Extra To Protagonist

After arriving at the academy he made his way towards their homeroom as it would be the start of today's adventures…

The classroom was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of papers and the soft hum of the digital board displaying today's lesson.

Merlin sat near the back of the classroom, arms crossed, staring at the glowing text on the board without much interest as Elara sat down next to him.

'Isn't that Nathan's seat…?'

To be honest he couldn't be bothered to say anything as Nathan just walked in the classroom, smiling awkwardly as he noticed Elara and instead he moved somewhere else.

'At least he's not going to bother me, thank god.'

Anyways, he wasn't exactly excited about this lecture—he had read about all of the information before, but a refresher wouldn't hurt him.

To be honest Vivienne was one of the few teachers he actually liked, so skipping wasn't really an option.

Vivienne stood at the front with a warm, patient smile, tapping through slides on her tablet.

"Today's homeroom lesson will be a refresher on the Four Major Continents and how our world functions."

A few students groaned.

Vivienne smiled awkwardly. "I know, I know. Not everyone finds world history interesting, but trust me, this knowledge is essential. The world is constantly shifting, and understanding its power structures will help you navigate it—especially once you graduate."

She swiped her tablet, and a massive digital map projected onto the board.

—

Four massive landmasses appeared, outlined in glowing blue, with various cities, transportation hubs, and megacorporation zones highlighted.

'So this is how they actually look, there never was art provided for the world..'

Merlin thought as Vivienne pointed to the largest one, positioned at the center.

"Avalion. The Central Continent—the technological and economic hub of the world."

'Our continent.'

A soft pulse of light highlighted the dense megacities, expansive rail networks, and towering corporate skyscrapers covering its landscape.

"This is where most of the world's major nations and corporate states are located. It's home to the largest economies, the most advanced technology, and, of course, the top-ranking academies."

Merlin barely glanced at the map after a few seconds. Because he already knew everything.

Avalion was the heart of innovation—where the most powerful industries controlled everything from energy production to military-grade weapons.

It was also home to Eldoria, the city where their academy stood.

A place where students trained to become part of the global elite—whether as combat specialists, researchers, or enforcers. It could be either honestly.

Vivienne's hand shifted east, where a landmass covered in dense mountains and sprawling neon-lit districts was displayed.

"Next, we have Ryugawa. The Eastern Continent, ruled by a mix of traditionalist states and corporate-backed governments."

'It's a corrupted place, or at least it was shown that way in the novel. Nathan didn't venture that deeply into Ryugawa honestly.'

The map highlighted floating cities, urban centers built into cliffs, and large-scale manufacturing hubs where some of the world's most high-end weapons and vehicles were produced.

"Ryugawa is known for its cutting-edge robotics, military innovations, and, of course, its combat academies. Some of the best melee combatants in the world come from Ryugawa's sword schools, blending cybernetics with old-world martial arts."

Vivienne's pointer moved downward, stopping at a darker landmass, where the city lights were dimmer, and the borders were marked with red hazard warnings.

"Noctara. The Southern Continent—home to black-market industries, rogue factions, and decentralized city-states."

Unlike Avalion and Ryugawa, Noctara wasn't run by governments or megacorporations. It was a place where underground organizations, cyber-terrorist groups, and criminal syndicates thrived.

'This is where Nathan spent most of his time later on in the story, as it was the home of many organizations.'

"This is where the world's most dangerous mercenaries, rogue mages, and assassins operate. It's a place where laws are negotiable, and contracts determine who lives and who disappears."

Merlin glanced at the map.

However had no interest in Noctara. At least not yet.

It was a place for people who had nowhere else to go—or for those who didn't care about the rules of society.

Vivienne's finger moved west, stopping at the coldest region of the map.

"And then we have Titanos. The Western Continent—a land of extreme climates and extreme people."

Unlike the rest of the world, Titanos wasn't covered in megacities or automated industries. Instead, it was a land of fortress-states, military zones, and untamed wilderness, where only the strongest organizations survived.

"The people of Titanos value strength above all else. Whether it's in military power, cybernetic enhancement, or magical ability—if you can't fight, you don't belong."

Vivienne paused, letting the weight of her words settle.

Then, she pointed to a smaller region, nestled between Avalion and Noctara.

"And lastly—the Elven territories."

Elara seemed to twitch as he heard the name as a couple eyes turned toward her.

But she wasn't bothered by them. Not in the least.

'They wanted to kill Nathan when he was there, they weren't too friendly that's for sure...'

Unlike the other continents, this landmass was marked with minimal city lights and large patches of unclaimed land, covered in dense forests and restricted zones.

"The Elves exist outside the global power structure. They do not belong to any major government or corporation, choosing to remain independent. Their lands are protected by natural barriers and advanced magical technology, keeping outsiders from interfering with their affairs."

Elves were a mystery to most of the world of course.

While they had access to the same technology as everyone else, they rarely exported their innovations, keeping their society self-contained.

Some believed they were hiding something.

Others simply saw them as another force to be reckoned with.

Vivienne finally lowered her hand, stepping back from the digital board.

"This is the world we live in. A place where power dictates survival—whether that power comes from technology, magic, or influence."

Merlin sat quietly, absorbing the information.

It was nothing new.

But it was a great reminder to be honest. At least he had all of the continents down again.

—

Vivienne flipped the slide, revealing a list of major organizations.

"The world isn't ruled by just governments. Power is split between different forces, such as Academies, Corporations, and Independent Factions such as guilds, it's also split between the large families. Some families even serve as a faction themselves."

—

She then switched to a completely different screen.

"These are the three great academies."

Vivienne pointed to a list that was visible to every student in the entire classroom.

- Star Power Academy: The leading school in Avalion, known for its magical research. Combat training, scholars, and the list just goes on.

- Astralis Academy: Ryugawa's elite combat institution.

- Noxus Academy: Noctara's dark arts training ground.

"All of these academies specialize in different things."

'These are going to be important in the future, well…for Nathan at least.'

Merlin chuckled by himself as Vivienne kept tapping the screen as she switched to a different topic.

"Academies train the next generation of mages, tacticians, and enforcers. They shape the future by ensuring those in power remain in power."

She moved to the next section.

"These are the current five huge corporations of our city."

- Zenith Technologies: The leading cybernetics company.

- Eclipse Biotech: The most advanced research lab in human augmentation.

- Titan Arms Industries: The current largest producer of military weapons.

- Skyhaven Energy: The company controlling 30% of the world's mana resources.

- NexusNet: The global intelligence and surveillance network.

"Corporations operate outside of government control. They dictate the flow of technology, control resource distribution, and influence global conflicts behind the scenes."

Finally, Vivienne moved to the last section.

"These are just some of the independent factions to show some examples. These are not all of them."

She pointed to a screen listing three important names.

- The Free Mercenaries: A neutral force operating worldwide.

- The Shadow Consortium: A powerful network of assassins.

- The Elven Sovereignty: The autonomous force of the Elven Territories.

—

Vivienne set her tablet down, looking across the room.

"Regardless of where you go after graduation, you will become part of this world—whether as an academy graduate, a corporate asset, or something else entirely. It all depends on what you can accomplish and how strong and successful you can become."

Her voice was calm, yet firm.

"Choose wisely."

The room remained silent.

Merlin leaned back, tapping his fingers against the desk.

The world was far bigger than the academy.

And sooner or later, he'd have to pick a side as well even if he didn't want to.

Elara seemed to be lost in thoughts just like the other students as Vivienne cleared her throat.

"This was all the information for today. I hope this served as a helpful reminder for all of you."

'It did kind of.'

Merlin shook his head as he looked at Vivienne who met his gaze with a smile.

"We are done for today, but…today is a special day!"

'What..?'

Merlin's thoughts churred as some of the students started whispering amongst themselves.

"We will be going on a field trip today!"

Vivienne's voice echoed in the classroom as everyone remained silent.