Orion Spacecraft High:

​Orion Spacecraft High stands as a premier institution for young aspirants dreaming of becoming Spaceship Pilots or Interstellar Engineers.

Currently, Nina Godson attends this prestigious academy on a full scholarship, where she is undergoing her final examinations for graduation.

​The academy’s legacy is inextricably linked to the Era of System Synchronization, which began exactly one hundred years ago.

​When the "System" first integrated with Earth’s reality, humanity faced a sudden paradigm shift. Orion High was founded on the ruins of an old terrestrial aerospace center to bridge the gap between traditional physics and new System mechanics.

​Orion faculty and alumni were instrumental in the development of the Warp-Drive Synthesis, the first engine that utilized Cosmic Force as a fuel stabilizer. This event transformed the school from a local academy into a global hub for galactic exploration.

​During the first contact conflict with the alien entities, Orion Spacecraft High was converted into a temporary command center. Its students, then known as the "Cadet Vanguard," successfully defended the Sol-III sector, earning the school its "Eternal Guardian" status.

​

​The school is not merely a collection of classrooms, but a massive, high-tech complex designed to simulate the rigors of deep space.

​Graduation at Orion is more than a ceremony; it is a trial. Nina’s current exams involve a series of high-stakes simulations that test both technical proficiency and System compatibility.

Candidates must navigate a virtual ship through a simulated black hole’s event horizon using only manual controls.

​Engineers are tasked with stabilizing a decaying Mana-Core using limited resources, mirroring the real-world scarcity found in distant realms.

​For Nina, graduating from such a storied institution would not only be a personal triumph but a gateway to the same elite circles that her brother, Neo, now navigates.

Hum!

The roaring hum of the SkyXon T-73’s thrusters announced Nina’s arrival long before the crimson aero-car descended toward the Orion Spacecraft High landing docks. The vehicle’s iridescent chassis shined under the afternoon sun, reflecting against the glass walls of the Astral Simulation Deck.

As the landing gear touched down with a pressurized hiss, the usual chatter of departing students died into a stunned silence.

​The gull-wing doors hissed open, and Nina stepped out. Her expression was a mixture of bashful pride and lingering shock from the morning’s events.

​"Is that... a T-73 Imperial Dragon trim?" a student whispered with wide eyes as he took in the reinforced shield.

​Within seconds, a swarm of classmates surrounded her.

Among the crowd was Aluna, a girl from a prominent merchant family who had often shared her expensive study materials with Nina and covered her lunch fees when the Godson family’s credits ran low.

​"Nina! My heart almost stopped," Aluna said, rushing forward to pull her friend into a brief hug.

She stepped back, scanning the sleek, predatory lines of the car.

"Nina, I know your scholarship covers tuition, but it definitely doesn’t cover a hundred-million-dollar spacecraft. Nina... please tell me you didn’t get involved in some shady underground loan or a ’Contract’ deal? I’ve heard what happens to people who take credits from the black market syndicates."

​The surrounding students leaned in, their faces reflecting a mix of envy and concern.

In a school for future pilots and engineers, everyone knew the price of luxury, and they knew Nina’s background was anything but wealthy.

​Nina shook her head. Her smile grew more confident as she glanced at the Black Cat aero-car hovering in the distance, where Neo watched from a shadow.

​"No, Aluna. It’s nothing like that. My brother bought it for me this morning. He... he’s a Beyonder now, " Nina replied, eyes reflecting fierce pride.

​But, the silence that followed was even heavier than the one that greeted her landing.

​"A Beyonder, tsk tsk?" one of the boys from the engineering wing scoffed.

"Nina, we saw your brother at the gate last month. He was wearing grease-stained overalls and carrying a spirit-iron crate. He was a laborer at the old age sites."

​"He was," Nina said, looking him in the eye. "But things changed. He’s already reached the level where he can move millions without blinking. He even has a specialized [Status] now."

​The news rippled through the crowd like a shockwave.

To the students of Orion High, the jump from a "small-time laborer" to a Beyonder capable of gifting an Imperial-grade aero-car in a single week was unheard of.

As Nina walked toward the entrance for her final exam, Neo smiled from the distance.

It was him who told her to reveal his identity so she wouldn’t get bullied or bothered by the acquisition of such a high end car.

"Now, let’s meet with Zestia...and get this over with."

After sending a short message to Zestia, Neo headed to their agreed meeting point. He arrived and hurriedly picked her up.

​She was wearing her usual flaming orange suit. Despite the lack of fancy clothing or makeup, she looked truly alluring. She had curves in all the right places and in just the right amounts.

Neo found himself reminded of her naked form at the waterfall. As a man, he naturally felt an attraction toward her, but it was not to the point where he would forget the animosity between them.

Who knew if she was still planning her revenge? 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

​Shaking those thoughts away, Neo focused on driving while she led the way. She had clearly caught him sneaking glances at her, as she seemed to be in a very good mood.

For a while, her self-esteem had suffered because her beauty seemed to have no effect on him. Now, even though it was slight, his interest made her feel more motivated.

​"Tell me, Neo. Do you have any friends?" she asked suddenly, her red lips pursing in anticipation.

​He turned his head, seeing only her bright face.

​"No!" he replied bluntly. "I have none, and I have never felt the need for any."

​Zestia was surprised, her brows furrowing. "Huh! Why not? Do you not feel lonely?"

​After focusing on the road again, Neo said, "Loneliness is for those who cannot find comfort in their own presence. I have learned to enjoy my own company as much as possible."

​Zestia clicked her tongue. "Tsk, that’s boring. I’d die if I didn’t have someone to talk to. Anyway, do you want to be my friend?" she asked, her eyes shining.

​"Not really. I still feel like you’re hiding something, and I don’t like that feeling," Neo added. "Maybe if one day you can be honest with me and gain my trust, then we can be friends."

​She fell silent after hearing that. Her eyes grew cloudy as she remembered her own struggles.

​Day turned to night, and night turned to day. They crossed rivers, seas, and mountains, finally reaching their destination.