"Kai... Kai! Wake up, Kai!"
Kai heard familiar voices—a girl's and a boy's—blending together. His vision cleared slowly, revealing blurry figures. He rubbed his eyes and saw Kanhatsu and Caihong shaking him awake. He lay sprawled on the floor. Groaning, Kai stood, clutching his head.
"What... what happened?"
"Why were you sleeping on the floor?" Caihong asked. "Weird way of sleeping. My first seeing it."
"On the floor?" Kai frowned, his headache throbbing. "Oh, yeah... I passed out yesterday from exhaustion. Is it morning?"
"Yeah, it's 10 o'clock," Kanhatsu said.
"How are you two? You both blacked out after Shi-sensei's attack."
"We are perfect. It's like my body's brand new~" Caihong flexed his muscles, grinning energetically.
"Do you need more rest?" Kanhatsu asked Kai.
"Nah, I'm good." The ache was fading. "Don't we have classes today?"
"No first-day classes. Mr. Axarcus announced it's for exploring the academy."
"Okay, cool." Kai stretched. "Wait while I freshen up."
Thirty minutes later, Kai, Caihong, and Kanhatsu stepped into the corridor. Students of all ages bustled about—chatting, carrying books, or wandering like them. Tenshikai Academy had no uniforms, so everyone wore what they liked. Amid the crowd, a maid approached Caihong.
"Sir Caihong, Mr. Axarcus summons you."
"Catch you later!" Caihong said cheerfully, humming as he followed her.
Now just Kai and Kanhatsu walked together. Kai felt nervousness but Kanhatsu was calm.
"Hey, Kanhatsu."
"Hmm?"
"Tell me about yourself. I mean we're in the same trio—we should know each other."
"What do you want to know?"
"Where are you from?"
"Monks raised me in a snowy Himalayan region, between China and India, far from settlements." She added about Caihong, "Caihong is from Chinese monks' monastery on the Himalayas too, under China's border. Our monasteries met yearly, so I know him."
"I'm from Hinokage town, on one of the Izu Islands."
Hoping for more, Kai asked, "What about your parents?"
"I'm an orphan. So is Caihong."
"..." Kai fell silent.
"Don't worry," Kanhatsu said, glancing at him. "You?"
"Adopted. No one knows my blood parents."
They walked in silence until they reached the dining hall. There were three dining halls in Tenshikai. The hall was like royal medieval European style, but it was only limited to the decorations and furniture, not the food.Kai and Kanhatsu claimed a corner table. They ate quietly—Kai slurping soba noodles, Kanhatsu savoring steamed dumplings.
"Kai, have you felt any Awakening?"
Kanhatsu asked.Kai looked up, surprised. "You too?"
"Years ago, when I was of ten. A celestial being visited my dream—a faceless silhouette, like the universe swirled inside it, shaded by a giant five-headed snake."
"Did it say anything?" Kai leaned in.
"It called me its devifactor and granted 'divine vision.'" Kanhatsu finished her dumplings, closed her eyes, then opened them. Her purplish-blue pupils transformed into lotus-petal shapes, like an overhead view of blooming flowers. "These let me see through anything—living beings' intentions, lies, minds, and future possibilities. The first time I saw you, it failed. That's why I called you interesting."
She blinked back to normal.
"Mine happened very recently, yesterday, in route here. A meditating sage appeared in my dream.""What did it grant you?"
"The third eye," Kai said, setting down his chopsticks. "Kanhatsu, do know anything about 'devifactor '?"