The cloud train begins to start up—but the engine fails.
The conductor walks up to the girls, holding his hat to his chest, and says,
"You won't be able to ride the train today, unfortunately. But I'll tell you what—"
He reaches behind him and pulls out three black tickets.
"These are lifetime passes to the cloud train. They allow one additional passenger with each of you at any time… Use them wisely, girls. You'll have to travel by wyvern for now. Is that okay with you?"
Caitlyn, Ellie, and Scarlet, blown away by the generosity, reply in unison,
"Yeah, sure…"
One of the staff members approaches and escorts them to the wyvern ranch. They saddle up and soar into the sky, disappearing into the clouds, unable to see the city below them.
After flying for an hour, the wyverns begin to descend without warning, crashing through the clouds. The girls shield their eyes—then the sunlight floods in.
Below them is a breathtaking sight: a vast continental island, its jaw-dropping beaches and lush trees stretching into the distance. The girls stare in awe as they finally land on Leyward Island.
This entire island is where the academy resides. Students live here and can even take up jobs if they wish. The academy is open to everyone—nobles and commoners alike.
As the girls unload the wyverns at Lucia Dock, they begin heading into town with their luggage. People turn to stare as they pass.
Caitlyn takes note of the gazes. Ellie keeps a firm grip on her bags, and Scarlet observes the locals carefully.
Everyone is in uniform—even the stall workers.
Scarlet mutters to herself,
"The uniforms seem combat-ready. They've got pockets for extra weaponry… and what's with the number badges? Wait... does that mean the lower the number, the stronger the person is? I've got to see what number 1 looks like…"
Then she says aloud to Caitlyn and Ellie,
"I'm pretty sure they're staring because we don't have our uniforms. They might also be cautious, since nobility often visits the island."
Caitlyn sighs and responds,
"We need to go to administration to get our uniforms and everything sorted out. That's where we're headed anyway."
After six hours of paperwork and settling into their house-like dorm, Scarlet and Ellie fall asleep in their rooms almost immediately.
Meanwhile, Caitlyn wanders over to Pathless Training Arena 1. She looks around at the massive structure and its top-tier equipment.
She thinks to herself,
"Wow, they really go all out to accommodate everyone—even those without paths… I'm really starting to like this plac—"
Suddenly, a massive gust of wind slams her in the face as she steps outside to the outdoor arena. She looks ahead and sees two people clashing beneath the moonlight.
The only words she can make out during their fierce exchange are:
"Is that all you've got, Adaman!?"
"Not in a million years, Selena!!"
Caitlyn tries her hardest to follow their movements but fails.
"What kind of pathways do they have to be this fast and strong!?"
A man with glistening golden hair and ruby-red eyes walks up beside her.
"Those two don't have pathways," he says. "They're pathless. The girl's name is Selena Skysworth. She's ranked second on the whole island—"
Caitlyn glances away from the battle to look at the stranger. She immediately notices the badge on his chest:
"Rank Third, Ember Pathway."
He looks down at her and says,
"Where are my manners? I am Solonar Julius Ashenrite—the sole heir to the true Ember Pathway."
Caitlyn replies,
"I am Caitlyn V. Seraphyne."
Solonar thinks to himself,
"V… I've never heard of that middle name before—not even among the noble families…"
Another massive gust nearly knocks Caitlyn off her feet. She braces herself and says,
"If she's number two and you're number three, then I can only assume that guy's—"
Solonar cuts her off.
"Yeah. The biggest pain on the island…"
"That's not what I—" Caitlyn starts, but she's interrupted again.
Adaman and Selena shout the names of their attacks in unison:
"Sky Reacher!"
"Crescent Moon!"
The resulting clash echoes across the island like thunder.
Adaman stands victorious over Selena's unconscious body as the clouds part, revealing a beautiful blue moon.
His silhouette fades from the shadows, revealing his appearance: long black hair, and heterochromia—one eye glowing a brilliant light blue, the other a deep, nearly unreactive dark blue. He wields two wooden swords.
Adaman gazes up at the moon, then gently picks up Selena and leaps out of the arena.