The next day arrives, and Nanami had somehow found a chalkboard, which she was writing out notes of what they knew so far. Which was practically nothing...
"No matter how much I think, I simply can't pinpoint what he's planning, and what it has to do with necromancy." Nanami says.
She furrows her brow and sighs. "At least, you know someone within the empire, that gives us.... something." She clicks her tongue.
Rika springs up. "Oh I get it, we're gonna like let him know that Onslaught didn't do anything, and save the day."
Dante sighs. "I don't think it'll be that easy, but Kaito you know where he is?"
Kaito sits and thinks really, really.... really hard. "He went to a school, Elysa?" He thinks.
Nanami snaps her fingers. "Elysian, that's the school in Arsaw!"
They all can see the moment it clicks in Kaito's eyes. "Yeah that's the one!"
Toni is sitting off to the side tuning his guitar, softly humming. "So we're gonna rescue Kaito's buddy from assassination, because he knows Nyla and Kaito personally and they're tying up lose ends."
Nanami nods. "Glad to see that you were listening, and yes."
As everyone is sitting around thinking about what to do next Kaito spaces out. He's worried about his friend, what if they can't make it in time, what should he do.
Kaito slams his hand into his fist. "We can warn him about the war!" Kaito blurts.
They all stare at him. "We already said that..." Dante says.
Kaito smiles brightly, "sorry I stopped listening, anyways let's go!" Kaito says marching out of the door.
But before he leaves the room completely he stops at the door. "Hey guys, do any of you really wanna be apart of this?"
They all sit around looking at him until he begins speaking again. "This is gonna be like, really dangerous, and I get if you guys are scared, but I can't let Nyla be in danger anymore, and Afterall the stuff I heard, I don't wanna let anyone die, but if you guys wanna back out I get it." He says.
They just sit around looking at Kaito, but Dante speaks up first. "I've always wanted to be a hero growing up, and I've been freezing up too much recently, but I gotta be brave so i'm ready for whatever comes next!" He proudly declares.
Nanami nods agreeing with him. "I'm personally doing it in the name of discovery, even if our chances of winning are iffy at best."
Toni laughs. "Friend you literally helped fulfill my mothers dying wish, ain't a thing in the world I wouldn't do to repay that!"
Rika looked at them all like they were crazy. "You know I am still in an entire guild, it's like against guild rules to do this," she then shrugs. "Whatever they'll be fine, i'll tag along and cause some mayhem, and this might make me famous!"
Kaito smiles at all of his friends. "Thanks guys, now let's go!"
Back in the cart Kaito tries to knock his bow again, to no avail. Though he noticed he did make progress. He could now wigggle the drawstring! Not like it'll help him in a fight but it's something.
Nanami sat aside rebuilding her weapon before she grew frustrated and deconstructed it. She tried to rebuild, but it was just missing... something, she couldn't get it to properly pull Elara. Instead of growing too frustrated, she took some breaths and tried again.
Dante nervously messed with his hands, not sure what to do, the anxiety was starting to get to him, did he really just decide to walk right into an assualt, at an empire school, while he's wanted! Wait a minute, did his mom know?
A pat on his back almost sent him into a panic, but he saw Rika with a smile on her face, "calm down icy it's ok, we got this..., probably." She says.
Dante nods. "Inspiring."
They traveled for multiple days, night had fallen by the time they reached Arsaw, its skyline burning with quiet magic, tall spires rising like frozen fire. At its heart stood the Academy, towering and still, lit from within by a thousand floating lights. It looked less like a school and more like a monument, one built to remind the world who held power.
Kaito stood at the edge of the hill overlooking the campus, wind tugging at his coat. He didn't speak for a while. The others waited.
His cool aroma dropping once he got all giddy. "This place is huge!"
Rika looked up at the massive structure, her breath catching. "Empire really gives all this to some kids."
"It's more than that," Nanami muttered. "That's not just a school. That's a research fortress. The staff there are high-tier mages. Professors, battleminds, ex-field commanders."
Toni raised an eyebrow. "And we're just gonna waltz in?"
"No," Nanami replied. "We blend in."
They turned to her.
"Students come and go by the hundreds. If we sneak in during a shift change and grab uniforms, we can move through the school during the day without raising too many questions."
Dante turned to Nanami. "Central ID system?"
"Not for non-barrier students," she confirmed. "They rely on faculty to notice anomalies. It's risky, but it can work, if we don't draw attention."
Kaito and the others looked like the two were speaking gibberish. But Kaito walked and the others followed.
Later that night, the five of them stood near a rear courtyard wall. The moon floated above them, half-veiled by clouds, casting silver light on the glass-tipped towers and spiraling bridges of the academy.
They'd already slipped past the outer gates, no patrols at this hour, just old wards and lazy enchantments. Nanami disabled the outer lock of the maintenance entrance with a flick of her fingers and a quiet, controlled surge of energy.
Inside, the school felt like a cathedral to magic. The walls pulsed faintly, humming with centuries of layered spells. Every corridor was wide and smooth, every floor perfectly polished. Runes glowed along the ceilings, guiding ambient Elara currents through invisible channels.
Nanami led them deeper into the faculty dorm wing. "Uniforms should be in the auxiliary prep rooms. Staff keep extras for emergencies."
"How do you know that?" Dante asked, brows raised.
"I make sure to do my reading beforehand."
They moved quietly, careful not to trip any silent alarms. In one of the locked closets, they found what they were looking for, rows of student robes and jackets organized by department, Theory, Combat, Alchemy, and more.
Toni held up a maroon jacket. "I call this color. Brings out my blood loss."
"Nice, very stylish," Rika said, grabbing a green Combat jacket and throwing it over her shoulders.
Dante found a blue robe, promptly putting it on.
Kaito grabbed a flashy, black jacket.
Nanami stole one of the lab coats.
Nanami and Dante stayed quiet, focusing on blending in. Once everyone had changed, Nanami checked the small display embedded into the nearest classroom door. It read: 5:47 AM.
"Shift change in twenty minutes," she said. "We move with the morning students."
By sunrise, the academy had come alive.
The front plaza swelled with students pouring out of dorm towers, some yawning, others already reciting incantations or debating elemental theory. Floating drones zipped between buildings. Professors in ornate robes hovered between balconies. Bells chimed in soft, irregular intervals, each tone guiding different departments to different wings.
"Just act normal," Nanami whispered.
"I don't know what 'normal' is here," Rika replied.
"Then act like you're better than everyone friend, and late for class," Toni said, adjusting his cuffs. "That should fit in."
They walked in with a group of second-years, all wearing similar jackets. No one questioned them.
No alarms. No alerts. Just the ever-present hum of a school built to shape the elite.
Still, Kaito's eyes never stopped scanning.
"Where do we start?" Rika asked.
"We find out what Yukki's studying," Kaito said. "He'd never keep his head down for long."
"You think he's already in class?" Dante asked.
Kaito paused, watching the hundreds of students pass by, some laughing, some casting light spells just to show off, some clearly exhausted from nights of training.
"I don't know," he said.
Above them, a set of golden arches led to the upper libraries, restricted access. Nanami's eyes lit up. "A library of the elite!" She shook with anticipation.
Behind them, one of the floating drones paused for a moment. Scanned them.
And then moved on.
"Let's not get comfortable," Nanami said. Forgetting about the library..... for now.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Kaito muttered.
They disappeared into the crowd, five ghosts in borrowed uniforms, each step taking them deeper into the heart of a mystery wrapped in enchantments and whispers.
Somewhere in this city of students, Yukki was waiting.