[Scene – Morning at New Era Academy]
The academy courtyard buzzes with chatter. Students gather at the notice board, pointing to a fresh announcement:
> "A new transfer student has joined Class 1-A."
Inside, Umei glances at Shin.
> Umei: "Another transfer? That's rare."
Shin doesn't answer, but his eyes drift toward the door.
---
[Scene – The Arrival of Aojin Hogosura]
The sliding door opens. A tall boy with midnight-blue hair and cold silver eyes walks in. His presence is sharp — like the quiet edge of a blade.
> Aojin: "My name is Aojin Hogosura. I look forward to… learning with you all."
The moment Shin hears the name, his gaze hardens. Hogosura. A clan infamous for its shadow influence and ruthless politics — and for quietly manipulating the fall of entire cities.
Professor Raiden tells Aojin to sit near Shin. As he walks past, Shin feels a faint pulse of mana — identical to the one from his pendant.
---
[Scene – Hidden Faction Whispers]
At lunch, Shin slips away to the academy's restricted archives, the crest fragment from the Dire Horned Lizard hidden in his sleeve. In a dusty tome, he finds it — the symbol belongs not to any open clan, but to a secretive faction called The Veil Dominion.
According to the records, The Veil Dominion operates inside political and military circles, planting agents in academies to control future leaders. Rumors say they have ties to the Hogosura Clan… and are searching for a "lost heir" tied to an ancient prophecy.
Shin's grip tightens on the fragment. If this is real… then my sibling's disappearance wasn't an accident.
Footsteps echo. He hides the book just as the library door opens — Aojin stands there, unreadable.
> Aojin: "…You have an interest in old crests?"
Shin: "Something like that."
A faint smirk crosses Aojin's lips.
Aojin: "Careful. Dig too deep, and you'll end up buried."
---
[Scene – The First Interaction]
Later, in combat drills, Shin and Aojin are paired. Their staffs clash, and a pulse of mana surges between them — the same signature as the pendant.
> Aojin (quietly): "So, you're the other one."
Shin: "What do you mean by that?"
Aojin: "…You'll find out when it's too late to run."
The match ends with no winner, but the tension between them crackles like lightning.
---
[Scene – Night in the Dormitory]
Shin sits at his desk, the crest fragment beside his pendant. Now he knows: his sibling's fate is tied to Haratsu's political web… and the enemy may already be sitting in his classroom.
Far away, in a hidden chamber, the hooded figure with the matching pendant kneels before a circle of shadows. At the head sits an elder with silver eyes identical to Aojin's.
> Elder Hogosura: "The Akehara boy has taken the bait. Soon… both heirs will belong to us."
[To be continued…]