Itsuki flipped through the dusty tome in his room, eyes scanning symbols until he landed on a curious page.
"How I turned a human into one of us."
His eyes widened.
"Aww, Ren…" he muttered, rising to his feet. "Maybe you should tell Souta about this."
Just then, Ren burst in, already lacing his boots.
"I was just about to go find him," he said.
Itsuki raised an eyebrow. "Do you think Souta's one of them too?"
Ren paused, serious. "We have to test it as well."
Itsuki stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Can I get a little more of your blood, Ren?"
Ren flexed his arm, lifeless and pale. "Take as much as you want. I can't feel anything with this arm anymore."
"Time to experiment this shit," Itsuki said, extracting the sample as Ren dashed out the door.
---
Back in his room, Itsuki pored over the ancient instructions.
"Damn… I only have some of the ingredients left. I brought what I could from their city."
He leaned back in his chair, murmuring, "Can this even work? Can I find the rest in Kaigenshiro?"
His eyes fell on the glass jar. Inside, the blue liquid mixed with the Demon Sense agent had turned white. Whatever was in it had stopped moving.
"Interesting…"
He carefully scraped some of it out with a nail. "Let's test this…"
A bird landed on his windowsill wrong place, wrong time.
"Sorry, little guy."
Using a levitation spell from his book, he gently pulled it in and restrained it mid-air. He inserted the extract into the bird and it died immediately.
Itsuki's heart skipped.
"This could work… I just need the final ingredients."
---
Scene: The Holy Council Ceremony Kaigenshiro
Souta knelt at the center of the grand chamber of Kaigenshiro, stone pillars stretching into a sacred dome above. Around him sat the Council of Flame, ancient and noble.
From among them stepped Lady Nayarith a dark-skinned, breathtaking woman cloaked in ceremonial robes of black and gold, her aura demanding both respect and silence. She gazed down at Souta with calm authority.
She spoke, her voice clear and elegant:
"Souta Kazehaya… You stand here today not just as a warrior, but as a man whose soul has endured darkness, and yet still burns with light.
You have fought, protected, and carried your burden without complaint.
In a world torn by demons and shadows, we do not seek perfection but those who stand unwavering.
Today, under the will of Kaigenshiro and the holy flame, we bestow upon you the mantle of Holy Knight.
You are now a shield to the innocent, a blade to the wicked, and a beacon to your comrades.
Rise… and let your fire never fade."
A quiet reverence swept across the hall. She touched his shoulder. A symbol of flame lit up briefly on his chest a mark of the Order.
Sir Zephyr smiled, leaning forward. "Congratulations, Souta. I'm proud of you… but your surname it sounds familiar."
Souta replied with calm detachment, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Zephyr studied him for a moment, then chuckled. "Maybe I've been drinking too much again. Ah well."
---
Junpai and Haruno rushed up afterward.
"Damn, Souta," Junpai said, laughing. "You're one of us now!"
Haruno smirked. "Hope you ain't as annoying as Ren. I'll beat the crap outta you."
Arisa approached next, smiling gently. "Congratulations, Souta Kazehaya."
Souta bowed slightly. "Thank you commander."
She pinned a glowing silver star badge onto his coat. "That's my signature. You're now officially on my team."
Souta knelt once again. "I will protect you with my brother as well."
Arisa blinked. "Your brother?"
Souta stood. "Yeah. I know what's going on between you and Ren."
Arisa blushed. "I… I don't know what you're talking about."
Souta grinned. "No worries. Your secret's safe with me."
Airi walked up with a reserved smile. "Congratulations, Souta."
He nodded. "Thank you, Miss Airi. Hehe."
Then came the last to approach Naru Veyron. He wore a black coat, his emo presence still as unreadable as ever.
"We've met before," Naru said. "I was the lazy dude in the truck. Haven't spoken much since… so congrats."
They shook hands and Souta suddenly flinched. A sharp vibration shot through his body. Something snapped inside.
"What… was that?" Souta whispered.
Naru just shrugged, walking away. "Don't know what you're talking about. Later."
---
Just then, Kesshō Kikan from the Crystal Order appeared, leaning against a column.
"Oh hey, Souta we meet again."
Souta blinked. "What are you doing in Kaigenshiro?"
"This is my hometown. I knew you guys were coming, so I parked my ass back here. Now wanna learn from me?"
Without hesitation, Souta replied, "Yes. I'll learn. Teach me your Sword Arc."
Sir Zephyr raised a brow. "Kessho, you still have duties."
Kessho groaned. "Yeah, yeah… maybe later."
Lady Nayarith rolled her eyes. "Get your crap together. Teach the kid."
Kessho smirked. "Fine, fine. See ya later, knight boy."
He vanished down the hall as Souta waved goodbye.
Ren wandered through the winding roads of Kaigenshiro, the towering architecture casting long shadows under the fading sun. He was trying to find the council hall but the layout of the city was unfamiliar, and the distance blurred his memory. Still, he walked with steady resolve. Eventually, he thought, I'll find it.
Meanwhile, Itsuki Kaen had a different idea.
He walked into a renowned alchemy shop, one said to hold the finest potions and magical reagents in the region. The moment he stepped in, a clerk noticed the star on his coat marking him as an exorcist, a high-ranking Book Caster. The man's expression shifted immediately.
"I need to speak with your manager," Itsuki said calmly.
The clerk bowed slightly. "Right away, sir."
As the worker disappeared to the back, Itsuki looked at the paper in his hand, mentally checking off the ingredients. Let's hope no one gets suspicious of what I'm trying to make…
A moment later, the clerk returned. "You may come in."
Itsuki stepped into the inner chamber and his eyes widened. Shelves upon shelves of rare chemicals, enchanted liquids, and otherworldly reagents gleamed under magical light.
A tall man in a long coat stood waiting, a subtle smile on his lips. His eyes gleamed one of them marked with a strange symbol, a glowing "L" for a pupil. His name: Elden Louve, a C+ rank alchemist and a member of the Ivory Cross.
"Welcome, Itsuki Kaen," he said, his voice smooth and composed. "I've been waiting for you."
Itsuki adjusted his glasses. "So you got my file from Sir Zephyr?"
Elden nodded, the smile never leaving his face.
This guy is way too nice... too normal, Itsuki thought. I don't trust him.
"I need a list of ingredients," Itsuki said, handing him the folded parchment. "They're important."
Elden glanced over the list. "This... recipe... it's forbidden in some regions, you know."
Itsuki remained calm. "I'm aware. Still, I need it."
"What for?"
Itsuki hesitated. "It's for a special experiment. Sensitive."
Elden raised an eyebrow, but before Itsuki could answer further, he said, "You're not the first who's asked. But you're the first from Sanctum. Surprised you didn't stop at the nearer city."
"Kaigenshiro's known for having the best of the best," Itsuki said.
Elden grinned. "Flattery, huh? You're making me blush. Fine. I'll get everything. Wait outside."
"I'd prefer not to. I don't go anywhere without my spellbook," Itsuki said.
Elden narrowed his eyes his magical pupil locking with Itsuki's gaze but relented. "Fine. I'll write it up." He scribbled into a side book, handed it to a clerk, and then nodded. "You can wait."
Itsuki turned to the door. "Thanks, man."
As he read through the spell mechanics from the recipe, a girl passed by behind him her presence sharp. She wore a stylish coat, much like his, her long black ponytail swaying as she moved. He tried to listen in, but her voice was hushed.
Moments later, Elden returned with a sealed box. "Here you go. Everything you need."
Itsuki reached for it. "How much?"
"No charge. Consider it... a gift."
Itsuki squinted at him. "You're suspicious, man. But thanks." He levitated the box and walked out.
Elden turned back to the girl. "Back again, huh?"
She watched Itsuki leave. "Who was that?"
"That's Itsuki Kaen. Sanctum-born. Ivory Cross."
She scowled. "Where's he going?"
"No idea. If you want answers, you'll have to"
She vanished in a flash. "follow him," Elden finished with a sigh.