Gensu stood in silence, his heart still pounding violently, his eyes fixed on the empty space where the last Yami had vanished. Everything around him was still, yet his inner self was screaming: he was no longer the same. He was no longer just an ordinary student.
Thalen approached him with calm, confident steps, his simple smile enough to ease the tension in the air. He lifted Gensu onto his shoulder, and then, without hesitation, picked up Yuris as well.
In the blink of an eye… Gensu found himself standing before a massive hall, unsure of when he had arrived.
Thalen set them down gently. There was no anger, no pressure—only a presence so strong that Gensu felt surrounded by something insurmountable. Yet it wasn't frightening; it was oddly comforting.
"Welcome to the organization, Gensu," Thalen said in a calm voice. "We arrived late, but now you are safe."
Gensu didn't respond immediately. His mind was still spinning; everything inside him was shaking after the battle.
Thalen gestured to Yuris, standing beside him, steady and composed, as if he were part of the place itself.
"This is Yuris, one of the organization's members. He will accompany you during your time here—not as a friend, but as a guide and observer. He will help you adapt to the organization's environment and ensure everything runs smoothly."
They walked toward a massive hall, even larger than Gensu had imagined. The tall pillars, the gleaming marble floor, and the ancient symbols etched on the walls made the place feel like a mixture of a palace and an ancient training base. Light bent strangely across the corners, and the air was thick with an invisible energy that seemed to penetrate the skin.
They stopped at a large training hall. Children from the Seven Great Families were training with astonishing skill: some moved weapons that vanished and reappeared in their hands, others unleashed waves of invisible energy into the air. Among them were a few individuals the organization had brought in after they had seen Yami—people like Gensu now.
Thalen smiled.
"This is the training hall. Here, you will learn to adapt to your new environment, interact with others, and become part of this world—a world that is now your responsibility."
Gensu stepped forward cautiously, his heart still racing, his eyes taking in everything around him: the training, the children's abilities, the sounds, the overwhelming energy. Everything blended together, creating an atmosphere of awe and anticipation.
Yuris approached him and said,
"Don't worry. Just watch and learn. Everything here has its rules and structure. You will understand gradually. Don't rush."
Gensu sat on one of the benches overlooking the hall, feeling the weight of responsibility pressing down on his shoulders. Everything that had happened at school, every fear, every moment of helplessness, seemed to bear down on him even more. But he knew one thing: he could no longer return to his old life.
Thalen smiled again, calmly and lightly.
"Take your time. No one here will pressure you. But every step you take will bring you closer to understanding yourself and the power that lies within you."
Gensu closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a sense of calm seep into his heart despite all the awe and tension. Yet he knew one thing for certain: his true journey of training had just begun.