Several days in advance, Principal Angers had sent NOMA the basic information on the specialists dispatched by headquarters, which was then forwarded to Tokyo.
The Japan Branch's artificial intelligence, "Kaguya-hime," began its search the instant it received the message. However, headquarters' NOMA had concealed all information concerning the three of them. All Kaguya-hime could access were mere glimpses above the surface.
Their investigation yielded no further intelligence. All they knew was what headquarters had sent them:
This mission would be led by third-year student Caesar Gattuso, assisted by second-year Chu Zihang and a freshman, Lu Mingfei. In addition, there was a logistics support officer, He Xiaomeng.
The logistics officer traveling alone could be set aside for now. As for the three students, though young, none could be underestimated. Caesar, the team leader, had the illustrious Gattuso Family behind him; Chu Zihang was the current president of the Lionheart Society, renowned for his "Super A"-grade bloodline and silent edge.
As for the final freshman, Lu Mingfei, his record was even more frightening—he had personally slain Norton, the King of Bronze and Fire, carving out the youngest and most striking chapter of the new age's dragon-slaying epic.
Patriarch Tachibana Masamune attached great importance to this. He personally appointed Minamoto Chisaki to receive them. "You are all outstanding among the young," he had said. "Young people should have more in common to talk about."
At the same time, he made it clear that they were to be treated with courtesy. The old methods of threats and intimidation were not to be used on these people.
A thin yet resilient sheet of ice had always lain between the Japan Branch and Kassel headquarters. The two sides maintained outward cooperation, yet had never truly been candid with one another. Regarding the abyssal Japan Trench, regarding