Lies are within us whether you like them or not, it's part of our personality. I can't say how many times I've lied, I misused it. But anyone can use it however they want, whether it's necessary or not. Some may say it's horrible, some may embrace it… And I am both.

“We will be arriving at Monarx 1 shortly.”

A calm female voice came through the speakers inside the plane.

The cabin was filled with students of the Impact Unit School. Every single one of us wore the same uniform: a black blazer paired with a black face mask. The all-black look gave the entire cabin an oddly uniform vibe, like we were some kind of shadowy organization rather than students.

I leaned against the window seat. The guy next to me had the aisle, and since each row only had two seats, it felt more like a private shuttle than a plane. Weird setup, honestly.

The steady hum of the engines shifted as we began our descent. A small bump jolted me when the plane touched down. Through the window, I caught sight of the school buildings. My eyes widened.

The airport is… part of the school?

I hadn’t expected that.

Judging from the crowd of nervous-looking faces, this flight was probably reserved for first-years.

The plane came to a full stop. A few moments later, a voice over the intercom told us to remain seated until our names were called. One by one, students were summoned and left the plane.

Finally—

“Nise Arsena.”

I stood, stretched slightly, and made my way to the exit. Two staff members were waiting at the ramp. One gestured me toward a scanner.

As I walked past, the machine gave a sharp beep. The person monitoring the screen frowned, their expression twisting with confusion.

“This might be a scan error… it says he has a Blue Frame.”

“And?” the other staff member asked flatly.

“But his Frame data looks unstable.”

“Who cares. Just write him down as a Blue Frame like the others.”

The first person hesitated, but nodded.

I handed over my phone when asked. They did some kind of quick setup before giving it back along with a card. Without much explanation, they waved me toward the school entrance.

Clutching the card, I stepped out.

The air felt different, but not unfamiliar. Honestly, the atmosphere wasn’t much different from Monarx 3, the place I used to live. Still, this would be my new home for the next three years.

At the school gates, students were already lining up in neat rows. I quietly slipped into place at the back. Sure enough, this was for the opening ceremony.

I scanned the crowd, taking in the faces of other first-years. Everyone looked tense but excited. Then, footsteps echoed from the main entrance.

An older man with gray hair and a sharp gaze walked out and stood before us.

“Hello everyone,” he began, his voice carrying across the courtyard. “My name is Toto Clay. I am the Principal of this school. From today onward, all of you are under the school’s care. Here, we will enhance your skills, shape your Frames, and prepare you for battle. We expect great things from all of you. With that, I wish you the best.”

Polite applause rippled through the students. Honestly, I’d expected a longer speech.

“Students may now proceed to their classrooms. You can find your assigned class written on the card you received.”

It was the same female voice from earlier, now echoing across the school’s speakers.

I lowered my gaze to the card in my hand.

This was the card they gave me. Class 1-F. Codename: Loser.

Great. Out of all possible names, they gave me that one. Pretty unlucky… but if everyone’s stuck with theirs, then I guess I’ll just deal with it.

The hallways were busy, first years moving around like ants who lost their nest. I kept walking, trying to figure out where my class was. Eventually, I spotted a sign that read 1-A on the second floor. Not mine, but that meant I was close. If the layout was consistent, then F should be at the far end.

As I made my way there, my shoulder bumped into someone.

"HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU’RE GOING!" a girl snapped.

I stopped, blinked once, then said, "Ah, sorry." Not much else to add.

She had dropped her card, so I picked it up and handed it back. Quick glance told me she was a second year.

"Are the second-year classes around here?" I asked, more out of curiosity than anything.

"No. We were told to guide the first years to their classes."

"I see." That explained it.

She looked at me again. "Which class are you in?"

"1-F."

"Oh, that’s at the end of the hallway."

"Thanks." I gave a nod and kept moving. It wasn’t exactly useful—I'd already figured that much—but I appreciated the effort.

When I pushed open the door to my class, six students were already inside. Each desk had a removable card with codenames written on them. My spot was near the back, close to the window. Not a bad location. I pulled the card off, hung my bag on the side hanger, and sat down.

The room slowly filled. Some people were already chatting like they’d known each other for years. I wasn’t in the mood to jump into conversations, so I just leaned back in my seat and watched.

The door opened, and someone who definitely wasn’t a student walked in. A woman. She carried herself with authority but had an energy that made it clear she was excited to be here.

"Morning everyone. I am your class instructor. You can call me Instructor Tana," she introduced herself.

So this was our homeroom teacher.

"Today, I have some basic rules you all need to know."

I straightened a little. First-day rules—important enough to actually listen.

"First, you must call each other by your codenames."

Knew it. Still… "Loser," huh? Guess I’ll see how long it takes before that gets old.

"Second, your face mask is optional. You can take it off if you want."

Immediately, a few students pulled theirs off like they’d been waiting all day for the chance. Some even sighed in relief. I didn’t move. The mask never bothered me, so there was no reason to take it off.

"Third, using your Frame out of order is prohibited."

That one seemed obvious enough. Not like I even knew how to use mine properly.

Every Impact is born with a Frame. That’s what separates us from normal people — it’s not just some power we borrow, it’s part of who we are. A core, or sometimes a weapon, depending on how you look at it. Without Frames, humanity would’ve been wiped out long ago. Because then came the Revenant Drops.

No one predicted them. No warning, no explanation. They just fell into our world one day and started tearing it apart. To this day, no one knows where they came from, or how to destroy them for good. The only thing we’ve learned is how to push them back… how to stall. That’s why the Impact Program exists — we train, we fight, and we keep the Revenants from breaking through.

The last line of defense is called the Anarchy. A massive wall, more fortress than city, built to keep the Revenants out. Beyond it is chaos — a wasteland that belongs to them. But around the Anarchy’s edges, five cities formed, known as the Monarx. At the center of it all lies the Superior City, the heart of the Anarchy, where only the most powerful or wealthy get to live.

As for me… my Frame isn’t much to look at. Before I came here, I tried using it once. All I got were some blue sparks, nothing impressive. I wouldn’t even be standing here if it weren’t for Araina. She isn’t my mother — at least, that’s what she told me. But she’s the one who raised me, and when she found out I had a Frame, she insisted I join the Impact Program. I didn’t argue. After everything she’s done for me, how could I?

The first day ended earlier than I expected. Instructor Tana told us to use the extra time to find our rooms and look around the school. She also mentioned that I.U.S students get special treatment in the city, though she didn’t go into much detail. Maybe she was trying to make it sound more exciting. Either way, I wasn’t planning to wander. The place was huge, and if I got lost before nightfall, that’d just be another headache. Exploring could wait.

Araina said she’d send over my clothes. If her timing was right, they were probably already waiting in my room. That was the plan, at least—head straight there, no distractions.

Of course, that didn’t last long.

“Hey! Where are you going? Come with us!”

One of my classmates called out as I tried to slip out.

“Ah, I was gon—”

Didn’t even get to finish. He grabbed my arm and pulled me in like I’d just been recruited against my will. Rude. I wasn’t exactly in the mood for small talk, but apparently I didn’t get a choice.

There were ten of us total. Five guys, five girls. A neat split.

“My codename is Ace, nice to meet you all,” the same bold guy said, grinning like this was the most important introduction of his life.

“…Yeah.” I muttered back, quiet.

I wasn’t sure what to do with myself. Then, of course, the spotlight landed on me.

“And yours?”

I hesitated. “…Loser.”

The pause was instant. Everyone just stared. Then Ace laughed it off and quickly turned to someone else. Smart of him.

“What about you?” he asked one of the girls.

“Eh, my codename is Mist. Nice to meet you all,” she said politely.

The rest of them followed, one after another. Codenames stuck in my head easily enough, but their faces were already a blur. Except for Ace. Hard to forget someone that loud.

Ace. Mist. Striker. Arsenic. Swallow. Clocker. Nova. Anubis. Ash. And me, Loser.

“Any recommendations on where we should go?” Ace asked, like he was already leading this whole group.

“I heard there’s a nice park outside the school,” Swallow suggested.

Everyone agreed pretty quickly. I just kept following along.

At the school gates, I was hoping to fade into the background. That didn’t work either.

“Hey, you’re Loser, right?”

I turned, a little caught off guard. “Yeah… and you are?”

“It’s Clocker. How could you forget already?”

His expression said he was half-disappointed. Still, I appreciated that he remembered me at all. Guess the codename made it easy.

“Ah, right. Sorry.”

“It’s aight.” He gave a casual shrug. Seemed like the type I could tolerate being around.

“By the way,” he added, eyeing me, “doesn’t that mask bother you? Especially with your glasses?”

“Not really.”

“Everyone else took theirs off, except for you and Mist.”

“I noticed.”

And that was that. No reason for me to take it off.

“Hey, we’re here,” Swallow called out.

The park opened up in front of us, greener than I expected. The atmosphere was nice, calm even with the crowd of people. Some I.U.S students were scattered around too.

“Wow, this looks great,” one of the girls said.

I agreed silently. It wasn’t bad. But the sun was already dropping, and Clocker noticed too.

“Alright, let’s pick somewhere to sit before it gets dark.”

“How about that café?” Ace pointed. “Doesn’t look crowded, and it’s nice.”

No objections. The group headed in.

Inside, we pushed tables together. A waitress came by almost immediately. Instructor Tana’s words came back—special treatment. I.U.S students didn’t pay in the city. There was a limit, sure, but free was still free.

I didn’t order anything. Didn’t feel like it.

The others chatted away while I kept to myself, scanning the room. That’s when I noticed her. The second-year from earlier, the one who helped me find the classroom. She was sitting with a friend.

“Hey, Loser, you know her?” one of the guys suddenly asked.

“Who?”

“Her. You were looking at her, right?”

“Not exactly.”

The whole group leaned in, suddenly interested.

“Oh, she’s one of the second-years helping first years,” Swallow explained.

“She’s a second year?”

“Yeah.”

“Loser, why were you staring at her?” Ace grinned, already trying to stir something.

“…She helped me earlier, that’s all. I just noticed her.”

“I see.”

Their attention drifted as the food arrived.

“Oh, this looks good,” Swallow said, smiling.

“What did you get?” Clocker asked.

They compared plates for a moment until Clocker turned back to me. “What about you, Loser? Didn’t order?”

“Didn’t feel li—”

A sharp sound rang outside, loud enough to cut me off.

Everyone froze.

“Someone activated their Frame!” a voice shouted from inside the café.

Ace was already out of his seat, rushing to the door. The rest of the group followed. I sighed quietly, then followed too.

A crowd had gathered outside, circling around two I.U.S students with Frame Waves fully formed.

Frame Waves—the physical shape of a Frame. When you activate your Frame, the Wave manifests as a weapon. Solid, even though it flickers like a hologram, crackling with electric energy. It was easy to tell when someone was using their Frame—the world shifted, filtered by its color, and their eyes glowed the same.

Blue. Always blue. No exceptions on record.

Right now, both students had formed swords. The air between them crackled with tension. I didn’t know what started the fight, but it wasn’t going to end well.

Then, someone stepped in between them. Brave, or stupid.

“You two, stop this!” he yelled.

Yeah, that wasn’t going to work. They didn’t listen, and he was just putting himself in danger.

“Great,” I thought. “A fight on the first day.”

I scanned the crowd. If no one else acted soon, this would get ugly. That’s when I noticed her—the second-year. She was already moving toward them. Behind her was Ace, his eyes glowing blue, his Frame ready.

“YOU! STAY OUT OF THIS!” one of the fighters roared.

“We can talk about this, just calm—”

Too late. The words didn’t matter anymore.

In an instant, the second-year darted forward, pinning one of them down with speed that made it look effortless. The other fighter swung, but Ace blocked with a spear-shaped Frame, then countered, pinning him as well.

The crowd erupted, half in shock, half in relief. Others stepped in to hold the pinned students down. Ace and the second-year backed off, letting them handle it.

Our class swarmed Ace.

“That was so cool, Ace!” Swallow cheered.

“You surprised us,” another girl added, eyes practically sparkling.

“Someone’s popular,” the second-year teased.

“It’s not like that,” Ace laughed, though now he was surrounded by girls from multiple classes.

“Hey, isn’t that a first-year?” someone whispered.

“Taking down a fight with Vitaly on his first day? Crazy.”

Vitaly. So that was her name.

Before leaving, she glanced at me. Our eyes met briefly.

That was my cue. The perfect moment to slip away.

I didn’t feel like sticking around anymore.

Drama on my first day, quite the show it was.

I finally found my room after the incident, though it took me a solid fifteen minutes to get here. The room was in Building A, right next to the school. Shouldn’t have taken that long, really—but I guess it does when your classmates drag you around like a lost puppy.

The room itself was better than I expected. Clean, spacious, and not falling apart. Honestly, it felt too nice for me. The real challenge would be keeping it like this, which, supposedly, I was capable of.

My clothes had already arrived—the ones Araina sent over—so I unpacked and filled the closet. After that, I switched into something more comfortable: sweatpants and a sweater. Nights tended to get colder, and I wasn’t about to freeze my first night here.

I stood in the middle of the room for a while, unsure of what to do next. The day had drained me, but my mind wasn’t ready to shut down just yet.

That’s when the doorbell rang.

I froze, staring at the door. It was my first day—no one should’ve been visiting me. Not yet.

When I opened it, I was met with an unexpected sight. Vitaly. The second-year from earlier. She stood there holding… a food container?

“Ah, excuse me,” she said, her voice carrying its usual steadiness. “It seems you’re my new room neighbor.”

“…Yes? Can I help you?”

“Well, since you’re my new room neighbor, I feel obligated to welcome you.”

It sounded a little forced, but I wasn’t about to complain.

“Here. I made some food for tonight.”

She held out the container. I blinked, caught off guard. Of all the things I expected on my first night, this wasn’t one of them. Still, the realization hit me almost immediately—I hadn’t eaten a single thing since morning.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s just a welcome from me. My codename is Vitaly, by the way. I’m a second year.”

“Ah. Loser. First year.”

She was different now compared to earlier—less sharp, almost softer. Like she had two versions of herself she switched between at will.

“…Why are you still wearing your face mask?” she asked suddenly.

I reached up, only now realizing I had put it on without thinking when I walked to the door.

“Ah. Not quite sure myself,” I answered vaguely.

“I see… then I’ll be heading back now.”

She turned to leave, but something caught my attention.

“Uh, hey,” I called.

She glanced back. “What is it?”

“You… forgot to zip your skirt.”

Silence. Then, in a rush, she spun, tugging at the back of her skirt with both hands. Her face went red, brighter than I’d ever seen.

“…Did you see it?” Her tone dropped into something dangerous.

I knew instantly this was a trap. Say the wrong thing and I’d probably regret it. Lying was an option, but…

“Not much,” I said carefully.

“HOW much?”

Her voice had enough weight to crush me where I stood.

“…White.”

She froze, then stormed toward her door. Before slamming it shut.

The impact rang down the hallway.

I stood there, speechless. Maybe I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

Back inside, I carried the food container to the dining table and lifted the lid. The smell hit me first—warm, seasoned, and ridiculously appetizing. I didn’t waste any time and started eating. Each bite was better than I expected, familiar in a way that made me think of Araina’s cooking.

I sighed when I finished, realizing I’d never be able to cook like that. Not even close.

The room felt quieter after, the day finally weighing down on me. I looked around once more, then decided to call it a night. Tomorrow was waiting, and I’d already prepared what I needed.

...

The second day had begun, and on today’s schedule was the Placement Test. All first years would be ranked on the leaderboard after taking a series of evaluations. Instructor Tana had explained the details yesterday, but it still felt vague until now.

I was ready to leave, but there was something I needed to do first—return the food container to Vitaly.

Wearing my glasses and mask, I stepped out of my room just as I was about to knock on her door… only to find her walking out at the exact same time.

“Ah, here’s your food container, and also… thank you for the food,” I said, holding it out. I wondered if she was still upset about what happened last night.

She let out a sigh. “It’s no problem. You washed it, right?”

“I did.”

Without another word, she went back into her room to put the container away. I stayed where I was, waiting, since I wanted to ask her something about today’s test.

When she came back out and saw me still standing there, her brow furrowed slightly. “Why are you still here?”

I asked her about the Placement Test.

“I see… but can we just talk about it while walking to school?” she suggested.

“Sure.”

“Also—keep your distance from me. I don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea.”

“I’ll be right behind you.”

She gave a quick glance over her shoulder, almost like she was making sure I wasn’t trying anything. Her awareness seemed sharper than yesterday.

So we walked, with me following a step behind, just close enough to hear her voice as she explained. By the time we reached the school—only a short walk from Building A—I had the full rundown.

“That’s all. Good luck… I guess,” she said, brushing it off like it wasn’t much.

“Thank you,” I replied sincerely.

We parted ways, and I headed for my class, running through her explanation in my head.

There were three tests:

The first was the Reaction Time Test. Straightforward enough—we’d be given five chances, and our scores would be based on the average. Not too hard, I thought. If anything, this was the one I felt confident about.

The second was the Frame Power Test. Vitaly said there wasn’t much anyone could do to prepare for this. A device would measure our Frame Power and translate it into numbers—the higher the number, the better. Simple, but intimidating. I couldn’t help but doubt myself here.

The third was the Physical Test. This one was self-explanatory: testing strength and endurance. Vitaly mentioned the “fan-favorite” challenge—holding a plank for as long as possible. I wasn’t exactly built for this kind of thing, but it didn’t sound unreasonable. Just give it my best, and I’d manage.

“Morning, everyone,” Instructor Tana greeted as she stepped to the front of the class.

“As you all know, today we will be having the Placement Test. But before that, I’ll be explaining all of the tests.”

Vitaly had already filled me in, so I didn’t bother listening too closely. At least, not until she said something that made me stop cold.

“And the final test will be Hand-to-Hand Combat.”

My head snapped up. Vitaly didn’t say anything about this. She was so sure there were only three tests. Either she didn’t know, or this was added at the last second.

Hand-to-Hand Combat.

It barely even sounded like a test. I had no real experience with fighting, though I had picked up the basics of defending myself. Still, I’d never actually had to use it in a real situation.

“Students will be each other’s opponents,” Instructor Tana continued, her tone firm but calm. “Your opponents will be randomized. Of course, you are free to refuse to participate. Strong scores in the other tests can still place you high on the leaderboard. But remember—this assessment will be judged very seriously. The match ends only when one combatant is knocked out, or when they surrender and tap out"

That last part sounded… barbaric.

The class didn’t seem all that shaken, though. In fact, some students even looked excited, like they’d been waiting for this.

“Yeah, no, I’ll pass,” one girl muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

“This test will be held tomorrow,” Tana clarified. “And forget what I said earlier about no rules—using weapons or Frames is strictly prohibited. This is a test of physical skill alone.”

That made sense. But the way she phrased it earlier would’ve really messed with anyone planning to cheat. Grim thought, but I guess that’s the point.

I told myself then: If I do poorly on any of the other tests, I’ll participate in the combat. If not… I’ll sit it out.

Simple. I just had to hope my scores wouldn’t force me into a fight.

“Okay! Everyone needs to head to the locations that were sent to your phones this morning,” Instructor Tana said, dismissing the class.

I pulled out my phone and checked. Sure enough, the map of the school was on the screen with a highlighted route. Convenient. Still, the school was smaller than I expected. Thinking it over, it made sense: if every year had six classes with only about ten students each, that added up to around 180 students total. Smaller than most schools, but considering this place wasn’t normal, maybe that was exactly the point.

I put the thought aside and followed the map to the designated location.