The First Step Into the Lion’s Den

The great hall of Tenshikan Academy was a masterpiece of architecture.. massive crystal chandeliers bathed the room in golden light, while towering stained-glass windows depicted the kingdom’s most legendary mages. The students, all dressed in their pristine navy-blue uniforms, sat in perfect rows, chatting amongst themselves.

Hibiki sat near the back, silent and observant.

He was surrounded by the very people he hated. Future generals, noble heirs, and scholars.. all of them tied to the kingdom that had massacred his village.

But no one knew who he really was.

Not yet.

A hush fell over the crowd as the headmaster approached the podium.

An old man with a long silver beard, Headmaster Azrael Kirihara was a living legend. His mere presence demanded respect.

“Welcome,” his voice echoed through the hall. “To Tenshikan Academy. You are the finest young mages in the kingdom, chosen not by privilege alone, but by ability.”

Hibiki almost scoffed. Ability? He knew damn well how many of these students were here because of their family names.

“Your time here will be a test,” Kirihara continued. “A test of your strength, discipline, and willpower. The weak will fall. The strong will rise. That is the way of the world.”

The room buzzed with excitement. Hibiki simply watched.

This was only the beginning.

A Clash of Personalities

After the ceremony, students were divided into groups for their first class.. a practical combat assessment.

Hibiki found himself standing in a wide, open training field alongside dozens of other students.

“Listen up!” The instructor, a tall, battle-scarred woman named Seraphine Kaido, strode across the field, her voice sharp as steel. “This is not a playground. You are here to prove yourselves. We will begin with one-on-one duels.”

Murmurs spread through the students. Some were eager, others nervous.

Hibiki remained still. This was perfect. He needed to gauge the academy’s power levels.

Then, he heard a voice beside him.

“You don’t look very strong.”

He turned to see a girl with sharp golden eyes and long, untamed black hair tied back in a loose ponytail. Her smirk was cocky, confident.

“Kanzaki Mei,” she introduced herself, arms crossed. “You’re the transfer student, right?”

Hibiki didn’t reply immediately. He could already tell what kind of person she was.. an aggressive, competitive type.

“I am,” he answered simply.

Mei studied him before grinning. “Try not to embarrass yourself.”

Before Hibiki could respond, another voice interrupted.

“That’s rude, Kanzaki-san.”

A soft, elegant voice. He turned to see a girl with silvery-white hair and gentle violet eyes.. Ayanokoji Reina, the princess.

“Everyone has their own strengths,” Reina said with a polite smile. “You shouldn’t judge so quickly.”

Mei rolled her eyes. “Please, I’m just being honest.”

Reina sighed. “You’re impossible.”

Hibiki watched the exchange with mild amusement. It seemed Mei and Reina were already rivals in some way.

And now, both of them were paying attention to him.

Great.

A Duel of Shadows

“In the first match.. Kamishiro Souta versus Kanzaki Mei!”

Hibiki walked to the center of the field as Mei grinned.

“Hope you’re ready,” she said, stretching. “I won’t hold back just because you’re new.”

Hibiki gave her a blank stare. “I hope you don’t.”

Mei blinked before laughing. “I like you already.”

The instructor raised her hand. “Begin!”

Mei lunged forward, fire surging in her palm. She was fast, aggressive, and unrelenting.. exactly as Hibiki predicted.

He sidestepped her first strike with ease. Then another. And another.

Mei’s smirk faded as she threw a full-powered blast.

Hibiki dodged at the last moment, his movements smooth, effortless.

“What the.. ?” Mei frowned.

To the crowd, it looked like he was barely trying.

In truth, Hibiki was analyzing every move she made, every weakness she showed.

This was no fight.

It was a hunt.

Mei charged again, but this time, Hibiki shifted his stance.

At the last second, he grabbed her wrist, twisted, and swept her legs out from under her.

Mei hit the ground hard, gasping.

Before she could recover, Hibiki pressed a glowing blue rune to her throat. A simple, harmless light spell.. but in a real battle, it would have been a killing blow.

The field fell silent.

“…Winner, Kamishiro Souta.”

Hibiki stepped back as Mei sat up, blinking in disbelief.

Then, to his surprise.. she grinned.

“Damn,” she muttered. “That was fun.”

Hibiki arched an eyebrow. He had expected frustration, maybe even resentment.

Instead, Kanzaki Mei looked at him like he was her next favorite challenge.

Reina, standing at the edge of the field, watched with an unreadable expression.

Hibiki exhaled.

So much for staying unnoticed.

…

That night, Hibiki lay in bed, staring at the ceiling of his dorm room.

The academy was full of talented individuals.. some arrogant, some dangerous, some unpredictable.

And now, people were noticing him.

He had to be careful. He couldn’t afford to let them get close.

But there was one thought that lingered in his mind.

For the first time in years, he had faced a challenge that wasn’t simply survival.

And strangely enough…

He didn’t hate it.

The following days passed in a blur of lectures, practical lessons, and endless observations. Hibiki quickly realized that Tenshikan Academy was not just a school.. it was a battlefield.

Classes were grueling, designed to push students beyond their limits. Combat training was ruthless. And the social hierarchy? Unforgiving. Nobles flaunted their status, commoners struggled to survive, and the powerful ruled over the weak.

Hibiki fit into none of these categories.

He remained quiet, competent, but unremarkable. The transfer student who won a duel but showed nothing beyond that. He let others think he was lucky, that Kanzaki Mei had underestimated him. That his magic was weak, and his true talent was just reading his opponent.

But not everyone was convinced.

“You’re hiding something.”

Hibiki turned his head slightly, catching Reina’s sharp gaze as she walked beside him.

They had just left their Advanced Mana Theory class, a course filled with complex calculations and spellcraft mechanics that most students struggled to grasp.

Hibiki, of course, had solved every problem without effort.

“Am I?” he replied, voice calm.

Reina smiled, but her eyes gleamed with curiosity. “You don’t act like the others. You don’t boast. You don’t seek attention. And you don’t react the way most people would when they win.”

He remained silent, letting her talk.

“I know someone dangerous when I see one,” she continued. “And you, Kamishiro Souta, are dangerous.”

Hibiki glanced at her, meeting her gaze.

He wasn’t sure what game she was playing, but he knew one thing.. Ayanokoji Reina was no ordinary princess.

She was watching him. Closely.

And that meant he had to be even more careful.

..

Later that evening, Hibiki found himself at the academy’s training fields once more.

This time, however, he wasn’t alone.

Kanzaki Mei leaned against a wall, tossing a small mana crystal in her hand.

“Took you long enough,” she said with a grin. “I was starting to think you were avoiding me.”

Hibiki sighed. “I didn’t realize I was supposed to meet you.”

“You weren’t.” Cracking her knuckles. “But I figured you’d come here sooner or later. You don’t seem like the type to sit around doing nothing.”

She wasn’t wrong.

Hibiki needed to train, to familiarize himself with the academy’s environment. The best way to mask his true strength was to appear to be improving naturally.. not suddenly revealing skills he shouldn’t have.

“Want to rematch?” Mei asked, already stretching. “I’ll actually take you seriously this time.”

Hibiki considered it.

Fighting Mei again would help him gather more information. She was fast, aggressive, and skilled.. but reckless. A perfect opponent to sharpen his combat awareness.

Before he could answer, another voice interrupted.

“I challenge you to the arena.”

Both turned to see Takeda Raizo, arms crossed, watching them with interest.

“Figured I’d see you here,” Raizo said, stepping onto the field. “You’re the only new guy who’s worth watching.”

Mei groaned. “Oh great, muscle-head wants in.”

Raizo smirked. “Jealous?”

“As if.” Mei rolled her eyes. “Fine, you fight him first. I’ll enjoy watching.”

Hibiki exhaled, stepping forward. He hadn’t planned to fight Raizo this early. The academy’s top battle mage was bound to be a challenge.

But Hibiki doesn’t want to draw more attention and said to Raizo “I’m not willing to fight outside the official academy tournament, it’s a waste of time”

Raizo with a smile on his face “"Don’t waste your breath worrying about it. We both came out on top in our first matches, and I’ve already made sure you’re next. You’re not walking out of this one intact, I’ll make sure of it."

“See you in the arena” Raizo walking away

The next day, everyone gathered in the arena, reading the announcement board as they read their names paired with others to fight this day.

And Hibiki’s name “Souta Kamishiro” is paired with “Takeda Raizo” in the first match of the tournament.

Moments passed.. and the match begins.

They entered the arena..

“Ready when you are,” Raizo said, lightning crackling around his fists.

Hibiki took his stance.

This wasn’t just a test.

This was the first step in proving.. to himself and everyone else.. that he belonged here.

That no matter what…

He would rise above them all.