Ryuji walked off, his expression shifting from irritation to quiet wonder. "The academy really is different," he thought, his gaze trailing along the corridors. The walls, unlike the wooden ones back home, had a subtle metallic texture beneath the white paint. It felt sleek, almost futuristic—a far cry from the simplicity of his upbringing. "Halo Beneath. Twenty-three floors of classrooms... What a school!" The thought momentarily erased his earlier tension with Mr. Stitched, his frustration melting into a mix of awe and curiosity.
"The assembly…" Ryuji muttered aloud, breaking his thoughts. As if on cue, a faint voice echoed his words nearby:
"Assembly…"
Turning a corner, Ryuji collided with someone coming from the opposite direction. The impact sent the girl stumbling to the ground, though he remained unmoved, standing tall like an unyielding beast.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, his tone low as he bent down and extended a hand to help her up.
