The feather landed softly at Noah’s feet.
Pure white.
Yet...
Tiny golden runes shimmered along its edges.
Luna noticed it too.
"...A bird?"
Noah slowly bent down.
The moment his fingers touched it...
A faint warmth spread through his hand.
Not dangerous.
Comforting.
Then...
The feather dissolved into particles of light.
Gone.
Luna blinked.
"...Did you see that?"
Noah nodded.
"I did."
Neither of them noticed the pair of golden eyes watching from the darkness beyond the trees.
The next morning...
The convoy finally reached Valhalla Imperial Academy.
Students gathered near the massive gates.
News of the ambush had already spread.
Healers rushed toward the injured.
Teachers organized the survivors.
The atmosphere was heavy.
There was no celebration.
Only silence.
Professor Elena stood before the first-year students.
Her expression was colder than usual.
"Yesterday..."
"...many of your classmates died."
Nobody spoke.
"You entered this academy believing strength was a competition."
She looked at every student.
"Yesterday should have taught you the truth."
"Strength..."
"...is survival."
The words struck harder than any lecture.
Later...
Inside the Headmaster’s office.
Several academy elders sat around a circular table.
Professor Elena stood before them.
An old man with silver hair spoke first.
"The attack."
"Who were they?"
Elena answered without hesitation.
"The Black Eclipse."
Silence filled the room.
Another elder clenched his fist.
"They’ve returned..."
"And they were after the boy?"
Elena nodded.
"Noah Blackwood."
The Headmaster remained quiet.
Then he asked the only question that mattered.
"...Is he the one?"
Elena hesitated.
For the first time in years.
"...I don’t know."
"But..."
"...something awakened."
The room fell silent once again.
Meanwhile...
Noah returned to his dormitory.
The hallway buzzed with whispers.
"That’s him."
"The survivor."
"I heard dozens of assassins chased only him."
"No way he’s really F-Rank."
He ignored them all.
The door to his room creaked open.
Waiting inside...
Was Seraphina.
She calmly closed the book she had been reading.
"You’ve taken longer than expected."
Noah sighed.
"You broke into my room again."
"I have permission."
"You definitely don’t."
"I don’t."
She smiled without shame.
She stood.
Her playful expression disappeared.
"I felt it."
"What?"
"The First Permission."
Noah froze.
"You know about that?"
Seraphina nodded.
"I know what it means."
Her golden eyes became unusually serious.
"You’ve taken your first real step."
She walked toward the window.
"But every step after this..."
"...will cost more than the last."
Noah folded his arms.
"You’re speaking in riddles again."
She glanced back at him.
"No."
"This time..."
"I’m warning you."
Before Noah could ask another question...
A loud bell echoed throughout the academy.
DONG!
DONG!
DONG!
Students poured into the corridors.
A voice amplified by magic echoed across the campus.
"Attention all students."
"The Headmaster has issued an emergency announcement."
"Every student is to gather immediately..."
"...at the Hall of Heroes."
Noah and Seraphina exchanged a glance.
Something had happened.
Something big.
Far away...
In the shadows of the academy walls...
Azrael stood with his hood raised.
He smiled once more.
"The game has finally begun."
Then he disappeared into the morning mist.