Chapter Two: The First Step Forward (With Gratitude to the Returning Bird, Our Ally)

One year ago, in Molycrystal City, Sector North Seven.

Inside the multifaceted crystalline dome, a sea of people gathered—not overcrowded, yet bustling. This colossal exhibition hall could hold two hundred thousand individuals; even with the ground floor filled, it still felt spacious.

Students in various uniforms clutched their documents, queuing in orderly lines before numerous cubicle-like admissions booths. Anxious and hopeful, they longed to be accepted by their dream schools—this moment marked a turning point in most Federal residents’ lives.

Gazing beyond the thousands of admissions cubicles, the eyes finally settled on one with an exceptionally long queue.

“Hello, are you Miss Hersia?”

“Yes,” a young girl in a student uniform nodded timidly, her gaze fixed on the tall, imposing man before her.

Leaning back in his chair, the suited man inside the cubicle examined the holographic profile displayed before him, comparing the photo to the girl in front of him.

“By theoretical grades, Miss Hersia, you are truly outstanding. But as you know, theoretical results alone won’t secure admission to our school.”

Behind the man, a wall floated an exquisite emblem—a deep blue, nearly black rose entwined by thorny vines, its texture understated yet luxurious, radiating a slow, shimmering glow.

Edes Academy (Rating: S): Ranked fourth within the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Domain, it specializes in two main disciplines—the Withering and Natural sequences. It masters five perfect supernormal vocational secret arts within the Federation: Withering Sequence 5 - Mourning Rose, Withering Sequence 5 - Eradication Eye, Withering Sequence 5 - Shadow Courtyard Traverse, Natural Sequence 5 - Emerald Leaf Rose, and Natural Sequence 5 - Firefly Fairy. This academy is an aspiration for countless individuals.

The man opened his hands in a gesture of apology toward the still somewhat naive girl before him, yet his eyes didn’t meet hers. Instead, he casually flipped through his personal terminal. For him, hundreds or even thousands of students like her came each day, all eager to soar by entering Edes Academy. But admission was far from easy. If not for Federal regulations, the school wouldn’t even bother setting up a booth in this hall; most admission slots were already reserved in advance.

“I…” Hersia stared at the tall, dominant figure before her. The disdain and annoyance in his low voice made her feel ashamed. Her body trembled; clutching her knees, she summoned every ounce of composure, determined not to envision the ridicule from peers if she failed.

Her voice quivered as she spoke, somewhat distorted, “I wish to apply via the exception clause, Article 26, in the admissions guidelines.”

After speaking, she lowered her head, closing her eyes, unwilling to meet his expression.

“Oh…” The man looked up and regarded the still-young girl before him, then spoke.

“Do you possess any special talents? Keep in mind, this isn’t about winning some competition.” Many students entered various contests to gain admission to prestigious high schools, but these varied widely in quality, sometimes tainted by behind-the-scenes dealings. Some renowned schools didn’t recognize such accolades.

“C-could you give me a piece of paper?” Her teeth chattered; even the slightest sign of impatience from the man might break her fragile voice.

Though she knew her talent was unique, she felt no confidence at that moment. After all, she hailed from a remote town. Things locals prized highly often seemed ordinary or unimpressive to the developed regions or upper echelons.

“Certainly.” The man casually pulled out a blank sheet of paper and placed it on the desk.

Fortunately, the examiner didn’t make things difficult for her—perhaps he simply deemed it beneath his notice to trouble a mere girl.

Hersia took the paper, inhaled deeply, suppressing the trembling in her fingers. She tore the sheet with some effort; under the white light, the torn edge revealed fine fibers, rougher compared to the smooth edges.

“So?” The man snorted, amused. He didn’t understand why she was doing this.

“Please wait.”

Hersia finally steadied herself. She carefully pieced the torn paper back together, aligning the edges precisely. Then, with her index finger, she slowly brushed over the seam. Miraculously, the paper gradually restored itself until it was as pristine and intact as before.

***

The man’s eyes went wide. He cautiously withdrew the sheet, scrutinizing it under the overhead light, searching for any trace of the earlier tear. Yet, there was none. It was as if the paper had never been torn.

Had none of this just happened, he would have thought his eyes deceived him.

“Apologies, could you demonstrate that again?” The man finally lowered the paper, gazing at the girl before him.

“Of course.” Hersia breathed a sigh of relief.

At least she had caught this examiner’s attention. What she feared most was indifference—that her hope would be nothing more than dust in the world, utterly unremarkable.

“However, can we try something else this time? For example, this wallet.” The man rummaged through his briefcase and produced a cardholder. After emptying it, he placed it on the desk and pushed it toward her.

“Yes.” Hersia nodded.

The man then used a tool to cut the wallet open and laid it on the table.

Hersia took the split wallet, carefully aligned it, and repeated the previous process—this time, much more slowly.

As her fingertips traced the wallet, it gradually restored itself to its original condition, flawless, with even the texture uninterrupted or misaligned. It was astonishing.

A hush fell over the admissions booth.

After a long moment, the man picked up the restored wallet, examined it carefully, then set it down.

“When did you discover this talent?” His tone was solemn.

“About half a year ago?” Hersia recalled. She wasn’t exactly sure; it was a chance discovery.

“I’d say this is a rare and special talent. However, I lack the instruments here to conduct further tests. If you could leave your contact information, Miss Hersia, we will notify you of the review results as soon as possible.” With that, the man finally drew out the sole application form from his briefcase.

“Thank you, sir.” Hersia bowed her head in gratitude, overwhelmed with emotion. Her previously trembling body finally steadied.

No matter what, at least she had taken the first step.

—

Name: Hersia Tylan
Age: 16
Origin: Four-Leaf Crystal Star Domain - B2-7621 (Emerald Skirt), Pinyin City, Sector North Seven
School: Pinyin City Gray Sky Middle School (Junior High)
Grades: Literature (124), Mathematics (122), Aijieka Theory (131), Elf Language (72), Law (69), AI Logic (68), Chemistry and Pharmacology (70), Basic Physics (70)
Supernatural Sequence: Withering Sequence 2 - Shadow Visit

—

Supernatural sequences refer to the phenomenon where life condenses Aijieka particles into cores, granting extraordinary abilities, even ascending to higher life forms.

In the distant past, Aijieka particles bore many names—mana, magic power, primal force, spiritual energy, and so forth. They emerged from the collision and overlap of another universe with the current one, serving as a medium through which the spirit could influence reality, achieving what we call magic. Magic earned its name because some abilities defy scientific explanation, or perhaps modern science has yet to unravel all its mysteries. People know how to wield this power, but the fundamental mechanism remains elusive.

When this miraculous force is channeled into ordered forms, various sequence magics arise—such as the Natural, Light Feather, Withering, and Spirit Particle sequences. Supernatural cores continuously condense this energy, advancing step by step from low to high, classified from Sequence 1 to 9.

Entering Sequence 2 before high school is considered exceptional even within the Federation’s core developed star domains. This is no longer the glorious Fourth Era, where Sequence 8 represents the pinnacle for many nations and organizations. Top graduates typically rank between Sequences 3 and 4, making such talents highly sought after everywhere.

After completing the form, Hersia stood, clutching her file before her. She bowed again in thanks, then walked away from the admissions booth.

As she opened the glass partition door, a surge of noise like a hot wind greeted her. Countless students queued nervously before various booths, speaking softly but filling the vast transparent metal hall that housed some 120,000 students, stretching beyond sight.

This was the annual admissions gala of Sector North Seven. Outstanding schools, under Federal arrangement, set up booths to review applicants.

Aside from theoretical grades—a unified planetary exam registered in advance—each institution tailored its own admissions criteria.

For instance, some performing arts schools required proficiency in musical instruments and live demonstrations. Specialized pharmacology schools demanded on-site potion preparation. Business academies tested students’ linguistic skills, and so on.

Some were even more selective. Federal military academies, top 50 schools on the planet, and elite institutions like Edes Academy, ranked fourth in the star domain, boasted immense strength and stringent, complex requirements. Students admitted were either extraordinarily gifted or came from illustrious families.

After Hersia departed, the examiner remained seated, staring at the completed application. His gaze drifted slowly as he pondered deeply.

Unlike those complacent clerks, as an admissions officer for a top-tier academy, he wielded great authority and bore high standards. His extensive experience meant this trip to Sector North Seven was merely to fulfill the Federation’s mandate; he had no intention of recruiting anyone. Yet, unexpectedly, he had encountered an exception.

The ability to restore damaged objects sounded unremarkable, but to professionals, it was not so simple.

Most modern items are industrial products. “Repair” typically meant replacing faulty modules with intact ones. Standardized parts produced on assembly lines were cheaper and easier to swap than disassembling and fixing.

True restoration was rare and precious.

It was akin to healing lifeless, cold objects as if they were living beings—mending them back to their original state. Upon reflection, this was a rather terrifying power.

It resembled reconnecting every broken molecule, reforming atomic bonds, and arranging them in their initial orderly configuration.

‘If she can apply this ability to some extremely rare damaged treasures or crystals, that would be…’

‘No, I must not decide so quickly. This could be a trick. I need to take these items back for repeated inspections with precise instruments.’ The officer shook his head, calming the sudden excitement rising within him.

He continued pondering while unconsciously tapping the desk, contemplating how to report this discovery and inform the academy’s higher-ups.

After a long while, he collected the documents, pressed a button.

“Next student, please.”