Elena leaned closer.

There was a strange symbol printed beneath the school's official seal.

A small butterfly.

But it wasn't an ordinary butterfly.

There was something resembling a crown above it.

Elena frowned.

"Was that on mine?"

"I think so."

"You think?"

"I didn't really notice it before."

Elena took her own letter from her bag.

She unfolded it.

There it was.

The same symbol.

A butterfly beneath a crown.

Her stomach tightened.

"Why would they put this on our letters?"

"I don't know."

"Have you ever seen it before?"

"No."

Elena stared at the symbol.

She suddenly had the uncomfortable feeling that the scholarship wasn't meant to give them an opportunity.

It was meant to bring them somewhere.

But why?

Before either of them could speak again, Elena's phone rang.

She looked at the screen.

It was an unknown number.

Her best friend leaned closer.

"Answer it."

Elena hesitated.

Then she picked up.

"Hello?"

No one answered.

"Hello?"

There was only silence.

Elena frowned.

"Who is this?"

A faint sound came through the phone.

It sounded like breathing.

Then the call ended.

Elena slowly lowered the phone.

"Who was it?"

"I don't know."

"Call back."

Elena did.

The number was unavailable.

Her best friend stared at her.

"Okay."

She swallowed.

"Now I'm officially scared."

Elena looked at the scholarship letter again.

"So am I."

*****

The next morning, the two girls stood outside their homes with their bags packed.

Neither knew exactly what to expect.

The scholarship letter had included instructions.

They were to report to the school at a specific time.

Transportation had already been arranged.

No explanation.

No option to postpone.

No information about why they had been selected.

Just a simple sentence:

YOUR ADMISSION HAS BEEN APPROVED.

Elena's mother hugged her tightly before she left.

"Be careful."

"I will."

"And call me when you arrive."

"I promise."

Her mother looked at her for a moment.

"You know you don't have to be afraid of everything just because it's unfamiliar."

Elena smiled.

"I know."

But when she turned away, her smile disappeared.

She was afraid.

She just didn't want her mother to know.

A black vehicle was waiting at the end of the road.

Her best friend was already standing beside it.

Neither of them spoke.

They simply looked at the vehicle.

"That's ours?" Elena asked.

Her best friend nodded.

"Apparently."

The driver stepped out.

"Elena?"

She froze.

"Yes."

"And you?"

He looked at her best friend.

Her best friend gave her name.

The driver opened the door.

"Get in."

Elena looked at her best friend.

Her best friend whispered,

"Well... we can still run."

Elena almost laughed.

"Where?"

"I don't know."

"Exactly."

They got inside.

The doors closed.

The moment the vehicle began moving, Elena looked through the window.

Her neighborhood slowly disappeared behind them.

She had no idea she was leaving one life behind.

Hours later, enormous black gates appeared in front of them.

Elena's eyes widened.

She had never seen anything like it.

The school stood behind the gates like a private kingdom.

Huge buildings rose into the sky.

Security guards stood everywhere.

Luxury vehicles moved through the entrance.

Students walked around wearing expensive uniforms.

Some had bodyguards.

Others were surrounded by people who looked more like security than friends.

Elena stared.

"This is a school?"

Her best friend whispered,

"I think we're in the wrong place."

The vehicle stopped.

A security officer approached.

He checked their documents.

His expression changed when he saw their names.

He looked at them.

Then at the papers.

Then back at them.

"Follow me."

Elena exchanged a nervous glance with her best friend.

They followed.

As soon as they stepped through the gates, they could feel the difference.

Students stared.

Whispers followed them.

"Who are they?"

"I've never seen them before."

"Look at their uniforms."

"Where did they come from?"

One girl openly laughed.

"Are those scholarship students?"

Elena lowered her eyes.

Her best friend whispered,

"Ignore them."

They continued walking.

Then they reached a large hall.

A massive screen displayed the school's ranking system.

DIAMOND - 3 MILLION POINTS AND ABOVE

GOLD - 1 MILLION TO 3 MILLION POINTS

SILVER - 800,000 TO 1 MILLION POINTS

O LEVEL - 0 TO 800,000 POINTS

Elena stared at it.

"What are the points for?"

Their guide answered without turning around.

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Fighting competitions. Missions. Tasks. Achievements. Influence."

He paused.

"Survival."

Elena's stomach tightened.

"Survival?"

He finally looked at her.

"You'll understand soon."

Then he walked away.

The girls were left standing there.

A bell rang.

Instantly, the entire hall changed.

Students moved.

Teachers appeared.

The atmosphere became tense.

And then Elena saw him.

He was standing at the top of the staircase.

Damon.

He wasn't doing anything.

He didn't need to.

People simply moved aside when he walked.

He was surrounded by his friends, but his presence was enough to silence the nearby students.

Elena didn't know who he was.

She didn't know his name.

She didn't know that the boy standing there belonged to the highest level of the school.

She only noticed one thing.

His eyes briefly moved across the crowd.

And stopped on her.

For one strange second, Elena felt as if he had recognized her.

But that was impossible.

They had never met.

Damon's expression didn't change.

Then he looked away.

One of his friends leaned toward him and said something.

Damon answered quietly.

Elena couldn't hear the words.

But she saw his eyes move back toward her.

This time, toward the scholarship letter in her hand.

His expression changed.

Only slightly.

But it was enough.

He knew something.

Before Elena could think about it, the principal's voice echoed through the hall.

"Everyone, return to your units."

Students began moving.

Elena and her best friend were directed toward the O Level building.

As they walked away, Elena glanced back.

Damon was still standing on the staircase.

Watching them.

*0level unit***

That night, Elena unpacked her things in the room assigned to her.

The room was far better than anything she had ever owned.

But she couldn't enjoy it.

Something felt wrong.

She took the scholarship letter from her bag.

The butterfly-and-crown symbol caught her attention again.

She touched it.

Nothing happened.

Then she noticed something she hadn't seen before.

There was writing beneath the symbol.

Very small.

Almost hidden.

Elena brought the paper closer to the light.

Her heart stopped.

It said:

SHE HAS ARRIVED.

Elena's fingers went cold.

Suddenly-

Knock. Knock. Knock.

She froze.

Nobody knew she was here.

Another knock.

Then a voice came from outside.

"Elena."

Her blood ran cold.

She knew that voice.

It belonged to the boy she had seen earlier.

Damon.

And she had no idea how he knew her name.

HIS BUTTERFLY 🦋

Chapter Three - The O Level Unit

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Elena stood completely still.

Her fingers were still wrapped around the scholarship letter.

She stared at the door.

Then the voice came again.

"Elena."

Her heart skipped.

She knew that voice.

The boy from the staircase.

Damon.

But how did he know her name?

She slowly walked toward the door.

Her hand reached for the handle.

She stopped.

Something inside her told her not to open it.

She stepped back instead.

"Who are you?" she asked.

Silence.

Then-

"Open the door."

Elena swallowed.

"I asked who you are."

A short pause.

"Someone who knows why you're here."

Her eyes widened.

The scholarship letter suddenly felt heavier in her hand.

"Why am I here?"

No answer.

She moved closer to the door.

"Did you send the scholarship?"

Still nothing.

Then footsteps.

Elena heard them moving away.

She quickly opened the door.

The hallway was empty.

She stepped outside.

"Wait!"

Nothing.

She looked in both directions.

Damon was gone.

Elena slowly closed the door.

Her mind was filled with questions.

Why had he come?

How did he know her name?

And what did he mean when he said he knew why she was there?

She looked at the scholarship letter again.

SHE HAS ARRIVED.

Her stomach tightened.

For the first time, Elena wondered if she had made a mistake by coming to this school.

O LEVEL UNIT

The O Level Unit was the lowest-ranked building in the school.

It housed students with 0 to 800,000 points.

But being the lowest-ranked unit did not mean the students were powerless.

Every student was given opportunities to earn points through school tasks, competitions, missions and challenges.

The higher their points rose, the higher they could move through the school's hierarchy.

But losing points could be just as dangerous.

A student could spend years climbing.

And lose everything in one day.

The O Level building itself was large, but compared with the other units, it was noticeably less luxurious.

The rooms were comfortable.

The classrooms were modern.

There were training grounds, a cafeteria and a common hall.

But the difference was obvious.

The higher units had privileges that O Level students could only dream about.

And everyone in the school knew one simple rule:

Your points determined your position.

Elena learned that the following morning.

She stood outside her classroom beside her best friend, staring at the students around them.

Some looked ordinary.

Others looked at them as though they were strangers who had walked into a private world without permission.

A girl passed them and whispered,

"They're the scholarship girls."

Another student laughed.

"Then they won't last long."

Elena heard them.

She pretended she didn't.

Her best friend leaned closer.

"Don't listen."

"I wasn't."

"You definitely were."

Elena sighed.

"I just want to attend class."

Her best friend smiled.

"That's probably the only normal thing we're going to do here."

They entered the classroom.

The room immediately became quieter.

Dozens of eyes turned toward them.

Elena hated being stared at.

She lowered her gaze.

A teacher entered.

Everyone became silent.

"Sit."

They obeyed.

The teacher placed a tablet on the desk.

"Welcome to O Level."

Nobody spoke.

"You've all been ranked according to your current points."

A screen appeared at the front of the classroom.

Names began appearing.

One after another.

Elena watched.

Some students had hundreds of thousands of points.

Some had barely crossed a few thousand.

Then-

ELENA - 0 POINTS.

The room went silent.

Someone laughed.

"Zero?"

Another student whispered,

"She doesn't even have points."

Elena's face became warm.

The teacher didn't react.

Instead, she continued.

"Her scholarship admission has placed her directly into O Level."

Elena raised her hand.

"Yes?"

"Ma'am... why do I have zero points?"

"Because you haven't earned any."

"But I was admitted."

"Yes."

"So shouldn't admission come with points?"

The teacher stared at her.

"No."

Elena lowered her hand.

The teacher continued.

"Your scholarship gives you access to this school. It does not give you status."

That sentence stayed in Elena's mind.

It does not give you status.

Her best friend appeared on the screen next.

She had also been assigned zero points.

The class laughed again.

Elena clenched her hands beneath the desk.

She had never cared about being rich.

She had never cared about being popular.

But she refused to let anyone make her feel worthless.

The teacher tapped the screen.

"Your first task will determine whether you remain at zero."

Everyone became alert.

"Tomorrow, every student will participate in an assessment."

"What kind?" someone asked.

The teacher smiled faintly.

"You'll find out tomorrow."

A student groaned.

Elena exchanged a glance with her best friend.

Already, she knew this school wasn't normal.

***

During lunch, they sat together at the far end of the cafeteria.

Elena barely touched her food.

Her mind kept returning to the previous night.

Damon.

The door.

His words.

Someone who knows why you're here.

Her best friend noticed.

"You've been quiet."she asked she noticed her quite

"I'm thinking."she said with barely anything else but sad

"About what?"

Elena hesitated.

"Damon."

Her best friend nearly dropped her spoon.

"Damon?"

"You know him?"

"Know him?"

She lowered her voice.

"Everybody knows Damon."

Elena frowned.

"I don't."

"That is because you just arrived."

She looked around before continuing.

"Damon is not an ordinary student."

"What is he?"

Her best friend leaned closer.

"He's from Diamond."

Elena remembered the ranking board.

Three million points and above.

The highest level.

"What's the Diamond Unit like?"

Her best friend looked nervous.

^DIAMOND UNIT^

The Diamond Unit was the highest-ranked unit in the school.

Only students with 3,000,000 points or more could belong there.

It was home to the most powerful students in the school-children of influential mafia families, heirs, fighters and students who had already earned enormous reputations.

Diamond students had privileges unavailable to lower-ranked students.

Their training facilities were more advanced.

Their living quarters were more luxurious.

Their influence reached throughout the school.

And their names carried weight.

Elena stared at her.

"So Damon has more than three million points?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Her best friend shrugged.

"People say he has done things nobody wants to talk about."

Elena's eyebrows pulled together.

"Like what?"

"I don't know."

"You just said everybody knows him."

"Knowing someone's name doesn't mean knowing everything about them."

Elena fell silent.

Her best friend lowered her voice further.

"And there's something else."

"What?"

"Don't get involved with him."

Elena almost laughed.

"Why would I?"

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Then stay away from him."

Elena nodded.

She had no intention of getting involved with anyone.

Especially not someone who could walk into her hallway at night and somehow know her name.

GOLD UNIT

Across the school, the Gold Unit stood between Diamond and Silver.

Students needed between 1,000,000 and 3,000,000 points to belong there.

It was filled with students who had already proven themselves but had not yet reached the highest level.

The Gold students were ambitious.

Competitive.

And determined to climb.

Among them were students who spent every day trying to earn enough points to enter Diamond.

That afternoon, one of the Gold students stood outside the O Level building.

She watched Elena through the classroom window.

Her expression was cold.

"That's her?"

The student beside her nodded.

"The scholarship girl."

The girl looked at Elena for a long moment.

"She doesn't look special."

"She doesn't have any points."

The girl smiled.

"Then why is everyone suddenly interested in her?"

Neither of them had an answer.

^SILVER UNIT^

The Silver Unit required between 800,000 and 1,000,000 points.

It was smaller than Gold and Diamond but still far above O Level.

Silver students were considered experienced enough to understand the school's rules.

They knew which challenges to accept.

Which people to avoid.

And which names should never be mentioned carelessly.

That evening, rumors about the two scholarship students had already reached the Silver Unit.

But one particular rumor spread faster than the others.

Damon had personally visited the O Level building.

Nobody knew why.

**

Back in O Level, Elena packed her books.

The classroom was almost empty.

Her best friend had gone ahead to the dormitory.

Elena stood and picked up her bag.

Then she noticed something underneath her desk.

A small black envelope.

Her name was written on it.

Her heart began beating faster.

She looked around.

Nobody was there.

Slowly, she picked it up.

There was no sender.

No school seal.

Nothing.

She opened it.

Inside was a single piece of paper.

Three words were written on it.

ASK ABOUT DAMON.

Elena stared at it.

Her fingers tightened around the paper.

Someone had been watching her.

Someone knew she was curious about Damon.

She looked toward the classroom door.

Nothing.

Then her phone vibrated.

She almost dropped it.

An unknown number.

One message.

DON'T TRUST THE BOY WHO KNOWS YOUR NAME.

Elena's breath caught.

Before she could respond, another message appeared.

HE IS NOT THE REASON YOU WERE BROUGHT HERE.

Her eyes widened.

Then a final message appeared.

I AM.

Elena stared at the screen.

Her hands went cold.

Someone was watching her.

Someone knew about her scholarship.

And someone had deliberately brought her to this school.

But the question that frightened her most was no longer-

Why did the school choose her?

It was-

Who had chosen her?