Yara skipped ahead of Izan, humming a cheerful tune, her long hair flowing freely behind her with every step. She twirled dramatically, hands filing, almost tangling in her own hair as she spun.

  Izan gave her a side-eye, one eyebrow raised, unimpressed.

  Instantly, Yara froze mid-spin, eyes widening. "W-what's that look for?!" she squeaked, panic creeping into her voice. "I'm telling you, Izan! Forty is not old! I am definitely still a kid! Kids can be forty too, you know!"

  She stomped a foot for emphasis. "I can skip, I can ugh, I can act crazy whenever I want! Age is just a number! Just because I have wisdom doesn't mean I lose fun! I—"

  She spun again, arms filing as her long hair fanned out like a cape. "I—am—still—a—kid! You hear me?! Forty does not make me boring!"

  Izan blinked, caught somewhere between disbelief and confusion. "Uh… you're really forty?" he asked cautiously, trying to process the chaotic energy radiating from her.

  "Forty!" Yara wailed, clutching her chest. "I'm barely grown-up! I still have all the fun genes! You can't just assume I'm old because of numbers! Numbers lie! Age doesn't define me!"

  She spun again, nearly smashing into a nearby bench. "See?! I'm agile! I'm youthful!"

  Izan could only stare, completely fbbergasted.

  Eventually, they reached his homeroom. Through the slightly cracked door, the sound of scratching and paper shuffling drifted out.

  Yara didn't knock. She barged in, almost breaking the door off its hinges. "GOOD MORNING, TEACHER! GUESS WHAT?! THIS LITTLE ONE RIGHT HERE—IZAN—is YOUR NEW STUDENT!"

  The man inside let out a long, weary sigh. "And it's not even morning yet… and you're already barging in," he said, shaking his head. "It was so peaceful when you weren't around…"

  Yara froze mid-step, noticing Kaito and the other students barely gnced her way. Her lips trembled as she slumped into a corner, pouting. "They… they missed me, right?" she whispered, forcing a small smile. Deep down, she knew they hadn't even noticed her.

  The man's eyes settled on Izan. "Ah… you must be the new student," he said, offering a faint smile. "I'm Kaito. Honestly… most students can't handle walking with her for more than ten minutes. It's impressive you survived."

  Izan straightened, a hint of pride in his eyes. "Izan Arakami," he said firmly, extending his hand.

  Kaito nodded. "Welcome, Izan."

  Yara's eyes widened, realization hitting her too te. She flung her arms up in protest. "TORTURE?! They bully me! Me! How dare you! I am forty years young and I am being tormented by children!"

  Izan's jaw dropped. "Wait… how does a forty-year-old get bullied by preschoolers?"

  Kaito shrugged. "It beats me."

  Yara sniffled dramatically, crossing her arms like the injustice of the world rested solely on her shoulders. Eventually, she calmed enough to follow them down the hall, still sulking.

  ?

  When they arrived at Aurelia's cssroom, the scent of herbs and faint magical energy greeted them. Aurelia, her long, pointed elf ears twitching, looked up from tidying her desk. Her soft smile brightened as she spotted them.

  "Yara! It's been so long," she said, stepping forward.

  Yara's slump deepened. Aurelia rushed to her side. "Are you okay? What happened?" She wrapped Yara in a gentle hug, pressing her head to Aurelia's shoulder while stroking her back like a mother comforting her child.

  Yara hiccuped, muffled. "K-Kaito… and… and Izan… they made… slick comments… I… got bullied…"

  Aurelia chuckled softly, eyes closing to hide her amusement. "I see… well, don't worry, dear. They'll learn their pce eventually."

  Yara exhaled, feeling a little better, letting go of Aurelia's embrace.

  Aurelia turned to Izan. "And you must be the te transfer student I've heard about," she said, extending a hand. "Welcome. I'm Aurelia. Pleased to meet you."

  Izan shook her hand politely. "Thank you… I'm gd to be here. And thank you for being my teacher."

  Aurelia smiled warmly. "I can already tell, we're going to have a bright future together."

  "And," she added gently, "from what I've heard… you're Aremi's child." She pulled him into a warm hug, apologizing softly for the past and expressing relief that he was safe now.

  "I was her teacher once," she continued, stepping back. "She was special. Strong, determined. A remarkable woman. I see a bit of her in you already."

  Yara, curious, asked, "How long have you even been alive?"

  Aurelia's ears twitched as she chuckled. "Well… I know a lot of things. I'm an elf, after all. A few hundred years, I think… around five hundred. I'll need to check my notebook when I return to my dorm."

  With polite goodbyes, Yara and Izan left Aurelia's cssroom.

  Once out of sight, Yara stopped abruptly. Her pyful demeanor vanished, expression hardening, eyes narrowing. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Next up… is Raikuro. The beast."

  Izan blinked, taken aback. "Wait… she just got serious out of nowhere?"

  ?

  Sayaka and Valeria stepped out of the office, the door clicking softly behind them. The corridor was quiet, but Sayaka's attention was drawn to a small figure standing by the doorway—Rin Amagawa, already waiting, calm and curious.

  So this must be the little girl Valeria adopted… Rin Amagawa, thought Sayaka, part of the bloodline that once ruled the northern country through war.

  Rin tilted her head, curiosity sparkling. "Who's this dy?" she asked, looking up at Sayaka.

  Valeria smiled. "This is an old friend of mine. She used to protect me. Her name is Sayaka. You show her the respect you would give me, understood?"

  Rin nodded firmly, then extended her hand politely.

  Sayaka took it, immediately sensing the subtle pulse of cursed energy flowing through the girl. It didn't faze her. She smiled warmly. "Hopefully, we can become friends."

  Rin's lips curved into a small smile. Soon, they began walking down the corridor, Rin's small hand slipping into Sayaka's.

  "Where are we going?" Rin asked.

  Valeria fell into step. "We're going to find someone special—his name is Izan… and Yara, too. I think you two will get along just fine."

  Rin's eyes widened slightly. "Izan?"

  Sayaka chuckled softly. "You'll see soon enough."

  Halfway across the academy grounds, the halls were eerily empty. No chatter. No footsteps. Just the wind brushing past stone corridors.

  "This pce feels dead today," Izan muttered.

  Yara shrugged. "Means everyone's either training… or hiding."

  They turned a corner—and the silence shattered.

  An open field stretched before them, cracked earth and scattered dust marking it as a combat zone. Seventeen students stood at the edges, watching with wide eyes.

  At the center—Raikuro.

  He was dueling one of his students barehanded.

  The boy rushed him, shouting.

  Raikuro sidestepped, caught his arm, and with a casual twist—

  "AAAAAA—!"

  The student was flung skyward.

  Instead of letting him nd, Raikuro redirected him—straight toward Yara.

  Yara clicked her tongue. "Rude."

  She caught the screaming student midair with one hand, spun, and smmed him into the ground near Izan. The boy hit, eyes rolling back, then slowly shut them, whispering, "I'm… fine… totally fine…" before passing out.

  Izan stared. "…He fainted."

  Yara had already moved.

  She unched forward, fist pulled back.

  Raikuro grinned.

  Her punch shot toward his face—

  BLOCK.

  The impact cracked the ground beneath them. Auras exploded outward like shockwaves, bsting students off their feet.

  Izan gasped as the pressure smmed his chest. "—Too much—!"

  He grabbed the unconscious boy and dragged him farther away, breathing hard.

  Behind him—

  BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

  Yara and Raikuro exchanged blows faster than the eye could follow, arms blurred into afterimages as fists met cheeks.

  The students stared in awe.

  "Are they even human…?""That's insane…""That's so cool—!"

  Izan squinted. "…Why don't they look injured?"

  A voice jogged up beside him.

  "Because they aren't actually hitting."

  A girl bent over, hands on her knees, catching her breath. "They're just touching each other's cheeks at insane speed. Looks deadly, but it's not."

  She gnced at the passed-out boy. "Ugh, Haru. I told you not to challenge Raikuro—he's a monster. Thanks for pulling him away."

  Izan nodded. "Uh… no problem."

  She studied him. "…Wait. Who are you? I've never seen you before."

  "I'm Izan. New student."

  Her eyebrows rose. "That's rare. The principal usually ignores te applicants. I'm Seraphina Noctis. Call me Sera. That lump is Haru."

  Haru groaned awake, trembling. "E-everything hurts…"

  He crawled over, clutching Izan's shoe. "Thank you… my hero…"

  Izan ughed awkwardly. "H-hey, you're welcome."

  Before Haru could respond—

  "HEY."

  Raikuro stood over them.

  Haru screamed. "I SURRENDER—PLEASE!"

  Raikuro frowned. "…Thirty push-ups. Now."

  Haru snapped upright, wobbling through them.

  Raikuro turned to Izan, grinning. "YOU must be Izan! Nice to meet ya! We're gonna be GREAT friends!"

  Izan smiled nervously. "Uh—yeah!"

  Raikuro cpped. "Enough watching! Train! Move!"

  The students groaned, dragging themselves back to drills.

  Yara jogged back. "Yueri's busy! Let's do your ritual!"

  They headed inside—almost colliding with Valeria, Sayaka, and Rin.

  "Oh, perfect timing," Valeria said. "Izan, this is Rin. My daughter."

  Rin bowed; Izan returned the gesture.

  She tilted her head. "…Is Sayaka your guardian spirit?"

  Silence.

  Valeria smiled. "Very perceptive. You're getting better at reading energy."

  Yara puffed up. "She learns from the BEST!"

  Sayaka and Valeria exchanged amused looks.

  Yara froze. "…Why are you smiling?"

  They giggled.

  Yara panicked. "HEY—WAIT—WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT—?! I'M NOT OLD—LOTS OF PEOPLE LEARN FROM ME—EVEN IF I'M NOT THEIR TEACHER—! I'm still young!"

  They quietly slipped away.

  They entered a circur ritual chamber open to the sky. Stone walls were smooth from age; the sunset cast long, warm shadows. The air felt unnaturally still.

  "Izan," Valeria said softly. "Stand in the center."

  He stepped forward. Valeria knelt, pressing her palm to the ground. She shaped fine soil into a sigil, petals spreading outward—a rose. Whispered ancient words floated through the air.

  Behind her, Sayaka and Rin csped hands. Mana thickened the air subtly.

  Valeria uncorked a vial. Crimson, azure, gold, and violet liquids glowed faintly as they soaked into the soil. The sigil shimmered, veins of light spreading like a living thing.

  She took Izan's finger and pricked it. A drop of blood fell.

  The moment it touched the sigil—

  The chamber roared.

  Wind spiraled violently, soil and liquid lifting into the air, twisting into a radiant ring around him. Colors burned prismatic against the darkening sky.

  Izan froze, heart pounding.

  Valeria gasped. "…This reaction…"

  Rin whispered, "…It's beautiful."

  Sayaka smiled, quiet and proud.

  Yara skidded to a halt. "Wha—what is happening?!"

  Valeria expined, "Rainbow-colored reactions are extremely rare. Each color represents a different elemental strength and affinity."

  Izan blinked. "Rainbow…? That's… amazing."

  Valeria smiled. "Rin's manifested as abyssal ruby. Yours… wind. Congratutions, Izan Arakami."

  The others cpped faintly.

  Izan hesitated. "But… where's my companion?"

  A soft meow. A bck cat with piercing blue eyes and a tiny witch hat appeared.

  Yara squealed. "Aww! SO CUTE!" She scooped the cat into her arms, squeaking with delight. "Ohhh yes! You're mine!"

  The group lingered, watching the cat curl comfortably in Izan's arms.

  Valeria's eyes softened. "Messengers have their own soul and ambitions. Only a few have fully awakened them."

  Izan's eyes widened. "Who did?"

  Valeria's tone reverent. "Luneth—the queen of this academy. She was feared worldwide. Her bounty once exceeded five million gold. Even the country of peace sought her. She escaped. No one knows where she is."

  Sayaka frowned. "Her name… familiar, but I can't recall."

  Izan asked, "Who are the Celestial Gods?"

  Valeria counted on her fingers, voice calm but heavy with history. "Six highest-ranking individuals in the school… the Celestial Gods. Their powers alone could topple nations. But each one… each one has a story, a legend that's survived centuries. Luneth—the queen of this academy—was unique. Her intelligence, her magic… unmatched. Entire kingdoms feared her. Her bounty once exceeded five million gold, and even the so-called 'Country of Peace' sought to capture her. No one knows where she is now. Some say she walks the world still, unseen.

  "Then there's Takumi. A man of unmatched strength and pride. He once challenged the entire Country of Peace because he found them weak. He fought countless armies alone, leaving devastation in his wake. Li-Zhen… she was a master swordswoman, precise and ruthless. She led raids on the War Country, killing nearly twenty percent of its popution before dying in her te twenties. Her bde left a mark that still echoes in history.

  "Adhera… a mystery to most. She was a rival to the Justice Country, but her motives were never fully understood. Some cim she worked in shadows, others say she challenged kings directly. Kira Snowtail was famed for speed that rivaled even the fastest beasts of the world. He stole treasures from countless nations, disappearing without a trace, and yet he died young when his heart gave out.

  "And finally, Liora… unlike the others, she wasn't feared. She was loved, almost universally. She acted as a mother figure to everyone, guiding them, teaching them, protecting the weak. Her presence alone inspired loyalty and hope, something rare among the Celestial Gods.

  "These six… their legacies live on. Their artifacts, their powers, their names—they're the stuff of legend. And now… Izan, you're beginning your journey in a school shaped by them."

  Her eyes flicked sharply to Yara, a subtle but unmistakable gnce that carried authority. Yara froze mid-pout, clutching the bck cat tightly, and reluctantly set it down.

  Yara pouted but reluctantly set the cat down.

  Izan lifted it gently. "Thank you… I'll take care of you."

  Valeria nodded. "Good. You and Rin will share a dorm. Learn from each other. Trust each other."

  Izan and Rin exchanged quiet nods. Yara muttered indignantly.

  Later, in the dorm, Sayaka instructed Izan to unpack while she and Rin tidied. After ten minutes, they headed to the cafeteria. Dumplings, stir-fried noodles, and sweet-and-sour chicken awaited.

  Small conversations filled the air. Afterwards, everyone returned to their rooms, showered, and said goodnight.

  Rin drifted into sleep, and the world shifted around her. She stood in a dimly lit pace hall long gone. The Amagawa cn symbol glimmered on the wall—gold and crimson, a fox tail entwined with a fme.

  At the hall's center, a Kitsune woman knelt, fur matted and trembling.

  The king's hand rose again. "Sayaka! You're nothing but a sve!"

  A small boy watched silently, fists white, anger building. He grabbed a bde, plunging it into the king repeatedly. The king's body slumped.

  Rin awoke, heart pounding, drenched in sweat. Sayaka was at her side.

  "Rin… it's okay," she whispered. "You're safe. That… was just a dream."

  Rin shivered. "It felt so real… everything."

  Sayaka hugged her protectively. "Dreams can be vivid, yes. But you're awake now. You're strong. Always remember that."

  Rin shivered, tears streaking her cheeks, but as she looked at the shadows of the room fading into silence, she realized—this was only the beginning of a power that would change everything.