March in Chiba Prefecture still held the lingering chill of winter. The evening breeze swept past the roadside trees, where new buds were just beginning to bloom, bringing a refreshing clarity to the spring night.
Karuizawa Kei had earned her graduation certificate with excellent grades.
She held it between her fingertips, her uniform skirt swaying lightly with each step. Her face was alight with undisguised excitement.
Three years of trials and growth had finally come to fruition on this day.
From a distance, she spotted her parents and Hoshida No waiting to pick her up at the school gate. Instead of following the usual custom and going home to celebrate with her family, she went to karaoke with a few close friends, then grabbed Hoshida No by the wrist without taking no for an answer.
Her eyes shone with a mischievous, bright glint. "Come on, let's go to karaoke! You're treating us today since we're celebrating!"
Hoshida No was speechless. He had no choice but to say a quick goodbye to Uncle Kenichi and the others.
Neon lights shifted across the private room. In the corner, Hoshida No sipped a glass of freshly squeezed juice while listening to the girls sing and chatter one after another.
Someone started chanting for Karuizawa Kei and Hoshida No to sing "Kiseki" (Miracle) together.
He was halfheartedly coaxed into picking up the microphone and singing. His off-key performance had everyone laughing, but with Karuizawa Kei backing him up, their score on the screen still reached 78.
After graduation, Karuizawa Kei had more free time and often went to the goods shop. She also ran into Ichinose Honami there, and the two hit it off. Before long, they became friends.
In mid-March, the three of them were chatting at the goods shop as usual when they each received an invitation from a school.
When they opened the invitations, they found that the contents were exactly the same:
Following a preliminary investigation, congratulations! You qualify for an invitation to Advanced Nurturing High School. Please attend the entrance assessment on March 22 of this year. You may enter our school only after successfully completing the assessment. Our school is dedicated to fostering an environment guided by meritocracy. Students enjoy tuition-free education throughout the year, high-quality instruction, and a high-quality learning environment..." The rest was standard official language.
Karuizawa Kei was the first to get excited, her eyes sparkling. "Honami, Brother No! Look, I got an invitation from that Advanced Nurturing High School!"
She turned her phone around to show them the invitation.
Both of them looked surprised. Ichinose Honami was surprised because she had received an invitation too. Hoshida No was surprised for his own reasons. He knew his background: he had never received an official education and had no school records, yet the school had invited him.
A sense of unease stirred in him, and he couldn't help thinking of the laboratory director he had escaped from, Kaneda Yamano.
At home, the four of them sat together in a corner of the living room. When Uncle Kenichi and his wife heard about it, they readily agreed to let the two of them attend Ikuei High School.
Over the phone, Ichinose Honami had also made it clear that she wanted to go. Her family was not well-off, so tuition-free education was already a blessing. Now she could not only go to school but also ease her family's financial burden. She was tempted.
On March 22, Hoshida No resigned from his job at the goods shop. The shop's owner was sorry to see him go, but told him he was welcome to come back anytime.
Since the three of them had assessments at different locations, they parted early at the subway station and agreed to meet there again once they were finished.
Karuizawa Kei looked a little reluctant to part, but the milk candy in Hoshida No's hand soon cheered her up. Ichinose Honami got a piece too.
Hoshida No arrived at his destination. He hadn't seen any other students taking an assessment like his along the way, so he guessed each person had a separate test location. He couldn't help wondering how influential this school was.
The door opened silently. Two interviewers in crisp black suits stepped out, and Hoshida No could tell that both were trained fighters.
Their sharp gazes swept over Hoshida No. After briefly confirming his reason for coming and his identity, they said nothing more and moved aside to lead him in.
The sealed room at the end of the corridor felt oppressive. The moment the door opened, a wave of cool air washed over him.
The room was bare, with only a solitary desk and chair in the center.
Hoshida No's gaze darkened as he clenched his hand into a fist.
He quickly checked the armrests, seat, and underside of the desk for loose parts or hidden protrusions. Only after confirming there was nothing amiss did he sit down calmly.
The walls were stark white. Security cameras mounted in all four corners silently recorded his every move.
Beside one of the cameras was a black communication device, its surface bearing just a small button.
The room was so quiet he could hear himself breathe. With its sealed layout, omnipresent surveillance, and sparse furnishings, it felt just like a cell for examining prisoners.
The black communication device suddenly crackled with static. Then a cold, emotionless electronic voice cut through the silence: "First assessment: written exam."
As soon as it finished speaking, the interviewer on the left stepped forward and gently placed three densely printed exam papers on the desk in front of Hoshida No.
The papers made a faint sound as they touched the desk. The interviewer looked down at Hoshida No and spoke in an even, measured tone. "You have three hours to complete them."
Hoshida No placed his fingertips on the edge of the papers and quickly flipped through them. There were math problems involving functions, reading comprehension and an essay in Japanese, and English cloze passages and short translations. They were all standard middle-school subjects, with no unusual or tricky questions.
He looked up and gripped his pen. Its tip quickly touched the paper.
Though he had never received a formal school education, he had undergone mental training during his time in the laboratory. Combined with the knowledge he had gained from years of reading, he was well prepared.
Complex mathematical formulas raced through his mind. He grasped the key points in the Japanese reading passages at a glance, and clearly untangled the logic of the long English sentences.
His pen raced across the papers, leaving neat handwriting in its wake. Time slipped by as he concentrated.
When he put down his pen, the timer on the wall showed that only one hour and thirty-six minutes had passed. He had finished all three papers, and not a single mark had been changed.
The bell signaling the end of the written exam had barely faded when the communication device sounded again with its cold electronic voice: "Second assessment: interview."
The two interviewers brought chairs over and sat down on either side of Hoshida No. Their gazes fixed on him as sharply as the cameras, without any unnecessary pleasantries.
The interviewer on the left spoke first, his voice steady and emotionless. "Describe yourself using three keywords, and explain why you chose them."
The interview lasted an hour. Whatever the interviewers asked, Hoshida No answered with ease. The two interviewers exchanged a nod to indicate that it was over.
Their expressions remained stern as they led Hoshida No to a spacious area.
There was no unnecessary equipment here. The testing area was clearly divided, with a timer, measuring tape, pull-up bar, and other equipment neatly arranged. Concealed cameras around the perimeter silently recorded everything.
"The physical fitness assessment covers speed, endurance, strength, and agility. Complete the 50-meter sprint, 2,000-meter run, standing long jump, pull-ups, and sit-ups in order. Any movements that fail to meet the standards will not count."
The interviewer's voice echoed across the open area as he raised the starting pistol.
His movements were textbook-perfect throughout, without the slightest wasted motion. Perhaps it was because of the genetic serum, but even after such a strenuous assessment, Hoshida No still didn't feel tired.
When the assessment ended, Hoshida No was the first to return to the subway station. Ichinose Honami arrived an hour later, her hair a little disheveled. Karuizawa Kei was the last to reach their meeting place.
On the way home, Karuizawa Kei was still complaining about the assessment.
Meanwhile, in the chairman's office at Ikuei High School, a middle-aged man looked at two entrance assessment forms in his hands and smiled.
(Name: Hoshida No Learning ability: A Physical ability: A Agility of thought: C+ Social contribution: Unknown School evaluation: This student possesses top-tier learning ability as well as exceptional physical capabilities. Based on his unconventional answers during the interview, he is capable of highly convincing disguises guided by efficiency and self-interest. His background offers little useful information, making him an unstable factor. Final admission assignment: Class 1-D.)
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