The main auditorium of Korin Academy wasn't a hall, it was like a monument. Towering arches and obsidian pillars framed rows of tiered seating that could easily hold over a thousand students. Soft light filtered through translucent crystal panes, casting refracted Rin across the polished stone floor in waves of blue, violet, and gold.
Kai, Junpei, and Daigo filed in along with the rest of the first-years, settling into their assigned seats near the lower rows.
A hush fell across the crowd as the lights dimmed.
Then, they appeared.
Eight students stepped out onto the elevated platform at the front of the hall, each one dressed in sleek black and crimson-trimmed uniforms that marked them as something above the rest. Their presences were unmistakable. Rin swirled subtly around them.. Some radiated calm. Others felt like storms hidden behind calm eyes.
The Student Council.
"These guys…" Junpei whispered. "I heard some of them can take down strong Shades already.."
"Some of them do," Daigo said softly, leaning forward. "The big guy in front? That's Riku Enzan. Took down a Feral II class Shade while he was a fourth year, these guys are strong."
Kai didn't respond. His eyes were fixed on them.
The center figure — Riku Enzan, the Student Council President — stepped forward. He was tall, older than most, with silver hair that fell just above his shoulders and sharp eyes that glowed faintly with internal Rin. When he spoke, his voice carried without effort.
"Welcome, first-years, and welcome back to the rest of you."
He let the silence stretch for a moment.
"Korin is not here to coddle you. You've already proven something by stepping through our gates. But remember, survival does not make you strong. Strength is forged through will. Through pain. Through failure."
He raised his hand.
"All eight of us stand before you not because we were chosen… but because we proved ourselves. One way or another."
A ripple of energy surged behind him as the other council members each let a fraction of their Rin flare outward, a silent display of dominance. Kai felt his chest tighten under the pressure, his Core resonating without his permission.
"There are two ways to claim a seat on this council," Riku continued. "One — defeat a current member in combat. Publicly. Or two, be selected by one of us, and tested in ways the school itself cannot offer."
A few gasps echoed from the crowd. Everyone was excited to give it a shot for the council.
"That offer is not limited by year. First-years, second-years… if you are strong enough, bold enough, and willing enough, the council will see you. Korin doesn't reward obedience. It rewards power. If you end one of your years as a member of the council, you will be rewarded greatly, money, reputation, and possibly even a Fragment."
People got even more excited now, however, some, Kai being among them, seemed confused.
"For those that do not know what a Fragment is, it is a weapon that is imbued with an ability. They were created two hundred years ago to allow even weak people to become strong. Every Fragment is unique in its own way, there are no two that are alike, and, if you do well in this school, you may be rewarded with one."
He turned, stepping back into line.
One of the other council members, a girl with dark skin and golden eyes, stepped forward next. Her voice was more melodic, but no less commanding.
"I am Yue Ashari, Vice President. We are your first wall, and your final ceiling. We will watch. We will test you. If you want to stand among us, climb."
Another stepped forward. A cocky grin. Messy red hair. Third-year badge. "Name's Renji Takahama, and yeah, I'm younger than them. But I'll still take on all of you!." He said, rather excitedly.
A few students chuckled. Most just stared in awe.
The remaining five spoke only briefly, but their names were etched into the minds of every student present.
Kanna Vais, the cold-eyed strategist known for mind-based Rin.
Orin Draz, a massive fourth-year with armored gloves and a reputation for crushing opponents in duels.
Sae Hoshinome, silent and pale, said to control light itself.
Vera Nocturne, whose presence made even the proctors tense.
And Theo Kurogane, who simply nodded once and said nothing.
When the council stepped back as one, the pressure vanished.
Kai exhaled, only then realizing he'd been holding his breath.
Riku's voice rang out once more.
"You are students of Korin now. Train like your life depends on it. Because one day, it will."
And with that, the council turned and vanished into the darkened halls behind the stage, leaving silence and a hundred burning ambitions behind them.
The auditorium emptied in a steady flow, sunlight spilling through the arched windows as the students stepped back into the world outside.
Kai walked in silence, flanked by Junpei and Daigo, the noise of chattering students buzzing around them like static. Everyone had something to say about the Student Council. The power. The challenge. The Fragments.
"Fragments," Junpei muttered under his breath, clearly chewing on the word. "They make it sound all mysterious, like some ancient relic."
"They are," Daigo replied. "You heard what Renzou said. No two Fragments are the same. And only a handful of people even have them."
The three followed the flow of the crowd through the courtyard. The morning sun was warm against the pale stone of the academy grounds. Rin currents shimmered faintly in the air, weaving through the environment like a second atmosphere — invisible to most, but ever-present.
A bell rang in the distance, a soft chime that echoed through the walls.
"Alright," Junpei said, checking a small crystal tab embedded in the cuff of his sleeve — their personal schedule devices. "First class is… room F-17. West wing."
"What does it say the class is?" Daigo asked, cracking his knuckles.
Junpei blinked. "Intro to Rin Application."
Kai slowed his pace. His heart beat once, just a little harder.
Junpei noticed. "What? You nervous?"
"No," Kai said quietly. "Just… Excited."
Daigo raised an eyebrow. "That so?"
Kai didn't reply. He just kept walking, eyes forward, mind already racing ahead. This was it. The start. He hadn't had much growing up. No private training. No rare equipment. No prestige. But there was one thing he did have.
Instinct.
And Rin had always come to him naturally, like breathing.
—---
The classroom wasn't small, but it felt crowded.
Tiered rows of stone seats formed a half-circle around a sunken arena-like center, where glowing circles were etched into the ground, old runes, flickering with residual energy. Crystalline lamps embedded in the ceiling cast a soft white light.
At the front of the room stood their instructor. A woman with silver hair tied into a tight bun, wrapped in a dark gray cloak trimmed in cobalt blue. Her expression was severe, but not unkind, like a blade that had been sharpened over years of use.
"I am Instructor Kaede," she said, voice crisp. "You are here to learn control, not flair. Rin is power, and power without control is disaster."
The room fell still.
She raised a hand, and a spark of Rin flickered into her palm, light blue, like a flame in a snowstorm.
"This is Jin. A structured Rin technique. Unlike raw manipulation, Jin follows rules, it obeys formula. Through Jin, you shape your Rin into techniques. Blasts, shields, enhancements… and eventually, far more."
She let the spark flare, then vanish.
"You will not be learning anything advanced today," she continued. "Today, you learn to form a spark. That's it. A simple, focused projection of energy. Fail, and you will try again. Succeed, and you will try to do it better. This will not be quick. This will not be easy."
She waved her hand, and the rune-etched floor pulsed.
"Pair off. Step into the rings. Begin."
Junpei grabbed Kai by the sleeve. "Partner?"
Kai nodded. "Let's go."
As they stepped into the nearest circle, Daigo jogged off toward another, linking up with a tall girl wearing bracers lined with dull gemstones.
Inside the circle, the air was different, denser. Rin-reactive. The etchings on the floor hummed softly beneath their boots.
"Alright," Junpei said, holding out his hand, focusing. "Spark. Easy, right?"
Nothing happened.
He frowned, squinting. I then waved his hand around, trying to force it to appear. Still, nothing.
Kai said nothing. He closed his eyes.
Rin is everywhere, he thought. It flows. Like wind. Like breath. I just have to reach out…
A tingle.
He could feel it. The threads. The pulse of life that Rin always carried. It danced around him, waited for him — like it knew he was calling.
He lifted his palm, slow and steady.
A faint glimmer appeared, flickering like a candle flame. Then it sharpened, condensed.
A spark.
A perfect, bright shard of Rin hovered just above his hand, silent and still.
Junpei stared.
"Instructor!" Somebody shouted. "We got someone who did it!"
Kaede turned, her eyes falling on Kai.
And for just a second, just one, her expression shifted.
Then, just as quickly, she returned to watching the others.
Kai lowered his hand. The spark faded.
"Again," Kaede called out from the center of the room. "Those of you who produced a spark, do it again. If you can't replicate it, it's no different than an accident."
Junpei groaned beside Kai. "I barely felt anything. How the hell did you do that?"
"I don't know, I kinda just did…sorry." And with that, Kai went back to focussing.
This time it came faster. The spark appeared in his hand like it belonged there, steady, brighter than before. It hummed softly, as if responding to his breath.
Junpei blinked. "Alright. That's freaky."
Around the room, a few other sparks flickered to life, some weak, some wild and unstable. One student yelped as their spark exploded with a small pop, sending them stumbling backward.
Kaede paced the edges of the arena, watching.
"You're not summoning Rin. You're guiding it from your Core. Shaping it. Control is more important than size, more important than strength. If your spark explodes, you've lost control. If it flickers, you've lost focus. If it disappears, you've lost connection."
Her eyes cut across the room like a blade.
"You will not advance to the next technique until you can maintain a stable spark for five seconds. Five. That's the standard."
Gasps and groans rippled through the class.
Junpei looked at Kai. "Think you can do that?"
Kai didn't reply, he was already doing it.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Four—
Five.
The spark held steady in his palm like a miniature star. Small. Bright. Stable.
Kaede paused mid-step. "Name?"
"Kai," he said calmly.
She nodded once. "Very good, Kai. You may advance."
Junpei muttered, "Already? What are you, some Rin whisperer?"
Kaede turned to the rest of the class. "Anyone else stable for five seconds?"
A few shaky hands went up. She motioned for them to step to the side, a smaller group, maybe six students in total.
"To those of you who passed, you will attempt your first Jin Bolt. A linear projection of force, directed and fast. Don't celebrate yet. This is where people burn their hands."
She turned and made a sharp gesture. One of the rune circles in the center of the arena lit up, projecting a series of standing crystal targets from the floor.
"Line up," she instructed. "You get three tries."
Kai stepped forward, joining the small advanced group. The others, Junpei and Daigo among them, watched from behind the rune line, murmuring.
A boy with sharp red hair stepped up first. He braced himself, aimed, focused, and launched a spark that fizzled out just before it reached the target.
"Too much energy, not enough direction," Kaede said. "Next."
One by one, students tried and failed to land a clean hit.
Kai stepped up last.
He inhaled.
Focused.
The Rin came to him like a memory, fluid and warm. He shaped it, compressed it, and let it flow from his palm with purpose.
Fwoom.
The spark snapped forward in a sharp blue streak, hitting the crystal dead center. The crystal flickered, registering the hit with a chime.
Clean. Controlled.
Kaede's brow rose slightly. "Beginner's luck?"
Kai didn't answer.
"Second try," she said, resetting the rune.
He repeated the process.
Fwoom.
Another direct hit.
Silence behind him. A few murmurs. Even the more confident students from earlier now watched him with narrowed eyes.
Kaede folded her arms. "What's your background?"
Kai glanced back at her. "Uh, nothing really. I didn't go to any fancy school if that's what you're wondering."
"Where did you learn Rin control?"
"I didn't," he said. "I just… understand it, I guess."
A few of the students behind him exchanged looks.
Kaede watched him for a moment longer, then nodded. "Third shot. Try it faster."
Kai squared up.
Breathed in.
This time, the bolt fired even quicker, almost instant, and slammed into the crystal with enough force to make it buzz audibly.
A longer silence followed.
Kaede's voice was quieter this time. "You're dismissed for the remainder of this class. Report to Training Hall B tomorrow for advanced placement screening."
Junpei blinked as Kai returned. "Wait, hold up, advanced placement screening? For real?"
Daigo looked confused. "What's that mean?"
Junpei leaned in, lowering his voice. "Advanced Placement Screening. It's not even part of the regular schedule. Only a few get invited."
Daigo frowned. "So what, they test him again?"
Junpei nodded. "Yeah. If he passes, they throw him into a class from a higher year, usually with second-years. It's brutal. Higher-tier Jin, tougher instructors, harder drills. No hand-holding."
Daigo whistled. "So they're already trying to fast-track him?"
"Guess that spark wasn't beginner's luck after all," Junpei muttered, side-eyeing Kai with a lopsided grin. "Our roommate's cracked."
Kai didn't say anything, but inside, something flickered, he was extremely excited.
Kai just stepped back, the fire in his hand fading away.
But he could feel something else now, like threads pulling at him. Not Rin exactly, but attention. Students whispering, a few casting long glances. A few envious. A few curious.
Even Mizuki, who stood across the room near another group of advanced students, glanced toward him with the faintest crease in her brow.
Kai lowered his hand and returned to his circle beside Junpei and Daigo.
Junpei leaned in. "Alright, you planning on making us look bad in every class?"
Kai laughed, "Maybe."
Before Junpei could fire back with another jab, a sharp voice cut through the buzz of students pouring out into the courtyard.
"You."
Kai turned, catching the blur of blue hair a moment before Mizuki Mizushima stormed up to him. Her expression was unreadable, not quite anger, not quite disbelief, but something brittle and boiling beneath the surface.
"You," she repeated, stepping closer until they were nearly eye-to-eye. "What the hell was that?"
Kai blinked. "...You'll have to be more specific."
"That Jin projection." Her voice was quiet, but it carried weight. "That was your first time, wasn't it?"
Junpei and Daigo exchanged glances. A few students slowed down to eavesdrop.
Kai hesitated, then gave a slight shrug. "Yeah. So what?"
Mizuki stared at him, jaw tight. "You outperformed everyone. Outperformed me." She said it like an accusation. "Do you even know how ridiculous that is?"
"I didn't realize I needed your permission to be good at something," Kai said evenly.
Her eyes narrowed. "You think this is funny? Some bumpkin from nowhere walks in and suddenly—"
"Whoa," Junpei cut in, stepping between them with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Let's maybe cool it with the geography insults, yeah?"
Mizuki ignored him, still locked on Kai. "Don't get comfortable. One good class doesn't make you strong. And it won't happen again."
She turned on her heel and walked off, braid snapping behind her like a banner in the wind.
Daigo let out a low whistle. "Dude."
Junpei clapped Kai on the back. "You've been here for five minutes and already pissed her off, well done."
"Ha…Yeah…"
—--------------
With that, the trio entered their second class, to a Resonance class.
The class was held in a low, circular chamber deeper underground, lit by vertical shafts of light from above. The walls pulsed faintly with Rin-reactive crystal, the air thick with pressure.
Kai stepped in beside Junpei and Daigo, taking in the strange symbols etched into the floor. Rows of students sat around the edges, while a tall man in a long white coat stood at the center.
He had a shock of silver hair, a jagged scar down his jaw, and sharp, analytical eyes.
"Welcome to Resonance," the man said, his voice steady and intense. "This is the class where you will attempt to awaken your Abilities. Or refine them, if you already have. My name is Tomura, you can refer to me as Instructor, Tomura, or whatever else, I don't really care."
Whispers sparked through the room.
"Abilities," he continued, "are Rin's response to individuality. They reflect something unique about you, your emotions, your instincts, your trauma, even your desires."
He stepped back, revealing a series of glowing crystal pedestals around the room. "Place your hand on the crystal. Focus. Pour your Rin into it. If your Ability has awakened… it will answer."
Students began taking turns. Some walked away disappointed. Others triggered sparks of potential, flames that curled around arms, waves of wind, crystalizing energy, or strange lights that flickered in their eyes.
Daigo stepped up. He focused hard, brow furrowed.
The crystal glowed faintly… and a translucent dome flickered around him before fading.
"Well hey, that's something," he said sheepishly, scratching his head.
"Defensive projection," the instructor noted, scribbling on his board.
Junpei went next. A ripple of sound echoed as his palm met the crystal. The light responded with a sudden whomp of pressure, like compressed air, and a visible distortion flared in front of him.
"Sound compression. Unrefined but strong. Nice work," the instructor said, nodding.
Kai stepped forward, pulse steady.
He pressed his hand to the crystal. Nothing happened at first… then a low vibration hummed deep inside it. The light darkened. Grew cold. It seemed to just turn into a glass ball, empty, devoid of anything inside.
Then, nothing. The crystal returned to normal, inert.
Kai blinked, confused.
"Huh," the instructor murmured, peering at the crystal. "There was something. Very faint. But not yet ready to emerge."
Kai stepped back, frowning slightly.
"You alright?" Junpei asked, nudging him.
"Yeah. Just… felt something, that's all," Kai replied. "Like something was watching me. From inside."
"Creepy," Daigo muttered. "Maybe your Ability's shy."
Kai gave a soft laugh. "Maybe."
He glanced back at the crystal one more time, a subtle tension in his chest.
The instructor clapped his hands once, sharp and loud.
"Now that most of you have made contact with your potential, we'll begin stage two, tuning. This means refining what you felt, strengthening it, or dragging it out of hiding."
He looked around, eyes narrowing.
"You don't awaken power by waiting for it. You hunt it down."
He moved through the students, pausing here and there.
A girl to Kai's left stood trembling, her hand still shaking from her first try. She had produced a flicker of water — no more than a few droplets.
The instructor crouched in front of her.
"What were you feeling?" he asked.
"I-I don't know. I thought of my village, the flood, the screams..."
"Good," he said. "Hold on to that memory. But don't fear it. Command it. You survived it. Let the water answer you. Try again."
She placed her hand back on the crystal, and this time, a stream burst upward, spiraling around her arm like a ribbon. She gasped.
The instructor stood. "Better. Still raw. But you'll get there."
He approached Junpei, who was still rubbing his fingers.
"Sound compression, huh?" the instructor said. "Not bad. Let's push it."
Junpei raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Focus on a frequency. A memory. Something that echoes."
Junpei exhaled, then shut his eyes. Slowly, he lifted his hand again.
A steady hum built around him, like feedback, growing sharper… then, whomp!
A pressure wave pulsed out, pushing back dust from the floor.
"Much cleaner," the instructor nodded. "With training, that'll rupture eardrums or stop hearts."
Junpei blinked. "...Cool. Also, terrifying."
Daigo grinned. "Remind me not to tick you off."
Next, the instructor walked toward Daigo.
"You got that little dome earlier, right? Let's push it."
"Yeah, yeah," Daigo said, rubbing his hands. "I was thinking of… protecting someone. My sister."
"Good. Use that. Picture her in danger. Feel what it would take to shield her."
Daigo touched the crystal again, this time, a thicker dome erupted, briefly showing cracks of blue light across its surface before fading.
The instructor nodded. "More stable. You've got potential."
Daigo turned to Kai, grinning. "Look at that. Who's average now?"
Kai chuckled. "Still you."
The instructor stopped in front of Kai.
"Still feeling it?"
Kai nodded. "It's like… there's something locked deep down. It's not Rin. Not fully. Something else."
The instructor tilted his head. "Some Abilities don't manifest the same way. Especially rare ones. I've seen it before."
He tapped the crystal gently. "If it's buried, you'll have to force it to the surface. Pressure. Pain. Conflict."
"Sounds fun," Kai said dryly.
"It's not. But when it comes, it won't come small."
The instructor didn't move right away. His eyes narrowed slightly, searching Kai's face, then slowly drifted down to his hands, the way his fingers twitched near the crystal, like something wanted to move on its own.
He crouched beside him, voice quieter now, almost like he didn't want the others to hear.
"Tell me," he said, "when you felt it, whatever's inside you, what was the first sensation?"
Kai hesitated. "...Pressure. Like… being deep underwater. Like the world was holding its breath. Time slowed."
The instructor's brow furrowed.
"Not fire. Not wind. Not the elements then."
Kai shook his head. "No. It wasn't that kind of power. It felt… old. Heavy. Like it wasn't mine."
A pause. The instructor leaned back on his heels, watching Kai a little longer.
"Strange. That kind of pressure usually comes from Rin around someone, not within. Like something responding to you, instead of the other way around."
Kai glanced up. "What does that mean?"
"It means," the instructor said carefully, "that either you reached too far… or something else reached back."
He stood and gave Kai a short nod. "Don't force it. Abilities don't like to be dragged out. Let it surface when it's ready. And when it does, don't try to define it too quickly."
His tone turned firm. "You might be more than you think, but you'll only ruin it by rushing."
"Yes, thank you Instructor Tomura."
With that, he turned to the next student, leaving Kai staring down at his own hands.
They didn't feel different. But they didn't feel like his, either.
'Well that didn't help, he couldn't have been more confusing if he tried!' Kai thought, clearly frustrated that he had no clue what his ability was.
After another thirty minutes, the instructor clapped his hands again.
"That's enough for today. Log your results. You'll be assigned tutors for refinement later. And remember, just because it hasn't awakened now doesn't mean it never will. Kai, I will be your tutor. During class tomorrow, we'll look into your ability some more."
Kai gave a small nod, still half-lost in thought. Around him, the other students were chattering as they filed out, some excited, some frustrated. A few were already comparing their progress, sparks of lightning, blades of wind, strange flickers of shifting space.
Junpei caught up to him near the door. "Well, that was something," he said, grinning. "My ability's basically just punching harder… but hey, it's something."
Kai gave him a look. "I thought yours was sound-based?"
"It is," Junpei said, shrugging. "Something with vibrations. The instructor said I've got 'resonance potential' whatever that means. For now it just makes my strikes hit harder and throw people off balance."
Daigo trudged behind them, rubbing his temples. "Mine's weird," he muttered. "Feels like it's stuck halfway out. Like it's hiding. The instructor said it's some kind of defensive field, maybe a barrier type… but it flickers. Works when it wants to."
Kai nodded slowly. "Sounds like it'll be useful once it stabilizes."
Daigo groaned. "Yeah, if it ever does. I blocked Mizuki's blast for like half a second before it cracked. My ribs still hurt."
Junpei let out a low whistle. "Brave. Or stupid."
"Bit of both."
They all laughed as they stepped back into the main hall. The corridor buzzed with students exchanging theories, complaints, and rumors of who did what in which class.
Kai glanced over at the two of them. "You guys feel like you belong here?"
Junpei shrugged. "Nope. But I'm not leaving either."
Daigo smirked. "Same. Impostor syndrome can wait. I'm here, and I'm not letting go."
—----------------------
The rest of the day slipped by in a haze of uneventful classes. Dry history lessons dragged on, filled with stories of battles and broken alliances that felt distant and irrelevant. Theory classes offered little relief—dense lectures on Rin's origins and its properties that Kai struggled to stay interested in. The real challenges, the exhilarating sparring and power drills, were still days away. For now, it was mostly about endurance: sitting still, absorbing information, and pushing through the boredom.
By evening, the halls began to thin as students trickled back to their rooms. The sunset cast long shadows through the windows, bathing the academy's marble floors in a warm, amber glow. Kai found himself walking alongside Junpei and Daigo, their footsteps echoing softly.
"Think you'll make it through tonight without cracking open a book?" Junpei teased.
Kai shook his head with a tired smile. "Not a chance. I want to figure out this Rin thing before the screening."
Daigo nodded. "Yeah, same. I don't want to be the guy who flunks out because he couldn't get his ability straight."
Kai's thoughts drifted inward as they neared the dormitory—a towering structure of stone and steel that looked more fortress than home. He thought about the day's lessons, the hints of power stirring inside him, and the faint but persistent feeling that his ability wasn't like anyone else's. It was different—something hidden, waiting.
Inside his room, Kai dropped his bag and ran a hand through his hair. The quiet hum of the academy settled around him like a soft blanket. He pulled out his notebook and began reviewing the day's lessons, scribbling notes and questions he didn't yet know how to answer.
After a while, fatigue tugged at his eyelids. He closed the book, set it aside, and lay back on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. The dorm was silent, save for the distant murmur of other students settling in for the night.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges, and with them, new chances to understand the power coursing inside him. But for now, he let sleep take him, mentally preparing for the Advanced Placement Screening, which if he passes will allow him to take that class with second, maybe even third years.