The exam hall doors swallowed Tojo, Ozaru, and the swarm of candidates in one metallic breath. The air inside felt charged—not chaotic, just heavy with expectation. Hundreds of cadets filled the chamber. Humans in crisp uniforms, Kyrr heavy-soldiers with armored skin, thin Vexari whose necks glowed like living circuitry, and lithid rock-skinned candidates whose footsteps echoed like anvils. Every species under the CDC banner had sent someone.
And every one of them stared when Tojo and Ozaru entered.
Earth-born.
Unregistered.
Marked.
The rumors had spread faster than the exam announcement.
Up on the balcony, Ken Kuruzama stood with a supervisor's tablet in hand. Calm, professional, eyes scanning the Genesis dampers like he'd done this his whole life. Beside him, Nina watched the boys with crossed arms and a silent, analytical stare.
Tojo whispered, "Bro… this is insane."
Ozaru didn't reply, but the tension in his shoulders said enough.
The lights flickered, and holographic letters appeared across the hall:
GENESIS CORPS ENTRY WRITTEN EXAM — 60 SECONDS
A pulse rolled through the room.
Something cracked to their right. Not a sound—more like a shift in pressure. Two figures walked through the crowd as if the crowd parted for them.
Stryke Vahr moved like a weapon folded into human shape. His posture was surgical, his eyes colder than the steel floor. He didn't speak, but when his gaze brushed past Tojo and Ozaru, the message came through just fine.
You don't belong here.
Blaze Onyx was the opposite. Jet-black hair streaked with red, a smirk that instantly irritated half the room. He leaned forward slightly as if inspecting Tojo.
"Earthlings? Man, standards really dropped."
Lira Vance groaned behind him, sparks dancing off her fingers. "Bro, shut up. Tojo, please punch him after the exam."
Tojo muttered, "That was already the plan."
Stryke still didn't look at Tojo. His gaze locked on Ozaru instead.
"Kael blood," he whispered. "Let's hope it's not wasted."
Ozaru's jaw flexed. Tojo took half a step forward, ready to swing, but Ozaru gave him one controlled look. A silent command.
Not now.
Up above, Nina exhaled. "Andromeda's finest. They're not going to slow down for your boys."
Ken didn't even blink. "They'll keep up."
The desks floated into formation. Panels clicked open. The room dimmed into individual exam fields, and Tojo felt his stomach sink.
The first question wasn't a normal question.
It was a collapsing outpost. Screaming civilians. Voidspawn readings. Limited resources. Split-second choices.
Tojo blinked twice. "Bro… what exam is this?"
Ozaru didn't lift his head. "Genesis Corps don't want toppers. They want people who think fast."
Tojo wasn't a topper. But something inside him clicked. Whenever the screen asked Attack? Protect? Redirect?, his answers cut straight through the problem.
One of the questions glowed faint gold.
Alignment recognized.
He whispered, "No way…"
Around him, the hall moved like a machine. Mara Ishikawa zipped through questions like she'd memorized the Corps Encyclopedia from birth. Dharel, the Vexari kid, manipulated three floating nodes at once. Ryu Kurogane looked bored while hitting perfect answers. Lira kept accidentally shocking her own screen and swearing about it.
Ozaru's field glowed a soft blue—the same calm, structured energy Creation always carried. His answers were surgical, logical, almost elegant.
Across the rows, Elara Vey kept glancing at him. Her Genesis, Seraph Bloom, shimmered faintly when she focused. Not a flirty glance. More like she saw something in him—something familiar.
Ozaru pretended not to notice. His hand tightened once, then relaxed.
Tojo wasn't doing as well. Halfway through the exam, doubt crawled into his chest. Everyone around him belonged here—lineages, mentors, training. He had none of that. Just a Stone that chose him by accident.
"What if I don't belong here…"
He didn't say it aloud. But he felt it.
Two rows ahead, Stryke subtly tilted his head, like he could smell insecurity.
Tojo clenched his stylus so hard it bent slightly.
Ozaru hit a question about Kael ethics, and something inside him froze.
If Creation could save one life but doom another, what do you choose?
His throat tightened. He wasn't Zarion. He wasn't the legendary Kael heir. He wasn't even sure he should be holding Creation in the first place.
He muttered, "I'm not him… I'm not even close…"
Elara looked again. Their eyes met for a split second, and it steadied him in a way he didn't expect.
Ken monitored energy spikes from above. Blaze's aura flared too hot.
Ken moved instantly.
"Dial it down."
Blaze scoffed. "Relax, Vice Captain. It's just vibe—"
Azure flickered around Ken, barely noticeable.
Blaze shut up instantly.
The entire hall went quiet.
Legend or not, Ken Kuruzama was not someone students talked back to.
A mandatory history module forced itself onto every screen. Voidspawn origins. Whitespawn collapse zones. Riftfall War. Formation of CDC. The genocide-level event that nearly erased humanity. Pre-war mentions of a figure named Nexarius.
Ozaru felt his heart jolt at the name without knowing why.
Up on the mezzanine, Nina leaned on the railing. Her face was calm, but her thoughts were sharp-edged.
Why not me?
Why didn't Zarion mark Crimson?
Her hand flexed. Crimson Genesis hummed like a loyal heartbeat.
"You protect," she murmured.
"You do your job."
But the ache didn't go away. It sharpened.
Far from the hall, Alkhaz stood alone in the archives. Zarion's echo log flickered, reshaping itself. That should've been impossible.
"Zarion's echo updated," he whispered.
The golden burn across his shoulder pulsed softly.
If the Vault's memories were changing…
someone wasn't done with the Kael line yet.
He pocketed the tablet and walked out like a man who knew a storm was coming.
Back in the hall, whispers spread like wildfire.
"They're failing."
"The earth boys are done."
"Destruction kid is too reckless."
"Kael blood won't save him."
Blaze laughed under his breath.
"If they pass, I'm switching divisions."
Tojo cracked his knuckles.
Ozaru quietly inhaled.
Ken didn't say a word.
When the exam ended, the room went silent.
TOP 40% PASS
Names scrolled.
Tojo's breath caught.
Tojo Akatsuki — PASS
Barely. But a pass was a pass.
Ozaru appeared a few lines later.
Ozaru Kael — PASS
Mid tier. Stable. Controlled.
Tojo stared. "Bro how are you ABOVE me?!"
Ozaru shrugged. "I read the instructions."
Stryke Vahr was first. Blaze was third. Ryu Kurogane stood near the very top. Elara placed comfortably high. Half the arrogant squads were wiped out completely.
Blaze stared at Tojo. "Cute. You survived."
Tojo wanted to throw a chair at him.
The hologram shifted.
PRACTICAL TRIALS BEGIN TOMORROW
LOCATION: ECLIPSERA CRUCIBLE
Tojo's voice cracked. "Bro… TOMORROW!?"
Ozaru nodded once. "Tomorrow."
Ken stepped toward them.
"Eat. Hydrate. Sleep. Don't think you're ready. Just prepare."
Nina joined them, voice steady again.
"You passed. Prove you deserve it tomorrow."
Stryke walked past without even acknowledging their existence.
Blaze bumped Tojo's shoulder just to annoy him.
Elara passed Ozaru, glanced at him once—long enough to say I saw you, short enough not to embarrass him—and disappeared into the crowd.
Tojo's grin was instant.
"Bro… she's into you."
Ozaru didn't deny it. He didn't confirm it either.
But the tip of his ear warmed just slightly.
And for both of them, standing in a hall filled with enemies, rivals, expectations, and destinies…
passing the first step felt like breathing on another planet for the first time...