Temporal Dominion

Lucian forced himself to shake off the encounter with Darius as he made his way to his classroom.

He couldn't afford to let himself be distracted.

Not here.

The Aurelian Academy of Prowess was the most prestigious institution for training superpowered individuals, producing the elites who would one day lead the world's greatest factions. Its reputation was unyielding, and its rules were just as strict.

The academy operated under a rigid power hierarchy, separating students based on their abilities and potential.

The Five Tiers of Power

Every student at Aurelian was classified into one of five tiers, based on the strength, versatility, and combat potential of their abilities:

1. Iron Tier – The weakest classification. These students possessed minor or highly specialized abilities that lacked versatility in battle. Many of them struggled to ever rise beyond this level.

2. Bronze Tier – Average students with practical but unimpressive abilities. The majority of the academy belonged to this tier. While capable in combat, they had clear limitations.

3. Silver Tier – The first tier considered exceptional. These students had powerful, well-rounded abilities that could be developed into dangerous weapons.

4. Gold Tier – The elite. Only a small percentage of students ever reached this level. Their abilities were either incredibly powerful in raw strength or had rare, complex properties that gave them an edge in battle.

5. Platinum Tier – The pinnacle. Only a handful of students in the entire academy held this rank. They were prodigies, wielding abilities that defied normal limitations. Many were expected to become future leaders of factions and organizations.

Lucian… didn't belong to any of these categories.

Until a few days ago, he was nothing. Ability-less. A nobody.

He had been barely tolerated in the academy because of his family's connections, but even that had its limits. If he hadn't awakened his Chronokinesis, his time here would have eventually run out.

But now?

Now, he wasn't sure where he stood.

The Academy's Rules

Aurelian's strict rules maintained order within its walls, ensuring that strength dictated status.

1. Hierarchy Must Be Respected – Lower-tier students were expected to defer to higher-tier ones. Challenges were allowed, but those in power were rarely dethroned.

2. Dueling is the Only Accepted Method of Settling Disputes – Fights outside of official duels were strictly forbidden. However, since higher-tier students had the advantage, many challenges ended before they began.

3. No Unauthorized Use of Abilities in the Academy Halls – Breaking this rule could lead to severe punishments, including expulsion for repeated offenses.

4. Strength Determines Opportunity – The best mentors, resources, and missions were reserved for higher-tier students. Those in lower ranks had to fight for scraps.

5. Failure Means Dismissal – Students who could not improve over time were eventually removed from the academy, making room for those with greater potential.

Lucian clenched his jaw as he thought about it.

For years, these rules had kept him in the lowest standing possible.

Now that he had power, he had to figure out how to use it within the academy's system.

He couldn't just walk up and declare himself stronger than before—he needed to prove it.

And that meant rising through the ranks.

The Path to Power

Lucian took his seat in class, tuning out the droning lecture on ability theory.

His mind was elsewhere.

His entire life at Aurelian had been spent beneath everyone else.

But that was about to change.

And the first step…

Would be finding the perfect opponent to test his power.