---

For most of the school, the Tuesday morning was perhaps spent sleeping in, or already having left until the school term would start again in a month. The school grounds and areas surrounding were rather peaceful, with only the odd teacher seen tending to duties out of school times, or groundskeepers going about their jobs. The shops just down the road were no longer cluttered after three or four in the afternoon, with the students who are staying on Seidoujima going there whenever they pleased instead.

However, the University campus would be the only place to be active this time of year during the summer holidays. Inside the university building a whole bunch of students were standing in front of what appeared to be a silver archway. A silver gate, as it were, as some students had figured out and made the joke ten times over within the minute. Yes this was indeed the namesake of the academy. Before reaching this room however they had to go through the entrance hall of the university building, pass through what looked like a customs check, and now here they were.

A lot of students were asked to register their gear here, though this consisted mainly of weapons, as it appeared they would be allowed to carry them while in Arcture, only as long as they had the adventurer's guild badge.

After all that was said and done they were then allowed through.

---

The students would first be greeted by... A teacher, and then the large entrance hall from which they stood. It was empty, but one can assume that this was simply the room where the portal was housed. The gray and white architecture with blue accents was not all too different to the room they were just in, though it was a strange feeling to know that they were now in a completely different world. The sensation they had felt going through was only brief, but they had to enter it completely before they would emerge on the other side. There was no "peeking" through the portal it seems.

"W-welcome! To Arcture! I-I'm Mayble Relwind, a teacher, h-here at Silver Gate", she seemed to look ready to burst into tears. Students who had originally come from Arcture would recognize that she's not usually the one at the portal to greet and see students through... Rather, she is normally never made to do that, for obvious reasons so it seems. Perhaps they were shortstaffed.

"Uhm, I used to be from Alladore Mages Academy, or... Or rather, I still am, I am... Just a guest teacher here and I... Uhm", she seemed hopeless.

"A-anyway! I'm here to tell you about what you can or... Can't do here", she began to scramble around, before it appeared she remembered she was a mage, to which she did a small motion in the air, causing a sheet of paper to manifest from blue flames, spreading as the sheet came into full form.

"S-so", she would say, adjusting her large circular specs trying to obtain some confidence. "It appears students while here will be treated as citizens, and in similar standing to... Students of Alladore and Garadin, which are two other academies in the city, so that means you are allowed to p-purchase items, and weapons, and... And armor, as long as you can personally pay for them", she continued. This seemed rather standard.

"A-any infractions incurred on your stay will be handled by Silver Gate Academy, however, major infractions m-might have the Kingdom of Arcture seize control of the punishment to be r-rendered upon you... Uhm, please don't worry t-too much about that, it would have to be th-theft or murder", she noted, looking up from the sheet as she tried to assure the students.

"O-oh, and th-there's a note here too from the principle... E-every student has been given a small sum of Arcture mint coins to s-spend on weapons or armor as they so please. My how generous... Ah, y-you will find this sum in a bag, given to you by customs in the next room, i-if you show them your badge. The b-bag will also include a map of the capital city, as well as a communications crystal, which will contact the Academy building", she stopped talking for awhile, expecting some more the students would look at her, to which she would notice and look up panicking or flinching.

"T-that's all! Uhm... I-if you... Have any questions, f-feel free to ask me ok? I-I'll be stationed here at this b-building... For awhile"

Well, with the briefing done... Students can now form groups and head out into the city, or just go it alone. As the students began to walk or stay to ask her questions, she quickly blurted.

"O-oh! And please first thing you do is... Head to the Adventurer's Guild t-to register yourselves! Ok!?"

By the time someone cracked a joke about Silver Gate's silver gate for the third time, Otis had to consciously restrain himself from shooting them. If there was one thing he hated more than losing, if there was one thing he hated more than the unknown, it was repetition. Especially vocalized repetition for the purpose of some immature sense of humor. But, alas, murder was not a solution while within polite society, doubly so when going through customs. Outside of a host of electronics and the terabyte-sized USB he used to keep all his personal research notes though, the Strigidae had nothing to bring with him back home. This was neither a triumphant return nor a family occasion, after all. This was still him coming back 'home' solely for business.

And in this case, what he was here was for materials. Earth, as scientifically advanced as it was, had materials that were generally much less varied in arcane purpose than Arcanis, and while Otis could make do with bullets, the battle in Kyoto reminded him that he needed more than just bullets. He needed more guns. More options. More power. An answer to harnessing the power of the bell that jingled in the patterned pouch that hung from his hips.

Of course, being an Arcanis native, most of what Mayble said fell on deaf ears and Otis spent the entire speech staring a hole into her mouth, waiting for it to finally close for good. The instant she concluded, he strode off, bold and cold as always. He had spent six years of his life in Arcture, studying first to catch up to others his age, then studying to surpass them in knowledge scientific and domestic. He knew these streets like the stitching of his pockets, and he had no need for weapons or armor either. Ignoring the customs officer who looked absolutely flabbergasted why someone would turn down what was essentially free money, the Strigidae stepped out into the daylight, into the fresh air, of the world that was his home.

He allowed himself one second to get the sentiment out of his system, before making a beeline towards the Adventurer's Guild, through the grand doors, to the line up, and finally, for the guild receptionist.

The clack of his badge against polished wood sounded clearly over the hubbub of conversation.

"Otis Tan Arillo, of Clan Strigidae." Clear words, tinged with youthful audacity. "I'm here to hunt."

It was truly embarrassing that of all the students assembled for their grand departure- Or blaise return, in some cases- to the world beyond the Silver Gate, one arrived with a head swaddled in bandages. Lorelai picked at the now frayed edges, longing to tear them off, but the terrifying presence of the school nurse had her refrain till she was safely across the border.

She was rather ashamed that the cause of her injury was not in training with her spear or enjoying rigorous exerise under the son in her cold war against Arcanis' groundskeepers. No, her skull had met the floor from a case of euphoria induced overstimulation, or in layman's terms, her class had been so exciting she had careless tripped and introduced her cranium to the floorboards at speeds more akin to a named attack then a fluke of poor coordination.

Her Tengu friend had actually made the transfer to their school, and at her side was Seirin. The pair radiant and beaming their joy, a portent to the fun they'd all surely have to come after class hours were through and they were left to bask in all their harbor town had to offer. That there was a third person was entirely blocked from recollection, ill regard to the failed bodyguard unable to taint her fantasies with her presence.

Then to her shock, Otis approached another classmate and asked her out on a date! How could Lorelai not be rendered stricken as her world inverted, the avian turned her preconceptions on their head as he smmooth takled a woman of the cloth till she was rendered an introverted mess of blushing and muttering?

What did her in was Aurellious coming over to hang out. Rather simple, and she agreed immediately. So quickly she just had to jump to her feet to do it, only for the desk to slide forward from under her create a rather spectacular racket.

In short, she won a Darwin Award and missed out on her chance to enjoy any of those wonderful things, only having just escaped the clutches of the horror inducing physician to make it to the field trip, her badge having been stuffed into her blouse by a good samaritan while sprawled across the floor.

But that was all in the distant past, forgotten entirely as she clutched her badge in one hand while adjusting the strap of her spear carrying bag with the other. When the super cool mage finished explaining things she took Aurelios' hand and pulled him towards Otis. "Greetings my fine feathered friend, could you lead us to the adventurer's guild? We had hoped to spar, but with us already here, I think a good hunt and some work in the field will do just as well! Think of all the monsters we can face, and the amazing, glorious adventurers we'll come across along the way!"

---

Arcture was a large and sprawling city, it's ornate stone architecture mirroring that of old European cities, however there was a difference in how ornate they were, as well as the colour of materials seemed to be somewhat different to stone found in Earth. The crystal-rich earth of Arcanis had played a part on this, where almost every structure conducted magic to some extent, and it was this property that was the basis for communications in Arcture. There were other examples of magical technology as one would walk down the main road, magical interfaces, signs displaying ads, news, and... Hm, in a strange yet puzzling way, it appeared the path of technology here despite being magical was not so different in this world, yet out of the corner of one's eye they might see a familiar advertisement for shows that were from Earth, specifically Japan. Surface level research would yield that these shows were introduced recently as two months ago it seems, and they were popular.

It would not take long to reach the adventurer's guild down the main road, a large grand building with a huge and populated sitting area, and a magical barrier above it as the skylight. All around people could see various peoples and characters, although it seemed more energetic today than usual, even if it was one's first time here they could tell there was more excitement today.

Otis approached the front desk to the female receptionist, her long ponytail set behind a cute green hat as she wore a green and blue ensemble, which really screamed clerk. Her expression so pleasant and inviting like it was a mastered art as she greeted Otis and the other students behind him.

"Why yes of course, how very eager of you", she took out a small monocle and fitted it around her right eye. A brief series of dull glines would go along the glasses as she aimed it's gaze at the badge seated upon Otis' person.

"And registered, it seems you will be starting at Green as per regulation. For hunting, please see to the noticeboard over to your right. There are also noticeboards for odd jobs and citizen requests over to the left", and with that simple process, it seems Otis was... Ready to go. It seems some very convenient technology was already developed for this realm, similar to scanning barcodes in Earth yet...

"Hm, I see my investment has already begun to see use. Ms Harpe, how is the scan monocle?", the deep voice would ring out from behind the students as an only vaguely familiar man would walk to the front. A long black coat over his shoulders, silver hair, and perhaps for the first time for some students, seeing his wolf-like ears.

"Ah, Mr. Ashcroft, yes they have been of great help. It really is much easier than writing in every new applicant, it has a wide variety of other functions too, for example... I can verify the identity of the young man here, and it can even be used to track missing badges", she briefly explained.

"Hm, I see the team at the island has done more than the original plans, but more value for my money I suppose. Well, today I'm here to submit a few documents in regards to the upcoming tournament",

"Oh, I suppose this would be a good time to explain why people are more excited this year than normal", the young lady mentioned and turned to the group while Kreydon began to put down some documents. A quick glance one could read it might relate to permissions and jurisdictions.

"Ordinarily the Tournament of the Long Hall has only one division, where veteran fighters participate to become the best, however in interest of the rising number of skilled and talented students in Garadin, Alladore, the recently recognized Silver Gate, there is now a Students Division that features fighters from the aforementioned schools. Students from other schools in the nation may also appear as long as they can get the proper permissions also, but generally as you are all I presume from Silver Gate, you are all eligible to enter the tournament", that was interesting, but other than testing one's mettle, what were the rewards?

"If you want more information, might I suggest you peruse the information board towards the back of the hall, over there", she motioned. "It will have information regarding rules, rewards, and how brackets will work".

"This should be all the documents Ms Harpe. I will be on my way now. As for you students, if you are considering entering, good luck", and with that the professor of business for Silver Gate had left.

---

---

Safia Reges and her quest for literature would lead her to the markets district, also known as the Path of Coin. How fitting one may suppose. A lot of the roads were also called "Path of" and so on, for example, the large main road that ran through the centre of the city was called the "Path of Rule". There were many bookstores here, and it may be prudent of her to ask the bookstore clerks on what she was looking for, but against all odds she saw something she did not expect to see here, and it was what one from earth would call, 'manga'. It wasn't a series she was into at all, but it was puzzling to see it here nonetheless.

Still, she had a great deal of choices, there were a few stores dedicated to popular fiction and classical fiction in Arcanis, while others had more technical books, including magical studies and theory. Although most seemed to carry religious texts, which might not be a huge surprise, after all, almost every shop and library on Earth carried the bible in some form. As Safia wandered the Path of Coin's various book stores, it only came down to what kind of book she was looking for.

---

Kaito stood atop one of Arcture's taller buildings, taking a moment to study his surroundings carefully. He had arrived later than most of his peers, having spent an extensive amount of time registering his weapons. Particularly, the young shinobi had ensured that every individual shuriken under his possession was registered. How could he be a true hero of justice if he didn't ensure he would remain accountable for everything he would do in this strange and new world? After all, he is a representative of both Silver Gate as well as the Fuuma clan. To be responsible for his own actions was a matter of course.

When Kaito had entered Arcture for the first time, he of course wasted no time in making his way through the sprawling cityscape the only way a true Fuuma shinobi would, leaping from rooftop to rooftop until he was at a high enough vantage point to really take in his surroundings. Orienting himself to the city was important for a variety of reasons, from studying landmarks to knowing the proper routes for faster travel throughout the city. Of course, traversing the city's rooftops also allowed Kaito to ponder on his own, giving ample space for him to be alone with his thoughts.

It wasn't too long since Kaito had been registered to the school. It wasn't quite his choice on the matter, sadly. His parents had chosen this school for him for reasons still unknown to him, despite Kaito's protests. After all, he entered exile of his own volition. Shouldn't he have the right to choose where he would go on his self-imposed sabbatical? It's not like he's a child, either... or at least, he wouldn't be in a year from now. Minor custody laws are truly unjust! As far as his classes have gone so far, Kaito had only focused on improving upon his own physical skills, practicing both with the blade and his fists. The magic classes, however, grated on Kaito. It was nothing like learning ninjutsu, being based more on study and theory. In the end, Kaito held little interest in the mystic arts.

It was issues like these that had Kaito feel like an outcast among his peers, doubly so in this magical land. Aside from ninjutsu, Kaito had no true exposure to magic before, specifically in its most studied form. Arcture was full of individuals saturated with yin, whilst Kaito was undeniably seeping in yang energy. He was well aware that he needed a proper balance of both energies in order to fully utilize ninjutsu. Perhaps it is through his adventures into these lands that Kaito would improve upon his study of the magical arts in order to improve upon his own techniques. If he could improve on his yin, he would be another step closer to being like the great Kotarou.

Speaking of adventures...

Kaito extended the kite from the back of his armor before leaping off the building he was on, allowing the winds to fully extend the rest of the kite. As he would take to the skies, he performed a series of quick hand-signs before controlling his breath, allowing the weight of his armor to decrease just enough for him to soar through the skies. He would glide overhead the main road towards the Adventurer's Guild, making his descent just a few yards away, keeping note of the barrier surrounding the guild house. As he landed, Kaito strapped his kite back into his back before making his way to the guild's entrance. Before he entered the building, he made sure to dust himself off so he would look presentable enough, from combing his hair with his fingers to making sure the lights on his chestpiece were working properly. Once all that was done, Kaito made his entrance, striking a pose.

"The Ironclad Demon of Justice makes his entrance! Fuuma Kaito, here to register!" Kaito pronounced, producing his green badge and holding it outward.

Moments before Otis left, he turned his head around one hundred and eighty degrees to address Lorelai and Tsurara sequentially. “Ok. Lilies don’t come in packs.”

And before much else could be said, he had shot off again, perfectly at home with the sprawling roads and densely-packed storefronts of Arcture. It had been a couple years since he’s seen the city, but not much has changed. Magical advertisements still flooded the senses, while contraptions that followed no scientific laws propelled the residents of the city through cobble-stone streets. Overhead, Otis caught the familiar silhouette of someone annoying, but brushed off any of his thoughts regarding the ninja as he entered the guild properly.

The process, thankfully, was painless.

His curiosity however, could not be ignored.

“The team at the island?” Otis’s eyes shone with a feverish light. “I’ve produced an artifact similar to this before, though more for divining locations than for enabling indirect identification verification. Which island? Which team?”

It was clear that the Strigidae had no intention of moving once he received his answer, but once he did, he had no intention of lingering either. The Tournament of the Long Hall had been another event he was curious in, an opportunity to perform field tests on a variety of different opponents in a safe environment, while also showcasing his creations to a wider audience. Approaching and reading through the entirety of the information board in three seconds flat, Otis considered his odds, considered his competition, and pulled out his gun. There were adjustments to be made. There were actions to be taken. And most importantly?

“Registration finished, Lorelai?”

He needed to rank up if he wanted access to the good stuff.

“Let’s hunt.”

Lorelai glowed under the attention of her peers, even if one of them was inserting herself rather closely into her personal space, a palpable cold coming off of Tsurara that had Lorelai's arms erupt into gooseflesh. But the drive that had almost the entire lot of them scurry off to the adventurer's guild put off any decision either for or against the sweets-on-sticks. It seemed Otis had something of a talent for herding them all like goats up a mountain, no obstacle more then a momentary distraction before they moved onwards, till at last they arrived.

Arrived, enrolled, and presented with tasks aplenty in short order. Seemingly all thanks to the contribution of a professor of their's that streamlined the process with his arcane inventions. The advance of mechinization replacing hard labor was normally something Lorelai took offense to, a means of robbing her of hard labor that refreshed the spirit and invigorated her body, but in the realms of paperwork she couldn't be happier to see progress made in sparing wrists the world(s) over be spared just a little less signage.

"Oh my, it's that boy who never takes off his armor!" Lorelai chirped, pointing to the open door at someone so well known for their ninja attire, some would consider him a chuuni inspite of being an actual ninja. The grand entrance did not help his reputation in that regard, but Lorelai was willing to look past it so long as he continued to find the time to strip down and wash the grime from his fishnets when no one was around.

"Yup, I'm all set to slay vicious monsters and gather materials for Muramasa-kun. We'll gather so much I'll have to rent a shipping container and send it by boat!" The blonde pumped her fist with on arm while the other pulled the bicep of the princely Aurelius closer to Otis. "Two knights, our master strategist, and....the ninja! That will be a fine party to test our mettle against the creatures of Arcanis!"

They were after all, the most eager to hunt, and enthusiasm was all one needed to come together as a party!

It's been a whole week since all the crazy that happened on that kyoto trip. All drama regarding Seirin and the youkai who tried to sacrifice her in an attempt to revive a monster with god-like power, the trip wasn't all that bad. Ultana and Asta managed to find lots to eat, and she got some big fights that she wanted. Thanks to her adventures in Kyoto, she was able to grow a little bit stronger.

While all those different styles were huge, the most mysterious part of it was that experience with Abe no Seimei. Apparently that was only a simple fragment of power and that there was more to this 'Forbidden Compendium' out there ready for her to find. While it's not her highest priority, it's definitely something she needs to find.

When her little day dream came to an end, her teacher was prattling on about Alchemy. She wasn't interested in the slightest so she tuned it out until he started talking about the Adventurer's guild. THAT, however, was something she was verrrrrrrry interested in. She was quite excited to receive her badge from the teacher, probably a little TOO excited as she almost ripped it out of his hand. There'll be plenty of fights to be had!

---

After going through a bunch of security that felt like forever, they came upon the school's namesake, the silver gate. After registering their gear and being allowed through, Ultana found herself back in Arcanis. To be honest, she was back here much sooner than she originally thought, but back all the same. Though, she never really had the time or opportunity to come to the capital having been stuck in the Vulcanis Region, Igneus Caute all her life. Once the teacher finished what she had to say, she made her way towards the Adventurer's Guild as instructed.

Like the others, she showed the receptionist her badge. "Ultana Whelen of Igneus Caute." As long as she can fight a good fight and it helped get her stronger, she was more than happy to take any quest. Since she doubts she can come across what she seeks at this level. Though, before any specifics about quests can be asked, they mentioned about a tournament. This is what she wanted! What better way to not only get stronger but also potentially gain the information she seeks? Who knows maybe the ones responsible for what happened to her family, in her city, will be in the tourny? Maybe they're sponsoring it? Time will see!

Having decided to enter the tournament, apparently others have been teaming up to go ranking up. Not wanting to be left in the dust, she either needed to find party member(s) or if there was something she can take herself.

---

For those who were currently here to sign up for the tournament, the process was rather simple. They would be given a form to fill out. The information they would need to submit would include name, their school if they were in the students division, where they came from, the kinds of skills and weapons they use, or magic. There was a footnote by that last one that it was for the sake of the announcers and that this information would not be shared with participants. After that, there were background checks to be done by inspectors, which really was one of the City Guard officers.

After which, they would be told that the ceremony to mark the beginning of the tournament and festival was going to be held at the Palace in the hall that this tournament was named after. Not everyone is required to be present for this, as there would be a separate ceremony later to show off all of the contestants as well as announcing the bracket placements down at the arena, a structure that could be seen from the guild.

For the time being though, it seemed Otis had gathered a bit of a crew perhaps even unintentionally and looking to a hunt. For his eccentricities he was looking into the corners of the board, and there was one that took interest.

Rampant Wraiths

"Once upon a time there was a young lady who lived in a mansion on the edge of the city. Every day she would come out and pick flowers, seemingly alone. When a traveller would come by, they would be compelled to help her, lured by her sweet and innocent appearance, and the scent of flowers, and after that she would invite them in for tea. The traveller would be grateful for her hospitality, but find themselves lacking in energy, and asking to stay the night. It is unknown what happens there, but the traveller would emerge the next day, pale, and on inspection it appears they had become the living dead... Or so the urban myth goes.

The house that this little urban legend takes place has an actual Lesser Wraith in there right now, and I'd like you to go and excise it if one of you adventurer's would be a kind dear. It's very hard to keep the mystery of this story alive if an actual ghost is there, misconstrued for the story's real monster. The fear of things not being as they seem."

Yours truly
Ms Maggey

"Ah, taken an interest in that have ye lad?", if Otis was indeed poring over this request, he would hear a voice from behind him. Standing behind him was a lean man with wide shoulders, wearing some light gear, which included a short cloak, leather form-fitting armor with a sash and coat tails.

"I see yer a green badge, oh and a Strigidae ta boot, yer don't really see those ev'ryday", the man's hair was well-kept, one could say he was handsome, though he wore a wide-brimmed hat with a feather in it, which Otis might recognize belonged to those who were hunters normally. Strapped on his back was a rifle, and based on the design it was a spell slinging rifle, so it was designed to load up spells in separate cartridges rather than individual bullets.

"I've had some interest in that too, but I don't have the means to handle a wraith. Exorcism stuff's normally handed over to Indrae folk but this one's still sittin' round, means they thought it was a joke or somethin', tell me kid, ya happen to have a way to deal with the undead? May's be a longshot but that's what I'm all about anyway", he inquired.

Wraiths?

Otis cared not for the story, only that this ‘Ms Maggey’ was invested in it for some reason. But the motivations of old ladies did not pull at his obsessive desire for knowledge, and runners who asked too many questions about their clients didn’t get jobs for too much longer. After all, what should one focus on? The person offering the coin, or the monster that needed to be slain? It was good too, that he had already made preparations towards anti-spirit warfare. His studies in Kyoto would serve him well on this ghost-hunting mission.

Unless, of course, it turned out that yokai were, for some reason, totally separate from ghosts.

Without hesitation, the Strigidae tore the quest off the board, folding it into his pouch. Before he could proceed, however, another individual called out to him. A hunter. A spellslinger. Copycat gunmen who didn’t have any real reason for creating the facsimile of a real firearm. A tinge of disdain and pride shook through Otis; he suppressed it. There was always learning to be done by other hunters. And there was always an opportunity too, to compare notes between fellow disciples of the blasting rod.

“Yes. Wanna learn?”

Whether yes or no, there were consequences involved in answering such a loaded question by the boy genius.

---

Kaito filled the registration form out diligently, ensuring that every detail was written legibly. He wrote rather quickly, his hand dashing through the form as if he were in a race. When it got to describing his fighting style, however, he would pause. Listing his abilities for all to see seemed a bit counterintuitive. Even with the disclaimer that his techniques will not be revealed to his opponent, Kaito knew that to reveal his techniques before he performed them would be against his own personal code. What if his opponents- or much worse, evildoers- got their hands on this information? Not only will the Ironclad Demon's techniques be laid bare, but the entire Fuuma clan's abilities will be known. Kaito cannot allow this!

So instead of filling this portion of the form correctly, Kaito instead wrote about how the Fuuma clan's ninjutsu is unbeatable, filling every line he could with praises towards the strength of the Fuuma. Surely, this will suffice. If they wish to know more of the Fuuma-clan's techniques or Kaito's own abilities, they would have to find out for themselves in the tournament. For now, this introduction alone would suffice.

As far as the hunt was concerned, Kaito would scoff at the idea. There was no material object that Kaito really cared for... except, perhaps maybe a new suit. But that could wait! A hunt would merely keep him distracted. He should train and improve upon himself for the tournament, ensuring that all his techniques were refined to perfection. Because of this, he declined any notion of formally joining a hunt...

... Of course, this didn't mean Kaito didn't plan to join his fellow students on their hunt. He would plan to follow them to this haunt, improving on his ability to move silently. There weren't many opportunities where he could improve on such a skill, and on an impressive quarry to boot. That Strigidae boy had a keen eye, one keen enough to give Kaito a proper challenge in the shinobi arts. If he could remain undetected against him, then surely he should be able to surprise whoever would happen to be his opponent in this tournament.

"Hmph. I'll pass." Kaito scoffed, crossing his arms. "I've got more important things to do than box with a ghost. I should get to know this city better... perhaps there are injustices deeply rooted in its streets. Ones that require my fists to mend. Fuuma Kaito, out!"

With that, Kaito dashed backwards towards the main entrance of the guild as if propelled by the wind itself, keeping his arms crossed and facing the group as he did. Once he was out of the doors, he would continue outward until he was just out of that strange magical sphere that surrounded the guild. He would then begin to scale the rooftops once more, performing the proper hand-signs and breathing techniques to mask his presence as he did. All he needed to do now was wait until the group departed, and he would begin his training in espionage...

---

"Of course not, what am I-", the hunter-like man doubled back realizing what he had heard was not what he expected to hear. He almost flinched as he looked back in surprise.

"Say what? Ya gotta be jokin', not only do ya claim to know some, but yer also willin' to teach it?", he put his hand upon his hat and tilted it in thought as he stood up straight.

"Well, unless yer pullin' me leg, no reason ta say no. Name's Volardo, not about to pass on a chance ta expand my skills. Fine, if ya ain't playin', grab that paper and take it to the desk", the request was simple enough. Far as this young man was concerned, it'd be on the Strigidae if he was just playing. There was not a single bit of religious implement on the young boy, and generally anyone who trained with the Indrae would have at least something. Still, considering the clothes of the others who he was with, perhaps they were the "otherworlders" he'd been hearing so much about lately... And that this Strigidae had visited that world too.

---

The Royal Palace of Arcture, also known as Gwenovyra Ardens, stands atop the hill in Arcture. The perfect place for royalty to look over their population. It's massive walls hold not only the palace and the palace grounds, but also various small estates owned by affluent members of the Order of Knights, who normally use these estates when they are on business within Arcture. The gardens of the grounds as one might find is flourishing, constantly guarded and maintained by mages who wield their magicks to keep some of the queen's favourite flora in bloom throughout all the seasons.

Today the crowds of Arcture shuffle onto the palace grounds, and then into the Long Hall, for which the famous tournament was known for. Those walking up to the palace through the city would note that it appeared as if festivities were about to enter full swing. A certain atmosphere of anticipation bubbling underneath all of the seemingly busy citizenry. As one may find a spot in the Long Hall they would look upon a gathering of knights and royalty stood atop a stage set in the centre. It was close enough that the large double doors behind it would not be blocked.

Among the people on stage were also what one might assume be staff, there were some others who were familiar too based on their uniforms, such as a large bearded man dressed in the Adventurer's Guild uniform, albeit a bit more regal than usual, and another who seemed to be present was... Kreydon Ashcroft. He was accompanied by a young lady with short hair. One could assume she was his wife, but their interactions seemed to suggest otherwise.

The large man of the Adventurer's Guild took his fist to his mouth and coughed, before standing up onto stage. He raised both his large arms to capture the audience's attention, and with a booming voice aided by magic,

"Welcome one and all to the Tournament of the Long Hall! I, Marcus Enghart, am your host for this year's most exciting event! This tournament borne from one of our most hot-blooded and popular knight stories has come a long way, from the earliest melee tournaments, to the full-fledged festival it is today! Showcasing the realm's very best in an annual high prestige tournament! And this year it takes yet another step forward! Not only will we see the best of the realm, but we shall also bear witness to the future best! That's right! You've all heard the news by now I'm sure! This year we shall also be running the Students Division!"

There was a murmur of excitement. This, compounded with the talk of Silver Gate and it's presence has caused some stir of excitement. Will they get to see some techniques and fighters from the other world? Such a prospect was exciting for many of the regular folk here who despite living moments away from the portal, may never be allowed to walk through.

"Is that some excitement I hear?! Of course it is! The talents of Garadin, Alladore, and even Silver Gate are a sight to behold! And we would like more people to see it! Over the next week, amidst the excitement of the festival we shall see both the best! And the best of tomorrow! A double danger combination! There will be no shortage of action this year! Preliminaries will start later today just outside the gates on the Elbern Plains, and will be ongoing until the evening or until all participants have been decided! These preliminary rounds are also for public viewing, so I invite all to come by and take a look! With the conclusion of this announcement we shall be going into the opening ceremony, and then this festival shall go into full swing!" There was a loud cheer and even some people throwing up some confetti. Some examination would show some guardsmen begrudgingly holding baskets of it.

"With some words from our King Markovic Reyvonsky Arcture II, we shall be under way", the large man stepped aside to show an almost equally large man, identifiably of royalty with his regalia and crown. He had a short, straight beard, and such stern eyes one could feel his piercing gaze from the other end of the hall.

"Like our knights of eld, and the knight who defended this very spot, I would hope all fight with honor, dignity, and a competitive spirit. My people of Arcture, let this week be that of celebration for our glory, and our strength".

The hall reverbated with the cheers of all who were in attendance, and the confetti was in full swing. The king was already walking away as people celebrated, and some even endeavored to leave early for some of the popular stores and stalls. The festival had begun.

Alas, hunting was not in the cards for the group, but that just meant Lorelai and company could focus all their attention on the coming festivities to come. And they were grand indeed, an affair equally alien as it felt western compared to their trip to venerable old Kyoto. Like stepping over into a picture book, where knightly orders were something one could openly speak of with admiration and not as a footnote of ages past. Where everything they had held contained in secret was just the norm in Arcanis.

"Almost makes me thing I was born in the wrong time. Or place...then again, I don't know if they have my brand of shampoo here." The blonde chirped to herself, finger to her chin as she looked upwards, visibly thinking over whether she could live somewhere without the means to care for her lengthy hair. She looked askance at Helena and considered that she was always meticulously well put together, but she was a noble. Did she have maids who did that for her on a daily basis? They'd probably be all traditional and wear those adorable frilly outfits. "I'd look good in that. Heck, I'd make a great maid, period! Why doesn't Helena ask me to be-"

The tangent of a scatter brained blonde when waiting for the events in the long hall to begin were blessedly derailed by the grandest and burliest of men taking center stage and regailing them all with their oratory prowess. While they weren't anyone she'd known before coming here, or even the sovereign of her own nation for that matter, the Dutch-Japanese couldn't pull herself from their words if the group had attempted to drag her away.

It was all so very straight forward and just! Oh how she loved it, leaping with joy as she cheered with the crowd as the festivities opened for all and people could do as they please with the commencement given. This left an excitable ditz fired up for a tournament and within easy reach of a sparring partner. With a lunge that brought them face to face she grasped Helena by the shoulder and shook her- Or was Lorelai simply vibrating so strongly it had the same effect?- to get her attention.

"We must train for the tournament! And while we're at it you can tell me what shampoo our maids use on you and were do they get those frilly aprons!"

---

With a final look back at the family estate of her fair haired noble friend and the comforting presence of an iconic outfit resting in her luggage, Lorelai embraced the day of the tourney with a smile in spite of the numerous cuts marring her limbs beneath neatly applied bandages. Sparring with a fencer was bound to lead to her to being grazed frequently, but she thought it was good practise for facing enemies who were more dynamic and speedy then the towering monsters she'd found herself fighting till now.

"Today's the day I show a whole new world what the De Windt are made of!"

---

The festival was in full swing were one to make their way down the main road, and into the square. Pop up stalls and street performances littered the roads, with visitors from far and wide coming to see them. One could peruse the local specialties such as crystal apples a popular festival confectionary made from unique blue crystals similar to sugar, coating an apple, the very popular sweet cream and fruit sweetloaf sandwiches, or try something out in the provinces of the country like the rainbow pie, originating from a region with rich and sweet fruits prepared carefully to preserve their wide variety of colours. Surely, sweets were not the only food on offer here? True, there was also the boar sausage on a stick, fried herb and butter bread (or garlic bread), and of course, cheese covered sweet potatoes.

This was however a festival, meaning there would be more than just good food. There were street performers, such as singers, magicians using their talents to entertain crowds, plays re-enacting Arcture's most popular stories including that of the festival's namesake, sword dancers, and even dancers from Gran Harenae of the exotic sort. More than street performers were some other events and areas, like the petting zoo full of some wonderful and adorable local wildlife, like a small dog with what appeared to be stubby legs, a giant tail, and rabbit ears, or a somewhat unique looking sheep the size of a cat with tiny curled horns and enough wool to appear as a ball. Apparently they were popular pets. Other events included raffles and giveaways, showcases of rare items, storytelling using a magical projector, and contests for artistic skills of various kinds.

There was truly, no shortage of things to do here. Stores that were open as per normal would of course, remain open. Book stores, weapon stores, clothing stores, stores selling little trinkets, bags, and fine jewellery, and so on and so forth.

Of course, as the announcer had said before, if one wished to watch the contestants today they would have to go out the front gates, and upon doing so would be greeted by large crowds around numerous raised platforms where people were doing battle. Contestants had two chances to make it into the next stage of the tournament. They all were required to win two bouts with randomly picked opponents, but the moment they lost two they would be eliminated in the preliminaries, so they were allowed leeway to lose once, but once more and they were out. The crowds were mainly here to see the popular contenders, ones people already knew about, which consisted a lot of the students from Garadin or Alladore, and so onlookers would be concentrated to only those stages for now.

In the infintisimal silence between the crowds settling down and the match to begin, Lorelai centered herself not in anger or righteousness, but the nugget of untarnished joy that set her stomach aflutter. Neither of the feelings that saw her throwing herself into the maws of monsters and murderers would serve well in a tourney, where neither side truly saw the death of the other. Instead she savored the clash like she did her spar with Helena.

If she stopped to think on it, she may have noticed Helena had no such troubles calling upon Anger to try and strike down the unwitting blonde, but ignorance was bliss, and Lorelai was a blessedly happy person.

Then the match began and her spear's haft sang past her palm, it's tip deflected off the shield rapidly braced over her opponents heart. The holy warrior took the text book blow and turned it sidewards, opening the way for her sword arm to lunge forward in a rigid slash. There was no hesitation to the move, drilled until the girl was performing them as second nature, which is why Lorelai had made no attempt to avoid the shield parry in the first place.

Rather then struggle with bringing her weapon under control she had her body swing with it as she advanced, her foe getting a view of Lorelai's back as she stepped into the attack and grit her teeth as a fist curled around the sword's pommel met her shoulder pauldron rather then the leading edge of a sword. Inside her guard she wrought her retribution with the butt of her Yari driven sharply under the girl's breast plate. With the air rapidly driven from her she buckled forward, finding her sword arm seized by Lorelai as the Silvergate student graciously crouched down with her to keep the arm from popping out of the socket.

Less gracious was when Lorelai put her Tengu training to work and leaped into the air, spear dropped in her passage as she wrapped her legs around the Holy Knight and executed her Signature Move in a manner more befitting a grappler then a lancer such as herself. But she would hardly question the result when she crashed into the ground atop a battered enemy-turned-mattress.

---

Having proven even a heavily armored knight can fly, if not under their own control, Lorelai was feeling enthused for her second opponent. Granted her legs would sore and bruised for days to come, as crashing an armored body between them was a bit like riding a bareback on a dinosaur- It only works so long as it doesn't have spikes or edges.

Her second opponent was an archer, a match up that seemed poor for her opponent but she wasn't going to judge. The match began and neither of them wasted a second, an arrow notched and flying before Lorelai could seize the initiative with a lunge. Instead she turned herself sideways, bearing her minimal armor forwards as she gave a vertical swing to intercept the arrow. Whether it was magical or not, the Yari cared nothing for it and slayed the projectile, but more were soon to follow. Keeping her profile narrow she advanced with each stroke, hacking away at arrows till she closed into lunging distance.

To her surprise the Archer chose to meet the blow bow to shaft, the hearty thwack of hardened woods resounding between them. Wearing an exultant smile at the chance for close combat in such an unconventional state she didn't advance or retreat, keeping at the range her foe could swing and bash while Lorelai had to handle her shaft at the midpoint.

The vibrations of repeated blows ringing through calloused hands, a flurry she savored as they swung away at one another till the repitition was a dance with it's own inertia. But such things could not last forever and it only took a shortening of Lorelai's grasp to make the next clash have Lorelai catch the bow between her blade and it's prongs, thrusting forward to wrench it from the archer's hands as the shaft came across her neck in an implied threat.

Lorelai could have kept fighting but an unarmed Archer was not keen on taking a pointless.