Looking around as the soldier escorted me toward the station, my eyes were wide, taking in the houses and storefronts around me. Mantle—the name of the city I found myself in—was bright, yet somehow shadowy. There were so many signs, glowing images everywhere, and many of them moved! One projection of a man seemed to be present on every corner; his name was General Ironwood, from what he said.

"Magic must be much more advanced here if they have all this!" I thought, marveling at the city's wonders.

There was so much glass everywhere! Large storefronts with massive panes, buildings with countless windows, and even the people passing by drank out of glass cups and porcelain mugs like it was normal. I followed the lines of a thick cable up into the sky, and my eyes widened even further. Hovering above the city was something unimaginable—a huge floating city! Giant metal birds zoomed around it, cutting through the clouds. I had never seen anything like this back home. It was so odd, but also, so cool.

As we moved through the streets, I spotted metal carriages zooming by. These were much more advanced than the ones I designed with Aciah's help back home. Ours ran on steam engines; these sleek machines seemed smaller, faster, and infinitely more complex. This place was full of wonders, each one stranger than the last.

Finally, we stopped in front of a building that looked important, its size and design standing out from the others. I squinted at the sign, trying to make sense of the letters. "If only I could read the words... Oh neat!" As I thought that, the letters began to translate in front of my eyes, another gift from the Gods, perhaps. The sign now read 'Police Precinct 09,' though I had no idea what that meant.

Inside the precinct, I was greeted by an older blonde woman sitting at a desk. She looked official, her white overcoat and blue hat a stark contrast to the soldiers outside. She barely glanced at me over her paperwork. The plaque on her desk read "Julianne."

"We've got another wannabe Hunter jumping in and taking down Grimm," the soldier who had found me earlier grumbled. "Just need the usual. Take him in, warn him, and contact the Academy to let them know what happened."

Julianne barely acknowledged his complaint as she sighed, giving me the same bored once-over. "Right, right. Hand over all weapons and I.D., kid. We'll get you out of here as fast as possible. Thanks for helping out, but remember—you can't act as a Hunter until you're registered with the Academy."

I blinked. Hunter? I tilted my head, clearly not understanding her. I instinctively patted down my pockets, surprised to find a flat, transparent card among my gear. Huh. Was that always there? I handed over the card, along with my trident and shield.

Julianne scanned the card, but her eyes widened as it lit up with a soft beep. She looked from the card to me, surprise quickly replacing her bored expression. That's not good.

"Uh... Mister Grey?" she began cautiously, a hint of confusion in her voice. "I'll need you to come with me."

"Mister Grey, huh?" I muttered. "At least you're getting my name right now."

She shot me a sideways glance but said nothing as she led me deeper into the building. After a few twists and turns, I found myself in a small, dimly lit room with only a single table and chair. Classic interrogation room setup, I thought with a chuckle. "This feels a little dramatic," I quipped as I kicked back in the chair.

Not long after, the door swung open, and a woman with an aura of authority strode in. Her pristine white military uniform seemed to glisten under the dim light, and her icy blue eyes scanned me with a calculating gaze. Her long white hair was tied back in a tight braid, and her posture screamed discipline. Whoever this was, she wasn't here to play games.

I leaned back a little further, raising an eyebrow. "Let me guess. Another lecture about reckless endangerment?"

"Quite the opposite, actually," she replied, her voice cold and professional. "You handled yourself rather well for someone with no formal training." She paused, clearly waiting for me to explain myself.

"Ah, well... what can I say? Ex improviso succurro," I replied, letting the Celestial roll off my tongue casually. "I've always been good at jumping into the fray." I smirked, enjoying the flicker of confusion on her otherwise composed face. "Means, 'I improvise in an emergency,' for those not fluent."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't rise to the bait. "I'm Specialist Winter Schnee, head of Atlas Academy's security division. And you, Mister Grey, are quite the enigma."

"Yeah, well, I'm just as confused as you are. One moment I'm minding my business, the next I'm face-first in a snowbank with no idea how I got here." I tapped my fingers on the table, glancing at her impatiently. "What's the deal with all these creatures anyway? Grimm, was it? I don't remember signing up for monster hunting."

Winter's lips pressed into a thin line. "If you truly don't know where you are, you've got bigger problems than just Grimm." She folded her arms, her eyes scrutinizing every inch of my appearance. "Tell me, where exactly are you from?"

I sighed, leaning forward on the table. "Would you believe me if I said, 'not here?'"

"That much is obvious," she replied curtly.

"Great. Then we're on the same page." I gave a sarcastic thumbs up. "I got dumped in this city with no map and no instructions, and frankly, I've had enough of cryptic nonsense for one lifetime. So if you've got answers, I'd appreciate hearing them sooner rather than later."

Winter's expression didn't change, but her eyes flicked to the door for a brief moment. The door opened again, and this time, a man in uniform entered the room. His posture was equally rigid, but his demeanor seemed more approachable—stern, but not cold. His salt-and-pepper hair was well kept, and the epaulets on his shoulders told me he was someone important.

"General Ironwood," Winter said, nodding to him as he took her place across the table.

I sat up a bit straighter. This guy must be the head honcho around here, I thought.

Ironwood looked me over, clearly weighing his next words carefully. "Mister Grey, I've been briefed on your... situation. It seems you've handled yourself well, but I must say, you've raised quite a few eyebrows."

"Yeah, I tend to have that effect on people," I replied dryly. "So, what's the verdict? Am I getting locked up for fighting off those Grimm without a permission slip?"

Ironwood gave a faint smile, more amused than I expected. "No, but your actions have piqued my interest. You've got combat skills that we don't often see in untrained civilians. And according to Specialist Schnee, you seem to be in the right place—at the wrong time."

"Story of my life." I shrugged. "So what now? A slap on the wrist? Do I get a shiny badge?"

Ironwood chuckled softly before his expression turned serious again. "No. But I have a proposal. Atlas Academy is the premier training institution for Hunters and Huntresses. With your skills, you'd make a fine candidate."

My brow furrowed. "Join a school? I'm not exactly the academic type."

"You won't be sitting through lectures all day," Ironwood said, leaning forward. "You'll be trained to defend against Grimm and to protect the people of Remnant. And if your skills are as sharp as they appear, you could be a valuable asset. You'd also be eligible to compete in the Vytal Festival Tournament."

I blinked at that. Festival tournament? My interest was definitely piqued now. "Alright... I'm listening. What's the catch?"

"No catch. Just an opportunity. However, if you decline, I can't guarantee you won't run into trouble with local authorities for continuing to act as a vigilante."

I sighed. "So, it's either join your academy or get into legal trouble for kicking monster ass? Magnum dilemmate," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

Ironwood arched an eyebrow. "What was that?"

"Nothing," I replied quickly. "Just thinking out loud. Alright, General, you've convinced me. Where do I sign up?"

Winter stepped forward, offering me a registration form. "We'll handle the paperwork. Welcome to Atlas Academy, Mister Grey."

I took the form, giving a snarky grin. "Great. Just what I always wanted. A homework assignment."

As they escorted me out of the room, I couldn't help but mutter under my breath, "Fiat voluntas tua..."—"Thy will be done."