The ship's ramp lowered with a dull metallic groan, settling against the stone dock.
One by one, students stepped off, boots echoing softly as they crossed onto Academy ground. The air felt cooler here—still, heavy in a way the sea breeze hadn't been. Luke rolled his shoulders as he followed, the familiar weight of travel easing off him.
The moment his foot touched the stone, something shifted.
The air pressed in—subtle, uneasy. A few students ahead slowed, one stopping briefly to draw a deeper breath, a hand pressing to their chest before moving on as if nothing had happened.
Lucy stepped down from the ramp behind him, her gaze sweeping the dock. "Huh," she muttered. "Feels… off."
"Off?" Sora asked, hopping down the ramp with an easy bounce.
Lucy didn't answer immediately. She paused, eyes narrowing slightly as if searching for the right words. "Hard to explain."
Sora glanced around. The buildings rose higher the farther they walked—smooth stone, clean lines, nothing wasted. The place didn't feel welcoming, but it didn't feel hostile either.
It felt… prepared.
"So this is the Academy," Sora muttered, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "It's huge."
Uniformed figures waited ahead, standing in quiet rows near the edge of the dock. Their robes were clean, structured, marked with the Academy's insignia—simple, deliberate. Not ceremonial. Functional.
"All incoming Saints, halt."
The voice wasn't loud, but it carried. The group slowed instinctively, footsteps fading until only the distant sound of waves remained.
An official stepped forward, tablet in hand, eyes moving across the students with practiced ease. "From this point onward, you are under Saint Academy jurisdiction. You will follow Academy protocol at all times."
As he spoke, a faint hum settled over the dock.
Luke stiffened.
It wasn't painful. Not exactly. Just… tight. Like the air had been gently pulled closer around him. He swallowed, suddenly very aware of his breathing.
Several students shifted uncomfortably. One rubbed their arms. Another frowned, flexing their fingers as if testing something unseen.
Lucy noticed immediately.
Her expression didn't change, but her gaze sharpened. "Barrier," she murmured under her breath.
Sora, meanwhile, stood still.
He felt the hum. He heard it. But whatever pressure the others were reacting to didn't seem to touch him. If anything, the sensation faded as quickly as it arrived.
"…Weird," Luke muttered. "Why does it feel like—"
"Quiet," Lucy said softly, without looking at him.
The official continued, unfazed. "Power expression is prohibited outside designated zones. Unauthorized manifestations will be treated as violations."
A few students exchanged nervous glances.
Sora tilted his head slightly, eyes drifting toward the Academy grounds beyond the dock. Tall towers rose in layered terraces, pathways branching like veins through the island. Everything looked measured. Planned.
Caged.
The official's eyes flicked to Sora.
Just for a moment.
No reaction followed. No comment. He simply tapped something onto his tablet and moved on.
Sora didn't notice.
Luke did.
A chill crawled up his spine, the same cold sensation from his dream whispering faintly at the edge of his thoughts. He clenched his fists, shaking it off.
Get it together.
"You will be assigned temporary quarters," the official said. "Orientation begins at dusk. Until then, you are not to leave designated areas."
"And if we do?" someone asked, voice tight.
The official didn't look up. "Then you will be contained."
The word landed heavier than the hum ever had.
Lucy exhaled slowly. "Friendly place," she muttered.
Sora smirked faintly. "Told you it was big."
Lucy shot him a look. "That's what you're taking from this?"
He shrugged, already stepping forward as the group was motioned ahead. "Feels organized. I like knowing where the walls are."
Lucy frowned, watching him for a second longer than necessary.
Luke followed, heart still racing. As they crossed deeper onto Academy ground, the cold sensation returned—soft, familiar.
Amused.
"So many rules, the voice whispered, distant and pleased. Let's see how long they last."
Luke's breath hitched.
Ahead of them, the Academy doors opened wide.
The interior of the Academy was quieter than Sora expected.
No chatter. No echoes of excitement. Just the soft rhythm of footsteps against polished stone as the group was guided through wide corridors lined with pale sigils etched into the walls. They weren't decorative. They were too precise for that.
Luke glanced at one as they passed. It made his head throb.
He looked away quickly.
"Eyes forward," an official said calmly, without turning around.
The corridors opened into a broad hall where thin bands of light traced the floor, dividing the space into neat sections. Students were directed to stand within them, each line accommodating only a handful of people.
"LUCY!!!"
A boy's voice echoed from above.
Before anyone could react, a figure came hurtling down from the upper platforms, slicing through the air with reckless speed.
Lucy sighed.
"…Not again."
She calmly stepped aside.
THUD!
The boy slammed into the ground face-first, the impact echoing through the courtyard. Dust puffed up around him as he groaned.
"Hey! C'mon!" he snapped, lifting his head. "Why didn't you catch me?!"
Lucy crossed her arms, staring down at him flatly.
"Like hell I would do that."
Sora blinked once, watching the scene unfold, then leaned slightly toward Rin.
"…Who is this weirdo?"
The boy sprang to his feet in one fluid motion, brushing dust off his coat like nothing had happened. He flashed a wide, shameless grin and struck a dramatic pose.
"Oh, excuse me for my rudeness," he said grandly. "I am Lal Newgate—the elder brother of this adorable little cutie pie."
Lucy's eye twitched.
"Did you just—"
"HAHAHAHA!" Rin burst out laughing, nearly doubling over. "She's called cutie pie!"
Lucy's glare sharpened, aura flickering faintly around her as Lal continued smiling, completely unbothered.
"If any of you call me that," Lucy said calmly, her voice dropping a degree, "I'll personally make sure you pay a visit to the cemetery."
The air shifted.
A sharp, chilling pressure rolled out from her, thin but lethal—enough to make nearby students stiffen instinctively. Even the chatter around them died down.
A uniformed figure immediately snapped to attention a few steps away.
"Captain Lal," the figure said sharply, posture rigid.
Lal turned his head, completely unfazed by the killing intent still hanging in the air. He waved a hand lazily.
"Did you really have to come now?" he complained. "I'm spending quality time with my cutie pie."
Before anyone could react, he looped an arm around Lucy's.
There was half a second of silence.
"GET. OFF. ME."
Lucy grabbed him by the collar and flung him forward. Lal sailed through the air and crashed down in front of the watching crowd, skidding across the stone.
Sora winced.
"…Yep. That looked personal."
Lal popped back up instantly, dusting himself off and grinning like he hadn't just been assaulted.
"Don't worry, guys," he announced cheerfully. "That's just her way of saying she loves me."
Lucy's aura spiked again.
Several students took a cautious step back.
Sora exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing with interest.
After Lal finished rambling—something about Academy rules, curfews, restricted wings—another figure stepped forward.
He looked… bored.
Hands in his pockets. Half-lidded eyes. Coat unbuttoned. Zero urgency.
"Right," Lal clapped his hands. "Any questions before we—"
"If you give me a lollipop," the man said flatly, "you're good to go."
Silence.
Everyone turned.
Lucy blinked. "What?"
The man shrugged. "Strawberry preferred. Grape's acceptable."
Lal stared at him for a long moment, then laughed.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Captain Ryn Ainsworth."
Ryn nodded once. "Rules are simple. Don't die. Don't annoy me."
He paused, then added, "And don't steal my candy."
For some reason… the pressure around him felt different. Not heavy. Not sharp.Just unavoidable.
Lal clapped his hands again, pulling everyone's attention back.
"Alright, enough bonding and threats of murder," he said cheerfully. "Academy rule—two Saints per room. Builds teamwork. Builds patience. Builds character."
Lucy crossed her arms. "And me?"
"Special case," Lal replied instantly. "Single room. Don't argue, I like breathing."
She huffed but didn't protest.
A few names were called, Saints peeling off toward their assigned blocks.
Then—
"Sora. Luke. Room 314."
Luke nodded, already scanning the map projected above.
Sora just shrugged. "WHY HIM."
"Rin," Lal continued, smirking. "Room 317."
Rin grinned. "Finally. Someone normal, I hope."
A pause.
"And your roommate—" Lal glanced at the file. "—Aren Vale."
A boy stepped forward from the back of the crowd.
Quiet. Dark hoodie worn perfectly. No visible aura.
He didn't look at Rin. Didn't look at Lal.
He just stood there.
Rin leaned closer to Sora and whispered,
"…Why does he look like he knows how I die?"
Aren finally spoke."You talk too much."
Rin gasped. "HE TALKS."
"Lucy Newgate," Lal said. "Private quarters. East Wing."
Sora raised an eyebrow. "Favoritism?"
Ryn straightened, finally pushing off the wall.
"Rooms assigned," he said lazily. "Curfew's at ten. Break it and I'll pretend not to notice—once."
He glanced at Sora."Twice if you're interesting."
Then he walked off.
Luke exhaled."…This place is insane."
Sora smiled faintly.
"Yeah," he said. "I think I'll like it here."