The Superior Rebirth: A Hero's Awakening

The Training Grounds

Upon arriving at the training grounds, the students found themselves in awe. The space was vast, lined with racks of weapons, sparring dummies, and an assortment of training equipment. The air carried the crisp scent of steel and sweat, a silent promise of the grueling trials ahead.

A deep voice, calm yet commanding, cut through the murmurs of the gathered students.

"Oh great, it looks like you all finally arrived."

The speaker was a tall, well-built man with dark navy blue hair, a short beard, smooth black skin, and piercing ocean-colored eyes. His presence exuded confidence, and the female students found themselves taken aback by his striking appearance.

"I know it's your first day here, but try being early next time, okay?" he continued, his voice carrying an amused yet firm tone.

"Yes, Instructor!" the female students answered in unison, their enthusiasm apparent.

The man sighed before introducing himself. "Welcome to the Pennsylvania Royal Academy. My name is Joshua Akintola, and I will be your training instructor for the remainder of your years here."

A hush fell over the students as they absorbed his words.

"Some of you may have noticed that a few of your classmates are missing, while some faces here are unfamiliar," Joshua went on. "That's because the non-gifted students have been separated from you. It's for their own safety."

Then his tone grew colder, sharper. "To be honest, whether you're gifted or not, you're all going to suffer under my training just the same."

A wave of nervous energy rippled through the crowd.

"Before we begin, does anyone have any questions?" he asked, scanning their faces.

A student hesitantly raised their hand. "Um, Instructor Joshua, what exactly is a monarch?"

Joshua blinked in surprise. "What? Hasn't your history instructor already explained that to you?"

"No, she didn't," the student replied.

Joshua frowned. "Wait, isn't your history teacher Miss Seo-Yeon?"

"Yes, she is."

He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Of course she is. And let me guess—she told you to ask me?"

"She said you'd be happy to explain," another student chimed in.

Joshua muttered under his breath, "That woman... why can't she go a single day without making my life more difficult?"

Shaking off his frustration, he took a deep breath. "Alright, since she decided to dump this on me, let's start from the beginning. First, did Miss Seo-Yeon at least teach you about ethereal force and the ethereal core?"

"Yes, she did," the students answered in unison.

"Good. That makes my job easier."

Joshua began pacing. "Your ethereal core determines your strength, and it evolves through different stages. Right now, all of you are at the beginner level, which means your cores are blue."

He gestured as he continued. "The next stage is yellow, the intermediate level. After that comes green, the expert stage. From there, things get a little more... interesting."

The students listened attentively as he went on. "The fourth stage, red, grants the title of Administrator. Beyond that is the Void Black stage, which earns one the title of Grand Patriarch. And finally, the Indigo-colored ethereal core marks the level of a Monarch."

A murmur of awe passed through the students.

"Oh! So that's why Miss Seo-Yeon said the heads of the four grand imperial houses were special!" one student exclaimed.