The elevator hummed softly as it descended.
Rei stood beside Satsuki Kurogane, hands loosely at his sides, gaze fixed on the floor as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.
He hadn't said a word since they stepped inside.
Satsuki glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
"Rei."
He straightened instantly.
"Yes, ma'am."
"A little inside information for you."
The elevator lights reflected faintly in her crimson eyes.
"Today, there'll be a new recruit in your class."
Rei blinked.
"A newly awakened?"
"She's… different."
Satsuki's told shifted.
"A little distant from people because of her past. Social integration hasn't exactly been successful."
Rei looked up slightly.
"She's almost like you."
Satsuki continued.
"Except she's blind."
Rei's expression changed.
"...Blind?"
"Yes. But don't misunderstand."
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"She sees more than most."
The elevator slowed.
Satsuki reached into her coat and pulled out a sleek black smartphone. Matte black, angular edges, with military grade casing. The word NOX was etched into the back in silver.
She handed it to him.
"Here."
Rei accepted it careful.
"This is your official device. All students will receive one. Internal communication, schedule updates, monitored messaging, training modules, biometric tracking, and emergency alerts."
He turned it over in his hand.
"It feels… expensive."
"It is. Your old one doesn't compare."
She crossed her arms.
"And before you ask, no, you can't call outside the base. Restricted network only."
Rei gave a small, awkward nod.
"Oh. Thank you very much."
He hesitated.
"And… who is this girl?"
Satsuki's face softened slightly.
"Her name is Kisaragi Shiori."
She paused.
"She awakened at six years old. Turned her entire house into a domain."
Rei's brows knitting together.
"Her parents panicked. Reported it as a containment emergency. Then abandoned her."
Silence filled the elevator.
"She grew up too fast."
Satsuki said quietly.
"She's intelligent. Logical. Bright, in her own little way. But she doesn't process people normally."
The elevator dinged, doors slid open.
First floor, exiting the building.
They walked towards a wide gate leading toward the academic wing. Early morning personnel moved with quiet efficiency, officers, researchers, and uniformed staff.
Satsuki slowed her pace slightly.
"I have a feeling she won't fit in right now."
She admitted.
"The class atmosphere is already tense."
Rei thought of Enma. Tōma, Setsuna's quiet stare, and Ayame's bright smile.
"Yeah."
"Tension" was one word for it.
"She's fun loving on the surface."
Satsuki added.
"But logical at heart, observant, and cold."
They stopped at hallway intersection.
Satsuki turned to face him fully.
"Keep an eye on her, will you?"
Rei met her gaze this time.
There was no order in her voice, just expectation.
He smiled softly.
"Yes, ma'am."
He pause.
"I'll do my best."
Satsuki studied him for a moment.
Then she nodded once and turned toward the command wing.
Rei stood there alone.
The NOX phone vibrated in his hand.
He glanced down.
New Contact Added: Kisaragi Shiori - Class C-145
A strange feeling settled in his chest.
She's blind, awakened at six, and abandoned. Almost like him.
Vaelion's voice laughed lazily in the back of his mind.
"Oh? Another broken piece enters the board."
Rei ignored him and started walking toward the classroom building.
For some reason.
He felt like today wasn't going to be normal.
And somewhere else in the base. A girl with silver hair smiled quietly to herself.
"Time to play."
Rei stepped into the classroom.
The low hum of conversation filled the room. Most of Class-145 was already seated. A few glanced up. A few pretended not to.
At top row near the back, Ayame was standing behind Tōma and Setsuna. The siblings' silver white hair caught the ceiling lights like polished steel.
Ayame noticed Rei instantly. Her eyes widened.
"REI."
She jumped up, and immediately tripped on the stairs edge on her way down.
Rei barely had time to react before she crashed into him.
THUD.
He staggered back as she tackled him into a full force hug.
"For a second there I thought I lost my first buddy!"
Rei awkwardly tried to pry her off.
"Yeah… great to see you too, Ayame."
She squeezed tighter.
"The investigation took way longer than expected."
Rei added quickly.
"And I'm not living on campus anymore, so that's probably why you didn't see me."
Ayame pulled back slightly, pouting.
"I know you had your reasons."
She said, eyes softer now.
"But don't act like you don't know me."
Rei blinked.
"I know you've only been here for four days."
She continued quieter.
"But you're the first person in this class who was actually nice to me."
That hit harder than he expected.
Rei hesitated, then gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
"Okay. I'm sorry."
His voice dropped.
"I'm not really Mr Social. I didn't have real friends growing up. I was taking care of my little sister while trying to stay an A student."
He gave a small, self-conscious shrug.
"Kinda hard if you think about it."
Ayame's expression softened. Rei stepped back slightly and held out his hand.
"Fine. I'll make it up to you."
He extended his pinky.
"Pinky promise."
Ayame giggling turned faintly red.
"...That's so lame."
But she hooked her pinky with his anyway.
"Then I'll hold you to that."
A faint smile lingered between them.
Then.
The classroom door slid open. Silence fell instantly.
Mugen Yoru entered first, long messy black hair, tired expression, and hands in his coat pockets.
Behind him were three soldiers in black armored suits full masks hiding their faces.
And in the center.
Kisaragi Shiori.
Rei and Ayame quickly moved back to their seats beside each other.
Mugen stepped to the front of the class.
"Morning, recruits."
His voice was flat, as usual.
"This is your new classmate. Kisaragi Shiori."
He stepped aside slightly.
"Please welcome her. Make her feel comfortable."
Shiori smiled faintly.
Her silver grey hair framed her face softly. Her grey eyes were open, unfocused.
Yet.
There was something radiating from her.
An invisible pressure. Structured and controlled.
At the back, Tōma's eyes narrowed slightly.
"...Interesting."
Setsuna tilted her head.
"She feels… layered."
Across the room, Enma clicked his tongue, brushing his red hair from his face.
"Another nuisance like that moss-head kid."
Ayame leaned forward slightly.
"She seems fun."
Rei didn't respond. He was looking directly at Shiori.
And she was also looking directly at him.
Their eyes locked.
For a split second, the classroom vanished.
In Shiori's perception. The world unfolded into a vast black and white board. Square stretching endlessly in perfect symmetry.
Each student appeared as a piece.
Tōma, a rigid ice Rook.
Setsuna, a cold snow Queen.
Enma, a burning knight.
Ayame, a flickering Queen shaped light.
And Rei. Her breath caught.
He wasn't any of the pieces, he flickered.
One moment, he was king. Then a Queen, a knight. Then all of them at once.
His square distorted. The board beneath him cracked.
And behind him. Something else stood. A towering silhouette of violent shadows.
Eyes glowing purple. Watching her, smiling.
The entire board trembled.
Shiori instinctively took a step back in the real world.
Her smile faltered.
She lowered her gaze quickly.
What the… what did i just see?
In reality, the class only noticed her slight shift in posture.
But Rei felt it. Vaelion's smile lazily inside his mind.
"Oh? She can see me?"
Rei's stomach tightened.
Interesting.
For the first time since arriving at the base.
Someone had looked at him, and stepped back first.
Mugen looked at Shiori and gestured toward an empty seat near the center aisle.
"You may sit, Shiori."
She gave a small nod and walked forward without hesitation, her steps precise.
Rei noticed that.
She's not feeling around, she knows exactly where everything is.
Mugen turned back to the class. His tired expression sharpened slightly, and his long black hair began to lift faintly, as if stirred by an unseen force.
"I want you all to pay attention."
The air grew heavier.
"Shiori is blind. However, her manifestation allows her to perceive and see within a set range."
A faint pulse radiated from Shiori for a split second.
"I will not tolerate any form of bullying."
His eyes darkened.
"This is not her first attempt at joining a team her age."
Everyone froze instantly. The implication was clear.
Anyone who tried anything would regret it.
The three black armored guards exited quietly. The door slid shut.
Mugen tapped a button on his desk.
A holographic screen flickered to life midair projecting the same black military-grade smartphone Rei had received earlier. The word NOX rotated slowly above it.
"Each of you will receive one of these devices."
The hologram shifted, displaying specs, encrypted symbols, and base schematics.
"State of the art. Encrypted network. Internal mapping. Biometric verification. It performs laps around whatever you used before."
Rei instinctively touched the phone in his pocket.
So that's why Miss Satsuki said my old one doesn't compare.
"Today's task is simple."
The holographic screen expanded, revealing a full map of the base.
It wasn't just a facility. It was a hidden city sized base hidden on a mountain.
Layered districts. Transport lines. Energy sectors. Training grounds. Commercial Zones.
And scattered across the map.
Dozens of glowing red dots.
"You will be divided into teams. Twenty-seven of you. Pre-assigned."
A list of names appeared, Rei scanned quickly.
Team 6: Rei Mizunagi. Kisaragi Shiori. Enam Kagutsuchi.
He blinked once
…Of course.
Across the room, Enma leaned back in his chair, red hair falling over one eye as he gave a slow amused smirk.
"Well."
He muttered.
"Thi should be interesting."
Shiori's head tilted slightly.
Mugen continued.
"Each red marker represents a task. Some are retrieval. Some are investigative. Some require problem solving. Some require combat simulation authorization."
Murmurs spread across the class.
"Use your devices to verify completion. Points will be awarded based on efficiency, teamwork, and accuracy."
The screen shifted again.
A ranking board appeared, blank for now.
"Top three teams earn bonus credits."
A faint smirk touched Mugen's lips.
"Those credits can be exchanged for resources, training access, and privileges."
Now the room buzzed with energy.
Tōma and Setsuna exchanged a glance. Enma cracked his neck lazily. Rei felt something shift in the atmosphere.
Competition.
Mugen tapped the display one final time.
"You have until 17:00."
The red dots pulsed.
"Pull open the compartment in your desks. Your devices are inside."
Drawers slid open across the room almost in unison.
Black phones. Sleek. And identical.
"Team lists are finalized."
The holographic screen faded.
Mugen stepped back.
"Move out."
Chairs scraped. The energy in the room surged.
Enma stood, sliding his phone into his pocket without even looking at it.
He glanced sideways at Rei.
"Try not to slow me down, Moss Head."
Rei raised an eyebrow.
"I could say the same."
A faint spark of tension crackled between them.
Shiori stood slowly.
Her grey eyes, soft, unfocused yet somehow piercing, shifted toward Rei.
He felt it again.
That subtle pressure. Like being scanned without permission.
She hesitated. Then spoke quietly.
"Rei Mizunagi. You… are dangerous."
It wasn't a question.
Enma let out a low chuckle.
"Don't tell me you noticed already."
Rei forced a small smile.
"That's not exactly the first impression I was hoping for."
Shiori's fingers tightened slightly at her side.
"The shadows around you are loud."
She pause.
"And violent."
Enma's smirk faded slightly.
Rei's expression didn't change. But somewhere behind him, Vaelion smiled.