It's been two days since the written exam.
Today is the practical.
Once again, Mom shoved me out the door.
…Annoying.
I already know what's coming. The practical will have something to do with powers. It always does.
On my way, I ran into Annie again. I suspect she had been waiting there just to "coincidentally" bump into me.
But why?
"Su'p, Hikaru! I didn't expect to see you here!"
…That's a lie. I could tell instantly.
We walked to the school together, her mouth running non-stop as usual. By the time we reached the gates, we were directed toward a massive glass dome.
Hundreds of students had already gathered. The structure was enormous like one of the ancient Roman arenas I'd read about. Its towering frame loomed over us, promising only one thing: battle.
Then, she appeared.
A woman stepped forward. She looked to be in her thirties, with long black hair tied neatly behind her. The authority she carried in her presence was undeniable, and yet, her soothing smile and golden-yellow eyes made me feel strangely at ease.
Her eyes shimmered like the face of a clock.hands of time faintly glowing within them.
And she wore a red kimono. In this era of advanced tech and modern fashion, it stood out more than anything.
"My name is Kyouka Yamauchi," she said, her voice both commanding and gentle. "I am the twentieth principal of this esteemed institution."
The air shifted as she raised her hand. A coin appeared in front of each of us, hovering mid-air. Etched on it was the crest of Aether Academy.A capital "A" with wings.
"Take the coins," she instructed.
I grasped the one that floated before me, its metallic chill resting in my palm.
"You will all be teleported into the dome. Inside, I have altered the environment into a forest. To pass this exam, you must acquire two coins."
Two coins? Which means…
"You may obtain them however you wish," Principal Kyouka continued. "Now begin."
That was it? Short. Too short.
The world blurred. My vision spun. Then...
I stood among towering trees, the scent of moss and soil filling the air.
So this was the exam.
…What should I do?
I could just sit here. Wait for someone to stumble upon me. That would be easiest.
Perfect, even.
…But it seems someone has already found me.
A fist grazed past my head. My hair swayed from the force.
I barely dodged in time, jumping back. My eyes locked onto my attacker.
A boy.
Messy blue hair. A cocky grin plastered across his face. His eyes… red, with a black cross carved into the iris.
He wore a black jacket with matching trousers, a blue shirt peeking beneath. Everything about him radiated blue. Even his aura felt suffocating.
It was irritating.
"I'm Kenji Rin," he introduced himself with a smirk. "And I'll be the one taking your coin."
Does he think I'll hand it over easily?
I straightened, narrowing my gaze. "I hope you can last in a fight."
Kenji's grin widened. "Don't worry about me."
"Don't disappoint me," I muttered.
Before I continue, let me explain something.
The energy we use to fuel our abilities is called Aura...spiritual energy converted from our life force. That's why overusing it is dangerous. If you burn through too much, you risk losing your powers… or your life.
But like every rule, there is an exception.
I am that exception.
While others rely solely on Aura, I was born with another energy bestowed by the Five Gods of my clan. Emo-energy.
It can be converted into spiritual energy and then Aura… or it can be unleashed raw.
Enough explanation. Time to show him.
Kenji charged first.
His body blurred, the forest wind splitting as he dashed at me. His fist shot toward my chest—fast, too fast.
I shifted back, raising my arm to block. The impact rattled through my bones, forcing me back several steps.
"Not bad," Kenji grinned, his red eyes glowing like burning crosses. "But you'll have to do better than that."
His blood was evaporating now, thin crimson steam rising from his skin. His aura thickened, suffocating, violent.
"Blood Lust" I heard him say.
It wasn't just speed. Every strike was sharper, heavier, carrying killing intent.
"Tch…" I clicked my tongue, sliding back into stance. My shadow stretched beneath my feet, writhing.
With a flick of my wrist, it lashed upward, forming a spear that shot toward him.
Kenji tilted his head, the spear grazing past his cheek. In the same motion, he closed the distance and drove his knee toward my ribs.
I twisted, barely blocking with my forearm. The force stung.
"Your shadows are tricky…" Kenji muttered, grinning wider. "…but they can't keep up with me."
He wasn't wrong. Every time my shadows moved, his speed doubled. He'd already adapted.
Fine. Then I'll meet him head-on.
I clenched my fists and charged. The forest echoed with the sound of fists colliding, each punch shaking through my arms. His strikes were wild, feral, yet precise enough to break through my guard.
I ducked under one punch, throwing a counter with my right hook.He blocked with his forearm, twisting, and slammed an elbow toward my jaw.
I bent backward, shadows rising to shield me. The elbow broke through them, dispersing the darkness like smoke.
"Tch… still too slow," he said.
This wasn't working. Shadows alone wouldn't be enough. I could feel my knuckles bruising, my ribs aching from the exchanges.
Kenji's grin widened, his body steaming crimson, his bloodlust growing sharper.
"Let's end this, Hikaru Kage!"
He planted his foot in the dirt, aura boiling. His right hand ignited with crimson steam.
"Final technique… Bloody Fist!"
My heart pounded. If I took that head-on, I'd collapse.
Then… I'd just have to stop holding back.
"…Aeres."
I whispered the name of the God sealed within me. The God of Anger.
A searing heat coursed through my veins. My shadows shook violently, writhing like beasts sensing prey. My fist tightened, wrapped in a dark crimson aura anger itself given form.
"Anger Technique…"
The heat in my chest surged, bursting into my arm.
"Anger Fist!"
We moved at the same time.
Kenji's Bloody Fist.blood boiling, crimson steam trailing behind it.
My Anger Fist.Shadow and fury united, the roar of Aeres echoing in my bones.
The two fists collided.
The impact shook the dome. Wind exploded outward, trees bending under the pressure. The ground beneath us shattered, cracks spiderwebbing across the earth.
For a moment, all sound vanished. Only the clash of our wills remained.
Then....
The shockwave blasted us apart.
I landed on my feet, chest heaving, my arm trembling from the force. Kenji staggered, blood dripping down his arm, his grin still there despite his exhaustion.
We stood back to back, breaths uneven.
Then, in a hoarse whisper, I heard him.
"…thank you… for the fight."
A faint smile almost tugged at his lips before his body collapsed into the dirt.
I didn't move. I simply exhaled, letting my shadow recede back beneath me.
"…Idiot."
But for the first time in a while… I almost wanted to smile.
Right after I picked up the coin he dropped, I was back at the gate
I looked like many students had already succeeded in their quests.
After half an hour the test was complete.
After a while. The principal stood before us once again.
"After careful assessment here are your results"
She raised her hand into the air and six holographic boards appeared according to class.
I searched for my name from board to board with Annie.
"Class… F?" I mutter under my breath.
It doesn't make sense. My performance should've been near the top.
Around me, students whisper.
"Of course the Kage would end up there."
"A failure of a clan… doesn't matter how well he did."
"Class F is where trash belongs."
Annie gasps. "Wait...there must be some mistake! Hikaru fought Kenji head-on.He should be way higher!"
But above us, the board of directors sits like royalty. The heirs and elders of the Ten Great Clans—Suzuki, Takahashi, Yamamoto, Sato, and more—watch with cold eyes.
One of them smirks, his voice echoing through the hall:
"There is no mistake. Hikaru Kage belongs in Class F. That is the decision of this board."
I can feel their disdain drilling into me.
It's not about ability.
It's about clan politics.
I clench my fist inside my black fingerless glove.
"…So that's how it is."
I'm not angry.
I expected this.
And yet, deep down, something burns.
If they want me in the lowest class, then fine.
I'll just crush their expectations… one by one.
"W-What… no way…"
The voice to my left made me glance. Annie. She was frozen in front of the board, her cheerful expression cracking.
Annie Sukiyaki — FAILED
Her lips trembled. She bit down on them, but her shoulders shook.
I looked away.
And then...
"Failed, huh?"
Kenji's grin was still plastered on his face, even as his name glared red on the board.
Kenji Rin — FAILED
"…Tch. Figures."
I expected him to explode, but he just stuffed his hands in his pockets and laughed quietly. The sound was bitter.
Before anyone could process, a ripple spread through the crowd. Two figures in black and silver uniforms stepped forward, wearing cloaks stitched with the emblem of a broken circle.Emo-Tech.
One of them raised a hand. "Candidates Annie Sukiyaki and Kenji Rin."
Annie flinched. Kenji looked up.
"You have failed here. But Emo-Tech recognizes your potential. From this moment, you are both recruited under our banner."
The crowd gasped. Whispers shot through the students:
"Emo-Tech?! The rival school?!"
"They're poaching students here?!"
"Why those two?"
Annie's eyes widened. She turned to me for a second, as if searching for something. I gave her nothing.
Kenji, though he smirked. "Heh. Guess I'm not done after all."
The recruiters draped the cloaks over their shoulders. Annie still looked conflicted, like she wasn't sure if she should cry or smile. Kenji just looked satisfied.
As the two of them walked away with Emo-Tech, Annie threw one last glance at me.
"…See you, Hikaru."
I stayed silent. Watching them disappear into the distance, a strange feeling stirred inside me.
Not sadness. Not anger. Just… something.
And then it was gone.
I decided to head home.
School's in three days.
Day 1 of Aether Academy...
Dragging my suitcase behind me, I walked through the academy's front gates again.
So this is my "new life," huh? Aether Academy's student dorms towered before me.sleek, modern buildings that looked more like high-end apartments than school housing.
My assigned dorm was at the farthest wing, the one for Class F. Figures.
The hallway was dead silent when I entered. My footsteps echoed against polished floors. Not a single student around. Were they all avoiding me already… or maybe everyone had gone to the opening ceremony?
I reached the end of the corridor. A row of identical doors lined the walls, each with small glowing nameplates. I didn't bother reading them. What's the point in memorizing names of people I'll probably never talk to?
At the very end was one with faint white letters glowing:
Kage Hikaru.
"…Tch."
I slid the door open. The room was simple.A bed with my uniform neatly folded on it, a desk, and a window with the view of the academy courtyard. Clean enough. I tossed my bags inside without much thought.
No use unpacking yet. Might as well head to the auditorium.
The auditorium was massive. Chandeliers of pure energy-light hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow. The seats were filled with hundreds of students in the crisp black-and-white uniforms of Aether Academy.
At the front stage stood a single figure.
Principal Kyouka Yamauchi.
Her kimono this time was a bright, gleaming blue like the morning sky had been stitched into silk. The clock-like hands in her yellow eyes ticked slowly as she smiled at us.
"Students of Aether Academy," she began, her voice carrying through the entire hall effortlessly. "Today, you stand at the beginning of your journey. Some of you passed with ease. Some struggled. But all of you are here now and that makes you chosen."
The crowd stirred. I leaned back in my seat, uninterested. Speeches were never my thing.
She continued, her tone shifting, sharper yet still calm. "But understand this power is not a gift. It is a burden, and one you must carry with discipline. This academy will forge you. Not only into warriors… but into protectors. Fail to uphold that, and you will break."
The silence that followed was heavy. Even I had to admit… her words had weight.
Then, she gestured, and two figures stepped forward from the side of the stage.
"The Student Council will guide this academy alongside the staff. Allow me to introduce your leaders."
First was a tall boy with sharp black hair, posture as rigid as a blade. His uniform bore a golden trim. His eyes.piercing silver.
"I am Renjiro Saito, Student Council President," he said, voice firm, measured. "I welcome you to Aether Academy. Remember this: excellence is not a choice. It is expected."
The aura around him was suffocating. Authority radiated from every word.
Beside him, a girl with long auburn hair tied in a ribbon stepped forward. She smiled faintly, but her eyes were cold, calculating.
"I am Aris Hoshino, Vice President. I'll keep this simple. This academy is not for the weak. If you can't keep up, you'll be left behind. I look forward to seeing who survives."
The auditorium murmured with tension. I could feel it in the air.this school wasn't going to be a playground.
Principal Kyouka raised her hand again. "And with that, your paths begin. Do not falter."
The ceremony ended with a resonating chime that echoed through the hall.
I stood, hands in my pockets.
Class F, huh?
This is going to be annoying.
The walk back to the dorm felt heavier than when I'd first arrived.
The crowd of students was still buzzing with energy, talking about the speeches, about the Student Council President and Vice President like they were gods among mortals. I ignored them. Their excitement didn't matter to me.
Class F. Lowest of the low. That's where I'd been shoved. Not because I lacked skill but because of my clan's name. Kage. A curse that followed me no matter where I went.
By the time I reached the dorm, the halls were still empty. Silent. Cold.
No voices, no footsteps, not even the sound of doors opening or closing. Like I was the only one here.
My door glowed faintly at the end of the hall. Kage Hikaru. The name almost looked foreign to me. I slid it open and stepped inside again.
The room hadn't changed, of course. My bags sat untouched where I'd left them. I let out a sigh and finally set about unpacking books I'd probably never read, clothes I didn't care about, a single photo frame that I stuffed into the desk drawer before I could look at it too long.
Through the window, I could see the academy's central tower gleaming against the night sky, its glass walls reflecting the stars. Students passed by in groups below, laughing, already making friends.
"…Tch. Annoying."
I dropped onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Tomorrow, classes begin. Tomorrow, I'll see who else they threw into the trash heap called Class F.
But for now, in this silence, in this room with only my name glowing faintly on the door.
It feels like I'm completely alone.
I closed my eyes.
Tomorrow can wait.
So… Class F, huh? Let's see how much trash belongs there.