The wind howled more fiercely upon this elevated balcony, carrying a chill that pierced through to the bone. Kaito stood frozen, staring at the flecks of black dust still clinging to his sleeve. He glanced at Hana; she was shivering, not from the temperature, but from a lingering terror that refused to subside.
Before them, the grandeur of the Tenjin Academy stretched out in a vast expanse of white towers that seemed intent on piercing the very sky above. The sterile purity of this place felt jarringly at odds with the rusted scrap metal Kaito handled every day.
Airi stepped forward, moving a few paces ahead of Kaito. She held her bow of light in a lowered position, yet her fingers remained poised upon the transparent string. Her eyes never wavered from the group of grey-robed figures standing motionless near the marble gates. These men made no offensive movement, yet their presence exerted a heavy pressure upon the air.
"They will not dare to attack openly on the Admissions Oversight balcony," Airi said, her voice composed.
Kaito shifted his gaze toward her. "Who are they, exactly? That man, Daisuke, called them the Order of Authority."
Airi did not offer an immediate answer. She observed one of the robed figures who appeared to be the leader of the group.
"The Order of Authority is meant to be under the control of the City Council. Lately, however, certain units have begun acting outside of official instructions. They call themselves the Protectors of Aethel Purity."
Kaito reached into his pocket and felt the hard surface of the broken black hilt. He recalled how the object had reacted to the officer's attack in the subterranean chamber. The mention of "purity protectors" sounded ominous to someone like him, who was considered to have no Aethel at all.
Hana tugged gently at the hem of Kaito's shirt. "Brother, are we going to be arrested?"
Kaito knelt before Hana and took her by the shoulders. He saw the profound exhaustion in his sister's face. "No. We are inside the academy now. Master Daisuke said this place is safe."
Airi looked back at them briefly. "Safety here only applies to those with permission to enter. Uncle Daisuke sent you here via a technical evacuation route. That means, administratively, you are not yet registered as legal visitors."
Kaito stood up, his brow furrowed. "Then what should we do? We cannot go back to that lift."
Airi pointed toward a long table situated in the shadow of the main tower. Several figures in deep blue robes sat behind stacks of documents. A short queue had formed, consisting of youths Kaito's age—neatly dressed in expensive attire with shimmering weapons at their sides.
"Today is the final day of registration for the Tenjin Academy entrance exams," Airi stated. "The only way for you to gain full legal protection within these grounds is to register as a candidate. The Order has no jurisdiction to touch an examinee while the selection process is underway."
Kaito stared at the queue with hesitation. He thought of the heap of metal on his workbench at home, likely destroyed by now. He did not possess enough money to pay the exorbitant registration fees.
"I cannot afford the fee," Kaito admitted in a low voice.
Airi walked toward him. She produced a gold coin from a small pouch at her waist, intricately engraved with the Himari family crest. She pressed the coin into Kaito's hand.
"This is a family recommendation," Airi said. "Use it. The registration costs will be covered by the recommender."
Kaito stared at the gold piece in his palm. It felt many times heavier than the bags of scrap he usually carried. "Why are you helping me this much? We only just met in a drainage tunnel."
Airi fell silent for a moment, her gaze drifting toward the gates where the grey-robed men stood.
"Uncle Daisuke rarely sends anyone through his private evacuation route. Furthermore, I wish to see for myself what that broken hilt can do during the examination. You may consider this an investment."
Airi turned and began walking in a different direction from the registration desk. "I must report the events of the lower sector to the Council of Instructors. Do not lose that coin. We shall meet again if you manage to pass the first stage."
Kaito watched Airi's retreating figure until she vanished behind the massive pillars. He then turned to Hana, who still looked anxious. He took a long breath to steady his erratic pulse. He knew that stepping toward that registration desk meant entering a world he had only ever observed from a distance.
Taking Hana's hand, Kaito began to walk toward the queue. Each step felt heavy upon the polished marble floor. People in the line began to steal glances at them. The scent of sweat and lower-sector dust clinging to Kaito's clothes caused several individuals to cover their noses with handkerchiefs.
"Name and region of origin?" a registrar asked without looking up from the documents as Kaito reached the desk.
"Kaito Izanagi. Sector Seven," Kaito replied.
The registrar stopped writing. He lifted his head and regarded Kaito with a look of disdain, noting his torn and filthy clothes.
"Sector Seven? The registration for the civilian scholarship track ended three days ago. Currently, we are only accepting self-funded or recommended applicants."
Kaito did not answer with words. He placed the gold coin Airi had given him onto the polished wooden desk.
The registrar's eyes widened at the sight of the Himari crest. He took the coin with slightly trembling hands and examined it against the sunlight. Once its authenticity was confirmed, his demeanor shifted drastically. He adjusted his posture immediately and reached for a fresh, silver-colored form.
"Forgive my insolence, Mr. Izanagi," the official said, his tone far more deferential. "I was unaware you carried a recommendation from the Himari family. Please complete this form and provide your energy fingerprint at the bottom."
Kaito took the provided quill. He filled in his details, his hands still tingling. When he reached the energy fingerprint section, he hesitated. He knew the trigger mechanism on the form would detect the Aethel levels in his body. If the device showed zero, no recommendation in the world could save him.
Kaito pressed his thumb onto the small circle in the corner of the form. He felt a cold sensation that seemed to draw a trace of heat from his skin. The circle glowed faintly with an incredibly thin grey light. The official observed the glow with a furrowed brow but said nothing, his eyes darting to the Himari gold coin still resting on the desk.
"Processed," the registrar said, handing Kaito a small badge shaped like a silver wing. "This is your examinee identification. The first stage of the exam begins in one hour at the main arena. Your sister may wait in the guest pavilion."
Kaito accepted the badge and pinned it to his soiled tunic. He led Hana toward the pavilion indicated by the official, where plush chairs and complimentary refreshments were provided.
"Hana, wait here for a moment. Do not go anywhere until I return," Kaito instructed. Hana nodded and sat in one of the large wooden chairs.
Kaito gave his sister a piece of bread he had taken from the pavilion table. After ensuring she was safe, he walked toward the main arena, which was beginning to swarm with other candidates.
On his way, Kaito passed through a corridor lined with large mirrors. He stopped for a moment to look at his reflection. He appeared a total wreck. Yet, his eyes burned with a resolve he had never felt before. He touched the black hilt in his pocket; the object felt calm now, as if gathering its strength.
Suddenly, Kaito's pace faltered as he spotted a familiar figure standing near the arena entrance. It was the scarred man from the lower sector. He was no longer wearing the grey robes, but rather the black attire of an academy instructor. He was speaking with an elderly man with a long white beard.
The scarred man turned, and their eyes met. A thin, menacing smile touched the man's lips. He whispered something to the man beside him while gesturing toward Kaito.
Kaito realized that the danger he had faced underground was waiting for him even in this supposed sanctuary. He continued walking past them, head held high, though a cold sweat began to dampen his palms.
As Kaito entered the vast main arena, an announcement echoed throughout the chamber. "Examinee number four hundred two, Kaito Izanagi. Please proceed to testing platform number one."
Kaito walked toward the platform. An examiner stood there, holding a large crystal. However, what made Kaito's heart skip a beat was the opponent already standing on the opposite side of the platform. It was a youth with short blonde hair, wielding a practice sword with immense confidence. The boy glared at Kaito with a look of pure hatred.
"So, you're the piece of trash Airi brought in?" the youth sneered, leveling the tip of his sword at Kaito's chest.
Kaito had no time to respond before the crystal in the examiner's hand glowed brilliantly, signaling the start of the match. Simultaneously, the black hilt in Kaito's pocket emitted a heat far more intense than before, causing the fabric of his trousers to release a thin wisp of smoke.