A man dragged his suitcase along the roadside, a crumpled piece of paper in his hand. He kept glancing between the address and his surroundings, trying to match the directions.
After a few minutes, he finally found it—the building marked on the paper.
But the moment he looked at it, he frowned.
The place looked old and neglected, like it had been abandoned for years.
"…Did I just get scammed?"
He stared at the paper again, doubt creeping in.
In this economy, I really believed there was a scholarship waiting for me just for showing up to an interview…
He sighed and decided to go along with it. He was already here, after all.
What surprised him most was how different the inside of the building was from the outside.
The moment he stepped in, he found himself in a quiet office. A large window revealed a peaceful garden, and the room itself felt warm and refined.
Bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling, packed tightly with books. It was obvious that the owner loved reading.
Curious, he walked over and picked one up.
But the moment he looked at the title, his brows furrowed.
He couldn't understand a single word.
No—it wasn't just that.
The writing itself felt… wrong. The shapes of the letters didn't look like something a human would create.
A faint chill ran down his spine.
What is this place…?
Suddenly, the door at the side of the room opened.
"Hello, young man. You must be Eren Vale. I've been waiting for you."
The man smiled. "Please, take a seat."
With a casual wave of his hand, a chair appeared in front of the desk, positioned right before the large window.
Seeing this, Ren unconsciously sat down, still confused and slightly dazed. Watching something like that happen right in front of him—it felt like real magic.
"So… um, who are you, sir? Are you one of the teachers at this school?" he asked.
"There's no need to worry, young man. You can relax." The man smiled gently. "I'm not that strange. What you just saw was simply an application of matter manipulation."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"You will be able to do the same after enrolling here—if you choose to do so."
His voice was warm and calm, carrying the weight of age despite his youthful appearance.
"So… I can still refuse the offer? What happens if I do?" Ren asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
As if he could see through his thoughts, the man smiled.
"Nothing," he said calmly. "It is your choice, after all. The path you take is yours alone."
He leaned back slightly, his gaze steady.
"You will keep your memories of this place. Though even if you tell anyone… no one will believe you."
There was a teasing note at the end of his voice.
And when he said the word path, his eyes gleamed faintly—like it carried a meaning far deeper than it should.
Hearing his teasing tone, Eren felt like a mischievous child being humored by a patient grandfather.
"Then… what should I do if I want to enter the school, sir?" he asked.
Rationally, he already knew this wasn't something ordinary.
From the moment he stepped inside, things had stopped making sense. The garden behind the man alone was impossible—the building stood in the middle of the city. There shouldn't have been space for something like that.
And even if this was some kind of elaborate scam… it didn't add up.
*I'm a nobody,* he thought. *There's nothing about me worth that much effort.*
The man smiled and began to speak.
"Nothing," he said. "By stepping through that door, you have already qualified."
Eren blinked.
"The door chose you to meet me," the man continued. "That alone means you are capable of walking the path that belongs to you."
As he spoke, he stood up and walked toward the door he had entered from.
"Come," he said simply. "Follow me."
---
Eren hesitated for only a moment before standing and following him.
He still didn't know the man's name—or even his role—but something about him made it hard to refuse.
The moment he stepped through the door, his breath caught.
Calling it a room would be an understatement.
What lay before him was a vast, grand hall. The ceiling stretched so high it faded into shadow, and the space itself felt endless, as if it extended far beyond what the building should allow.
"First, we need to help you catch up," the man said with a faint smile. "You come from Earth—a normal world, one without advanced energy or deeper knowledge."
Eren frowned slightly.
"Then… what's the price for that, sir?" he asked. "The letter said this is a school. That means you'll nurture me, but… there has to be a price, right?"
---
The man paused, then let out a soft chuckle.
"Of course there is," he said.
He turned slightly, his gaze settling on Eren with quiet intensity.
"Everything has a price."
For a brief moment, the warmth in his expression faded—replaced by something deeper. Something older.
"But not all prices are paid in the same way."
The air in the hall seemed to grow heavier.
Then, just as quickly, the man smiled again.
"In this place, what you pay… is not money."
He began walking once more.
"It is your path." There was a faint hint of amusement in his tone.
---
He then continued, "Alright, keep up. We have a lot to do. First—your perk as a student from a lower world."
He led Eren to a room along the side of the hall. Inside, a strange formation was carved into the floor—an intricate array filled with unfamiliar runes.
"Step into the center," the man said, gesturing calmly. "This will help your body open what you might call meridians, a mana pool, or other extraordinary organs. It will also… give you something extra."
There was that faint smile again.
Eren hesitated for a split second, then stepped into the center of the formation.
The man didn't wait for a response.
With a flick of his hand, the array lit up.
The runes flared, lines of light racing across the pattern as the entire formation began to hum.
Eren's vision blurred.
The world tilted—
—and everything went dark.
After watching Eren lose consciousness, the man simply smiled.
"So, how is it?" he said casually. "Seeing someone from your world again. This young one will be in your class. He's quite smart… and very perceptive."
A moment later, the door opened.
Another figure stepped inside.
"I was wondering who you brought in this time," the newcomer said, his voice calm but curious. His gaze fell on Eren's unconscious form.
"…So this is someone from Earth."
He walked closer, studying Eren with interest.
"I'm curious how that world has developed after my time," he continued. Then he glanced at the man and let out a quiet sigh. "And Headmaster… you're still messing with new students like this?"
The man—no, the Headmaster—only smiled.
"You didn't even tell him who you are," the newcomer added, shaking his head slightly. "Just like when I first arrived."
He crossed his arms, a faint smirk forming.
"'Not all prices are paid the same'… 'It is your path'…" he repeated. "You just wanted to scare him."
The Headmaster chuckled softly, not denying it.
"A little guidance, perhaps," he said.
His gaze shifted back to Eren.
"Besides that, he will need your help to build a solid foundation—both in understanding himself and the reality he exists in."
A faint smile lingered on his face.
"And perhaps… help him build some relationships along the way. Unlike someone I know who once said, 'Women will only slow down the speed of my sword.'"
The other man sighed.
"…You're still bringing that up?"
The Headmaster only laughed.
"I also look forward to the origin he awakens," he added, his tone carrying quiet anticipation. "After all, individuals like you—and him—are quite rare."
His gaze lingered on Eren.
"And very interesting to watch as they grow."
---
While they spoke, Eren's body began to change.
At first, it was subtle.
Then, slowly—something within him started to shift.
It was as if his entire body was being refined from the inside out. His bones, his blood, even the very core of his being… all of it was undergoing a silent transformation.
Invisible energy flowed through him, reshaping, rebuilding.
Not violently—but completely.
Like impurities were being washed away.
Like something long dormant was finally being awakened.
---
Inside his mind, Eren slowly opened his eyes.
Before him stretched a breathtaking scene—a vast ocean, its surface shimmering with countless stars. It was as if the night sky itself had fallen into the sea.
Something… was calling him.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
And entered the water.
---
The world changed.
One moment, he stood in a realm of ice and fire—two opposing forces clashing, yet somehow coexisting.
The next, he found himself in a land filled with the undead. Yet beneath the decay, there was a strange vitality, as if death itself held a form of life.
The scenes continued to shift.
One after another.
Different… yet connected.
---
Until everything became still.
Before him lay a quiet pond.
At its center, two fish circled each other—one black, one white.
Opposites.
Balanced.
Complete.
Eren watched them in silence.
And felt something deep within him respond.
---
As if sensing his presence, the two fish leapt from the water.
They moved in perfect harmony—one black, one white—rushing toward him.
Then—
They merged.
And in the next instant, they entered his body.
A sharp sensation spread through him.
Not pain.
But something deeper.
Something fundamental.
A mark began to form.
From the back of his palm, the image of two entwined fish appeared, their forms circling one another. The pattern extended along his arm…
Until it settled on his left shoulder.
There, it completed itself.
A perfect symbol.
Yin and yang.
---
Eren's eyes snapped open.
He found himself back in the room.
The Headmaster stood nearby—along with another man dressed in white, his presence calm yet sharp.
Both of them were watching him.
---
"Well," the Headmaster said lightly, "I'll leave him to you—his class teacher."
His gaze shifted to Eren, a faint smile on his face.
"Eren… good luck."
There was something deeper behind his eyes.
"I look forward to meeting you again in the distant future."
And then—
He disappeared.
No sound. No trace.
As if he had never been there at all.
---
Silence filled the room.
Only Eren and the man in white remained.
And for the first time—
His new path had truly begun.