A boy stood in complete darkness.
He looked around, confused. There was no sky, no ground, no walls—just an endless black void. He couldn't even see his own shadow.
Seventeen years old by appearance, he had a slim frame. His silver hair caught what little light there was, and his brownish-black eyes flicked around cautiously. He wore a plain black coat over a casual shirt and pants. Nothing about him seemed out of place… except for the world around him.
> "What is this place…?" he muttered.
> "Where… am I?"
Then, suddenly—he heard it.
Voices.
Faint at first. But growing louder.
> *"Help me…"*
> *"Please… someone… help…"*
The cries echoed from nowhere, yet sounded all around him.
> "Who's there?!"
> "Who needs help?!"
He turned in circles, his heart pounding faster. The voices sounded broken. Desperate. Terrified.
> *"It hurts… please… make it stop…"*
And then, another voice cut through the cries—gentle, familiar, and close.
> "Shiro. Shiro, wake up."
His eyes widened.
> "Don't you want to go to the academy?" said the voice softly.
It was his mother.
Light flooded his vision.
And just like that, the darkness disappeared.
—
Shiro opened his eyes.
The ceiling of his bedroom greeted him. Morning sunlight spilled through the half-closed curtains, and birds chirped outside. For a moment, he just lay there, breathing heavily.
> *What… was that? A dream?*
> *No… it felt too real. Too cold… too empty…*
He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes.
> "Still sleepy?" his mother called from downstairs. "Go wash your face already—it's past 7!"
Shiro blinked.
> "…Was that really just a dream?" he muttered to himself.
> "It felt… wrong somehow."
But for now, reality was calling—and so was the academy.
He got up, letting the dream fade with the morning light.The steam from the kettle filled the kitchen, mixing with the scent of toasted bread and eggs. The soft clatter of dishes echoed in the quiet house as Shiro stepped into the dining room, now dressed in his school uniform—black blazer, buttoned shirt, loosely tied tie.
His mother glanced over and smiled warmly.
> "Here's your lunch, Shiro," she said, setting a neatly packed bento box on the table.
But Shiro didn't respond.
He stood there, lost in thought—his eyes unfocused, his mind drifting back to the strange, dark dream.
> *That place… those cries… why did it feel like more than just a nightmare?*
> "Shiro?"
> "Shiro!"
He snapped out of it with a blink.
His mother was standing close now, her hand gently touching his forehead.
> "Are you okay? You've been acting a bit strange since you woke up…"
Shiro shook his head slightly and forced a small smile.
> "I'm fine, Mom. Just… didn't sleep well."
She studied him for a second, unconvinced, but didn't press further.
> "Well, here's your lunch," she said again, placing the box in his hand.
Shiro looked at it, then back at her.
> "I think… I'll pass today."
> "Shiro," she said with a sigh, "If you don't eat properly, it'll affect your health—"
> "Jeez, Mom," he interrupted. "I'm not a kid anymore."
She gave him a small, knowing smile.
> "You'll always be my kid."
Shiro looked away, slightly flustered.
> "It's already late. I'm going now—if I miss the train, I'll be screwed."
He stepped toward the door, slinging his bag over his shoulder.
> "Take care," his mother called behind him.
The door clicked shut Shiro stepped outside, the air crisp and fresh. A soft breeze rustled the trees lining the street as the quiet town began to wake.
As he walked down the familiar path to the train station, passing neat rows of small houses and shops, he spotted a woman arranging flower pots outside her home.
> "Good morning, Aunt Melissa," Shiro greeted with a small wave.
She looked up and smiled warmly.
> "Good morning, Shiro! Heading to the academy already?"
> "Yeah," he replied.
She tilted her head, playful.
> "Why won't you stop by our bakery today? I saved some of your favorite cinnamon buns."
Shiro smiled lightly, though his mind still wandered.
> "Thanks, Auntie, but I'll stop by later—maybe on the way back."
> "You better!" she called as he walked away. "Or I'll tell your mom you're skipping my pastries again!"
He gave her a lazy wave over his shoulder and continued down the road.
The town felt peaceful. Familiar. But in the back of his mind, the dream still lingered like a shadow following him.As he continued walking down the winding mountain road, his thoughts drifted inward.
> *I guess I should introduce myself…*
> *I'm Shiro Nagatsuki. Seventeen years old. I live in Oichi Village, part of the Eris Province within the Shinzoul Domain—one of the eleven remaining territories of this world.*
Despite being the **most advanced domain** in terms of tech and infrastructure, his village was an exception.
> *Oichi is the farthest village from the capital. So remote that no vehicles can even reach us—the roads are too broken, too narrow. So every day, I walk ten kilometers through uneven paths just to catch the train to the academy in Jhinzou, the capital city.*
> *Honestly? I'm tired of it. My legs ache every morning before the sun rises. But I don't really have a choice.*
Two years ago, Shiro had completed his formal schooling—the standard 12th class. In Shinzoul, that meant only one path lay ahead.
> *Once you graduate, you're required to attend a special academy. There, you train to become a Hunter, Slayer, Knight, or Protector—anything that helps you survive in this world.*
Because the world… wasn't kind.
> *It's a post-apocalyptic hellscape now. Demons roam freely. Abominations crawl across what's left of nature. Ancient, unknown creatures surface in ruins. No one's safe.*
> *Only the strong survive. That's the law of this era.*
He glanced up as he passed a massive mountain, jagged cliffs rising high with floating shards of stone levitating around its peak—remnants of some forgotten catastrophe, still defying gravity.
> *Most people just want to live for themselves. Stay alive. Secure their own future.*
> *But not me.*
> *I want to become a hero. I want to protect people. Maybe that's naive. Maybe I've watched too many dramas. But… I don't care. Someone has to try.*
He smiled bitterly.
> *Yeah, I know. Total hero complex.*
As he finally reached the station, the morning light touched its metallic structure. It was sleek and futuristic—silver panels, glowing lines, glass platforms. The doors were automated, ticket counters fully digital. But despite all that, the place was nearly empty, quiet except for the distant humming of maglev rails.
Shiro stepped onto the platform and checked the schedule.The train arrived with a soft mechanical hum and a hiss of steam. Sleek, silent, and silver-black, it hovered slightly above the rails—an advanced maglev built to cross even the most broken lands of Shinzoul.
As the doors slid open, Shiro stepped inside, adjusting his bag on his shoulder.
> "Hey! Over here, Shiro!"
He turned toward the familiar voice.
Sitting by the window was a tall, well-built boy with short brown hair and sharp red eyes. His arms were thick with muscle, and his uniform's sleeves were already half-rolled up like always.
It was Karl—Shiro's childhood friend.
Shiro walked over, letting a small smile appear.
> "Yo. How's it going, Karl?"
Karl leaned back with a grin.
> "Everything's good. Same old, same old."
> "By the way… did you finish that homework Mr. Kurasaki gave us yesterday?"
Shiro froze mid-step.
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple.
> *Damn it… I totally forgot about that!*
He forced an awkward smile.
> "Ah… yeah about that… I kinda… forgot."
Karl sighed and leaned his head against the window.
> "As expected from you."
> "Hey! Come on," Shiro defended, slipping into the seat beside him.
> "We're training to be warriors, not scholars! Why the hell are we still stuck doing math and reading ancient battle theory?"
> "Because understanding how not to get yourself killed *does* require thinking, you idiot," Karl replied flatly.
Shiro chuckled.
> "Alright, alright. I'll copy your notes later."
> "Like hell you will. Not this time."
Their laughter echoed softly in the nearly empty train car, as the landscape began to blur past outside—forests of dead trees, broken stone highways, and distant ruins swallowed by mist.
But beyond those ruins… was Jhinzou.The train glided smoothly into a dark tunnel carved beneath the mountains. The hum of machinery echoed through the cabin as lights flickered across the windows.
Moments later, light burst through the other side.
Shiro and Karl leaned forward, eyes widening.
Jhinzou.
A city of wonder.
Massive structures of steel and crystal rose into the sky—some sleek and cylindrical, others sharp-edged and square, even a few shaped like spiraling towers. Holographic banners danced across buildings, and streets shimmered beneath layers of floating energy roads.
Despite its ultra-modern design, Jhinzou was lush. Trees lined the roads. Greenery curled up the walls of buildings. Artificial lakes sparkled with fountains shaped like dragons, their jaws releasing jets of water that arched across marble plazas.
> "Whoa…" Shiro whispered.
> "Yeah… I never get tired of this view," Karl said.
As the train finally arrived at the central station, they stepped out onto a smooth, glowing platform.
Before they could take a single step forward, a voice called out:
> "Finally! I've been waiting forever for you two."
Turning around, Shiro and Karl saw her.
A girl around their age with flowing **white hair**, **crimson eyes**, and a calm, elegant aura. She wore a noble-style outfit—a blue and white frock with silver trim that shimmered under the light.
It was **Ruby**—the daughter of **Griffin**, one of the Great Nobles of Shinzoul.
Karl sighed.
> "Not everyone gets to be chauffeured here in luxury, you know. Some of us peasants had to take the train."
Ruby tilted her head, innocent as ever.
> "Is that so?"
Karl's eyebrow twitched.
> "What do you mean *'is that so'*?! I've told you this like… twenty times already!"
> "Sorry," she said, without sounding sorry at all.
> "We've still got an hour until the academy opens," Ruby said, changing the subject. "Why don't we walk through the market?"
Shiro stretched his arms.
> "Wait, an hour? Wow. This new train model really is fast."
Ruby smiled proudly, flipping her hair.
> "Well, you can thank my father for that. He funded the project."
> "Yeah, yeah. Long live Lord Griffin," Karl and Shiro said in unison with playful sarcasm.
As they strolled into the heart of the market, vibrant colors and exotic scents filled the air—vendors shouting, steam rising from food stalls, students and travelers passing by in a flurry.
Karl suddenly smirked.
> "Oh, by the way—guess who *didn't* do his homework again?"
> "What? Again?!" Ruby asked, looking at Shiro.
Shiro scratched his head.
> "Uhh… surprise?"
Ruby and Karl both burst out laughing.
> "I swear you're hopeless sometimes," Ruby teased.
Shiro smiled.
> *That's Ruby.*
> *Despite being the daughter of one of the greatest nobles in Shinzoul, she always walks beside us middle-class idiots. Kind. Strong. Patient—well, mostly. She doesn't act superior, even though everyone else does. That's probably why… Karl likes her.*
> *Yeah, she's kind of Karl's girlfriend. Sort of. It's complicated…*The streets of Jhinzou's market district were alive with energy—hovering lanterns floated overhead, street vendors shouted over sizzling pans, and students from every region gathered in their uniforms.
As the trio made their way through the colorful crowd, a raspy voice called out:
> "Come test your luck! Spin the wheel—fortune favors the bold!"
A man with a crooked grin stood behind a flashy stall, a brightly colored wheel spinning slowly in the background.
Karl stopped.
> "Yo, Shiro, wanna try your luck?"
> "Not really my thing," Ruby replied, already walking past.
Shiro shrugged.
> "Eh, why not? Can't hurt."
He stepped up, took hold of the handle, and gave it a good spin. The wheel clicked rapidly, slowing down until it finally landed on a glowing silver-blue segment.
The stall owner clapped dramatically.
> "Congratulations, young man! You've won the *last prize!*"
> "…The *last* prize?" Shiro raised an eyebrow.
The man held up a small chain with two interlocked crystal tokens—one glowing with a faint **cryo-blue**, the other with a soft **golden light**.
> "A keychain! Dual-attribute charm: Light and Cryo!"
Karl immediately burst into laughter.
> "Pffft—*wow*. That's gotta be the most heroic prize ever."
Ruby covered her mouth, giggling.
> "Aww, Princess Shiro wins a magical trinket!"
Shiro sighed, turning red.
> "Okay, okay. Can we *not* turn this into a thing?"
He pocketed the keychain quickly.
> "Hey," he added with mock pride. "At least I *won* something."
> "Right, Princess Shiro the Lucky," Karl teased.
> "Cryo-chan and Light-boy united at last!" Ruby added.
> "Can you *two* stop already?!"
Their laughter carried through the market until the towering spires of the **Academy Gates** came into view.
Dozens of students in different uniforms had begun to gather at the wide obsidian archway. Magic sigils pulsed faintly across the stone and armored guards stood at either side.