Grand Entrance Luminary Academy...
"Welcome people to Luminari Academy" a feminine voice echoed through an intercom system with a large screen display which was projected outside a huge grand hall with three doors made entirely of pure gold.
Excited murmur and anticipation filled the air as everyone turned their attention to the large screen and were amazed by the woman's appearance. She had lustrous brown hair that cascade down her slender shoulder and emerald eyes that sparkles with enthusiasm.
Her voice, soft, feminine and firm, echoed through the transmission system "don't set your hearts ablaze yet…"
She paused, a soft smile crept up the side of her lips "before you officially become a justified student of luminary academy, you have to pass just one simple test that proves your worth."
The crowd began to wonder what test it could be and among them was Mizushima Mizuoto, a frail and timid looking guy who had an unimpressed look on his face as he was forced into enrolling at the academy despite his firm objection.
He never would've been present in such a crowded place if not for his grandmother who literally signed him up to it— through coercion in the form of a groundbreaking secret that left him with no choice other than to comply.
He has always been teased and bullied for being small and too effeminate looking simply because he looked…too innocent--and short.
How ridiculous!…you may think but their words were true.
He had long blue hair that made the sky feel inferior in comparison of color, sharp icy-blue eyes that reflected a restless blue sea. Overall, he was 5 ft 2 making him relatively short with a small body.
Due to his small stature, blue hair, eyes and even…brows, he was often called a smurf…or worse…often mistaken for a child.
He is almost a legal adult for crying out loud but he was being called…a child and that pissed him off more than being called a smurf.
Suddenly, the ground quake beneath their feet as a door entry-system slowly emerged before the three gold doors to the grand hall.
"All you have to do is walk through that door" The woman said still maintaining her warm smile.
Murmurs...
The people who originally thought it would either be a scholar's test, strength test or any specific skill test, were all beginning to express their thoughts of how…easy it would be—after all, it was as simple as walking through a door…right?
Wrong...
"Please note the following rules" She added with a calm expression—her smile ever so graceful "Rule number 1: no one is allowed to pry their way through the door, violation of this rule will incur strict drubbing."
Her gentle smile slowly faded, her lips slightly tugged at the corner—amusement visible in her expression as she anticipated what was to come "Rule number 2: please assemble in a single line for every door irregardless of gender, height or age, no rushing…and wait for the alarm signal before proceeding."
The large screen switched off leaving the crowd who were now assembling to wonder what she meant by the first rule…drubbing?
After a while of panicking, chatting and questioning each other with no clear answer, a loud alarm went off and the door entry system began to glow a golden light which signified its ease of access.
"Please proceed through the door" a mechanical voice said continuously and the long line of people began to walk towards the door eagerly awaiting what was on the other side.
They'd heard rumors of how the students of the school lived lavishly and always went out to hunt monsters and most exciting of all, the students could use magic.
To some, this was an exciting adventure and to others like Mizuoto, this was nightmare strutting naked in reality.
He wasn't interested in the whole recruitment thingy not to mention becoming a monster hunter with magical abilities, but because of the revelation from his grandmother, he aligned with a blank expression.
The seemingly smooth moving line which he was assembled, abruptly came to a stop.
Apparently, a rough looking guy had broken the rule and kept trying to walk through the door (which was open) but it was as though an invisible force was keeping him out yet he kept trying to force his way in.
"Please refrain from the door…you have been warned…" the mechanical voice reiterated but despite the warnings, the guy kept up his actions.
Suddenly, the door entry-system turned red and a mobile extensive arm slowly rolled out with a hard boxing glove and literally clobbered the guy till he was covered in bumps and bruises and was kicked off by a mechanized boot.
"Please proceed through the door" the door entry-system said after retracting the gloves.
Seeing this scene, everyone grew anxious as they didn't want to be clobbered and still get rejected—now they finally understood rule number 1.
If you try to force your way in (which is impossible), you'll be clobbered and violently kicked off the door.
Best leave on your own accord…
Some entered through the door without any obstruction but others were barred by an invisible force and all who tried being stubborn were drubbed till they were half alive—because…I'd rather not say…dead as that would be an understatement of their condition as they were eventually kicked off.
Seeing people get beaten up, Mizuoto felt very anxious because he doesn't want to be hurt, he was absolutely fine with being rejected. He never wanted to be here in the first place so, rejection would be like a dream come true for him.
Not long after the person before Mizuoto cried and ran out the recruitment ground following the system's announcement "unqualified candidate…rejected. For your safety, do not try again."
It was finally his turn but seeing how many people were being denied, he walked to the door entry-system, body tensed as he wore a calm expression on his face—he was assured that being rejected meant no harm as long as he doesn't violate rule number 1.
He was inwardly excited as the percentage of rejection was statistically greater than the number of acceptance and knowing this made him feel calm because, what're the odds in a million that he would be accepted.
On the other hand, being rejected meant he couldn't get to the bottom of the truth.
So, he was faced with a dilemma...
Standing in-between the door entry-system and the main door, he shut his eyes and awaited a beep and announcement of rejection but nothing happened rather, the system just glitched and accepted him.
He opened his eyes in terror as though he'd been stabbed in the heart with a sign that says "ACCEPTED AND DOOMED."
His eyes widened as he stood at the entrance obstructing others who were beginning to yell in frustration as they felt he was depriving them a lucky chance.
He couldn't believe he was in…it turned out he was that "odd out of a million" and this made him feel like all his hopes of leaving had been crushed in his stead.
"There must be a mistake" he thought and frantically tried to exit through the system but he discovered he couldn't, he was already in and that was final.
The system turned red and warned him to vacate the entrance or else he'd be kicked inside.
Hearing this warning and not wanting what was promised, he hurriedly walked inside with a twisted sense of terror as though his nightmare had materialized into the world and was seeking to haunt him.
He had heard rumors from women at the market gossiping at how their children said they fought beasts three times their size almost every time and every now and then, he would follow his grandmother to mourn the loss of a woman's child who was a hunter at the academy.
He couldn't figure out why parents kept sending their children to the academy despite knowing of the dangers it witheld and when the inevitable occurs, they would mourn as though they were a child who lost their favorite binky when in fact, it was they themselves who pushes their children to their death by letting them sign up for the academy.
The weirdest part of it was that they would still send their children who were of approved age to the academy and start the cycle over again!.
Entering into the grand hall, Mizuoto gasped in awe by how exquisitely decorated the inside of the grand hall was.
There were colorful display of glowing orb-like chandelier hanging on the high ceiling coupled with several crystals which refracted light to the orbs giving a magnificent display of radiance and beauty.
He had never gazed upon something so ordinary yet equally magnificent at the same time.
Hoooonnnkkkkk!!!...
His fascination was cut short by a loud horn which signified the end of the door entry test.
Suddenly, the ground quake again and the mechanical door slowly withdrew into the ground and the seemingly ordinary main doors of gold instantly turned to stone walls in a speed that was visible to the naked eye.