In front of the Hidden Management Department garrison in Akihabara.
A pretty girl with a youthful face, twin tails tied with yellow ribbons, and wearing sunglasses stood by the roadside holding a phone:
"Alright, I get it, Mum. I'll definitely pass the assessment~"
"I know what you mean. It's just a blind date, right? Some virgin guy will be kneeling at my feet with just a flick of my finger. Just wait for my good news."
"So no need to say more. My exam's about to start, gotta go."
After swiftly responding to her mother in Chinese, Lingyin Huang let out a relieved sigh. Removing her sunglasses, she frowned slightly at the six-storey building before her:
"So this is the Hidden Management Department's garrison? Doesn't look like much!"
Though the garrison covered a large area, its height of only about 20 metres shattered Lingyin's expectations of seeing some high-tech facility. Weren't the SDS's research technologies supposed to be world-class? How could an important department be this small?
That was roughly how she felt.
"But since I'm already here, I have to pass the assessment and become an official member..."
"According to the text from the Hidden Management Department, I think we're supposed to find the first exam location ourselves..."
While speaking, Lingyin observed the ground floor of the garrison.
Most of the first floor was shopfronts, many displaying store signs, making the building appear an ordinary commercial complex to the untrained eye.
Knowing these shops were just a cover, Lingyin scanned her surroundings while secretly using Wind Arts to probe the area.
In East Asia's mystic side, the five great elemental sorcerer families were renowned.
The Kannagi family excelled in explosive firepower with their Flame Arts. The Shilu family focused on defence and physical enhancement through Earth Arts. The Huang family, fastest in reconnaissance and activation, specialised in Wind Arts. The Zhang family balanced offence and speed with Thunder Arts. Lastly, the Li family prioritised healing and defence through Water Arts.
Lingyin Huang came from the Huang family, masters of Wind Arts. Though she'd only returned to the family later in life, they'd trained her thoroughly. For her, using the wind for detection was child's play.
Shortly after activating her arts, Lingyin narrowed her eyes:
"Found it!" X2
The identical exclamation made Lingyin pause. Turning, she spotted a girl with crimson hair like lotus flames and delicate, refined features standing nearby.
'Damn it! I only remembered to probe ahead and forgot about my surroundings. Grandad's definitely going to drill me on basics when I get home...' Lingyin's face instantly paled with dread.
While Lingyin tensed up, Ayano Kannagi looked intrigued:
"You're here for the assessment too?"
Lingyin blinked before replying in surprise: "You too?"
Ayano examined Lingyin with astonishment:
"How impressive... They even let little kids like you take the assessment."
"Little kid?!" Lingyin Huang's face twitched as she couldn't help retorting, "What do you mean, little kid? I'm already 15 years old!"
"15? Only one year younger than me? You're lying... You're so tiny..."
Ayano Kannagi gestured at Lingyin's height - half a head shorter than her, probably only around 150cm, with unexpectedly petite proportions. This was 15 years old?
Lingyin's mouth twitched as she glared resentfully at Ayano measuring her height, baring her canine teeth:
"So what if I'm small? Can't I have a baby face? I'll definitely age slower than you, just you wait!"
"Oh? That actually sounds like an advantage, then?"
Ayano grinned cheerfully, completely unfazed by Lingyin's curse:
"By the way, I'm Ayano Kannagi. What's your name?"
"...Lingyin Huang."
Despite her irritation at Ayano's attitude, Lingyin still gave her name.
Yet the next moment, both girls reacted simultaneously.
"Kannagi?"
"Huang?"
Instantly, Lingyin and Ayano locked eyes, speaking at the same time:
"The Kannagi family?"
"The Huang family?"
In that moment, both understood each other's background.
After all, both were famous elemental sorcerer families who'd made contracts with Spirit Kings - quite renowned in their circles, so they naturally knew about each other.
"Well, so you're from the Kannagi clan." Lingyin scoffed challengingly, "No wonder you're so reckless."
Compared to Lingyin, Ayano seemed more curious:
"Even the Huang family sent someone? How did you get a recommendation spot?"
She'd thought only Japan had recommendation quotas, but apparently not.
At this, Lingyin snorted coldly:
"I don't think we're familiar enough for me to explain such things to you."
"Fair enough." Ayano nodded casually, then said offhandedly, "Well then, shall we go in together?"
She pointed towards the nearby underground car park entrance.
Earlier, when Yukari Shinomiya got out of the car, she had sent her the exam location details, which mentioned that the first test would be held beneath this car park.
Lingyin frowned. Though visibly reluctant, she accepted Ayano's offer.
She'd heard of Ayano Kannagi before.
The Kannagi family's young mistress, a woman recognised by a divine artefact. Though unwilling to admit it, her talent and strength likely surpassed Lingyin's - the proverbial "other family's child" her grandfather always mentioned.
If not completely familiar, she at least knew the general information about what kind of person Ayano was.
Considering the exam might require teamwork, Lingyin thought for a moment and didn't refuse the invitation.
"Let's go then."
With that, Lingyin immediately headed towards the underground car park.
Ayano, having received her answer, was a step behind, casually brushing her hair.
As she did so, she removed transparent earphones from her ears, clenched them in her palm, and pocketed them.
'Yukari... I really appreciate your help, but cheating in this kind of exam carries too much risk. So... sorry about this...'
Thinking of her best friend, who was still in the car, preparing to support her written exam, Ayano Kannagi silently apologised in her heart before quickly catching up to Lingyin Huang, advancing together towards the examination site.
At least, in Ayano Kannagi's eyes, she was following Lingyin Huang into the assessment location.
However...
From Luo Shu's perspective, things were quite different.
Inside the monitoring room of the Hidden Management Department.
Luo Shu stood beneath the massive, multi-split display screens, gazing up at the figures lying inside mechanical pods that resembled nutrient chambers.
Among those figures were naturally Lingyin Huang and Ayano Kannagi.
"You really went all out with such an elaborate illusion, Aya."
Luo Shu remarked with some admiration to the cold-faced woman standing beside him, dressed in a dark-coloured twelve-layered kimono.
"To extend the illusion's range to a kilometre around the garrison and immerse all entering examinees in virtual reality... I never imagined you were so proficient in illusion techniques."
Faced with Luo Shu's praise, Aya Tokoyogi merely pursed her lips and replied coldly:
"Boring."
"Boring, is it?"
Luo Shu chuckled softly. For someone who wasn't even a Familia member to go to such lengths to help, only to call it boring—how utterly tedious you are, Miss Aya.
"Seeing you work so hard, it seems I can't afford to slack off either."
As he spoke, Luo Shu opened his palm and glanced at the transparent earpiece in his hand—the cheating device Ayano Kannagi had surrendered after entering the illusory world.
"Though I'm not the chief examiner, as Director, I ought to discipline cheaters at least."
With that, he strode towards the door. Before leaving the dimly lit room, he turned back to Aya Tokoyogi with a smile:
"Don't play too rough now."
With a click, the door closed, leaving the aloof Aya Tokoyogi alone in the monitoring room, drowning in solitude.
A long while later, a murmur broke the silence.
"What a dull man."