The next world.

I woke up in a hospital bed, my head spinning as my vision blurred. A figure leaned closer until our faces were almost level. When my eyes focused, I recognized him: Hayashi. He had been sitting by my side, waiting for me to wake up.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice weak and tinged with worry.

Hayashi smiled. "To be honest, you destroyed that robot that was about to obliterate the area. Then you… transformed into some kind of monster and passed out. It was pretty wild. Honestly, your ability is cool as hell. Anyway, I gotta head out. Glad you're okay. See ya!"

He gave a casual wave and walked off before I could ask more questions.

The nurse came in shortly after to explain things in more detail. I listened, feeling a mix of relief and confusion. As I got ready to leave, she smiled warmly.

"Take care of yourself, and please, don't let me see you back here anytime soon," she said.

I smiled back. "Thanks. I'll try."

A week later, I was back at my mansion. My friends had moved in with me since they had nowhere else to stay. We spent our days training, anxiously waiting for our acceptance letters.

When the mail finally arrived, the room erupted with nervous energy. Each of us tore open our letters, and to our relief, we'd all been accepted. Classes started the following Monday, and although I hadn't attended school in years, I was both excited and nervous.

Monday Morning

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my school uniform. It was a sleek design: a half-and-half blazer with one side dark and the other gray, accented with shoulder buttons to denote our courses. My tie was red with white stripes, marking me as part of the hero course. The outfit was customizable, but I had opted for the traditional look today.

A car drove me to campus, the perks of being rich making the morning commute effortless. As I stepped out, a girl with squirrel-like agility leaped onto the roof of my car, then bounded toward the entrance. The campus itself was massive, housing multiple schools and even a university at its center.

After moving into my dormitory, I headed to my first class. The hallway buzzed with activity as students, each sporting unique takes on their uniforms, hurried to their destinations. I opened the door to my homeroom and was greeted by chaos—students laughing, chatting, and making noise.

"Where's the teacher?" I muttered, scanning the room.

"Right behind you," a familiar voice replied.

I turned to see Hiro, our homeroom teacher, grinning at me. He was a former number-one hero, but his laid-back demeanor made it hard to believe.

Hiro's Introduction

"Alright, listen up!" Hiro began, leaning casually against the desk. "I'm not gonna lie—I don't remember everything I was supposed to tell you. But here's the gist:

1. Your homeroom is a mix of hero course magic and meta students. Yay, diversity!

2. Core classes? You stick with this group. Optional classes? You'll be shuffled around.

3. We're a tournament-heavy school. The first one, the Phoenix Partner Tournament, is coming up soon. You'll need a partner and some chi to wield the weapons used in these battles.

Oh, and about me? Yeah, I'm the former number-one hero. Got injured in a big fight, retired, and now I'm here. Fun fact: I have 30 wives. One of them works here—Nurse Tsutsumi. Another is part of the World Hero Association. Anyway, be good. I'm off to the teachers' lounge to flirt with my wife. Bye!"

With that, he walked out, leaving the class in stunned silence.

As I glanced around the room, familiar faces caught my eye. Citlali, my childhood friend with her striking white hair and rosy pink eyes, sat near the front. Beside her was Xolotl, my best friend. His tan skin and baby-blue streaked blond hair made him easy to spot. Ren, another close friend, sat next to them, his brown hair and signature purple star earring completing his chill vibe.

Then there were the girls I'd recently and my old roommates met:

• Haneul Seo, with her elegant purple hair and a beauty mark on her cheek.

• Ametsuchi Tenshihara, whose fiery red hair and captivating presence turned heads.

• Inari-no-Yami, her striking gunmetal hair adding to her allure.

• Yuzuki Nozomi, a bubbly blonde with pink-tipped hair and an undeniable charm.

Yet despite the lively atmosphere and the presence of people I cared about, a wave of unrelenting rage surged through me. My chest tightened, my vision sharpened, and a suffocating heat built inside me.

I didn't understand it. The urge wasn't directed at anyone in particular—just everyone. My heart pounded with an unnatural rhythm as thoughts darker than I'd ever known clawed their way into my mind.

Why are they smiling? Laughing? Existing?

I gripped the edge of my desk so hard it creaked under the pressure, my nails digging into the wood. A violent, unrelenting urge to tear everyone in the room apart overwhelmed me. I could almost feel it—their blood on my hands, the chaos, the silence that would follow.

The worst part? It felt… natural. Like this murderous intent wasn't foreign or intrusive, but a buried instinct awakening after years of slumber.

I clenched my fists tightly, my nails biting into my palms to ground myself. No. This isn't me. This isn't who I am.

But even as I tried to suppress it, the rage lingered, simmering beneath the surface. I couldn't trust myself to stay in control. My breathing grew uneven, my body trembling with barely restrained fury.

"Hey!"

A loud bang jolted me from my thoughts. I blinked, the haze of bloodlust fading as someone slammed their hand on my desk. I looked up to see a girl standing before me with her hand on her hip.

Her yellow eyes, dotted with freckles, stared into mine as though trying to gauge me. She had purple hair tied back and a confident posture.

"Alright, dude, you can stop checking me out. I know I'm hot," she said with a smirk, completely unaware of the storm that had been raging inside me just moments ago..

"Excuse me?" I stammered, caught off guard.

"Listen, I know your type—some rich, famous playboy juggling three girls at once. But I'm not gonna be one of them," she replied sharply.

"Do I… know you?" I asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Oh, yeah. I'm that guy—er, girl—you almost fought before the exam. Takeru Sachi. Or Yuushi, when I'm feeling more masculine. It's part of my meta ability: Anatomical Morph. I thought we might have something in common after seeing you transform."

Her words clicked, and I studied her curiously. "I see. I don't really know what my ability is called, but I've been able to shift between male and female since I was a kid. It used to be uncontrollable, which is why I wore baggy clothes growing up."

She tilted her head. "Huh. Sounds like you're gender-fluid, but with a twist. Anyway, don't drool too much. It's kinda gross," she teased, smirking again.

The only reason I'm telling you all this," she said, her voice laced with arrogance, "is because I'm going to beat you and prove that I'm better than you in every category." She tilted her chin upward, her yellow eyes daring me to respond. The confidence—or was it sheer audacity?—radiated from her as she turned on her heel and walked away, her steps deliberate and unhurried.

I sat there, still gripping the desk, my knuckles white from the tension. My jaw tightened, and a flicker of that earlier rage threatened to surface again. It wasn't just her words; it was the way she dismissed me like I was some stepping stone on her path to greatness. I bit back a retort, forcing myself to focus on my breathing, the lingering anger simmering in my chest.

Before I could fully collect myself, two familiar voices broke through the tension.

"Yo, Kael, who was that?" Aoi asked, her voice light but tinged with curiosity. She had her hands casually in her jacket pockets, her head tilted slightly. Beside her stood Hayashi, his expression less playful and more inquisitive.

"Yeah, seriously, what was that about?" Hayashi added, leaning in slightly. "Looked like some serious tension there. You good?"

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. "That? That was the guy—uh, girl now—that I was beefing with during the exam," I explained, still watching her figure retreat down the hallway. "Takeru. Or Yuushi. I guess they're gender fluid or something."

Aoi raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Wait, that's the same person? The one who tried to pick a fight with you before the signal? Damn, talk about a glow-up. Or… personality upgrade? Or maybe not."

Hayashi chuckled, shaking his head. "And they still came at you, huh? What did they even say this time?"

I hesitated, the words still ringing in my ears. "They said they're going to beat me at everything."

Hayashi gave me a look, half amused, half concerned. "Well, they've got some guts, I'll give them that. But what's their deal with you? You barely even know them, right?"

I shrugged, leaning back in my chair. "Honestly? I have no idea. It's like they've got something to prove. Maybe I just rub them the wrong way."

Aoi smirked, nudging me lightly with her elbow. "Or maybe you just exist, and that's enough to piss some people off. Happens when you're kinda hard to ignore."

I sighed, the earlier tension still lingering in the back of my mind. "Yeah, well, whatever their problem is, they're not the only ones around here with something to prove. Let's just hope they can back it up."

Hayashi nodded thoughtfully. "Guess we'll see soon enough. You've got a knack for making interesting friends, Kael."

I couldn't help but smirk at that. "Friends, huh? Let's see how long that lasts."

The three of us stood there for a moment, the atmosphere lightening slightly as Aoi cracked a joke about Takeru's confidence. Still, in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the feeling that our little rivalry was far from over.

As the day progressed, I decided to take Aoi and Hayashi to meet my old friends. After all, we were all part of the same class, and it would be a good idea to start building some camaraderie—plus, I wanted to see how they'd react to my childhood circus.

Walking into the cafeteria, I scanned the room until I spotted them. There they were, sitting together like some perfectly curated social media photo: Citlali, Xolotl, and Ren. Citlali was carefully arranging her food into color-coordinated sections, Xolotl was juggling an apple, an orange, and—was that a pineapple?—while Ren was dramatically reading poetry to a half-empty carton of milk.

Aoi blinked. "Are… are those your friends?"

"Yup," I said with a sigh. "Brace yourselves."

As we approached, Xolotl caught sight of us first. His face lit up like he'd just won the lottery, and the next thing I knew, I was tackled in a full-body hug.

"KAEL! My best bro in the universe!" Xolotl exclaimed, spinning me around like I was a ragdoll. "It's been, what, a week? Too long! Too long!"

"Put me down!" I wheezed, slapping his arm.

"Oh, my bad," Xolotl said, finally setting me down, but not before ruffling my hair into a mess that probably looked like I'd been electrocuted.

Citlali glanced up from her perfectly sorted plate of food and smiled. "Kael, good to see you again. And who are your friends?" she asked, gesturing gracefully toward Aoi and Hayashi.

Ren didn't even look up, still reciting his poem to the milk. "Oh, dairy nectar of life, why must you expire so soon?" he intoned dramatically.

Hayashi leaned over to me. "Uh… is he okay?"

"That's just Ren being Ren," I said.

Aoi, unfazed, crossed her arms and smirked. "I like him already. But I'm calling him 'Milk Boy' from now on."

Ren finally looked up, flipping his hair like he was in a shampoo commercial. "Milk Boy? I suppose I could accept such a title, though it hardly encapsulates the depth of my soul."

"Oh my God, he's even worse up close," Hayashi muttered, trying to stifle a laugh.

Before I could make introductions, Xolotl grabbed Aoi by the shoulders. "New friend detected! What's your name? Do you like snacks? Do you want to see my juggling routine?"

Aoi raised an eyebrow. "Aoi. Yes. And absolutely."

In the span of five seconds, Xolotl had pulled out three more pineapples from who knows where and was juggling them in a flurry of chaos. People nearby started ducking as fruit occasionally went flying.

"How does he even—" Hayashi started, but I cut him off.

"Don't question it. You'll hurt your brain."

Citlali, ever the composed one, stood and offered a polite smile to Aoi and Hayashi. "I'm Citlali. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please don't let the… energy overwhelm you."

"Nice to meet you, Citlali," Hayashi said, shaking her hand. "And don't worry. I live for chaos."

"Then you'll fit right in," I muttered.

Ren, not to be left out, stood and dramatically bowed. "I am Ren Kagetsu, poet extraordinaire and chronic overthinker. If you ever wish to discuss the existential agony of the human condition, I am your man."

Aoi snorted. "Yeah, I'll pass, Milk Boy."

"Ah, the pain of rejection," Ren said, clutching his chest like he'd been mortally wounded.

The group fell into an easy rhythm, with Xolotl trying to teach Aoi how to juggle (it ended with a pineapple nearly hitting Hayashi in the face), Citlali trying to explain the concept of normal conversation to Ren, and Hayashi somehow getting roped into a debate with a random student about which superhero had the coolest cape.

For the first time in a while, I found myself laughing so hard my stomach hurt. Sure, my life was a mess, and the looming threat of school tournaments and rivalries hung over my head, but for now, it didn't seem so bad.

That is, until the cafeteria doors slammed open and a voice bellowed, "Kael! You owe me a rematch!"

Everyone turned to see Takeru—or Yuushi—storming in, pointing dramatically in my direction.

I groaned. "And the circus gets a new act."

Just as Takeru—or Yuushi, depending on the day—stormed into the cafeteria demanding a rematch, another commotion started behind them. The double doors swung open dramatically (again), and in walked Haneul Seo, Yuzuki Nozomi, Ametsuchi Tenshihara, and Inari-no-Yami, looking like they were posing for the cover of a teen drama.

The four of them stopped mid-stride, their hair practically blowing in a non-existent wind. Haneul adjusted her glasses like she was the lead detective on a crime show, while Yuzuki did a little twirl and winked at the surrounding crowd. Ametsuchi casually tossed her scarlet hair over her shoulder, and Inari just stood there, somehow managing to look both mysterious and annoyed at the same time.

"Kael!" Haneul called out, her sharp voice cutting through the cafeteria noise.

"Oh no," I muttered under my breath, sinking into my seat.

"You forgot to return my book!" she declared, marching up to me with the energy of someone about to deliver a TED Talk.

Before I could respond, Yuzuki skipped up beside her and grinned. "Kael! Why didn't you tell me you were having a party? You know I love parties!"

"It's not a party. It's lunch," I said flatly.

"Same thing!" Yuzuki chirped, immediately pulling out a bag of glitter from who-knows-where and tossing it into the air.

Ametsuchi followed behind them, her gaze sweeping across the table like a queen inspecting her court. She crossed her arms and fixed me with a pointed stare. "Kael. You didn't invite us to sit with you? I'm offended."

"You were literally just standing over there five minutes ago!" I protested, pointing to the table they'd been occupying earlier.

Ametsuchi shrugged. "Irrelevant."

Inari, meanwhile, was the last to approach, her expression as neutral as ever. She looked at the glitter now coating the table, then at Yuzuki, then back at me. "You let this happen?"

"I didn't—she just—never mind," I said, rubbing my temples.

Takeru, who had been ignored for a full two minutes now, cleared their throat loudly. "Excuse me, I'm in the middle of challenging Kael to a rematch."

"Oh?" Ametsuchi said, raising an eyebrow. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"I'm Takeru," they replied, puffing out their chest. "The one who's going to prove I'm better than Kael at everything."

Yuzuki gasped dramatically. "Oh no, Kael has a nemesis?! This is so spicy! I ship it!"

"WHAT?!" Takeru and I both shouted at the same time, though Takeru's face had turned a suspicious shade of pink.

Haneul sighed and adjusted her glasses again. "Can we not turn everything into a soap opera?"

Ren, ever the opportunist, took this as his cue to chime in. "Ah, but life is a soap opera, dear Haneul. A swirling vortex of passion, betrayal, and—"

"Milk Boy, please sit down," Aoi interrupted, casually shoving a pineapple into his hands to shut him up.

Meanwhile, Xolotl had somehow struck up a conversation with Inari, who was nodding along to his enthusiastic explanation of… something involving throwing knives and pizza toppings? I couldn't keep track anymore.

Citlali, ever the calm one, looked at the chaotic scene and sighed. "Kael, your life really is a circus, isn't it?"

"You have no idea," I muttered.

Just then, Takeru slammed their hand on the table again. "Enough talking! Kael, meet me after school. We're settling this once and for all."

"Fine, whatever," I said, waving them off.

"And don't you dare chicken out!" Takeru added before stomping out of the cafeteria, somehow managing to trip over their own feet on the way out.

As they disappeared, Yuzuki clapped her hands. "This is going to be so fun! I'm definitely bringing snacks to the rematch. Oh, should we make it a group outing? Ametsuchi, Inari, Haneul, you're coming too, right?"

"I don't see why not," Ametsuchi said, smirking.

"Fine," Inari said with a shrug.

Haneul sighed. "If I must."

Xolotl grinned and threw an arm around my shoulder. "Looks like your fan club's growing, bro."

"Kill me now," I muttered.

"Can't do that," Hayashi said, grinning. "You've got a rematch to win first."

And with that, lunch descended back into chaos, with everyone loudly debating whether pineapple belonged on pizza, Yuzuki starting a glitter fight, and Ren reciting another poem—this time about the tragedy of spilled milk.

Just another normal day in my absolutely-not-normal life.