In the main building of the academy, a woman with long black hair and eyes looks out the window of her office. She was Kuroha Subarashi, the Director of Hagun Academy. She takes a cigarette and a lighter from her pockets. She lights the cigarette and takes a puff of smoke before addressing the student with her. "Hagun Academy is one of the top schools for Blazers in the country. Right now, hundreds of students would be entering the school filled with dreams of becoming a Magical Knight, and instead of greeting them..." She looks up and glares at Haruki who is looking at the director with indifference. "I have to deal with something as asinine as a peeping tom!"

Haruki puts his hand in his pocket and sighs. "Ma'am I can assure you, this was all just a big misunderstanding." Kuroha scoffs and sits at her desk, head in her hands. "Mr. Genos, you do understand that you went into a girl's room while she was changing. What's worse is that girl just happens to be a princess from the provinces."

The word "princess" catches Haruki's attention. He imagines the girl he saw in his room, holding a sword and clashing blades with him. 'If she's a princess, she should be able to hold herself in a fight well if she wanted to go here.' He smiles as his heartbeat quickens at the thought of going against a princess it sees Haruki's reaction and smirks. "I can see that look in your eyes Mr, Genos." She holds her hand out to the door and snaps her fingers. "Now then, let's see you how you act in front of a real princess."

At that moment Akari walks in through the door. Seeing her again, Haruki can't take his eyes off her; something about her just seemed so calming. He puts a hand over his heart to stem the raging flow of power surging within him as he looks at her longingly. Akari sees this and blushes while covering herself with your hands. "Are you really just going to stand there like that? Isn't there something you want to say?"

Haruki catches himself and quickly bows his head. "So sorry! It's just that, I've never met a real princess before. I'm very sorry about earlier and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me!" Akari looks down at the boy in disgust. "What's your name, little boy?" Haruki lifts his head back up to look at her. "I'm Genos. Haruki Genos. It's an honor to meet you, Miss Shirozu." Akari raises an eyebrow at him and sighs. She never expected that someone she thought was perverted could be so… knightly and respectful. "Ok then, I accept your apology." Haruki sighs in relief and stands up straight again, happy that she was so understanding of the problem. At least until she says, "You may now throw yourself upon your sword."

Haruki looks back up at Akari, hoping to see any sign of sarcasm on her face. "Th-This is a joke. Right?" Akari crosses her arms. "Of course it's not! You have committed an indecent act against a princess! I'm sure that repentance equates to your life!" When Haruki hears her words, acting high and mighty above him, he almost explodes with anger. "Oh, so you think that just because you a princess you have the right to ask anyone to end their life!? Just because you a princess doesn't mean that everyone will do your bidding!"

Haruki hears the door open behind him and sees Kuroha walking out of the room. Before she closes the door behind her she looks at Haruki with a cold stare. "Mr. Genos, you have no idea what you've unleashed upon yourself." She closes the door behind her and before Haruki can call out to her, a tentacle made of water wraps around his neck and lifts him up. It turns Haruki around so that he's facing a pissed off Akari. Her head was down casting a shadow over her eyes. Spouting from her back were four extra tentacles, writhing in the air. At the sight of the other tentacles, Haruki's eyes glowed slightly red, analyzing and visualizing the flow of magic being channeled into the tentacles.

Akari starts talking in a low threatening voice. "You know nothing about me. You don't understand what it means to hold a title. To have everyone's expectations and hopes riding on your shoulders. Don't ever talk to me about abusing my title. If you want it, you can have it, I hate it. I wish I never was a princess because having the title of one has caused nothing but pain and abandonment." The tentacle throws Haruki to the floor and when he looks back up, he sees Akari's eyes. Stone cold and devoid of any mercy or emotion. "You come into my room while I was changing and you call it an 'accident?' Who do you think you are? You undress me with your eyes; you fill your head with perverted thoughts." The tentacles sharpen to imitate blades and all point downward at Haruki. "So what's your excuse now?"

Haruki's eyes glow even brighter, staring straight into Akari's. "You said "My room," but actually, that was my room. I think you made a mistake." Akari raises an eyebrow, her gaze softening and the tentacles drooping a bit. "I think you made the mistake Mr. Genos. You walked into my room, not yours."

The door opens behind them and they both turn their heads and sees Kuroha sticking her head back into the room. "I almost forgot to mention, you two will be roommates. Starting today." Both Haruki and Akari look at each other in disbelief before turning back to Kuroha. "Wait, WHHHHAAAAATTTTT?!"

The three end up back at the dorm where Kuroha shows the nameplates next to the door. The first one has [Haruki Genos] on it while the one under it had [Akari Shirozu] written on it. Kuroha picks up the plates, showing them to the two, "See, your roommates it's official." Haruki raises his hand to get Kuroha's attention. "But I thought our room assignments were based on our rank as a knight? You're saying my magic ability is comparable to a princess'?"

Akari looks at Haruki, disgust filling her eyes, "Having a title doesn't mean you're strong. It just means that you're well known by the masses." Haruki looks back down at her, "Maybe, but words have power. Having a title means you're someone to be feared, especially the title of a princess." Akari crosses her arms, 'It's not like I wanted this title.'

Kuroha clears her throat, getting the attention of the two, "Anyway Mr. Genos to answer your question, yes. The school considers your rather "unique" fighting style to be on par with Miss Shirozu here." At the mention of his fighting style, Haruki grits his teeth. He steals a glance at Akari and fortunately, she had something else on her mind. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I can't stay in the same room as this weak and perverted man!"

Haruki glares at Akari, malice filling his eyes. "Perverted I can ignore. But weak, oh now that's a low blow. You think you're so tough? Well then let's see those skills you seem to pride yourself in." Akari looks back a Haruki, raring to go. "Fine then, let's have our swords do the talking instead!" Haruki brings his face closer to hers. "My thoughts exactly!" He yells back at her. Kuroha was about to step in but lets the argument go on, pulling out her phone and turning it on.

The two teens were staring down at each other, cold waves versus blazing spirits. Akari puts her hands at her side. "Let's make it more interesting. The loser has to do one thing the winner asks of him or her and that request can't be refuted." Haruki smirks and laughs. "You're that confident that you'll win huh? Very well it's a deal, better get ready!" He extends his hand and Akari grasps it firmly, shaking it to formally agree to the terms set for them.

Kuroha turns off her phone, having recorded the whole conversation. "Alright then!" The two break off from their stare down and face her again. "The mock battle will commence at 3:00 pm sharp! Bring your best to the table, you'll need it!"

Akari stays in the girl's bathroom before the fight. She splashes water on her face to try and to calm herself down, but she keeps going back to thinking about Haruki, specifically his reaction when the director mentioned his fighting style. 'What's with him? What about his fighting style triggered that reaction out of him?' She picks up a towel and dries herself, 'Well, only one way to find out.' As she walks to the arena, she hears the whispers of the other students lining the halls. "Hey, isn't that Akari Shirozu? What's a princess doing here?" "Yeah, I heard she ran away to enroll here." "Is she really going to fight that first year? What's his name, Genos?" "That guy's got a lot of balls to fight the 'Azure Waves', Hope he's got a plan to fight her." "Even with a plan, going against a princess means you're already screwed." Akari hates how they think her title is what determines the result of her fights; even she didn't know what was going to happen. 'That Haruki Genos, what's so special about you?'

Haruki stayed with Kuroha in the arena while she prepared the battlefield. While people start to fill the stands, he starts puts black fingerless gloves on both hands. He starts stretching and looks back at the Kuroha. "If it's not too much to ask ma'am, I'd prefer if you wouldn't talk about my fighting style around other people. I'd like to keep it a secret for as long as I can." Kuroha finishes the preparations for the battle and looks back at Haruki. "Secrets have a cost Mr. Genos. They have a way of being revealed when you least expect it." The two see Akari walk into the arena and Kuroha walks off. "I suggest you think about it very carefully, Mr. Genos"

Akari walks to the center of the arena where Haruki is standing and puts a hand on her hip. "You know Mr. Genos, it's not too late to back out now." Haruki shakes his head. "I know and the same goes for you too. But we agreed to this and to walk away now would be an insult to the opponent." Akari nods and motions at Kuroha. "We're ready ma'am."

Kuroha nods and uses her tablet to dim the lights, covering the arena in a green glow. "The objective of a mock battle is to drain the opponent's energy. Devices are to be summoned in phantom form only. The battle ends when one person either faints or concedes. Now call upon your devices!"

Haruki holds his left hand out. "Manifest, my darkest desire, Lythronax!" A dark red energy spirals in the palm of his hand. He closes his fist and flicks his arm out to the side. A black curved blade with glowing crimson teeth marks and a buzz-saw shaped guard appeared in his hand. Haruki holds it out in front of him with his right hand open behind it.

Akari holds out both hands in front of her. "Become my servant, Nereus!" Water bursts from the floor, flowing into a sphere of water in between her hands. She claps her hands together and spreads them to reveal a cobalt blue two-handed sword with at trident shape as the guard, the middle point elongated to become the blade. She grabs it with both hands and thrusts it into the ground.

The two stare each other down, both of them shaking not out of fear, but excitement and anticipation. When the announcer calls out, "LET'S GO AHEAD!" the two brandish their swords and race towards each other to start not only the fight but their lives on the road to becoming Magical Knights.