Ceremonial Inauguration (Part 1)

The students stood in a mixture of surprise and disappointment, their collective

"Wait, what?" echoing in the open space.

The instructor, with a calm demeanor, made it clear that the journey was far from over.

"In saying 'no,' I mean you've merely cleared the first hurdle, and only when you pass the second, shall you become an apprentice," she explained, cutting off any protests.

Amidst the confusion, one brave student dared to question the path ahead.

"Apprentice?" The word hung in the air, leaving the room in suspense. The instructor, maintaining an air of mystery, promised to unravel that tale on another occasion.

Disheartened murmurs filled the area, but the instructor swiftly redirected their attention.

"Not all of you passed the initial stage," she revealed, her words punctuating the area.

"Only those with two achievements can claim success," she announced, triggering a rollercoaster of emotions. Joy radiated from those who succeeded, while others grappled with the weight of unmet expectations.

Amidst the emotional turbulence, Akira's face lit up with gratitude for the triumph over past struggles. The instructor, pragmatic yet compassionate, swiftly halted the emotional cascade.

"Enough of that," she declared, guiding the students forward.

"Come here, let me assess your achievements," she concluded, prompting a silent struggle for composure among those who sensed the bitter truth of unmet requirements.

Amid the assessment, a student, his tone weighted with curiosity, dared to inquire, "What's the next hurdle, ma'am?"

To the student's surprise, the instructor responded,

"You haven't heard about the Ceremonial Inauguration?" Her statement hung in the air, prompting a shake of the student's head.

With a touch of drama, she assured,

"It may sound fancy, but the reality is quite different." The suspense in her words captivated the air.

"Rest assured, you'll experience it firsthand. Tomorrow is the day, so get a good night's rest and return to the institution. You'll be guided from there," she concluded, leaving a sense of anticipation lingering.

Completing her checks, the instructor found that only a minority, including Akira, had successfully navigated the hurdles.

As the 76 students dispersed to their respective homes, the air was filled with a mix of excitement and uncertainty, each seeking refuge and rest for the event awaiting them the next day.

...The Next Day...

RING!!!

RING!!

Akira slowly woke up, perplexed by the sound of the bell. He had set it to awaken him earlier than usual, knowing the current situation at home.

"Once again, my parents didn't come to wake me up for my big day," he stated, his gaze fixed on the adjacent wall in his room.

After a brief moment of recollection, Akira flung his blanket overhead head and gradually gained his stance as he walked towards his bathroom to freshen up.

The night sky was a dark void with few stars lighting it up. The moon, a representative of the sun during the night created a nostalgic feeling in the hearts of the inhabitants of the city.

Toyama, a large and prosperous city harbored many influential and important figures, of which Akira was related to. His family had one of the highest net worths in the area and had a marvelous talent.

But as Akira had none, all ties between him and his family were severed. He now lives in a little shed set apart from the main building, but he makes do with the little he has.

...

He rounded up his morning routine and set out to the institution he was directed to visit. It wasn't much of a landmark, and in fact, it broke down from time to time and had experienced countless renovations.

"Much like a rundown apartment," he spoke, almost as if he was mocking it for its lack of durability.

Not much time passed before he made his way to the exact area he was to meet with the others.

He was a few meters away, as he heard the instructor in the process of giving a speech, and handing out a white sheet of paper to the students.

He slowly walked up to the gathering, and was immediately, given the piece of paper.

"Oh, Akira. You almost lost your chance to get these papers," she spoke, seemingly shifting her attention to the majority in front of her.

"As I was saying, without these papers, you can't get into the Inauguration Ceremony. So keep it handy."

One could say it was fate, as Akira arrived right before, the students departed.

The ride was long and bumpy, but they eventually made it to the area where the ceremony would be held.

The students were marveled at the sight they were currently witnessing. It was an enormous structure decorated in grand style. Its surroundings were large, with enough space for additional activities.

But the main reasons the students expressed awe, were the firm and decorated pillars occasionally built into the structure. The rooms had separate lighting and were able to simulate different seasons and times.

All these were a sight to behold for the students, but that wasn't their purpose for being them. The instructor promptly called back the students, bid them farewell, and departed with the bus.

"Wait, teacher. You're leaving?" a student shouted, but the bus was already far enough that the instructor was unable to hear them.

As the students stood comprehending the just concluded occurrence, a loud, deep voice generated from various speakers situated at different parts of the building, spoke,

"All contestants, head to the main area. It is there that the ceremony will begin."

All students in the building walked towards the main arena. Various students from different schools had arrived to participate in the ceremony, but for a strange reason, no instructor accompanied them.

They all made their way to the arena and the voice reiterated,

"You students came here from separate schools to participate in this ceremony."

"All of you have separate ambitions and goals."

"But for today, you shall show us your skills, so that we may be impressed."

"If you thought this was all fun and games, you're wrong. Only those who catch one out of 20 of us seated over here, shall become apprentices and will be tutored by the person," he spoke.

The students all looked up, trying to get a view of the individuals seated beside the announcer.

In the main area, a raised platform was constructed, and 20 individuals were situated on it. The students are now tasked with impressing one of them, using every skill in their arsenal.

"Now, let the games begin!"