The envelope appeared on Akira's doorstep one ordinary afternoon, an unmarked white square that seemed to hum faintly in his hands. He turned it over, looking for any clue of its origin, but it was as blank as the sky above.
Inside, a cream sheet of paper held a forbidding engraving:
"Chaos Realm High School: Take hold of your future. Entry is binding."
In a moment's notice, the world around him distorted. The air flickered, crumpling inward, as Akira felt the ground disappear below him. He fell into kaleidoscope of swirling lights. His heart pounded and vocal cords strained but no sound came forth. Darkness came suddenly and his mind descended into the abyss.
When the sensation stopped, he found himself lying in the middle of a cobblestone courtyard. Strange spires shot upward, their jagged outlines challenging physics. Unmoved from any obvious basis, they hovered inches above the fractured ground. Stone chunks floated around them like loose trash caught in a tide invisible. The spires themselves appeared to be top-heavy, their weight cantilevered out in sharp overhangs and swirling protrusions curving skyward. The horizon above was a vivid shade of purple, streaked with silver line clouds that pulsated like veins. There was an unnerving sound that pierced his eardrums.
"D-rank trash get out of my way!"
The voice was laced with malice. Akira turned to see a bulking figure standing over him, cloaked in a black and crimson blazer. The neatly trimmed uniform had a gold emblem on the right neck collar. It was a stark contrast to Akira's dull fabric.
"I mean…I'm sorry," Akira hesitated, scampering to gather the scattered papers and books pooled at his feet. The student sneered, brushing past him with enough force to send him sprawling again. Where did these come from?
"Typical," the student muttered before disappearing into the crowd.
Akira stood rubbing his sore arm. What's with all of these uniforms. All of them look the same. Where is variety?! They are all talking..this is giving me a headache. That one over there with the blue spiky hair gives of a pronounced arrogance. His blazer is practically spotless. Wiping off the dust from around his stomach he averted his gaze from the unknown rival."Hey new guy," a voice beckoned nearby.
Slowing turning towards the voice, Akira noticed a petite girl with teal hair. Her twin pigtails were swishing as the skipped towards him. Her uniform, like his, was rumpled and faded. She had a mischievous glint in her eye and a name tag that read, Rika Rank D.
"Yeah," Akira admitted. "I have no idea what's going on."
Rika grinned, hands on her hips. "Welcome to Chaos Realm High School. Think of it as the ultimate survival game, but with homework."
Akira frowned. "Survival game?"
Rika's expression softened. "This place is... different. Rankings are everything here. You're a D-rank and so am I, which means you're at the bottom of the food chain. If you want respect or, you know, basic survival you'll need to move up."
Before Akira could respond, a bell tolled in the distance. The sound was deep and resonant, vibrating through his chest. Students began to move toward the towering central building, its doors yawning open like the mouth of a beast.
"There's our cue," Rika giggled, tugging Akira by the sleeve. "Let's go. We can't be late for orientation."
As they walked, Rika described the school's hierarchy. "Rankings are more than grades; it holds the key to survival. Students can earn better ranks through weekly challenges. I wonder what those could be?"
"Anywho! A rank students live like royalty," Rika babbled, her voice tinged with envy. "They get the best dorms, the best food, the best everything. And the only way to leave this place is to graduate as an A-rank."
"And if you don't?" Akira asked, his stomach tightening.
Rika hesitated. "You're expelled."
"Expelled? That doesn't sound so bad."
Rika stopped, her teal eyes locking onto him. "It's not like in the real world, Akira. Here, expulsion means being erased. Like, gone. Forever."
The weight of her words settled over him like a shroud. I have no idea how I ended up here. This place is bizarre. If there is any chance of getting home, I can't fail.
Entering the building, Akira caught sight of a wall with a massive board on it. The ranks of every student were glowing in a faint yellow glow. At the top were a handful of names, each accompanied by the golden A-rank emblem. At the bottom, a long list of names shimmered under the dull, gray D-rank label.
His own name flickered into existence at the very bottom: Akira Rank D.
The sight filled him with equal parts fear and determination.
"Don't worry," Rika said, nudging him with her elbow. "You've got potential. We'll figure it out."
Akira wanted to believe her. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was in way over his head.
One thing was certain...if he wanted to survive, he had to climb the ranks quickly.