Look Out

"Hey, Ashiton!" a shout came from behind him. Looking frantically, he saw many students coming forward, and in the midst of the crowd, he could spot Noke, currently smiling and waving his hand. Ashiton smiled gently, not saying anything, just standing there and waiting.

Noke ran forward, getting closer. He put his hand on Ashiton's head, rustling his hair and creating a mess of his black locks. Ashiton's head, currently down due to the pressure Noke applied, let the specs he wore loosen its grip near his ear.

"Hey... Hey…" he shouted to stop Noke. He saw the smile on Noke's face, and at the same time, another hand came from the other side, where his view was currently hidden by his perspective. The other hand also messed with his hair, which he had just somehow restored. Seeing the owner of the other hand, it was his friend, Rie.

"Hey, you both, stop this." Looking at both of them, he felt frustrated, but he couldn't do anything for the time being, knowing his friends' nature.

Rie, who also wore glasses with a black-colored frame in a square shape, whereas Ashiton wore a rectangular one, looked toward Noke, indicating through his eyes. Both Noke and Ashiton caught the signal. Ashiton ran before the other party could do something.

Students were still walking down the road. Ashiton ran, reaching the intersection where the two roads met not far from the Institute gate. He saw it clearly. Looking back, he could still see his two friends walking down, but the expressions on their faces told him that they had given up on whatever they had decided to do. Currently, they were racing to see who would reach the gate first.

They both walked past him, running. Ashiton shook his head, thanking his deities for their protection, moving slowly and coming closer to the gate.

…

Currently, two silhouettes are walking down the road—one female and the other male. The female looks a little ashamed, whereas the male carries a mischievous grin.

"Brother, shouldn't you go now? We are already near," the female silhouette tries to convince her big brother, Klaus, to move on. She doesn't want to be seen like a child being dropped off by elders.

"Why? It's been a long time since I visited. After taking a tour inside, I'll move out," Klaus knows how she feels about it, but he has passed through the age she is currently in; he studied here before the entrance test concluded. It's been years, so he wants to see what has changed, feeling nostalgic. Also, he wants to tease his sister a little, so she can remember it.

"Also, let me see your friends. I will talk to them to take care of my little sister," Klaus said mischievously.

"No, Brother. You can't," before she could say anything, Klaus moved forward. Her gaze landed sideways where a person was looking at her. Before she could greet him, he averted his gaze back, as if not noticing her.

"Rony, my little brother. How have you been? I didn't see you for some time," Klaus, looking back and noticing his little sister's confused look, follows her eyes' direction and sees Rony trying to mix up with the crowding students.

Rony stood still, frightened. He didn't want to be noticed by Klaus. He knew his reputation more than any of his friends. Not many people walk out during the night. Due to his outgoing behavior, he has certain friends not in his division but a mix-up group of the institute.

He knew Klaus is one of the leaders during any event happening in Wright's land at night. Keller and his friends do whatever they want—fighting, organizing parties, events.

As Rony wants to have some fun at night, he certainly has to fall under these leaders if he doesn't want to be thrown somewhere. Even if he complains, he can't do anything, nor will anyone on Wright's land do anything against these individuals. "Ah, I wish these days pass quickly. After the entrance test, we will rule the night."

"Big Brother, ah... you know these institute masters. They burden us more and more as we come closer to our entrance," he said sheepishly, not wanting to be in the bad books of Keller. Not only does the group Klaus is in look promising, but they also certainly come in a few decades the Wrights' land can see. He can only try to coax Keller. But remembering the things he tried to do with her little sister, he felt his end is near.

At that time, Shirley also reaches her brother, who stopped to talk with Rony. She looks at Rony, not knowing why he tries to ignore her. She has seen him looking at her.

"Hi, Shirley," Rony said, looking toward Shirley, a pleading look evident in his eyes.

"Is something happening?" Shirley asked Keller, looking at the pleading look on Rony's face.

"No. Is someone bothering you - little brother?" Keller answered first Shirley, then asked Rony, looking concerned.

"Nothing. It's just that seeing big brother, I want to be like him. Please, brother, advise me on how I can improve myself." Grasping the situation from the brother-sister conversation, he understands that today Keller's coming isn't because of his previous actions.

"Brother, I didn't see you more often coming to the institute. Is today some special event?" Rony asked as both of them start walking again.

Shirley is left alone. She pondered on the boys' conversation for a little bit, feeling alone again. At that time, her friends also reach, asking for Keller. Her anger reached new heights. She couldn't believe how much her big brother's presence affected her. Moreover, she was angry because no one was particularly looking for her, as if she had become thin air, with only Keller standing like a tree on a desolate plain, attracting everyone.

…

Noke and Rie both reach the gate at the same time, panting. They both take deep breaths to calm down, resting while also waiting for Ashiton. Soon, Ashiton arrives, and the trio moves their legs to go further inside before pausing, as they can now see Rony coming and are waiting for him.

After some time, Rony reaches the group of trios, with Klaus still walking alongside. The trio looks confused, not because they can't identify the person other than their friend or understand why he is with him, but because of the other person's identity and the unexpected timing.

Both Ashiton and Rie look first at Noke, then at Rony, as if waiting for some bad omen to happen. Rony senses this, so before his friends could say anything, he runs ahead. Coming closer, he silently tells his friends not to worry, that he has handled everything, and they shouldn't mention anything about the previous incident.

Klaus comes closer to Rony's friend group, wanting to ask Rony why he left suddenly running, but before he could, he sees Rony introducing him, smiling like a small kid introducing his big brother.

'He sure knows how to butter a person. I can see now, why many girls fall for him. I have to tell Shirley to mingle with him less, but looking at their interaction, she doesn't seem interested.'

As Rony introduces his friends, Klaus extends his hand to shake hands with Noke. Wright's Land is not big, roughly handling 30,000 people. It's not hard for Klaus to find details.

He agreed to his father's proposition not only to care for his sister during the walk to the institute but also to meet in person the one his little sister likes. Due to Noke's immovability during the night, Klaus couldn't see Noke at that time, and so he didn't break his moving parts up until now.

Now he can see the person up close, noticing some faint energy emanating from his body. This isn't common, nor is it rare, as most people can surround themselves with energy before entrance. Klaus can grasp this knowledge due to his ability, which he improved during the entrance, advancing to the second stage known as 'knowers' among people.

Many entrants can gain certain abilities, but they are not instantly usable. They have to comprehend what they have gained and then improve it. Many people can't even comprehend the abilities they gained during entrance, remaining entrants for the rest of their lives.

Although Klaus can't use his abilities fully inside the protection of the lands, he still grasps tiny bits of things. Knowing fully well that he can grow to a certain extent, he didn't want to stir things up with his little sister's life. He knows she is smart, also she puts her family first before taking any big steps.

After interacting with Rony's group for some time, he leaves as soon as Shirley arrives.

'Why does she look angered? I didn't even interact with her friend,' he shrugged, then entered the institute.