Nine Realms

The aftermath of the terrorist attack left the students with a two-day break, and their holidays were extended for a week due to the golden weeks. Most of the students were thrilled about the extra time off, but there was a somber atmosphere at the hospital where Haku, Mizuki, and Sayaka were recovering.

Mizuki still hadn't woken up, and it worried me.

On the other hand, Sayaka had suffered a broken arm and rib from Serge's punch. Thankfully, her mental state remained strong, allowing her to continue using magic.

So, there I was, lying in my hospital bed in my pajamas, physically fine. The principal had managed to keep me out of trouble, labeling my time here as "psychological treatment."

Believe me, I'm not crazy.

"Can you tell me about yourself, Yuki-kun?" the doctor asked.

"Um, I don't remember much," I replied casually, treating it like some kind of psychologist interview.

To be honest, I was furious at that time, with countless factors pushing me over the edge. My sanity snapped, and that's how everything unfolded.

Time passed, and luckily, I was given the VIP room, which meant my friends ended up crowding the sofas, creating quite an awkward atmosphere.

Am I hated?

Looking at their faces, it seemed they felt more pity than fear because of what I had done. Perhaps they believed I had some past trauma that contributed to my actions yesterday.

But they didn't really think about it. Considering the casualties among the library staff and yesterday's situation with Mibu-senpai, they chose not to think about my madness.

Then, a stunning woman in a professional suit arrived. Hana, who had been in good health, came to visit me, her expression a mix of anger and concern.

-Slap!

She slapped me in front of my friends.

"Are you out of your mind!? Why would you do something so dangerous?"

"I'm sorry..."

"Hick. Hick. How am I going to live without you? What good is it that I'm healthy again?"

The tension in the room escalates. I watch my friends, caught in this awkward situation, and can't help but wonder who this beautiful woman is, slapping me and showing her love like a fiery lover.

Anyway, they all start leaving. I don't really need company. Hana came, but there was no need for her to stay long. Besides, there have been lingering thoughts bothering me for quite some time.

Ever since I came into contact with the power in the quantum realm, now referred to as [Unknown], which has leveled up to [C+], I've started seeing things.

It started with my eyes becoming sensitive, allowing me to see spirits. I thought, "Wow, I can see spirits now?" It happened when [Unknown] leveled up to [D+].

Now, I see countless ghosts, and they're terrifying!!

I have no idea what will happen next.

Will I start hearing things, then feeling them? Am I going to encounter a god or something?

To improve my sleep, I even resorted to wearing a magic-enhanced talisman, which seems to have helped me cope to the point where I was teetering on the edge.

As night fell, Alpha sat beside my bed, peeling apples, while I leaned back, arms crossed, lost in my thoughts.

There were so many unanswered questions that plagued my mind.

"Tell me more about your origins," I asked, and Alpha's expression turned serious.

"As my liege already knows, the three of us exist in the dimensional gap."

I nodded, recalling the brief explanation Alpha had given me earlier.

"We reside in the space where the World Tree, Yggdrasil, connects the Nine Realms, and it has been sharing its magic all this time."

Alpha continued narrating, and I listened intently as if she were telling me a captivating bedtime story.

Yggdrasil.

Asgard, the realm of the gods.

Alfheim, the realm of the elves.

Jotunheim, the realm of giants and trolls.

Vanaheim, the realm of sorcerers and seers.

Svartalfheim, the realm of dark elves, and near it lies Nidavellir, a death star-like realm inhabited by dwarves.

Midgard, the realm of humans.

Niflheim, the realm of ice and snow.

Muspelheim, the realm of heat and flames.

Helheim, the realm of spirits.

In the gap between dimensions, the World Tree shares its magic and binds the nine worlds.

I listened until late into the night. The part that sent shivers down my spine was when Alpha spoke of the impending end of the world—a chaotic scenario with monsters and gods engaged in a battle.

Ragnarok.

---

"Haku, are you okay? Should I call a nurse?"

"Mayumi, maybe we should come back another time."

"Watanabe may not usually be right, but this time she's right."

Saegusa-senpai, Watanabe-senpai, and Ichihara-senpai came to visit me on the second day.

"I didn't sleep much last night, but I'm fine. Thank you."

Truthfully, after hearing the grim news, my stomach churned more than my notoriety from yesterday. But I didn't want to burden everyone with my worries, so I set them aside for now.

"Are you sure? Your smile doesn't seem convincing."

Saegusa-senpai looked at me with a concerned expression. Am I that easy to read?

"Before anything else, I want to apologize for what happened yesterday."

I know when I've messed up, so I genuinely meant my apology.

"Well, there's no need to apologize because it's not entirely your fault, Haku. But I did hope you would've exercised a bit more restraint," Saegusa-senpai sighed.

"I know, and that's why I'm sorry. Why can't you just accept it?"

"Hey! I said no need to apologize!"

In the end, Saegusa-senpai and I went back and forth. I mean, why is she so stubborn?

Anyway, thanks to her.

If Saegusa-senpai hadn't tried to stop me back then, I don't know what would have happened.

Seeing her on the verge of tears makes me feel like a total jerk. I mean, looking at Tatsuya and leader Juumonji's faces, I feel like a villain. On the other hand, if Ragnarok is indeed looming, I need to prepare myself. There are still two more Parasites in the Daikokuten dimension, and Alpha wants to show me something about splitting her spirit into smaller fragments to create soldiers.

In short, I need to become stronger, and creating a [Parasite] soldier is one way to achieve that.

"Kohai-kun, don't worry. I share the same sentiment," Watanabe-senpai nodded, wearing a slightly annoyed expression, but she admitted that she felt represented by me during that incident.

"Yes, Yuki-kun. Fortunately, the school has decided to keep the events a secret, so you won't have to deal with reporters or police investigations. This measure is also taken to ensure that the involved students aren't handed over to the authorities."

Ichihara-senpai mentioned the settlement after the terrorist attack. With Tsukasa Hajime apprehended, Agalite disbanded completely from First High.

"Ahem! It may sound rushed, but I think it's worth considering," Saegusa-senpai shifted the topic, wearing the same smile she had when she was the student council president.

"After taking everything into account, along with numerous teacher and student recommendations..." I don't know, but this sounds like trouble. "Haku, how would you feel about taking part in the Monolith Code during the upcoming Nine Schools Competition?" Her fingers gracefully danced in mid-air, while a playful smile adorned her lips.

"Kohai-kun, you should know that I'll be joining the Battle Board!"

Watanabe-senpai proudly declared, showing off right in front of my face, while Ichihara-senpai merely closed his eyes, seemingly unfazed by Watanabe-senpai's antics.

Amidst my worries about the world's dooms, I found myself invited to compete in the Nine Schools Competition.

It's freaking me out because the names are practically identical: Nine Realms and Nine damn Schools.

---

Yeah, I decided to mess with the plot canon a bit.