"The kid who was in the polluted area of Secondary Heaven," Shishuki said, her legs stopping mid-swing. "He killed everyone. Not instantly, but slowly."
"For revenge?" Akutomi asked.
"I don't think so." She continued quietly. "He was clinging to a dead body. Calling it his sister. Saying she was still alive."
"Is he psycho or something?" Akutomi turned toward the children waiting at the Flowless, standing still for his command.
"I don't know. But now he's protecting that area." Shishuki jumped off the tree branch. "Let's move anyway."
"You all finished?" Akutomi asked the children.
No one answered for a while. Shishuki and Akutomi waited without rushing them.
"Yes."
A little girl with a butterfly hairpin finally spoke. She looked like the oldest among them.
For hours, they kept moving.
The children floated mid-air, matching Akutomi's pace. Physics itself obeyed him. Inside his veins, red blood cells glowed too brightly, constantly leaking crimson energy. Shishuki's gaze never flickered during the journey, sharp and alert as always.
By the end of the day, they reached the Future of Both Academy.
The Lightlingers guarding the gates tensed instantly at the sight of the siblings.
Akutomi lowered his hand as he approached, releasing the children.
Shishuki stepped forward.
"These are all of them. They know about themselves, so prepare IDs and register them as students."
"Understood."
The iron gates creaked open. The courtyard beyond was empty.
"Let them in."
The children entered with quiet excitement, though their eyes darted around nervously. One guard guided them inside, pointing them toward the correct path.
Who cares.
I'm the cutest girl in this ugly world.
The girl with the butterfly hairpin praised herself silently.
After the children disappeared into the academy, only Shishuki, Akutomi, and one Lightlinger remained.
"Remember," Akutomi said. "Nothing bad happens to them. No discrimination. Most importantly."
His index finger traced a warning arc through the air. His gaze alone felt capable of melting iron.
"That won't happen again," the guard replied.
"We're heading back," Shishuki said, resting a hand on Akutomi's shoulder.
Scene Shift: Inside the Academy
Footsteps echoed against polished stone floors, smooth enough to reflect like mirrors. No sound came from the classrooms.
"It's so big," said a green-haired boy, staring down the long hallway that curved far into the distance.
"Hey, Yushi. Look," another boy said to the girl with the butterfly hairpin. "The doors are different colors."
White. Green. Cosmic. Black. Honey-brown. Pink.
All colors repeated.
They marked the outlines of Divine Scars.
Yet the silence behind them was unsettling.
"Don't wander off. Follow me," the Lightlinger ordered, stepping forward.
The children followed, eyes shining as they admired the spotless stone. The hallway curved into a perfect circle.
It's circular, Yushi noted, walking quietly and observing everything.
They stopped at a section where every classroom door bore a large "D."
"For now, you'll enter these rooms," the Lightlinger said, pointing to a black-painted D. "The tutors will check your most dominant domain. After that, we'll assign your real classrooms."
The children split into small groups and entered. The Lightlinger waited outside.
"Black," said a child with a wrist band as he exited.
One by one, the others returned, announcing their colors.
Finally, Yushi stepped out, posture proud.
"Pink."
"Now go to the door that matches your color," the Lightlinger said, crossing his arms before leaving them alone.
"Which way?" the green-haired boy asked.
"It's circular," Yushi said, resting a hand on her waist. "We walk until we find it."
Time passed. One by one, the children found their rooms. Pink. Black. White.
Eventually, Yushi was alone.
"There are so many pink doors," she muttered, staring at her reflection in the polished floor. "Which one?"
She raised her hand, pointing decisively at one door.
Then her finger circled all of them.
"This one."
She opened it, half-expecting applause.
Instead..
Splash.
Water bubbles burst over her, soaking her outer coat. The fabric darkened, heavy and clinging uncomfortably to her body.
"What the hell?!" she shouted, staring at her drenched clothes.
Cold water dripped from her sleeves and hem.
"Sorry," a girl said awkwardly. A bucket sat at her feet.
Yushi scanned the room, irritation rising.
It was crowded. No benches. No chairs. No tutor stood inside.
They wore polished black uniforms outlined in yellow, similar to the students', only larger. Two of them bore green outlines, though no visible effects followed.
"What's your name?"
A girl with a pink-outlined Divine Scar across his nose questioned.
"Yushi Hana," she answered, her face trembling as the cold seeped in.
The other children stared. Some with pity. Others with annoyance.
"Dry her clothes," the girl said.
Another girl stepped forward, green light faintly glowing at her neck. She placed a hand on Yushi's shoulder.
The air tightened around her clothes, as if focusing.
In an instant, they were dry.
The glow faded.
"Wow," Yushi breathed.
"That's cool."