The atmosphere was different in the school this time. Posters plastered across the walls proclaimed in bold letters: "JAPANESE QUALIFIERS 2025" and "YOUR HERO JOURNEY STARTS HERE!" The main courtyard featured a massive inflatable mascot which was a cartoonish hero figure with an exaggerated smile and a thumbs-up, bobbing slightly as students passed by. Paper lanterns and good luck charms were hung across all the halls.
A huge board was out there in the courtyard telling which student was going to be seated where. Students were slowly entering the school with books in their hands trying to cram as much as possible. Students crowded around it. Some on their toes trying to see over their shoulders while others jotting down information in their notebooks with shaking hands.
Kurogane and Haruto stood in front of the board discussing the written tests.
"You look like shit," Haruto said, observing his friend. Haruto was all neat and tidy with a well ironed shirt and well combed hair.
Kurogane had ruffled hair and dark spots under his eyes. His shirt was all wrinkled up and was yawning every two minutes.
"I was up late trying to memorize all the formulas. I have a huge headache and the caffeine from the morning coffee isn't hitting yet. I didn't even have time to take a look at the mirror. Uggghh," Kurogane groaned as he started fixing his hair after Haruto commented on his appearance.
"I have read somewhere that you tend to forget more things if you don't get a good night's sleep," Haruto said as he started cleaning his glasses with a cloth.
"Man. I have never been so nervous like I am literally shaking. Last month I was in the finals of an inter-state tournament and I was less nervous there than I am here right now," Kurogane said, his hands trembling slightly.
"It will be fine. Just don't worry about it. Go through all the questions once and then start with the ones you find easy. You will gain confidence and you will get better at answering them," Haruto said reassuringly as he placed a hand on Kurogane's shoulder.
"It's easy to think like that and look at her over there," Kurogane said, gesturing in the direction of Takemi.
Tachibana Takemi stood near the entrance to the main building, and she looked like she was holding court. Her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, not a strand out of place. Her shirt and skirt were both well ironed. But what stood out most was her expression: calm, focused, confident. She radiated an aura of complete control.
Around her, at least ten to fifteen students had formed a tight circle, all clamoring for her attention. Some held out their notebooks pointing frantically at specific problems while others either patiently waited for their turn or just listened to Takemi who cleared everyone's doubts one by one.
"Please Takemi-chan, help me out with this" "Tachibana-san, you are the best" "Tachibana-san please tell me if this question is in the syllabus". The students hounded her with questions.
"I mean what can we even say? Your childhood friend is a genius," Haruto said as gazed at the group of students.
"Childhood friend hahaha. We haven't even had a proper conversation in over two years. Plus her brother gives me the creeps these days. He used to be so chill before," Kurogane said as he shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders.
"You don't talk to her because her brother scares you?" Haruto asked while he raised an eyebrow.
"Nah." Kurogane's response was quick, defensive. "She's also weird. She changed a lot." He paused, then shifted topics abruptly as if eager to move on. "Also, where the hell is Kazama? Is he gonna be late today as well? On the day of tests?"
Haruto shrugged, glancing toward the gate. "I don't know. Honestly? I wouldn't be surprised either way."
As if summoned by the mention of his name, Kazama Raiden appeared at the school gates. He walked with his usual unhurried pace, hands in his pockets, expression neutral. His uniform was neat and his tie properly knotted.
"Wow! You came on time for once," Kurogane said with his eyes widened. He was genuinely surprised.
"Can't miss the tests," Kazama stopped in front of them, completely unfazed.
"Of course Kazama wouldn't miss Kurogane's trials today. He would be on time," Haruto said with a grin.
"Shut up, man." Kurogane's face flushed slightly, and he looked away.
Haruto pulled out a small piece of paper from his pocket, squinting at his own handwriting. "By the way, you'll be sitting in 2-C alongside Kurogane." He pointed at Kazama, then Kurogane.
Kazama's expression didn't change, but he glanced at Haruto. "You're not with us?"
"I would be sitting in 3-B. They shuffled the classes so it's like only 6 students from a class are there in these test rooms," Haruto explained as he folded the paper and tucked it away..
"Alright. Let's go then," Kazama nodded once. He turned and started walking toward the building.
Both Kurogane and Haruto fell into step beside him, flanking him on either side. Students parted around them. Some recognized the trio and offered quick nods or nervous smiles.
"What's the rush?" Kurogane asked, his voice taking on a desperate edge. He leaned closer to Kazama, almost stumbling over his own feet. "Can you just tell me that trick again? The one for remembering the periodic table?"
"There is no trick," Kazama said evenly without breaking stride.
"You literally showed me the trick in our study session," Kurogane's face twisted in frustration.
"What study session? I don't know you," Kazama glanced at him, his expression perfectly blank.
"Haruto please portal him on top of a volcano so that he is not messing around anymore," Kurogane stopped walking for a moment with his mouth hung open but rushed in to catch up with them.
"The bracelets are in full effect today. No powers. Sorry," Haruto said, tapping his wrist.
They continued walking until they reached a junction in the corridor. Haruto peeled off with a casual wave. "Good luck, guys. See you after". Kazama and Kurogane gestured the same towards Haruto.
Now it was just Kazama and Kurogane, their footsteps echoing in the increasingly quiet hallway. Most students had already found their rooms. The atmosphere had shifted from chaotic to eerily calm.
"If I get stuck on a math problem, will you help me?" Kurogane asked as he loosened his collar.
"No," Kazama said immediately.
"Physics problem?" Kurogane tried again, his voice hopeful.
"No," Kazama repeated without hesitation.
Kurogane opened his mouth to ask again, then closed it. He sighed heavily, shoulders sagging. His eyes were fixed on Kazama's back and was not watching where he was going
Thud.
He collided directly into someone.
The impact wasn't hard but it was sudden. Both Kurogane and the other person stumbled. Books scattered across the floor with loud slaps. A pair of glasses flew off and clattered against the tile, skidding a few feet away.
"Watch where you are going man," Kurogane snapped as he started rubbing his shoulder.
The other guy was about Kazama's height and build, with neatly combed dark hair. He was unfazed by the collision and got up by himself. Quietly.
"It's your fault." Kazama's voice was firm, cutting. He stepped between them, facing Kurogane. "Back off."
Kurogane blinked, taken aback by Kazama's reaction. "What the…."
Kazama was already crouching down, gathering the scattered belongings. A notebook. A pencil case. A folded piece of paper with room assignments. He picked up the glasses carefully while checking them for cracks and then handed everything to the guy.
"I'm sorry. I didn't notice you." The guy's voice was soft, apologetic. He put his glasses back on and continued with a smile, "I should've been more careful."
"It's his fault." Kazama gestured back at Kurogane. "The pressure from the written tests is getting to him. He doesn't know where he's going."
The guy stood up, brushing off his pants. "Oh, I get that. First day nerves, right?" He extended his hand toward Kazama, still smiling. "I'm Kuronami Hikari by the way."
Kazama shook his hand. "Kazama Raiden." He nodded toward Kurogane, who was still standing there looking annoyed. "And this is Kurogane Ganjou. Kurogane?"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Kurogane mumbled under his breath, arms crossed. "It was my fault. Happy?"
Kuronami's smile didn't falter. If anything, it became warmer. "No hard feelings. Really." He adjusted his glasses, pushing them up the bridge of his nose. "Good luck to both of you."
Kazama nodded once. "Best of luck, Kuronami."
Kazama and Kurogane covered some distance as silence stretched between them for several seconds..
"It was his fault," Kurogane muttered, breaking the quiet.
"Whatever you say," Kazama replied, his voice utterly neutral.
"Just because he looks innocent doesn't mean he is," Kurogane insisted, still grumbling.
Kazama stopped and turned to face him. "Just forget it. Focus on the test."
The classroom designated as 2-C was on the second floor, near the end of the east wing. It was a standard classroom with rows of individual desks spaced exactly one meter apart, large windows on one side letting in natural light and a blackboard at the front. But today, it felt different. Each desk had a small placard with a student number on it.
Kazama's seat was in the first row, the last position right by the window. He could see the courtyard below. The bobbing inflatable mascot. He sat down, adjusted his chair slightly and placed his pencil case on the desk.
Kurogane was at the opposite end of the room, three rows back, near the door. He was already fidgeting and tapping his fingers on the desk. His eyes darted around nervously.
Also in the room were Sakura and Kana. Both seated in the middle rows. Kana looked composed but serious, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Sakura was biting her thumbnail, staring at the blackboard as if it might contain hidden answers. Yet both of them had an extra layer of confidence on top of their existing faith in their preparation. All thanks to Takemi.
In another classroom 3-B, Takemi, Haruto, Kiyomi, Akito, and Kuronami Hikari had all been assigned. Takemi sat near the front, perfectly still, eyes closed, breathing deeply. Haruto was a few seats behind her, leaning back in his chair while trying to look relaxed. Kuronami sat by the window and was gazing outside with a thoughtful expression.
Back in 2-C, Kurogane clasped his hands together and started mouthing what looked like a prayer. His lips moved rapidly.
Kazama remained completely calm. His face showed no tension, no anxiety. He simply sat there waiting.
The door at the front of the room opened. The invigilator stepped inside.
She was a woman in her mid-thirties wearing a simple white shirt and long skirt. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun. Her face was stern. Her presence felt like that of a strict parent who had zero tolerance.
She walked to the front of the room with her heels clicking sharply against the floor. The sound echoed. Every head turned toward her. Every whisper died.
"Good morning." Her voice was clear, strong, no-nonsense. "I have only three rules." She held up three fingers. "You break them and your written test gets cancelled. Immediately. No second chances."
The room somehow grew even quieter.
"Rule one: No cheating." She lowered one finger. "I will be watching. If I see your eyes wander to someone else's paper, you are done."
"Rule two: No disturbing others." Another finger down. "That means no talking, no tapping, no sighing loudly and no dropping things. You are silent."
"Rule three: No crying." The last finger lowered. Her expression didn't soften. "I don't care how hard the test is. You hold it together until you leave this room."
She paused, letting the weight of her words settle over them like a heavy blanket.
"Understood?"
A few students nodded weakly.
"I said, understood?" Her voice rose slightly, sharper.
"Yes, ma'am," the class responded in unison, voices small and nervous.
She nodded once, satisfied. Then she began distributing the exam papers, walking down each row.
When every student had their paper, she returned to the front. She glanced at the clock on the wall. The second hand ticked toward the twelve.
"You may begin."
Kazama's eyes moved across the first page, scanning the questions with focus.
Science Examination – Part 1: Physics (40 marks)
The questions appeared in neat, printed rows:
"State Newton's three laws of motion with one example each."
"State Ohm's Law and draw a labeled diagram of the circuit used to verify it."
"Explain the principle of conservation of energy with a real-world example."
Kazama's expression didn't change. He understood them. He picked up his pen, clicked it once and began writing right away.
At the opposite end of the room, Kurogane flipped his paper over and immediately felt his stomach drop.
The words on the page blurred together. Chemistry formulas. Biology definitions. Physics concepts. They swam in front of his eyes. His brain was already fried from lack of sleep and it struggled to process anything.
Shit. Haruto said start from the easy ones. But now I don't know what the easy ones are, Kurogane thought as panic crept up his spine, cold and suffocating. His hands started shaking again.
Focus. Focus. You know this stuff. You studied. Come on, Kurogane thought even harder but nothing was sticking. The formulas he had memorized last night had evaporated.
Without thinking and desperate for a reset, Kurogane pulled his hand back and slapped himself hard across the face.
SMACK.
The sound echoed through the silent room like a gunshot.
Every head snapped up. Twenty pairs of eyes turned to stare at him. Kurogane's cheek blazed red where his palm had connected.
The invigilator's eyes narrowed. She took three deliberate steps toward him. "Is there a problem, child?"
Kurogane's face flushed even deeper but now from embarrassment as well as the slap. "Oh, no. A fly." He gestured vaguely at his cheek. "A fly sat on my cheek. Just... swatting it."
The invigilator stared at him for a long, uncomfortable moment. Her expression made it clear she didn't believe him for a second. But technically he hadn't broken any rules.
"Please deal with it," she said slowly, "without disturbing the class."
"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am." Kurogane's voice came out as a squeak.
She returned to the front but her eyes remained on him for several more seconds.
Kurogane exhaled shakily with his heart pounding.
Shit. My exam almost got cancelled. But... thanks to that slap...
He looked down at the paper again. The shock had cleared his head somehow. The fog lifted slightly. The questions began to make sense. Not all of them but enough.
Okay. Start with Chemistry. The formulas. You know some of these.
He picked up his pen and started writing, his hand still trembling but functional.
Across the room, Kazama was already on the third page.
In 3-B, Takemi had also started strong. Her pen moved rapidly across the pages without any pause.
Haruto, in the same room, frowned at a few questions but pushed forward anyway. Good enough, he thought.
Sakura and Kana both swung their pens back and forth trying to decide where to start. Kiyomi tapped her eraser against the desk unconsciously, lost in thought.
******************************************************************************************************
The exam papers continued:
Part 2: Chemistry (30 marks)
"Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid."
"Define valency. How do you calculate the valency of an element?"
"Explain the difference between an exothermic and endothermic reaction with examples."
Part 3: Biology (30 marks)
"What are enzymes? Mention their role in digestion."
"What are the differences between arteries, veins, and capillaries? Provide a labeled diagram."
"Explain the process of photosynthesis with a chemical equation."
Somewhere around the one-hour mark, Kurogane's head started spinning. The letters on the page began to swim again. He had answered maybe sixty percent of the questions. Some confidently and others with wild guesses.
He pressed his fingers against his forehead, closing his eyes briefly.
Just get through this. Just finish, Kurogane thought as he began to push through the questions.
In 3-B, with thirty minutes left on the clock, Takemi set down her pen.
She read through her answers one last time, her eyes moving quickly across each page. Most of it felt right. Solid. But...
The last three questions in the Physics section had been different. Harder. More conceptual, less formulaic. They asked for deeper understanding, not just memorization. She had answered them but she wasn't certain. A flicker of doubt crossed her face constantly.
Those last three questions in the Physics section. They were... harder than the rest. The rest of the exam was straightforward. But those three…, Takemi thought while placing a hand on her forehead.
She glanced at the clock. Thirty minutes remaining.
I hope my reasoning was right. There's nothing else I could've done if I didn't know the exact answer. Better to use this time to clear my head and prepare for the next exam. Yup. I think that would be for the best, Takemi thought while letting in a deep breath and exhaling.
Takemi stood, gathered her papers neatly and walked to the front. The invigilator looked up. Surprised.
The other students in the room glanced up, shock evident on their faces. Several still had half their exams blank.
Takemi didn't look at them. She walked out of the room, the door closing softly behind her.
******************************************************************************************************
The courtyard was empty.
Takemi stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air. The morning had warmed slightly. The inflatable mascot bobbed cheerfully in the breeze.
She walked over to a bench, pulled out her water bottle and took a long drink. The cool liquid helped settle the unease in her stomach.
Seems like I'm the first person here. Guess I'll have to talk to myself for some time.
She started walking, her feet carrying her along the familiar path around the school grounds. The sound of birds chirping filled the air. A light breeze rustled the leaves of nearby trees.
As she rounded the corner near the library wing, movement caught her eye.
Kazama Raiden.
He was sitting in a shaded corner beneath a large tree, his back against the trunk. A book was open in his lap. His posture was relaxed, one leg stretched out and the other bent. He looked completely at ease as if he had all the time in the world.
Takemi stopped mid-step, her eyes widening slightly.
He's already out? We were in different rooms. Did he finish early too?
For a moment, neither of them moved. The world seemed to pause as the breeze stilled.
Takemi stood there, her heart doing that strange flutter-and-tighten thing again. Her fingers tightened around her water bottle.
Why does this keep happening?