The crowd slowly began to thin.
Some faces were glowing with relief.
Others were silent, staring at the ground as if the numbers on the screen were still burning into their eyes.
I stood there for a few seconds longer than I should have.
My rank was real.
Not high enough to celebrate loudly.
Not low enough to disappear.
Just… enough.
"Oi."
A voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I turned to see a boy about my age, tall, messy black hair, eyes sharp but curious. He was smiling, the kind of smile that didn't feel fake.
"You did well," he said. "That rank isn't easy."
"Thanks," I replied, unsure of what else to say.
"I'm Haruto."
Before I could answer, another voice joined in.
"You're slow again, Haruto."
A girl with short hair and a calm expression walked up beside him. Her posture was straight, her eyes observant—like she was already analyzing everything around her.
"I'm Rin," she said simply.
More students gathered around us, almost naturally, as if drawn by the same invisible thread.
A boy who kept adjusting his glasses.
Another who looked bored but alert.
A girl who smiled too easily, yet watched everyone carefully.
None of us said it out loud, but we all felt it.
These people… are going to matter.
A holographic chime echoed through the hall.
The massive screen flickered again.
"All qualified candidates, proceed to the residential sector."
"Further evaluations will be conducted."
Murmurs spread instantly.
Residential?
Further evaluations?
This wasn't just an exam.
We followed the directions and arrived at a building far larger than the school used as the exam center. Rooms were already assigned. Names appeared on another screen, pairing us loosely—not as teams yet, but not alone either.
As I stepped into my room and dropped my bag, exhaustion finally hit me.
My body was tired.
But my mind refused to rest.
What exactly did I step into?
And why does it feel like this was only the beginning?
Outside the window, the lights of the facility glowed against the darkening sky.
Somewhere inside this place, rules existed.
And soon—
We would learn what lay beyond them