But not all pathways were open.
Some programs shimmered faintly with locked icons beside them.
Aiden raised an eyebrow.
Access required completion of specific conditions — student level, performance benchmarks, House alignments, VYXA milestones, and Prestige Rank.
Of course.
Avalon didn't sell opportunity.
You earned it.
Perform. Climb. Spend VYXA wisely.
Only then would the rarest doors unlock — quietly waiting for those sharp enough to reach them.
Aiden stared at the list, mind already calculating trajectories and loopholes.
This wasn't just school.
It was ascension.
Aiden smirked faintly.
He wasn't just here to study.
He was here to crack Avalon itself — to expose its hidden layers, exploit its blind spots, and ascend through mastery until the entire system bend to his will.
He could pivot fast, climb through sheer competence — or crash spectacularly.
Everything here was ranked. Everything was visible.
Failure didn't just mean falling behind.
It meant being forgotten.
Just as he bookmarked his final data cluster, Vox's voice broke the quiet — cool and deliberate.
"Welcome to Echelon, Aiden Lancaster. Here, intelligence earns power — but strategy earns legacy."
Aiden's lips curved faintly, the words resonating deeper than he expected.
Legacy.
Not fame. Not applause.
But leverage. Quiet, unshakable leverage. The kind only the architects and game-makers possessed.
He leaned back as SleepCore's protocols took hold, the Suite dimming around him with seamless grace.
His mind stayed sharp even as his body surrendered.
Not with emotion. Not with awe.
With calculation.
Avalon was beautiful, yes. Powerful, yes.
But it was still a system.
And every system — no matter how sophisticated — had exploits.
His final thought slipped through the edge of consciousness like code waiting to be executed:
"If Avalon is the greatest game ever built...
I'll be the one who rewrites its rules."
* * *
Sleep came fast, forced by SleepCore's override protocols — but when Aiden awoke, it was like flipping back online.
No sluggishness.
No disorientation.
Just clarity.
The Suite had already shifted into Morning Phase before he even opened his eyes.
Subtle light gradients cut softly through the room — no harsh alarms, just a programmed dawn calibrated exactly to his circadian cycle.
The temperature? Raised by exactly 0.8 degrees to encourage movement.
The scent? A new profile — "Cognitive Ascend v2", faint notes of mint, cedar, and ionized air optimized for peak mental sharpness.
Vox's voice echoed softly from the ceiling matrix, already tracking his vitals.
"Neural efficiency at 94%. Micro-restoration complete. Recommend light mobility routines followed by Activation Sequence."
Aiden sat up, his muscles loose but charged.
The pillow had reshaped during the night, and even his skin felt perfectly balanced — no oiliness, no heat retention. Optimized.
The floor glowed faintly as he swung his legs over, path-lights mapping the fastest route to the Aura Suite.
As soon as he entered, the room engaged.
No soap. No fluffy towels.
Everything was executed through nanomist and micro-tension showers — rapid, precise cleansing cycles that refreshed him down to a cellular level.
The scent profile remained clean and clinical.
AuraSuite did "Focus Variant 7."
Within minutes, he was back in his main chamber, fully dressed — Valmont's formal uniform, tailored to precision through StyleForge, and marked with the quiet signature of Echelon.
Midnight navy, cut razor-sharp at the shoulders and cuffs.
Gold piping edged the lapels — traditional, but clean. The Valmont insignia rested over his chest in embossed gold, framed in laurel, flawless.
But the distinction was in the details.
And at his wrist, the Echelon cufflink shimmered in reactive silver — a minimalist helix tower micro-etched into smart alloy, only surfacing when his sleeve shifted under the right light.
Understated. Unmistakable.
Not decoration — declaration.
No flair. No flourish.
Just calibration.
Vox's voice emerged smoothly, already anticipating him.
"Morning protocols complete. You are cleared to engage for today. Shall I display optimal daily trajectory as recommended by AVNX Core?"
Aiden didn't even have to answer — the holographic panes bloomed before him, pristine and efficient.
Suggested Pathway:
→ Core Academics (2 Hours — accelerated schedule active)
→ Applied AI Lab
→ Strategic Simulations: AI Diplomacy and Conflict (Flagged for high-relevance skill advancement)
→ Optional: Echelon Open Forum Mixer (social protocol familiarization - opt out available)
Aiden scanned the list.
Perfect.
Exactly the kind of cerebral, simulation-heavy path he preferred.
AVNX Core wasn't just guessing — it already understood what kind of player he was.
"Accept recommendations," he instructed with a flick.
Vox confirmed. The day was locked.
But before he could fully sync his focus, his ONYX pulsed softly — incoming message.
[Veritas: Aria Lancaster]
— "You up yet? I'm heading down to the Maison Aurea — meet me there. Don't be late, it's already filling up."
Aiden smirked faintly at the casual urgency.
His sister thrived on social nuances and optics.
He thrived on systems.
But even he knew — in Avalon, ignoring the social layer entirely was a mistake.
"Acknowledged. On my way," he replied curtly, sending it back with a swipe.
Without further hesitation, he stood, stretching slightly as the Suite dimmed to standby behind him.
Time to step into the system.
Time to see how Avalon moved — and how fast he could learn to move faster.
Next: Welcome To The Table - Strategic placement. Social optics. Breakfast at Avalon.
YOU ARE READING
Valmont Series - Inheritance Code
Teen FictionWhat if your perfect life was just a rehearsal? On their twelfth birthday, Aria and Aiden Lancaster wake expecting luxury, freedom, and the future they were promised. Instead, they're given an ultimatum: Leave everything behind - their friends, thei...
Chapter 3.4 - Echelon Is Watching
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