Yamato didn't wait for my answer.
He just grabbed my hand.
And I followed.
We walked for a while… I don't even remember where. The streets blurred, the noise faded, and before I knew it—
we were standing in front of a strange building.
Old.
Silent.
It didn't feel like a place people lived in.
It felt like a place that watched you.
We stepped inside.
The air was heavy.
Inside, six elderly people sat in a circle, quietly talking among themselves. The moment we entered, their voices stopped.
All eyes turned to me.
It felt like they could see through me.
"Hey," Yamato said casually, breaking the silence.
"Here he is—the one and only, Kyoren Hisakage."
One of the elders leaned forward slightly, studying me.
"So… this is the child you were talking about?"
"What do you think?" Yamato replied.
The elder's gaze didn't leave me.
"Hm… he doesn't look like much."
A small pause.
"How old is he? Twelve?"
Something in my chest tightened.
"Woah," Yamato said, his tone sharpening.
"Don't underestimate him. You're the ones who told me to bring him here."
Another elder spoke this time, calmer, colder.
"Yes… we did."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Kyoren… show us what you can do."
I froze.
"What…?" I whispered.
I didn't understand.
Show them what?
The elders exchanged glances.
Then one of them sighed.
"Wait."
A longer silence followed.
"…He doesn't even have enough district energy to form a technique."
The words meant nothing to me.
But the tone?
That, I understood.
Disappointment.
I lowered my head.
Of course.
I wasn't strong.
I never was.
Yamato stepped forward slightly.
"He just awakened. You can't expect—"
"No."
The word cut through the room.
Sharp.
Final.
Everything went silent.
My heart didn't even drop.
Because deep down…
I already knew.
Rejected.
Again.
I clenched my fists, forcing out a small breath.
"I understand," I muttered quietly.
I didn't expect anything anyway.
But Yamato didn't move.
"Give him time," he said firmly. "You're judging him too early."
The elders remained silent.
Thinking.
Watching.
Then, after what felt like forever, one of them finally spoke again.
"…Fine."
I looked up.
"You may take him," the elder said.
"Train him."
A pause.
"Bring him back in six months."
The room felt heavier.
"On January 6th," he continued, "he will show us his ability."
My breath caught.
"And if he fails…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Yamato smiled slightly.
"That's enough."
He turned to me.
"Come on."
I didn't say anything.
I just followed him.
As we stepped out of that place, one thought echoed in my mind—
Six months.
That was all I had.