When the Wind Eater tribesmen entered the canyon town, they were hardly noticed by the citizens. According to the soldier who guided them through the city, the canyon had originally begun as a settlement of a few families, similar to the Wind Eater Tribe. However Over time, the population had prospered to the point where wandering daemon sought refuge there. Thanks to their presence, the canyon city had developed a proper path for courting Demigod, opening the way for the town to become stable and powerful enough to survive the harsh landscape.
The soldier brought the tribesmen to a large shop where provisions and necessities were provided to them. Afterward, he turned to the children in the group and spoke briefly with the tribal leader, in words not meant to be heard by the others. The discussion was short, and afterward, by the tribal leader's order, all the children of suitable age were gathered in one place.
It was for this moment that Shengan had expactation. After a brief instruction, the tribal leader allowed the man they had followed into the town to guide the children away.
Once separated from their parents, the children became much more talkative and unruly. The man had to say a few words to keep them in line. The path they took led deeper and deeper into the canyon. As they advanced, fewer and fewer people and structures could be seen, until at one point, all signs of human life had disappeared from the surroundings.
"Now you can see… the academy," muttered the Heavenly Demon in Shengan's mind.
At those words, the children gazed in awe at the sight of a massive structures and one of them is built into the canyon itself. Around it, a few people stood guard. Instantly, upon seeing Shengan and the others, their weapons were pointed toward them. The sharpness of the blades gave an oppressive feeling to the hearts of the other children, but to Shengan, the sensation was akin to facing a weak wolf.
The man in front stepped forward and explained that the children were welcome to enter the building through the gate.
"Shengan, I'm scared," muttered Malvin, who had stood beside him all this time. Shengan was not unaware of his presence; throughout the walk, he occasionally heard soft gasps escape from Malvin's frightened chest.
Despite the Heavenly Demon's constant urging to say something to ease his friend's mind, Allen continued to ignore the voice.
"I will comfort your dear old friend, if you are willing to answer one of my questions," he suggested to the Heavenly Demon. The figure agreed.
"Am I the only one with this so-called purity within the group?" It was a question Allen had pondered more than once but had never received a proper answer from the memories he had been digging through in the Heavenly Demon's past.
"No," came the reply. "Although you are the purest, there are a few others in this group who also have the potential to become daemon."
Shengan's eyes narrowed as he listened intently to the Heavenly Demon's voice.
"Didn't the daemon at the entrance to the town detect my purity?" he questioned.
"no," replied the Heavenly Demon. "it's true that your own body's purity is enough to alert those who can sense it, but others purity are also took partaking in alarting the daemon at the entrance to the town."
"So, who are the others with the potential to become Daemon?" Shengan inquired further.
"I don't remember them all, because it has been a long time. But Malvin, right here, also has the purity to become a daemon. And I remember—it was only second to mine in purity."
The words surprised Shengan and altered his view of Malvin, shifting from seeing him as a mere weakling to someone who could potentially become a daemon. Yet, it did not change much in his heart; so what if Malvin could become a daemon? It didn't mean Malvin would be able to assist him in growing stronger.
"Now that I have answered your question, it is time for you to do your part of the promise," urged the Heavenly Demon.
Shengan silently agreed and spoke a few words, which calmed Malvin, who had been frightened up to that moment. He was experienced enough that it was not hard for Allen to soothe a child's fears.
He also made sure to keep his promise to the Heavenly Demon, knowing it would be important when trading promises in the future.
The group of children was led inside the building through a gate shaped in an unusual manner, resembling the hoof of some creature in the wild. Inside, there was a massive stage, and connected to it was a staircase leading to the upper floor of the structure. On the stage stood a man with a bald head. Upon seeing the group of children enter, a wide smile appeared on his face.
"Welcome, welcome," he said, his tone warm and affectionate, akin to an extremely close relative greeting nephews. He approached the children with a strangely friendly demeanor. The children, unused to such attention, were touched—being on a stage and in an unfamiliar, pressuring place, they had not expected to see someone treat them with such care, almost like a parent.
"I suppose you are the new students entering our city," the man said, turning to the guards who had guided the children into the hall. They nodded their heads in acknowledgment.
"Very well, then. Without wasting any time, let us proceed." The man extended his hand toward all the children. A faint, shining light emanated from it, and tiny luminous particles—like glowing dust or miniature bugs—fled outward, surrounding the group.
Those of weaker hearts were frightened immediately, and a broad smile appeared on Malvin, who had begun to tremble upon seeing something so extraordinary for the first time. Shengan watched with curiosity, intrigued by the purpose of this strange display.
After enveloping the group, the tiny glowing bugs lingered in the air, floating like moths in the sky.
The man from whom the bugs had originated narrowed his eyes as he observed them. Within a minute, a few of the bugs flew back to him, seeming to whisper something into his ears.
"What the gate guardian said is indeed true," he muttered. "There appear to be a few people among this group who possess purity within their bodies."
"Few people?" The guards who had guided Shengan and the others to the academy were surprised to realize that there was more than one individual in the group with the potential to become a daemon. Possessing the purity necessary to court Demigod is akin to finding water in a desert—its existence is possible but exceedingly rare. If it was there own canyon Town descendents that it coud be acceptable since there linage begin from daemons. But outsider mortal processing purity is such a rare thing Yet now, because there were several such individuals, both the guards and the man who had examined the group wore smiles upon their faces.
If the town could nurture these individuals, its forces would become far stronger than before.