April 3, 2103 — 11:05 am Imperial Standard Time
The blue candidates were not escorted to a theater.
They were received in a forum.
Light poured in from above through layered crystal panels that filtered the afternoon sky into controlled brilliance.
The space was circular but open, tiered in ascending arcs around a raised platform of white composite stone threaded with fine gold circuitry.
Nothing here suggested restraint.
Everything suggested refinement.
Soft conversation filled the air—not whispers, but introductions.
Names exchanged.
Backgrounds identified.
Connections mapped almost instinctively.
Mitsui entered without hesitation.
He did not seek attention.
It aligned itself with him.
A subtle shift in posture from those nearest the aisle. A respectful nod from a candidate whose surname carried similar weight. A girl from the Reconstruction Bloc inclined her head first before speaking.
"Mitsui."
He returned the greeting easily.
Neither arrogant nor overly familiar.
He had grown up in rooms far more consequential than this.
He took a seat in the front third of the hall. Not the first row.
He preferred perspective.
The lights shifted—not dimming, but concentrating.
A man stepped onto the platform.
Conversation thinned, not because anyone was told to quiet down, but because attention shifted on its own.
He walked without hurry.
Tall, dark hair precisely kept, uniform flawless in its simplicity. No decorative trim. No excess. Only the insignia at his collar—Student Council.
The person did not project warmth.
He projected inevitability.
There was something unsettling about him—not aggression, not hostility—but the quiet sense that he measured rooms the way others measured opponents.
He stopped at the center of the platform.
No introduction was announced for him.
None was necessary.
"I am Rei Takamura," he said.
"Third Year. Student Council President."
The silence that followed was not imposed.
It settled.
"I am enrolled under the Shogunate Track."
A subtle shift rippled through the chamber.
"The double curriculum."
He let that rest for a moment.
"I originated from the Leadership Track."
"The blue designation," Takamura continued,
"is not common."
The projection behind him ignited—statistics forming in restrained white light.
TOTAL POPULATION PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION:
Red Designation: 58%
Blue Designation: 37%
Dual-Track: 5%
"You were not sorted here by preference," he said.
"You were selected."
The numbers remained visible.
"Most applicants demonstrate capacity for force."
His gaze moved across the room.
"Few demonstrate capacity for control."
No one shifted in their seat.
His eyes passed over Mitsui briefly.
"You are here because you were seen."
The projection faded.
"And being seen," Takamura said, "is both an advantage and a responsibility."
He did not smile.
"You have been designated blue."
Silence fell instantly.
Behind him, a new projection formed—layered systems, flowing networks, interlocking structures.
"You are not here because you avoided violence," Takamura continued.
"You are here because you understand where to place it."
I. THE BLUE DESIGNATION
The projection expanded.
BLUE CANDIDATE SELECTION CRITERIA
•Strategic foresight
•Influence viability
•Emotional regulation
•Narrative control
•Command projection
•Institutional compatibility
"You act through systems," Takamura said.
"You anticipate outcomes before blood becomes necessary."
A secondary layer appeared.
LEGACY INDEX:
•Family Office
•State Position
•Clan Affiliation
•Financial Sponsorship
•Military Access
II. THE POLITICAL RANK LADDER
The projection shifted vertically.
SPI METRICS:
•Crisis Simulation Outcomes
•Coalition Stability
•Economic Modeling Accuracy
•Political Leverage Efficiency
•Reputation Control
•Instructor Sponsorship
"You will rise," Takamura said calmly, "by demonstrating control under pressure."
The CRYSTAL FALCON TOURNAMENT — Blue Division
The Falcon emblem rotated again.
"The Crystal Falcon Tournament is not a singular event," Takamura said. "It is a seasonal campaign."
The projection unfolded into structured phases.
"The red division earns points through victory in physical trials," Takamura said.
"The blue division earns points through structural dominance."
A ranking lattice appeared.
Each House accumulated seasonal points through team performance.
"Individual Strategic Performance Index scores are influenced by your role within these campaigns."
"Command carries greater risk. It also carries greater reward."
He scanned the room.
"To participate in the Crystal Falcon, you must be affiliated with a House."
Emblems returned to the air.
"Your House determines your team."
"It determines your resource access."
"It determines your alliances."
A subtle shift in tone followed.
"Blue designation increases the likelihood of leadership placement within your House during tournament season."
"Red designates may lead squads."
"Blue designates lead operations."
The distinction was not framed as superiority.
It was structural.
"Leadership within Falcon is not assigned randomly," Takamura said. "It is observed, then reinforced."
He allowed the projection to dissolve.
"You were not chosen blue because you are intelligent."
He looked across them evenly.
"You were chosen because the Falcon believes others will follow your direction."
The room held its silence.
"In red, strength commands respect."
"In blue, clarity commands allegiance."
He stepped back slightly.
"This is the Blue Route."
"And it carries responsibility equal to any blade."
HOUSES — STRUCTURE ABOVE INDIVIDUALS
"As I said, participation in the Crystal Falcon requires House affiliation," Takamura continued.
The word carried weight—but not menace.
It suggested alignment.
Purpose.
HOUSES OF THE FALCON
Emblems appeared.
"Some Houses align with military interests."
"Some with economic sectors."
"Some with specific Imperial ministries."
A brief pause.
"House Yamamoto."
A second emblem followed.
"House Arakawa."
The Minister of Defense's House.
Mitsui's posture did not change.
But he understood the implication.
He would not lack for invitation.
He also would not accept blindly.
"House affiliation determines access to resources," Takamura said.
"It determines team placement during the Crystal Falcon."
"It determines who claims collective victory."
CLOSING
"This concludes your orientation," Takamura said.
"What follows is your interview."
Proctors stepped forward in precise lines.
"Candidate Mitsui," one said respectfully. "This way, please."
He rose.
As he walked, he allowed himself one brief thought of the red chamber. A subtle smile escaped him, because now, he knows what he wants, and what to do to gain it.
The polished cage closed behind him.