When the cloud of butterflies disappeared, Mai was the only one who had remained indifferent while Levi and Noah had their eyes closed, trying to protect their bodies.
-"Those weren't real butterflies, it was an illusion," Manju announced.
-"An illusion? But I felt them sliding across my skin and hair," Noah replied, reopening his eyes.
The next second, he realized they were no longer in the same corridor. The office walls had been replaced by a traditional Japanese-style setting with wooden flooring and shōji walls made of paper and bamboo. Even more shocking, it was dark as if night had fallen, and paper lanterns were lined up on both sides all along the corridor.
Levi was in shock at what he had just witnessed. "Was that magic?? Teleportation?"
Noah smiled nervously, casting a suspicious glance at Manju. "You're really skilled, Director Hwang."
Without paying attention to these words, Manju began walking toward the end of the corridor without waiting for the children.
Levi placed his hand on Noah's shoulder and said, "Let's go."
They then advanced silently in the same direction as Manju. Mai, who hadn't said a word or shown any reaction, simply followed the group.
Manju finally broke the silence.
-"The man you're about to meet is extremely important. He rarely receives visitors and spends most of the year meditating in isolation. Show respect in his presence and don't say a word unless you're given permission."
At the end of the corridor, sliding doors awaited the group, and once they reached them:
-"Enter." A soft, clear voice resonated from the other side.
Tchak. Manju slid the doors open with one grand gesture, stepped forward, and spoke with reverence.
-"Delighted to see you again, Tsukki-sama. It must be a year since last time. You haven't changed a bit."
-"No need for flattery if it's not sincere, Manju. It's impossible that you'd visit me out of pure courtesy, get to the point quickly." This voice with lunar clarity came from a man with long white hair and skin pale as snow who appeared to be in his twenties. He sat in lotus position on a cushion, wearing a white kimono with floral patterns. His body looked fine and precisely sculpted but seemed as if it could break at any moment like a snowflake.
-"I'm accompanying the new candidates for their first visit on the President's orders. All we need now is your approval."
-"Hoho, these young shoots must be exceptional for him to personally concern himself with them. Let's see."
The three recruits, who had already aligned themselves and sat on their heels from the beginning of the conversation, felt a light current of air pass through them. Cold sweats suddenly overwhelmed Levi.
Kugh!
He felt it but couldn't explain it. Someone was observing him to the very depths of his soul, the impression that his mind and every particle of his existence was being dissected at that very moment. The gourd symbol on his chest, left by the relic, started shimmering. His intuition told him that the responsible party was the man sitting across from him with closed eyes. When the man began smiling kindly at him as if he knew exactly what Levi was thinking, intuition became certainty.
But how could he possibly see? And above all, what was he seeing?
Bluurgh
"Tsukki-sama!!"
The white kimono was stained red in an instant, and Manju rushed to support the falling body of the bloodied man. Blood continued flowing from Tsukki's mouth without stopping while he tried as best he could to hide it with his hand. Manju turned with a grave expression toward the children who didn't understand what was happening. "This is no spectacle for kids!"
Clap!
With a snap of his fingers, he made them disappear from the room. Manju helped Tsukki lean against a chair, then a projected voice burst forth.
[Manju, rejoin the children and escort them back for today.]
The voice resonated at the same volume in all directions and seemed to come from everywhere.
-"President? But Master Tsukki—"
[Don't argue.]
Manju clenched his jaw. "My deepest apologies, Tsukki-sama. I'll return to check on you."
Once alone, the man who had seemed in mortal danger just moments before finally opened his mouth again. "Spying on people from your office atop your tower, that's just like you. Are you sure you have time to worry about what's happening here?"
[I always have time to discuss things with my best friend. But the situation is more serious.] The room began shaking dangerously. [I only asked you to look at their karma, their constitution, and the purity of their souls. How far did you go?]
-"I couldn't help myself. Their destiny is far too heavy for their frail shoulders. And one of them seemed strange to me."
[You noticed? For now, his existence is shrouded in mystery. It seems a beast almost as strong as me is using him as a host.]
-"I see... his karma..."
[That's why we need your eyes. To determine whether I should kill Levi Sonja myself.]
-"That child... will accomplish great things."
[I suspected as much. Did you take a peek at their future?]
-"A fragment."
[If you keep doing that, you're going to die!]
-"I know that very well. I remind you that I've already seen my own death, haha."
[That doesn't make me laugh...] A long sigh was then heard. [So? What did you see in each of them?]
-"I saw... the figure of a savior freeing the entire world from its destiny..., that of a great tree covering the sky... and... that of a bottomless abyss... watching me."
Bam bam bam. Noah was pounding on the elevator door that wouldn't open. "Hey, open the door!! Open sesame!!"
Levi was worried. His intuition told him that the white-clothed man's reaction was because of him, but he didn't know why or how.
Mai was gripping her shoulders and trembling in a corner, as if the sight of blood had awakened a trauma buried deep within her.
In an instant, they had found themselves outside Tsukki's room at the other end of the corridor, and without Manju to supervise them, all the accumulated confusion finally exploded.
Noah, completely panicked, grabbed Levi and shook him in all directions. "Pull yourself together, Levi! Calm down!" Levi was the calmest of the three. The two boys had already introduced themselves to each other in the waiting room but hadn't yet been able to exchange words with their new comrade.
-"Do you think she'll be okay? She seems to be the most shaken," Noah worried, looking at Mai. Levi looked at her in turn before deciding to approach, then very gently:
Pat pat Rub rub
He patted her back while rubbing small circles and continued until the trembling stopped. Mai turned toward Levi, who said, "This is what my grandfather used to do when I wasn't feeling well."
She suddenly looked away, completely embarrassed by the situation, before responding, "Thank you... you can stop now."
Tap tap tap tap
Footsteps were gradually heard, and the children recognized Manju returning.
-"The visit is over for today. Your quarters aren't ready yet, so you'll sleep at the hotel—we've prepared rooms for you. I'm the one who'll take you back."
From the elevator through the corridors to the car, no one managed to say a single word. Manju gave off a grave and thoughtful air that even Noah didn't dare interrupt. It was at a red light that Levi finally gathered his courage: "Mr. Hwang, will Mr. Tsukki get better?"
Manju frowned. "That's Mr. Tsukishiro to you. You don't need to worry about him—he's always had fragile health." They arrived at the hotel, and Manju parked the car in the underground parking.
"Get out of the vehicle," Manju announced coldly. Levi immediately sensed something was wrong, and Noah also seemed ready to grab the knife he hid in his shoe.
In the middle of the parking, Manju stood before the three teenagers like a military instructor. "Your evaluation is still pending, which is why you don't have an assignment or schedule yet. You're going to remain on standby in your rooms until we come to get you."
The tension on the young recruits' faces finally eased.
-"At least, that's what was planned originally."
Clap
Manju snapped his fingers, and green smoke burst from all directions, engulfing the entire parking lot in a fraction of a second.
-"Damn it, I knew it!!" Noah shouted.
-"Mr. Hwang, what are you doing?!" Levi questioned.
-"This is a surprise test. Good luck," he replied calmly before his figure disappeared into the smoke.
When the smoke finally dissipated around them, Manju had vanished. Levi, Noah, and Mai, who had unconsciously positioned themselves back-to-back for protection, looked around them with stupor.
Whoosh whoosh—the wind was blowing.
They were now lost in the middle of a dense, lush forest.
— End of Chapter —