Splish splash
The soothing sound of flowing water greeted everyone's ears.
The train's rattling and the water's sound fused together in a peaceful scene. It's weird how an artificial sound can blend with the sound of nature in this manner.
This is the northern part of Tokyo Bay. There is an artificial island that can only be accessed by a hanging monorail through a tall entrance since the island had giant walls closing off the rest of the island from other means of entry.
A clocktower can be seen from the outside due to its immense height. The place looked like a fortress to those who aren't aware of this place's name.
A military power wouldn't build a base in such an eye-catching spot. There are also no military constructs within the closed-off island. There was only a diaspora of buildings.
The buildings here are built in a different style of architecture compared to the buildings outside the island.
Noah walked among the well-maintained compound and he enjoyed the Sakura trees-lined pathway.
From a distance, Noah can see large buildings that were built with grandiose in mind. The style of architecture leaned towards western designs rather than oriental designs. There were also church elements built into the buildings. Suffice to say, there were a lot of tall buildings here.
Who would think this whole place is an academy?
Noah felt like there were contradictions all around him. He tightened his hold on the cloth sack behind him and he sighed.
He is within Kouryou Academy.
He assumed this mysterious academy would be desolate and eerie given its isolation. He didn't expect to find such a beautiful and classy establishment.
Fortunately, he's not superficial enough to judge a book by its cover. If he used a mental shortcut then he would have pegged this place as a secretive but normal school for nobles and rich kids.
He would have been right about the mysterious parts.
The island seemed to be made for Kouryou Academy, not the other way around.
The oversized clock tower served as a landmark for Kouryou Academy.
Noah isn't the only one making a fuss about the landmark, there were other students gasping at the ridiculously fancy buildings strewn all over the place.
Yes, Noah is surrounded by students.
The students are all here to participate in the entrance exam.
Noah found out Kouryou Academy is doing a recruitment drive with middle school graduates from all over the country.
If the students pass the entrance exam then they get to enter this school while being exempted from tuition, boarding, and they get free meals too. Students are also given an allowance each month so it's a rather posh treatment.
1 in 5 students came eyeing this.
As for the rest, they were scouted by Kouryou Academy personnel when they visited various schools all over the world.
Kouryou Academy sent their employees to headhunt students.
That's not surprising.
It's way too isolated and low-key for its own good. Not many people knew about this school, with so little PR working for it, why would anyone apply in the first place?
This gave the school a suspicious point.
Why go through the trouble of making this place so fancy and then keeping a low profile?
They even have to send people out to scout potential students, this is just too much trouble for any school to undertake.
A quicker and more efficient method would have been to spread the news and make this place famous. Students would apply in droves, wouldn't they?
Perhaps the school wasn't built with just education in mind?
Noah kept musing with his own theories. He got into a school where he is sure a recruiter will visit. He entered the screening while blending in with the other students.
The recruiter told him that he is eligible for the entrance exam so that recruiter brought Noah onto the island.
After the matter, Noah found out he was the only one who passed the screening.
What are the standards used by them to judge who is eligible and who isn't?
Noah isn't sure.
He's here to find out more.
Coming here was probably inevitable.
After finding out about the Dawn Organization, Noah had the sneaking suspicion that something's up here.
This might be the clue the world's giving him.
A hint on where the World Fragment can be found.
Noah toured the campus with the other students. Then, the employees here brought them to the foyer of a building.
The recruiters yelled out loud to grab everyone's attention.
"Queue up and enter according to your turn!"
The recruiters left after that. The students did as they were instructed, they queued up.
Noah got into the center of the queue.
There aren't a lot of students taking the entrance exam here. He can see what's going on in front of the line.
The first student entered with a medical professional wearing a white coat. Noah rubbed his chin while leaning outwards
"Ouch!"
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The cloth sack behind his right shoulder accidentally hit another person behind him.
Noah turned around and he flinched.
The girl had a cute face and she had tea-brown colored hair that is neatly tied in a ponytail. She looked like she's blossoming into a beautiful woman. She held her aching head while wincing in pain.
He didn't think there would be such a cute girl standing behind him. He finally noticed it was his cloth sack that hit the girl on her head.
"Sorry, that wasn't on purpose."
Noah bowed while saying sorry.
"Are you okay?"
"It's fine."
The girl waved her hand while still holding her head. She smiled at Noah.
"It's just a bump, it's not too painful. It's partly my fault for getting too close."
"Getting close?"
Noah tilted his head.
He grabbed the cloth sack and he showed the girl the rectangular wrapped object.
"You mean you wanted a closer look at this?"
"Ah..."
The girl started blushing like a kid who got busted for her prank.
"Sorry, I was curious so I tried to get a closer look."
She put her hands behind her back and she leaned forward.
"Is that a Bokuto inside?"
Noah gasped.
It's not a wooden sword but a real arming sword, her answer was almost correct.
"Hehe."
The girl thought she got the guess right and she started grinning with her eyes proudly closed.
"I know a bit of Kendo so I used to carry around a Bokuto in a cloth sack. It's also why I tagged behind you, I hope you don't mind."
Noah wasn't sure whether he should laugh or cry.
She got behind him because of a silly reason like this?
Noah thought it was a pure chance she lined up behind him.
"Right, let me introduce myself!"
The girl recalled. She started introducing herself.
"My name's Nagakura Imari, pleased to meet you!"
"Nagakura-san?"
Noah chuckled.
"I am Noah, Noah Dreyar, nice to meet you!"