LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 2 - The First Step
A year ago, in Molybdenum Crystal City, Northern 7th District.
Inside a multifaceted crystalline dome building, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement yet remained orderly. The massive exhibition hall, capable of accommodating 200,000 people, felt spacious even with a sea of attendees filling its floor.
Students in various uniforms lined up neatly, holding their documents and brimming with nervous anticipation. They stood before numerous booth-like admission counters, each hoping to secure a spot in their dream school—a pivotal moment in the lives of most Federation residents.
Scanning past the thousands of admission booths scattered throughout the hall, attention finally landed on one with an exceptionally long line.
“Hello, you must be Hestia.”
“Yes,” answered a girl in a school uniform, her tone timid. She looked up at the tall and imposing man before her, nodding slightly.
The man, dressed in a sleek suit, leaned back in his chair. He reviewed a holographic projection of her academic records, comparing the image on the screen with the girl standing before him.
“…From your theoretical scores, Hestia, you’re quite exceptional,” he said.
“However, you must know that theoretical excellence alone won’t guarantee entry into our school.”
Behind him, a suspended emblem shimmered—a deep blue-black rose encircled by thorny vines, its intricate design exuding understated elegance.
[Edess Academy] (Grade: S)
Ranked 4th in the Four-Leaf Crystal Constellation, the academy specializes in two major extraordinary fields: Decay Sequence and Natural Sequence. It offers advanced training in five evaluated as perfect transcendent paths in the Federation: Decay Sequence 5 · Mourning Rose, Decay Sequence 5 · Oblivion Eye, Decay Sequence 5 · Phantom Passage, Natural Sequence 5 · Verdant Rose, and Natural Sequence 5 · Firefly Sprite. A school revered by countless aspirants.
The man gestured apologetically, though his eyes were indifferent as he flipped through his personal terminal. To him, Hestia was just another of the hundreds of students vying for admission to Edess Academy each day. Most were destined for rejection. If not for Federation mandates, the academy wouldn’t even bother setting up a recruitment booth here—most of their admissions were already prearranged.
“I…”
Hestia clenched her fists on her knees, trembling under the man’s dismissive tone. Shame surged within her, but she forced herself to stay calm, fearing the ridicule that awaited her outside should she fail.
With a wavering voice, she said, “I would like to apply through the exception clause in Article 26 of the admissions guide.”
She lowered her head immediately after speaking, closing her eyes and bracing herself for his reaction.
“Oh?” The man raised an eyebrow, studying the girl anew.
“Do you have any exceptional abilities? You should know this isn’t about winning some competition,” he said, skeptical. Many students padded their applications with contest accolades, though such achievements were often unimpressive to top schools.
“C-Could I have a piece of paper?” Hestia stammered, her voice fragile. She feared even the smallest sign of impatience from him would shatter her resolve.
“Sure.”
The man casually handed her a blank sheet of paper, setting it on the table.
Relieved that he hadn’t made things difficult for her, Hestia took a deep breath and steadied her trembling hands. She carefully tore the paper in half. Under the bright light, the fibrous edges stood in sharp contrast to the smooth tear.
“And?” The man scoffed lightly, amused and confused by her actions.
“Please wait.”
With newfound composure, Hestia aligned the torn edges and slowly ran her finger along them. Miraculously, the paper began to mend, restoring itself to its original pristine state.
“This…”
The man froze. He picked up the paper, scrutinizing it under the light, searching for any trace of the tear but finding none. It was as though the paper had never been torn.
“Could you… demonstrate that again?” he asked, his tone serious.
“Of course,” Hestia replied, a hint of relief in her voice.
She preferred this to being outright dismissed. Ignoring her meant she had no value, no potential worth noting.
“This time, could you try with something else—say, this wallet?” He retrieved a cardholder from his bag, emptied its contents, and placed it on the table.
“Sure.”
The man then cut the wallet with a tool before sliding it over to her.
Hestia repeated the process, this time more carefully. Though it took longer, the wallet gradually mended under her fingertips, returning to a flawless state. Even the intricate textures on its surface showed no signs of disruption.
Silence enveloped the booth.
The man picked up the wallet, examining it thoroughly before placing it down.
“When did you discover this ability?” he asked gravely.
“About half a year ago?” Hestia recalled, the specifics were not clear, and it was by chance she discovered that she had this ability.
“I can say this is a very rare and extraordinary ability. However, I lack the instruments to perform further analysis. If you’re willing, please leave your contact details. We’ll notify you as soon as possible regarding the evaluation results.”
For the first time that day, the man pulled out an application form from his briefcase.
“Thank you, sir,” Hestia said, bowing deeply. Her gratitude was genuine, and her trembling body finally steadied.
No matter what, she had taken the first step.
Name: Hestia Thilan
Age: 16
Origin: Four-Leaf Crystal Constellation – B2-7621 (Verdant Veil), Arpeggio City, Northern 7th Disctrict
School: Arpeggio City Greyshine Middle School (Junior High School)
Scores:
Literature: 124
Mathematics: 122
Aijeka Theory: 131
Elven Language: 72
Law: 69
AI Logic: 68
Chemistry/Pharmacology: 70
Basic Physics: 70
Transcendent Sequence: Decay Sequence 2 · Shadowed Visitation
Transcendent Sequences represent the ability to condense Aijeka particles into a core, granting individuals extraordinary powers and enabling their ascension to higher forms of life.
In the distant past, the Aijeka particles were known by many names, such as mana, magic, vital energy, or spiritual force. They were a miraculous phenomenon born from the collision and overlapping of another universe with the present one. Acting as a special medium, these particles allowed the mind to interfere with the material world, producing effects akin to magic. The term “magic” persisted because many of these abilities defied scientific explanation—or perhaps because current scientific technology had yet to uncover their ultimate secrets. Humanity had learned how to utilize this power, but the underlying mechanisms of its operation remained largely mysterious.
When this extraordinary energy was organized into systematic forms, it gave rise to different magical sequences, such as the Natural Sequence, Light Feather Sequence, Decay Sequence, and Spirit Particle Sequence, among others. An extraordinary core would continuously condense this energy, advancing step by step. These advancements were categorized from Sequence 1 to Sequence 9, progressing in power and capability.
Reaching Sequence 2 before entering high school was considered a remarkable achievement even in the core developed constellations of the Federation. The current era was far from the glory of the Fourth Epoch; reaching Sequence 8 was already the pinnacle for many nations and organizations. Elite graduates typically attained Sequence 3 or 4, making them highly sought after wherever they went.
After completing her application form, Hestia stood up, holding her document folder with both hands before her, and bowed deeply to express her gratitude. Then, she slowly walked away from the admissions booth.
As she opened the glass door separating the booth, a wave of noise washed over her like a gust of hot wind. Countless students lined up nervously before various admissions booths, waiting their turn. Although they were speaking in hushed tones, the sheer number of students—approximately 120,000—gathered in this vast, transparent metal hall created an overwhelming buzz that seemed to stretch endlessly.
This was the Northern 7th District’s annual admissions event. Prestigious schools, under the Federation’s arrangement, set up booths in this grand hall to review and assess student applicants.
Apart from theoretical scores from the planet-wide standardized exams, each institution had its own unique admission requirements.
For instance, performing arts schools demanded proficiency in musical instruments with on-the-spot demonstrations. Specialized pharmacology schools required students to prepare chemical solutions on-site, while commerce-oriented schools tested applicants on their language skills.
Some requirements were even more extraordinary. For example, Federation-administered military academies and top-50 ranked schools on the planet had stringent, intricate admission processes. The school Hestia applied to, Adess Academy, ranked 4th in the constellation. It was a highly prestigious institution with immense resources. Admission into such a school was either a result of rare, exceptional talent or an extraordinary family background.
After Hestia left, the admissions officer in the booth did not immediately call for the next applicant. Instead, he remained seated, scrutinizing the newly filled form with a thoughtful gaze.
Unlike ordinary employees passing time, this admissions officer wielded significant authority as part of a top-tier school. Naturally, his position demanded exceptional expertise and experience. Originally, his trip to the Northern 7th District was merely to fulfill the Federation’s requirements—he hadn’t intended to recruit anyone. But now, an exception had appeared.
The ability to repair damaged items might not seem particularly impressive at first glance, but for professionals, it was anything but ordinary.
Modern objects were mostly industrial products. Repairing something typically meant replacing broken components with functional ones. In manufacturing, standardized items could be mass-produced on assembly lines far more efficiently than repairing individual units. This approach saved both time and money.
True repair, however, was an exceedingly rare and remarkable skill.
It was akin to healing a lifeless, inorganic object in the same way one might heal a living organism—restoring it to its original state. Upon closer thought, such an ability was extraordinarily unsettling.
It involved reconnecting every fractured molecule, reforming atomic bonds, and reorganizing them into their original, orderly arrangement.
If her ability could be applied to certain extremely rare damaged treasures or crystals, the potential would be…
No, I mustn’t jump to conclusions yet. It might just be a trick. I need to bring the items back and examine them with precision instruments, he thought, shaking his head to calm his sudden excitement.
He continued pondering, absentmindedly tapping his fingers on the desk as he considered how best to report this discovery and explain it to the academy’s upper management.
Only after some time had passed did he finally gather the documents from the desk, press a button, and call out.
“Next applicant.”