Yudo woke before the sun had fully risen. For a moment, he lay still, staring at the ceiling. Every fiber in his body hurt. His shoulders throbbed, his stomach ached, and his legs didn’t want to move.

"Damn. My body is killing me." Yudo slowly rolled himself out of bed and stretched. Pain shot through his arms, forcing a sharp breath out of him. "This isn’t good."

The fight replayed constantly in his mind. Shujiro’s shockwaves and his own teleportation. The massive gap between them. 

Yudo clenched his fist. So that’s the level of a Guardian. He exhaled slowly, steadying himself. "I’ve got a long way to go."

But that wasn’t something he could focus on at the moment. The academy exam was today. If he failed then no one would help him and Two would still be trapped in that facility. 

Yudo pushed himself to his feet. The energy within him was still unstable, but no longer tearing him apart. It felt quieter now. No longer was it trying to destroy him.

"What a complete mess."

He stepped outside his room. The scent of breakfast drifted through the cabin. Shujiro was already awake. He sat in a chair, completely relaxed, casually eating breakfast as he looked at his tablet. The fan spun softly in the living room as the morning sunlight poured through the window.

Yudo stared at him. “You’re eating?”

Shujiro looked up. “Nah. I’m admiring the food.”

Yudo let out a small chuckle as he leaned against the doorway. “Do people actually get seriously injured in this exam?”

Shujiro shrugged. “Some do and if they aren’t careful, they could die. Some learn that the Guardian life isn’t for them.”

Yudo blinked. “That’s supposed to be reassuring?”

Shujiro took another bite of cereal. “You’ll survive… probably.”

Yudo sighed. “Your confidence in me is overwhelming.”

Shujiro pointed toward the milk and cereal on the counter. “Eat,” Shujiro said. “You’ll need the energy.”

Yudo walked over and looked down at the bowl. “You didn’t expect some giant breakfast, did you?” Shujiro grinned. “Shujiro’s café only serves food that isn’t hard to make.”

But that wasn’t what Yudo was focused on. He took a bite. A month ago, something this simple would’ve felt unreal. Now it was starting to just feel normal.

Shujiro glanced at him. “Still amazed?”

Yudo shook his head slightly. “Just not used to it yet.”

He continued eating quietly. It wasn’t about the taste anymore, but about what it meant to live outside the lab. The freedom to sit at a table and eat because he wanted to, and not being forced to eat some horrid slop from the lab.

After a few minutes, Shujiro stood. “You ready, kid?”

Yudo nodded. “As ready as I can be.”

They walked down the road leading toward the city. As they got near the city, the atmosphere changed. The quiet faded, replaced by distant voices and the sounds of people talking and laughing. Yudo’s eyes swept across the city as more and more people appeared around them. Heads turned as Shujiro passed.

“That’s Shujiro!”

“No way—”

People flocked around Shujiro. Yudo disappeared among the growing crowd.

“Give me your autograph!”

Shujiro laughed. “I’d love to, but I must be on my way.”

No one pushed further. They respected him too much.

Yudo glanced at him. “I don’t know how you can deal with all of that.”

“You pick up a thing or two over time.”

Yudo nodded. “They must really like you.”

Shujiro smiled. “It’s probably because of my good looks.”

Yudo had a stunned look on his face. “Hell no.”

Shujiro chuckled.

They approached a building with scanners at the entrance. Shujiro swiped his card, opening the door in front of them.

“Where are we going?” Yudo asked.

“We are taking a train to the city that Aegis is in.”

Yudo hadn’t heard of the word train before.

“Train?”

Shujiro glanced at Yudo.

That’s right, he won’t know what everyday things are like the rest of us.

“Trains are big vehicles that run on these tracks there. They take people from one place to another.”

Yudo followed next to Shujiro.

“I see.”

They stopped at a yellow line with train tracks in front of them. Yudo could hear the sound of the train pulling into the station. It stopped in front of all the people, and the doors opened. Shujiro stepped through the doorway and Yudo followed behind. They sat down in a pair of seats.

Shujiro stared at Yudo. “You nervous?”

Yudo shook his head. “Not really, I want to become stronger to save my friend.”

Shujiro nodded. “That’s good motivation to have.”

After some time, the conductor spoke through the speaker. “The train is pulling into Shuren City.”

The train stopped and Shujiro stood up. Yudo followed behind him as they stepped off the train. They continued out of the station. Yudo could feel the shift in the city. 

Shujiro pointed to a large building in the distance. The academy stood high above the rest of the city, separated from the buildings below. Giant stone walls stretched around the vast land surrounding it.

“That’s Aegis Academy, and all that land behind it is owned by them, and also happens to be where your exam will be.” Shujiro patted his back. “But this is as far as I go.”

Yudo looked at the building in the distance. Then back at him. “You’re not coming?”

Shujiro smirked. “If I walk there with you, almost all the applicants are going to be staring at you instead of the exam.”

“And that’s not going to help you.”

Yudo clicked his tongue. “Figures.”

“Besides…” Shujiro’s expression softened slightly. “You don’t need me for this part. You’ve been training for this.” Shujiro pointed at one of the roads. “Just walk down this road and you’ll get there.” He gave Yudo a thumbs up. “You’ve got this, kid.” Shujiro took off in the air.

Yudo was back alone. But that didn’t bother him. He started walking down the road Shujiro pointed at. The closer he got to Aegis, the heavier the air became. Some people were filled with excitement, while others were nervous about what was to come. Hundreds of aspiring Guardians all gathered in one place. A massive staircase stretched upward toward the academy.

Yudo stopped at the stairway. The sheer size of it alone was enough to make him pause. Stone steps climbed far beyond anything he ever saw. Stairs that were packed with people walking up them. Toward something bigger than all of them.

Yudo started walking up the staircase. Shujiro watched from afar.

“…Yeah.” Shujiro nodded. “Show me what you learned. I know that you can do it.”

Step by step, Yudo climbed. The noise of the people chattering grew. It was like walking into a storm he couldn’t see. Each step forward made it stronger.

There are so many people here…

Yudo kept moving. His breathing stayed steady. When he reached the top, he froze. The academy stood before him.

Massive stone walls surrounded the entire area. Even though the place was surrounded by walls, it didn’t feel anything like the lab. The large buildings stretched across the place with walkways down to the forest.

The academy had a giant courtyard for people to gather and talk in. Thousands of people filled the entrance plaza. Most were applicants with occasional Guardians, scouts, and instructors passing by. Some of their Traits were noticeably strong. Yudo could feel it in his bones.

But the strongest presences were the ones he couldn’t feel at all. That was worse. The people powerful enough to hide their strength completely.

This is the academy. Some of these people are so strong… Yudo took a slow breath. This place is huge.

His eyes scanned the area. Some applicants stood calmly, while others radiated confidence. A few gave off pressure that made his instincts tense immediately. 

For the first time since escaping the lab, Yudo wasn’t afraid, but overwhelmed. The realization that the world was far larger than he thought. Far stronger than he thought.

If this place can help me control my power…

Then I can get stronger.

And if I get stronger, I can go back.

He wouldn’t leave Two behind.

Yudo stepped forward.

Walking closer to the building.

Readying himself for the exam.