The moment everyone had been waiting for had finally arrived.
Across every district in Hiyosko and the surrounding villages, massive screens made of spiritual energy or magic spells projected the event, allowing people to watch even if they weren’t physically present in the arena.
The special guests had already taken their seats, while the captains and other lieutenants settled into theirs as well. On the opposite side stood the examinees, all preparing for their matches.
The rules were simple: No killing, and you must force your opponent to surrender.
The guests could select one or two examinees they favored, and the captains had no choice but to accept them into their squads. Those chosen by the guests had the privilege of selecting which squad they wished to join. However, if, after a month or a year, the captains were unsatisfied with their performance, they had the right to transfer them to a more suitable squad.
Those selected by the captains were automatically assigned, but like the guests’ picks, they couldn’t grow complacent—they, too, could be reassigned. Though in the past decades, such a thing had never happened.
---
"Haaah… Can I just pass for now?" Captain Masashi yawned, slumping in his seat.
"Pass on what?" Captain Kiro side-eyed him.
"Can we just skip recruiting this year? I don’t see anyone who meets my standards." He propped his chin on his hand, sighing dramatically.
"Captain Masashi, do you realize Squad 3 is critically understaffed? You’re too lazy to recruit—even when we have plenty of academy graduates, you forget to approve their paperwork. Months later, I find out we had applicants at all because your desk is buried under files—"
Lieutenant Arla’s rant was cut short when Eisha clapped a hand over her mouth and dragged her away from Masashi.
The other captains could only shake their heads at his laziness.
"Maybe it’s time to disband Squad 3. What do you think, Captain Masashi?" Captain Xu smiled sweetly—a smile that promised imminent disaster.
Masashi broke into a cold sweat and forced a laugh.
"Hahaha! Looks like I’ll be recruiting a lot this year!" He quickly refocused on the first match.
Arla rolled her eyes while Ren, Eisha, and Leigh smirked.
---
An hour passed, and the crowd grew livelier.
"Seems like there are quite a few skilled ones this year," Captain Xu remarked. Captain Kiro nodded in agreement.
"Still not as good as Lieutenant Arla," Masashi muttered.
Whack! Arla smacked him with a fan.
"I had proper training, Captain. Don’t compare me to them."
"Ugh, why so grumpy?"
"What did you just—"
Eisha yanked Arla away before she could throttle her captain. The others could only sigh.
---
"And the winner is…!" the announcer declared.
"I don’t like that guy’s vibe," Captain Kei muttered, glancing at his lieutenant, who nodded in agreement.
"He seems familiar… but the mask makes it hard to—"
A gust of wind tore the mask off the man’s face.
"Yo." He raised a hand in greeting toward the captains and lieutenants.
"Janzen." Captain Zeid’s voice was laced with barely restrained fury, though he forced himself to remain calm.
The incident in Poz had been kept under wraps, handled exclusively by Squad 7, which specialized in complex cases like Kaito and Janzen’s. Their connection to Mira’s death suggested deeper ties—possibly to the letters she’d received or the monsters terrorizing the villages. The details were still unclear, so only a select few knew Janzen and Kaizon were wanted. Squad 7 operated in the shadows.
"If Janzen is here… Kaito might be too," Captain Kiro murmured, scanning the crowd. His gaze landed on the guest seating, where a man had just taken a seat beside the Duchess of Vrandairo. The man smirked and bowed mockingly in Kiro’s direction.
"Kaito." The name slipped out, drawing the other captains’ attention.
"Call Squad 7’s Team A—" Captain Peira, Squad 7’s leader, began.
Zeid raised a hand to stop her.
"No disturbances for now. We’ll capture them after the exam. Besides…" He exhaled sharply. "They’re connected to the Duchess. This complicates things."
"We’ll wait, then," Peira conceded.
"But we stay alert. If they’re here, they’re up to no good," Masashi said seriously, eyes locked on the next match.
"We’ll fight if we have to," Ren added.
The others fell silent, their vigilance hidden but unwavering.
---
The exam concluded without further incident. The new recruits gathered with their assigned squads, receiving instructions on relocation and duties. Meanwhile, the lieutenants welcomed them—though their attention never strayed far from Janzen and Kaito.
The guests had two days to stay in Hiyosko, all housed in the same hotel under Squad 4’s surveillance.
---
"Sire, would you like to return to White City immediately? I’ll prepare the carriage," a woman in a sleek, thigh-length dress offered, her curves accentuated by the fitted fabric.
The man smiled, his gaze lingering appreciatively.
"I’d like to enjoy myself a little longer. Besides… didn’t you say your family is here? Why not visit them?" He stood, closing the distance between them. His hand settled on her waist—she didn’t flinch.
"You want me to visit them?" She arched a brow.
"Unless you’d rather not?"
She smirked and stepped back.
"Then I suppose it’s time." Her eyes locked with his. "I’ll take my leave now, sire. There’s a woman waiting to see you."
Outside, another woman waited—this one in a dress that barely covered her backside, adorned with lace and long earrings that complemented her crimson lips.
"You may go inside," the first woman said with a wink before striding off.
---
The captains walked toward the Captain-Commander’s quarters to report on Janzen and Kaito. As they turned a corner, a scream shattered the calm.
A monster—massive and grotesque—clutched a young girl and a woman in its grip.
"How did that thing get in?!" Ren drew her sword instantly.
Chaos erupted as civilians fled. The two lieutenants lunged at the monster.
"Ren!" Eisha shouted.
Ren struck low while Eisha leapt high—but their blades barely scratched the creature’s hardened hide. They retreated, panting.
"Its hide’s too tough! This thing’s high-level!" Eisha hissed.
"AHHHH!" The captives’ screams pierced the air.
The captains sprang into action, attacking while avoiding the trapped civilians. Their strikes wounded the monster—but it only tightened its grip in response.
"Captain!" Ren yelled.
Zeid charged—but before he could land a hit, something sliced through the air above the monster, cleaving it in two.
The halves collapsed, revealing a figure standing atop the corpse, a bloodied sword in hand.
"Apologies for interfering. The wounded are your responsibility now."
The figure turned to leave—but Zeid’s breath caught.
That stance… that presence—
"HATAKE… MIRA." His mind screamed.