Extra Demon: Sacred Academy of Light

"Many of them..." Arthur swallowed hard, trying to keep his composure, but his hands were slick with cold sweat. They were surrounded by many "people," though that term felt inadequate. These human-shaped beings came in all forms—some tall, others small, dwarf-like—but none of them appeared lesser than the rest. Each exuded a terrifying aura, whether consciously or not; no one could tell. Fortunately, they were protected by Professor Emilia's aura.

Arthur looked around. Some of these people were grouped together; there were even children observing them with wide, curious eyes. According to Aurelen's earlier words, they were divided by families. Twenty families had gathered in elevated balconies within the tree-castle, all of them staring at the students. These, like Arthur, struggled to remain steady. It was no wonder—the human-shaped beasts watching them didn't just seem noble... they were.

Daniela looked around curiously until her eyes fixed on a particular group. She stepped slightly forward and murmured,—"That family... they use sacred mana..."She discreetly pointed to the family closest to the throne. They were tall like Aurelen, with beautiful whitish-gold hair and pure white eyes, their most distinctive trait. Daniela focused on a girl who didn't seem older than ten: she looked like a dazzling fairy. What was curious was that the girl was also staring intently at her...

Leslie, on the other hand, wasn't looking at anyone in particular, but her eyes silently scanned the different families. Suddenly, sparks flashed in her gaze as she locked onto a certain group. Their tones varied from yellow to light blue, but they all shared one trait: their hair had been replaced by tiny electric bolts. Leslie slightly pursed her lips and allowed a soft smile to form.

From the moment she entered the hall, Evelyn had locked her lazy eyes onto a family that looked just like her: hair and eyes red as blood. They wore crimson garments that completely covered their bodies, and the air around them was so hot it was nearly unbearable for the students. It was clear they shared the same affinity as Evelyn. She remained silent, nodding slightly.

The other students reacted in similar ways. Some quickly identified families with the same affinity or with similar traits. For example, Beatrice was observing a family with vertical pupils, light green hair and eyes, and faintly visible scales covering their skin. Without a doubt, a family of snakes. Even the children looked remarkably alike.

Olivia smiled as she watched an extraordinarily beautiful girl who was bouncing excitedly, pointing at her with her finger and drawing the attention of her equally stunning mother. Arthur observed them: the aura they gave off was identical to that of the mermaid he had encountered in the autumnal forest.

Elias, for his part, watched with a gentle smile as a boy pointed enthusiastically at them while speaking to his father. Apparently, he was bragging about having met them first. That boy was the same little bear who had guided them here. He couldn't be older than ten, with brown hair and eyes.

Adrian kept a furrowed brow. His affinity was already strange in itself, and he seemed unable to find anyone among the families who shared it. Though his expression remained serious, a hint of disappointment was visible.

Arthur, however, didn't even consider the possibility of forming a contract. The slightest hope hadn't crossed his mind, and those thoughts only intensified when they entered the hall. Although it seemed like the castle families were looking at the students, in truth, some of them were staring directly at him... as if they wanted to kill him. If looks could kill—and in this place, perhaps they could—he would have died hundreds of times. Luckily, they limited themselves to glares filled with disdain. He was only able to remain calm thanks to Professor Emilia's protection. Without her, he would've been crushed to the bone, biting his tongue in fear.

They had been in the throne room for almost five minutes. Aurelen had said goodbye with a smile, claiming she had other matters to attend to… leaving them alone in the great hall. Arthur sighed deeply. Though the stares unsettled him, there was nothing he could do. And of course, he wasn't foolish enough to show any sign of hostility. The best thing to do was stay quiet.

He looked up. At the very top of the place were more balconies, and in one of them, he spotted Aurelen waving, smiling. Beside her stood a woman with sky-blue hair and blue eyes who looked at him with such intensity it felt like she wanted to kill him just for continuing to stare…

Arthur immediately looked away. At the top of the castle were the animal progenitors. All of them hid their faces or remained in the shadows. All except one couple: both had reptilian eyes and dark green hair. The man, slender in build, looked to be around forty; the woman as well. They were beautiful, magnetic. Familiar. The two snakes from the deep forest…

He didn't know how they had arrived before them, but it was clear they had their own secret methods to travel faster than anyone else. Arthur frowned. All those in the balconies were the progenitors of their respective races. He reflected for a moment. The power of the beast clans far surpassed that of the empire itself…

—"Attention!" —A male voice snapped him from his thoughts. All the students, along with the present families, looked to the front. The doors on the right side opened… and three figures entered.

The air turned humid. Everyone felt as if a tidal wave was surging through the world itself…

—"Show respect to the primordial blood! Greet the Leviathan bloodline!" —The announcer's voice was filled with reverence.

Arthur looked toward the Leviathan family. Their bodies were transparent like water, yet deep, as if they were more than mere liquid. They stood over four meters tall. A man, a woman, and a girl walked in front. Their appearance was human, but of colossal proportions. On their heads were crowns that shone like stars. They walked indifferently until sitting on three deep blue marble thrones. They did so in silence.

Beside them, two more thrones began to rise…