What just happened?

After washing his face and changing into casual clothes—a white t-shirt and black joggers—he settled down on his bed deep in thought. It was a moment of introspection, a chance to contemplate the things that had been on his mind for a while.

Lost in his thoughts, he pondered on the reason for continuing to live. Life had thrown him hardships, with his parents absent and being ostracized due to his ranking. Yet, amidst the despair, there was one glimmer of hope that kept him going - a girl. Even a brief encounter with her breathed life into his existence, allowing him to experience the world more fully. Overwhelmed with emotions, he found solace in tears, his arms shielding his face.

Morning rose again, Kyou still for some reason the first student to arrive in his classroom. He did not complain, what was their to complain? It was more quiet at the time.

As the morning sun painted the sky once again, Kyou found himself being the first student to arrive in the classroom, a recurring occurrence for some unknown reason. Yet, he didn't mind. The quietude of the empty room offered a serene start to the day.

At the doorway, Chihiro appeared, her gaze scanning the room until she spotted Kyou— the sole occupant at that moment. With an intention to say something, she approached him.

"Good morning, Kurushimo," she greeted, her cheeks tinged with a hint of red, their eyes not quite meeting.

"Uh, morning," Kyou replied, feeling a tinge of embarrassment himself.

"About yesterday... I want to apologize for unconsciously invading your personal space," she confessed, her shyness evident as she referred to the events of the prior day.

"It's okay, really. I accept your apology," he responded, a forgiving smile gracing his lips.

After a relatively smooth morning, Kyou had already found a friend. As the students settled into their seats, the homeroom teacher, Ma'am Kayoma, issued a new instruction.

"Students, group yourselves into pairs or teams of five." she announced.

Amidst the bustling classroom, students scrambled to find their ideal partners. Some chose to team up with friends, while others sought out individuals with greater strengths. Meanwhile, Kurushimo found himself left without a partner, until one person approached him.

"Kurushimo, let's become partners." Chihiro suggested, turning her head towards him.

"Are you sure, Nakama? I'm not confident in my ability to provide much assistance." he responded solemnly.

"Don't worry, I'm the strongest here." she declared, confidently pointing to herself.

"If you say so, Nakama."

Finally, every student was assigned to their respective groups. Neo-colored holographic-like rings appeared in front of each student, indicating their teams.

"Now that everyone is paired, there will be no team changes throughout your entire high school years," revealed Ma'am Kayoma.

Many of the students gasped, some were surprised.

"In future events, pairs and teams will compete in various subjects, including combat." she explained.

"Ma'am, how can we possibly compete against someone like Nakama in combat!? Even if all of us joined forces, we wouldn't stand a chance against her." questioned Sakuto Motori, who appeared to be the most popular guy in their class.

"Anomalies like Nakama will not participate in combat against fellow students who are not on the same power level. She can only train with students who possess similar strength or with staff members." she clarified.

"Referring to Nakama as an anomaly...she's right there." Kyou whispered to himself, feeling slightly tense due to how they perceived her.

"I suppose even those who are above us are considered outcasts due to their overwhelming power, but that's still better than being disregarded and belittled for being weak like me." he thought, feeling both saddened by Chihiro's situation and his own circumstances.

"But unlike me, she remains resolute against such harsh words." he added.

"Kurushimo..." Chihiro called out to him.

"What is it?" he responded, thinking to himself, "She looks so miserable right now, is it because of what they said..."

"Why don't we wear it like a wedding ring! We'd look like a married couple, and since there are only two of us, it would be convincing in public." she exclaimed eagerly, laughing happily.

"W-what!?" he exclaimed, taken aback.

"It would be humorous, don't you think?" she asked.

"Probably..." he replied, unsure.

"Then it's settled, we're going to wear it on our ring finger." she declared.

"Nevermind, she truly is a shining beacon of goodness after all." he concluded.

It was 4:50 AM, and the school day had come to an end without any issues. It was time for Kyou to head home, and as he reached the gate, he saw Chihiro waiting for him.

"Nakama? Why are you still here?" he asked, curious.

"I...wanted to say something to you. If you don't mind." she replied.

"Uh?" Kyou raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Would you like to go on a friend date with me?" she asked, bowing her head low to hide her blush.

"S-sure." Kyou stammered, feeling a slight blush of his own. "Getting to know each other better will benefit both of us."

"When will it be?" he asked her, inquiring about the date.

"Maybe on the weekend, Saturday, if you're free," she suggested.

"I'm free," he responded, his tone slightly subdued. "It's not like I have anything else going for me..." he whispered.

Her eyes focused on him, filled with genuine joy.

"Great then! Here's my contact. I'll text you where we'll meet." she said, handing him her contact details.

"Okay, here." he said, handing his phone to her. As their hands briefly touched, both of them turned slightly flustered. After a moment, she entered her contact number into his phone.

"I'll be heading home now, Nakama." Kyou said.

"We can call each other by our given names, Kyou." Chihiro replied, feeling a bit flustered.

"R-right..." Kyou stuttered, feeling embarrassed by the sudden intimacy.

He waved goodbye to Chihiro and made his way home. Meanwhile, Chihiro squeezed her skirt, feeling overwhelmed, her face flushed with a deep shade of red.

"Why did I say that?!" she thought, embarrassed about the whole ring finger suggestion.

"Why is he so... lovable? Dammit." she exclaimed quietly in public, thankful that there was no one around to witness her flustered outburst.

Kyou walked home, feeling more refreshed than usual.

"Seems like many things are going my way," he thought, a glimmer of optimism in his mind.

"Life might not be that—"

Suddenly, the scene changes to the day of their friend date.

"Bad..."

The city is in ruins, buildings collapsed, and people crushed under rubble.

"Why..." Kyou's voice trembled with shock and disbelief.

The school has been reduced to dust, with almost nothing remaining. The lifeless bodies of students and staff littered the ground.

"Why...?"

"Kyou! We have to leave!" Chihiro called out to him, urgently beckoning him to run to safety.

"Kyou, we have to go now!" she yelled, her concern evident. She could have easily abandoned him, but she chose to stay by his side.

A rumbling sound resonated in the air, indicating the approach of something enormous and imposing. On the horizon stood a colossal monster, its sheer size capable of causing destruction and chaos with each step. It was the Draconic Leviathan, Zakkorus.

"That thing is a world threat; even Harbingers wouldn't stand a chance against it. Kyou!!" she exclaimed, now practically carrying him in her urgency to escape.

Her voice echoed loudly, but it felt distant and unrecognizable to him. Lost in his deep thoughts, he felt as if he was floating in a realm of nothingness, surrounded by a void of consciousness. The overwhelming presence of the monstrous Leviathan and the impending disaster seemed to have plunged him into a disconnected state, where reality felt unreal and his thoughts became foggy.

"Chihiro, let go of me. I will fight that thing." he declared with determination.

"Are you insane!? You couldn't even scratch that thing!" she argued, desperate to make him see reason.

But before she could react, he vanished from her grasp, reappearing a few meters behind her, his gaze locked onto the giant monster. His eyes had transformed, now displaying a gray hue, and his aura surged with untamed power.

"Kyou, how did you...?" she exclaimed, unable to comprehend how he had just disappeared from her arms.

"Chihiro, hide behind me." he commanded, his voice filled with an overwhelming sense of authority.

"But..." she hesitated, her body moving on its own accord, instinctively seeking shelter behind him.

He extended his hand towards the monster, and with a single word, everything in his life changed.

"Fall."

In that instant, a colossal spear descended from the sky, its size rivaling mountains. The clouds parted to reveal this majestic sight as the spear pierced through the monster's skull, causing an explosion comparable to the power of hundreds of thousands of nuclear bombs. But before the resulting fireball could engulf the surroundings, Kyou absorbed all the energy within a matter of moments, preventing any further destruction.

A moment of silence filled the air, Chihiro too stunned to utter a single word.

"H-how...?" she managed to ask, her voice filled with awe and confusion.

"No, you aren't Kyou, are you...?" she expressed her suspicion, realizing that something extraordinary was unfolding.

"You have great observation for an Awakened-level individual." he acknowledged, confirming her doubts.

"So you aren't Kyou, what are you...?" she inquired, her curiosity intensifying.

"Heh, I am what you beings call a God." he proclaimed proudly.

"Your friend here, you see, is the incarnation of existence," he explained further, adding another layer of complexity to the situation.

"What? I don't understand any of this..." Chihiro admitted, feeling overwhelmed by the extraordinary revelation.

"Let's just say that he is different. He will become stronger, but I can't constantly be by his side. That's why I want you to support him as his maiden." he continued, presenting her with a newfound responsibility.

"H-his maiden!?" she blushed profusely, her face turning several shades redder.

"Yes, don't you already had feelings for him? Also I assure you that the attraction you have felt for him is genuine and true. It's not because of some cosmic influence or forced feelings." he announced, emphasizing the authenticity of her feelings.

Chihiro took a few minutes to process the overwhelming events that had unfolded within such a short period of time. Her mind was filled with astonishment, uncertainty, and a mixture of curiosity and apprehension for what the future held.

"I'll leave you with that, and make sure to trust him when he sees things you couldn't." he mentioned, his eyes returning to their original colors and his aura fading. However, before he could collapse to the ground, Chihiro caught him, preventing him from falling.

She embraced him tightly, her heart heavy with a whirlwind of emotions.

"You dummy, I hate you..." she stated, her words contrasting with the affectionate gesture she displayed.