The morning classes at Haoutaro High School continued as usual.
Inside a classroom, students quietly copied notes while the teacher explained mathematics.
Far away, inside a city bus, Miyuki Hanado sat beside the window. Her expression remained calm as she silently watched the streets passing by.
People everywhere were staring at glowing screens.
Some laughed while watching short videos.
Some cried while watching emotional live streams.
Others played mobile games without paying attention to the people around them.
Miyuki rested her chin on her hand.
"Why are humans so obsessed with these little devices?" she wondered.
"They laugh... cry... become angry... all because of a tiny screen."
"I really don't understand modern people."
The bus continued toward North Bacast.
Back at Haoutaro High School...
A middle-school student named Kreil Goyenlargen suddenly looked toward the classroom window.
His eyes narrowed.
A mysterious man wearing a long black coat and black sunglasses stood motionless in the schoolyard.
The man didn't move.
He simply stood there.
Kreil slowly raised his hand.
"Teacher..."
The teacher sighed.
"What is it now, Kreil?"
"I think... there's someone outside."
The teacher turned around.
"..."
There was nobody.
The schoolyard was completely empty.
The teacher looked back at Kreil with an exhausted expression.
"Kreil."
"You should focus on your lessons instead of daydreaming."
The classroom burst into quiet laughter.
Kreil frowned.
"I'm not imagining things..."
"I clearly saw someone."
But before he could say anything else...
The mysterious figure had already disappeared.
Outside the school...
A young boy hurried toward the entrance while carrying a lunchbox.
It was Kupo Goyenlargen.
He sighed.
"Big brother forgot his lunch again..."
"When I got home after talking with Sister Miyuki, Mom immediately shouted at me."
"'Go give your brother his lunch!'"
"Haa..."
"What a pain..."
As Kupo walked around one of the school buildings...
He suddenly froze.
Five mysterious people wearing long cloaks stood in a quiet corner, talking among themselves.
Their faces were calm.
Their clothes looked unusual.
One of them slowly turned his head.
His eyes met Kupo's.
Kupo's heart skipped a beat.
Without thinking...
He immediately ran away.
The man watched him leave.
"Hey, Lisha."
"The kid saw us."
A woman named Lisha Lalance calmly glanced toward the direction Kupo had escaped.
"Relax."
"He's only a child."
"He won't interfere with our mission."
She folded her arms.
"Now..."
"Let's begin."
Lunch break arrived.
Students filled the hallways with cheerful conversations.
Kupo finally found his older brother.
"Kreil!"
"You forgot your lunch!"
Kreil smiled awkwardly.
"Oh..."
"Thanks."
As he accepted the lunchbox, Kupo immediately whispered,
"Brother..."
"I really saw five mysterious people hiding near the school."
Kreil wasn't interested.
Today's lecture from his teacher had already ruined his mood.
"Haa..."
"I think they're just seniors doing cosplay."
Kupo puffed his cheeks.
"I'm serious!"
Before Kreil could answer...
Someone approached them.
"Hey, Kreil."
It was Lam Hinteing.
Kreil smiled.
"Oh, Lam."
"This is my little brother."
"Kupo."
Lam gently patted Kupo's head.
"So you're Kreil's little brother."
"You look adorable."
Kupo smiled.
"You're my brother's friend?"
"Yeah."
Lam laughed.
Kreil rolled his eyes.
"Cute?"
"You don't know him."
"He's weird."
Kupo immediately protested.
"I'm not weird!"
The three laughed together.
Meanwhile...
Near another hallway...
Yugris Bultes, Jorge Sarasurg, Zoé Min Diang, and Mina Hinteing were eating lunch.
Yugris suddenly spoke.
"Did you hear today's biggest rumor?"
"The entire Mystical Oracles gang was defeated."
Jorge looked surprised.
"Really?"
"By who?"
Yugris shrugged.
"An old woman told me..."
"She said a single young woman defeated every one of them."
Zoé almost laughed.
"Impossible."
"Do you even know how dangerous Mystical Oracles are?"
"Their leader defeated both you and Jorge before."
"Even the police couldn't capture them."
"So how could one woman beat the entire gang?"
Yugris scratched his head.
"I trust that old woman."
"She never lies."
Mina quietly drank her juice.
"It doesn't matter who defeated them."
"The important part is..."
"They're gone."
Everyone looked toward her.
Mina continued,
"For years..."
"Nobody dared to create a new gang because Mystical Oracles controlled everything."
"But now..."
"They've disappeared."
"This city has changed."
Silence followed.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!!
A deafening sound echoed across the entire campus.
Students screamed.
Teachers rushed toward the windows.
Outside...
An enormous crimson barrier surrounded the entire school.
It stretched high into the sky like a giant dome.
Everyone rushed toward the playground.
"What is that?!"
"Is this an attack?!"
"Somebody call the police!"
Several students ran toward the school gate.
The moment one of them touched the red barrier—
CRACK!!
A powerful bolt of crimson lightning blasted him backward.
He crashed onto the ground.
"Aaaaaah!!"
Students immediately retreated.
Fear spread everywhere.
Then...
Five figures slowly floated down from the sky.
Gasps echoed throughout the campus.
"They're flying!"
"They're actually flying!"
The mysterious group landed before everyone.
Their names were—
Lisha Lalance.
Mirken Williamsonk.
Sung Ail Ein.
Memi Nuiront.
Buyen Magnarveth.
Buyen stepped forward politely and bowed.
"Teachers."
"Students."
"We sincerely apologize for interrupting your school day."
"We come from the Louf Magnian Academy, the academy operated under the Nightglass Covenant."
Whispers spread instantly.
"Nightglass Covenant?"
"The adventurer organization?"
Buyen smiled.
"We're here..."
"To invite all of you beyond the walls of this city."
Silence.
Then chaos erupted.
"Is he insane?!"
"The outside world is full of monsters!"
"We'll die!"
Another student raised his hand.
"H-How are you flying?"
Mirken's face twitched with irritation.
He quietly muttered,
"So noisy..."
"I should burn them all."
Sung stepped beside him.
"Calm down."
"If they're dead..."
"We can't complete our mission."
Mirken clicked his tongue.
"...Fine."
"They're lucky."
Several teachers finally stepped forward.
One elderly teacher shouted,
"Who are you people?!"
"You have no permission to enter this school!"
"We've already called the police!"
"So leave immediately!"
Sung smiled.
"What an impressive lie."
The teacher froze.
Sung calmly continued,
"This barrier blocks every communication signal."
"No radio."
"No mobile signal."
"No emergency transmission."
"So..."
"How exactly did you call the police?"
The teacher couldn't answer.
Students immediately began whispering among themselves.
"...He's right."
"Teacher lied."
Sung slowly looked around.
"Tell me..."
"Is this really the person teaching you honesty?"
More teachers hurried forward.
One of them shouted,
"Students!"
"Don't listen to them!"
"They're manipulating you!"
Sung laughed softly.
"Manipulating?"
"No."
"I'm simply telling the truth."
He slowly walked among the students.
"Since childhood..."
"Society has told you what to study."
"What to wear."
"What job to choose."
"What dreams are acceptable."
"What dreams are impossible."
"They tell you..."
"Obey."
"Follow."
"Don't question."
"So tell me..."
"Are you students..."
"Or puppets?"
The words struck many students deeply.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"...He has a point."
"...Maybe."
"...He's not completely wrong."
Yugris frowned.
"What do you guys think?"
Jorge crossed his arms.
"I don't know."
"It's suspicious."
Zoé nodded.
"Yeah."
"He says things that sound true..."
"But what guarantee do we have that he isn't lying for his own benefit?"
Mina quietly watched Sung.
"I agree."
"His words make sense."
"But words alone don't earn trust."
Sung overheard their conversation.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"You three..."
"You want strength."
"You want freedom."
"You want success."
He slowly raised one hand toward the sky.
"But if you remain inside this city..."
"You will never obtain any of them."
"The system surrounding this city doesn't want strong individuals."
"It doesn't want people who think differently."
"It only wants obedient citizens."
His voice became louder.
"The outside world is dangerous."
"Yes."
"But it is also where true strength is born."
"Where freedom exists."
"Where legends are created."
He looked at every student one by one.
"So..."
"I ask you all a simple question."
"Will you remain inside these walls..."
"...or will you step into the real world?"