The Entrance Ceremony

As the bells rang for the entrance ceremony, Class B, led by Ichinose, filed out of the school building in perfect order and headed for the gymnasium.

They were the first to arrive, so they stood in their designated area and waited for the other classes.

Before long, the other classes arrived one after another. Class A came next, followed by Class C, and finally Class D.

Itozawa walked with the group, his eyes constantly sweeping from side to side as he observed everything around him.

He first focused on Class D, the center of the Original Work.

However, the Class D before him was unlike what he expected. They seemed unusually united, and he couldn't help frowning.

If he remembered correctly, at this point in the Original Work, Class D should have been a complete mess.

After a moment's thought, he considered what he knew about the Abilities so far: everyone's Ability was related to their traits. That meant the only people who could have fostered this peaceful atmosphere were Kushida Kikyo or Hirata Yosuke.

His gaze first fell on Kushida Kikyo. Kushida was chatting cheerfully with the girl beside her, her expression natural and free of anything unusual.

But when he turned to Hirata Yosuke, he immediately noticed something was wrong.

Hirata's face was pale, and sweat had gathered on his forehead. Even so, his eyes held a resolute gleam.

A group of students glared at Hirata. At their head stood a red-haired boy.

Itozawa guessed they were the "idiot trio," led by Sudo.

This tense atmosphere stood in stark contrast to the overall peace in Class D.

Itozawa realized that Hirata Yosuke had most likely brought about this false peace single-handedly. What's more, Hirata had probably revealed his Ability to Class D already; otherwise, there was no way they could have realized he was behind it.

Itozawa thought to himself that Hirata's Ability seemed to consume an enormous amount of energy.

He couldn't help wondering whether maintaining this superficial peace was worth paying such a steep price.

He shook his head and shifted his attention from Class D to Class C, focusing especially on Ryuen Kakeru.

Ryuen was easy to spot. He was probably the one at the head of the group. His long, unruly hair was glossy black and fell loosely over his shoulders, giving him an unrestrained air.

More importantly, his manner was confident and composed. Even in such a formal setting, he maintained a uniquely relaxed air and an unmistakable presence.

Class C seemed much more disciplined than it had been in the Original Work.

It seemed that, under the influence of his Ability, Ryuen Kakeru had gained an even stronger grip on Class C.

The troublemakers behind him, students who had once been unruly and defiant, now wore clear expressions of fear.

This change made Itozawa realize that Ryuen's Ability might have greatly enhanced his leadership and influence.

If that was the case, influencing Class C would be much harder than before. There might not even be any possibility of rebellion.

So he simply turned his attention to Class A. It was still divided into two distinct factions, just as in the Original Work: the Sakayanagi Faction and the Katsuragi Faction.

He could tell they were still the same two factions because Sakayanagi Arisu and Katsuragi Kohei both stood out so much. A silver-haired girl who looked like an elf and a conspicuously bald man were hard to mistake.

Sakayanagi Arisu sat in a chair, her silver hair cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall, its strands shimmering faintly in the sunlight.

Her eyes were clear and bright, as if they could see right through people. Her skin was as pale as snow, a striking contrast with her delicate silver hair.

She sat with an elegant posture, her back straight. Though she was short, she had a commanding presence.

Itozawa thought to himself that Sakayanagi and Katsuragi's Abilities must both be very powerful. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to keep leading their respective factions.

As for Sakayanagi Arisu, her Ability probably wasn't physical in nature. Otherwise, she wouldn't look so frail right now.

Her Ability might be more mental or psychological, giving her tremendous influence in Class A. Even in poor health, she could maintain her position as leader.

But while he was still thinking, a spry old man in his sixties walked up to the podium.

He stood on the stage, his gaze sharp as an eagle's. He simply raised a hand and pressed it down, and the murmuring that had filled the gymnasium vanished at once. Silence fell over the hall.

His voice rang out, loud and clear, filling the entire gymnasium.

"First, let me introduce my Ability." The Principal's voice echoed through the gymnasium. "It's a Mind-Type Ability called 'Silence.' Suppressing you fledglings for an entire day would be no trouble at all. So I've chosen to begin this way to make it easier for me to speak."

Itozawa understood, of course, that the Principal hadn't done this merely to quiet everyone down. He was also intimidating everyone present.

It was a warning to all the students not to assume that having an Ability meant they could do whatever they wanted. At this school, rules and order still reigned supreme.

The Principal continued, "Here, you'll learn how to control and use your Abilities. But more importantly, you must learn how to survive in this complicated world. Abilities aren't万能—they're just one part of your many capabilities."

His gaze swept across every student, as if searching for something. "Each of you has potential, but only those who know how to use their abilities can become truly strong. I hope you'll gain something and grow with each day you spend here."

Then he briefly explained the categories of Abilities. As Kanzaki had said earlier, there were six: Mind, Body, Object, Spirit, Brain, and Spacetime.

Next, he picked up a small booklet and waved it gently to draw the students' attention. "After this, each of you will receive a booklet like this.

"This booklet contains the names and descriptions of Abilities. Its purpose is to give you a basic understanding of your own Ability and keep you from remaining ignorant."

Then his tone grew serious. "But be warned: the booklet doesn't provide details about specific powers, strengths, or weaknesses." His gaze sharpened, as though it could pierce every student's heart.

"This is to keep you from ignoring your own Ability in a fight and focusing only on countering others."

His voice dropped, carrying a note of warning. "Remember, your own ability is what matters most. Other people's Abilities shouldn't become shackles that hold you back."

Itozawa felt his heart sink as he listened.

From what the Principal had said, it seemed that in the days to come, conflicts involving Abilities would be about much more than just solving the school's tests.

At this school, clashes between Abilities might become part of daily life, and every student would have to learn how to survive and thrive in such an environment.

The booklets were passed from front to back.

He skimmed the booklet in his hands. It contained only the names of Abilities and their basic classifications, but that was already enough to give him a general framework for understanding them.