The transport hovered above a sprawling city that glittered like a constellation against the night. Towering spires of glass and steel pierced the clouds, their tips disappearing into the mist above. Below, rivers of light traced roads and canals, connecting districts Jiro had only seen in data feeds — a world far beyond the Rust District.
Jiro Tensai's wrists ached from the restraints, but the blue threads pulsing beneath his skin seemed calmer here, resonating with the energy of the city. His Essentia core hummed in response to the ambient life force, and the Ryūshin-ken chip whispered faintly in his mind, syncing with his elemental threads.
A soldier stepped forward, voice clipped. "We're here. Arclight Academy. You'll disembark immediately. Follow protocol. Step out with compliance or face consequences."
Jiro didn't respond. His eyes scanned the academy grounds: high walls embedded with shimmering energy barriers, training fields dotted with holographic projections, and distant towers that seemed alive with pulsing light. This was no ordinary school. It was a fortress, a laboratory, and a proving ground all in one.
The transport doors opened. A gust of artificially cooled air hit him. The scent was sterile — metal and ozone, with a faint trace of ambient Essentia drifting from the barriers. Jiro stepped out, every movement precise, aware of the subtle pull of elemental threads beneath the surface of his skin.
A uniformed officer met him at the base of the ramp.
"Jiro Tensai. You have been selected for the Essentia and Ryūshin-ken Integration Program. Your progress will be monitored continuously. Any deviation will be corrected."
Jiro's jaw tightened. "And if I refuse?"
The officer's expression didn't change. "Refusal is… not an option."
Before Jiro could reply, another figure appeared — a younger man, mid-teens, with fiery red hair and a confident stride. His eyes flickered with curiosity as he glanced at Jiro.
"You're the one from the Rust District, right?" the boy said, a smirk playing on his lips. "The news said you've got some kind of rare… chip thing? That true?"
Jiro didn't answer. His attention was on the sprawling campus, the training fields, and the towering halls that promised both danger and opportunity. He felt the Ryūshin-ken forms stir in his mind — movement, flow, elemental control. He was a novice, but the spark inside him was alive, eager.
The officer guided him forward. "Your dormitory has been assigned. Orientation starts tomorrow. Training begins immediately after. Be ready."
Jiro's thoughts ran in silence. This school wasn't just a place to learn. It was a cage.
But the Ryūshin-ken chip pulsed, the elemental threads coiling like living things beneath his skin. He had survived Neo-Tokara. He had survived the Central Authority's capture.
And now, in this world of gleaming towers and disciplined soldiers, he would survive again — and grow stronger.
As he was led through the grand gates, the crack in the sky shimmered faintly above the city, blue threads of light weaving into the clouds. For the first time in weeks, Jiro Tensai allowed a small, faint smile.
Let them watch. Let them train me. Let them test me.
Because the boy from the Rust District was ready to begin a new chapter — one where Essentia, Ryūshin-ken, and his own will would define his path.
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