What is awakening?
Whoosh~
The relentless sun bore down, its rays more intolerant than usual. A refreshing breeze brushed against my skin, a sensation that felt out of place. Was this a prank by Ike and the others? Did they drag me outside to sleep in the park again? Impossible. Carrying my mattress alone would be a Herculean task for them, let alone relocating me to another park.
"Hey man, we'd never doing something like that!" Sudo was the first to shout in dissonance, perhaps to prove to his crush that he wasn't so utterly ridiculous in his antics. Or perhaps, just to stop embarrassing himself in front of the entire school.
"Ken's right, even we'd never take it that far..." Although a few in class D doubted the actions of the Idiot duo, Ike had become brave enough to voice his own rebuttal due to Sudo speaking up.
The screen continued playing Ayanokoji's continuously restless thoughts.
The symphony of rustling leaves, swaying grass, creaking trees played a pleasant melody. Birds contributed to the natural chorus, with the distinct cooing of a dove echoing through the air.
Hold on...
The rhythmic sounds of nature clashed with my fading confusion. A dove? Sun? Breeze? This couldn't be...
With a sluggish pace, my eyes reluctantly opened, greeted by an unexpected scene. Three pairs of eyes stared down at me, radiating curiosity. Their attire puzzled me —reminiscent of medieval peasants, clad in rough fabrics with thick blazers draped over.
"Oh! He's waking up!"
The next scene flickered onto the auditorium screen. Ayanokoji was no longer in his dorm. Instead, he was lying in the middle of a quiet forest clearing.
"Oi oi... what the hell?" Ike blurted immediately, leaning forward in disbelief. "He was literally in his bed two seconds ago!"
"Teleportation...?" Maezono muttered weakly.
Even Hirata, who usually tried to stay composed, looked shaken. "A-A sudden location shift like that can't be real... right?"
Sotomura pushed his glasses up dramatically, eyes sparkling with way too much excitement for the situation.
"This is clearly the work of an isekai!" he announced with absolute confidence. "Truck-kun must have struck off-screen!"
"Yeah, that didn't happen," the tomboyish Onodera deadpanned.
But the absurdity of the situation made it hard to dismiss his claim entirely.
Before anyone could argue further, three small children came into view on the screen—all dressed strangely.
Patterns that looked... medieval? Katsuragi narrowed his eyes analytically.
"Their outfits are inconsistent with modern Japanese design," he noted. "The layering suggests colder climates. And the fabric—likely being wool or linen. I can safely conclude that these children aren't from Japan."
Ayanokoji looked just as confused on screen—silently processing the weight of what had just happened. Then one of the kids spoke. In crisp, fluent German.
Horikita sat up straight so quickly her chair squeaked.
"I believe that's...German, in one of my audio books a German character spoke a different dialect of German, but it's undoubtedly very similar," she said, frowning. "Why would children in a forest know German? And why is Ayanokoji-kun interacting with them so calmly?"
As if in response to her confusion, neat white subtitles appeared across the screen. And that — oddly enough—was what made Ryuen smirk to himself.
Subtitles, huh? That means the government bastards already watched this part. So they're editing the footage for us. Meaning they've been analysing this longer than they're letting on. Heh. Sloppy.
His expression didn't change, but the thought lingered with amusement.
It wasn't only Ryuen, the smarter and more observant students had also caught on with this information.
Kushida's reaction, meanwhile, was far more outward. Her eyes widened as she clasped her hands together. "Ehh? But Ayanokoji-kun doesn't speak German, right? So how is he supposed to communicate with them? This is so scary—he must've been so confused!"
Except... she was watching him not panic. He wasn't confused nor was he scared. Which only made her smile tighten slightly.
How the hell could this gloomy-faced bastard be so calm in this situation!
From Class D's side of the auditorium, the reactions varied.
Akito exhaled sharply. "Kiyotaka just... took it in stride. If that happened to me, I'd be freaking out."
Airi flinched at each unfamiliar sound coming from the children, clutching her sleeves close to her chest.
"T-They don't look dangerous, but... Kiyotaka-kun is all alone... in a forest... I hope he's okay..."
Keisei leaned forward despite himself.
"A completely random relocation, the presence of foreign children, and an unknown language... This isn't something any normal person could logically adapt to. Even a gifted student would show at least some visible confusion."
But Ayanokoji on screen was calm. Too calm.
Haruka glanced between the screen and his empty seat beside her and whispered, "...Kiyopon really is something else."
Hirata nodded quietly, a crease forming between his brows as he agreed to the sentiment. "There has to be some explanation. But right now... I can't imagine what it could be exactly..."
In the corner, Kei's hand clenched subtly over her skirt. She didn't speak, she lacking the trust in her voice—but her worry showed in the slight tremors made by her fingers.
Across the hall, Ichinose stiffened, the sight of Ayanokoji suddenly alone in some unknown world jabbing her with a sharp, unplaceable fear.
Amikura gently placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Honami-chan... you okay?"
"...Yeah. I'm just... surprised is all." But her eyes stayed locked on the screen.
Hiyori Shiina watched with quiet fascination, but also a tinge of worry for her dear book-buddy. A thoughtful finger lightly placed on her cheek.
"So he was transported somewhere else entirely... My book buddy is living in a story like one of the novels we read."
Arisu Sakayanagi tilted her head slightly, amusement glinting in her eyes. "My, my... A sudden relocation and foreign language to adapt to, right away. What a curious start for you, Ayanokoji-kun. Even by your standards."
A brown-haired kid, around 9 or 10, spoke in...German? High or Low German? Middle German? I can't tell, their accents are strange.
An American bird soundtrack accompanying German dialogue-Am I high? Or is this a simulation of one of Hiyori's books? Or Sotomura's manga?
Several students in the auditorium broke into laughter.
"Middle German? What is this, a history class?" Ike snorted.
"High German? Like— is that the premium edition?" Hashimoto added, grinning.
Even some second-years let out quiet chuckles, the absurdity too much even for them.
Meanwhile, Hiyori blinked when she heard her own name referenced in the monologue.
"Oh... a simulation of my books?" she murmured with a soft, embarrassed smile. "That's quite flattering... if a little surprising."
Sotomura, hearing his manga mentioned, practically lit up. "Aha! See? Even he thinks this is manga logic!" he declared proudly. "Ayanokoji-dono, thanks to your kind self, I've been vindicated!"
Kanzaki, sitting nearby, sighed. "You being vindicated is the worrying part..."
Am I on acid?
Ayanokoji mistaking his perplexing situation for being intoxicated earned a louder wave of laughter.
"H-He thinks he's on acid?" Sato giggled, half covering her mouth.
"Honestly? Can't blame him," Akito said, shaking his head. "I'd think I was hallucinating too."
"U-Um...sorry for waking you up, mister...! Me and my friends were just running to the tree, that's all!" uttered the blonde-haired, bowl-cut friend.
Is that a boy or a girl?
That last thought made two first-years lose it again.
"Bro, even he can't tell!" Aihara wheezed.
Two boys exuded European features, while the lone girl possessed a distinctly Japanese appearance. She gazed at me silently with wide eyes.
Was I kidnapped, tossed onto an airplane, and shipped off to Germany? Rumours of sausage-scented citizens and their perpetual anger issues crossed my mind-It was a worse fate than going back to the White Room.
That line hit the room like a thunderbolt.
Horikita stiffened, her eyes narrowing. "...Thinking about... sausages and... angry Germans? Why is he like this..."
Kei's lips parted in disbelief. "He seriously thinks being kidnapped to Germany, is only slightly worse than... the White Room...? Kiyotaka ... is your past truly even worse than mine...?."
Hirata frowned deeply, visibly distressed. "It's slightly concerning. No one should default to thinking like that..."
Haruka looked torn between laughing and crying. "Kiyopon really thinks about his situation in the strangest ways..."
Yukimura adjusted his glasses harshly. "Does he always think like this? This is a psychological minefield."
Meanwhile, the rest of the room reacted to the bigger bomb in that sentence.
The White Room.
And the fact he said something was worse than being teleported across dimensions, completely isolated with no knowledge, resources or information made it really settle in their minds. Whatever this White Room was, could be a very touchy topic for the teen on-screen.
Katsuragi folded his arms. "If he considers a foreign abduction preferable to this White Room... his past must be beyond worrisome."
Perhaps this is why he was placed in Class D, despite his clearly intelligent thoughts. There may be far more to Kiyotaka Ayanokoji than I first thought... I should keep an eye out for further mention of this White Room.
Katsuragi was in deep contemplation surrounding the past of said person.
Ryuen clicked his tongue, smirking slightly. "Tch. So even teleportation to another country is better than whatever that hell-hole is?"
Whatever the monster's past is, it's clear the White Room is front and centre to solving all his mysteries. Where did the monster come from? Where was he raised? Where on Earth did he get all his abilities? Once all my questions are answered, I'll find a crack in your defences. Anything, I'll take anything, and once I find it... I will win, no matter what it takes.
Ichinose's face paled. "Worse than... being taken off of Earth without warning? That's horrible... what must he have gone through to even think like that..."
No matter what you go through Ayanokoji-kun, if you need help, I'll be there to help you in the same way you were there for me... No, I will help you! Once you return that is... Ichinose's determination and resolve in helping her dearest 'friend' had just been well-sharpened.
Amikura squeezed Ichinose's arm. "He must have suffered a lot more than anyone realised with his poker face and-all..."
Chihiro nodded, "He always looks so unbothered, but if his past is so bad..."
The thought lingered for class B, who for the most part, had decent impressions of Ayanokoji. For them, he had helped their leader quite a bit.
Kushida wore her perfect smile, but her eyes tightened. "He jokes so casually about trauma... It's kind of scary."
Shibata raised both eyebrows. "Man. If that's his scale of fear, what even happened to him?"
Even Arisu Sakayanagi's playful expression dimmed slightly. "Fufufu, Ayanokoji-kun. To say such a thing so casually. I suppose even trauma can become mundane to you..."
Creepy loli, why does she laugh so strangely. Just laugh like a normal person!
"Masumi-san, you weren't thinking of anything offensive just now, were you?" Sakayangi arched an eyebrow forming a questioning glance towards beer-chan.
"W-what, no of course not, don't be absurd." Yep very very creepy. If professor x was a little girl his name would be Arisu, 100%!
Hiyori exhaled softly, empathy in her gaze. "...Even in another world, surrounded by children, his first thought is about suffering. That's... very lonely."
If my book-buddy wants to talk about it, I'll be here for him... Maybe a hug could do him some good? Hiyori visibly reddened at that thought and for some foreign reason to herself, her heart was beating slightly faster than before.
"Oi, Shiina, why the heck are you so red..?" Ibuki called out in a questioning tone.
"Oh, no reason.." A short and curt reply, but polite nonetheless. Am I blushing? Is this what they call L-love?
"Huh... what a strange person..." Ibuki muttered under her breath. She didn't particularly dislike Shiina Hiyori, but found her slightly... odd.
"It's no issue," I casually declared, strolling away. "I was just taking a short nap. Il be off now."
The line played in flawless, native-level German. For a moment, the theatre went silent.
Then—
"HUH!?" Ike practically exploded out of his seat. "Since when the hell can Ayanokoji speak perfect German!?"
Hirata's jaw dropped. "That wasn't textbook German... that was native German. Kiyotaka-kun, how..."
Haruka stared wide-eyed. "He's— Kiyopon's actually speaking another language fluently. And casually... Like he just downloaded it and has it ready from use!"
Hashimoto squinted, "What the hell is he, Google translate!?" Incredulity iron-pressed into his face.
Kei grabbed the arm of her seat. Wait—WAIT—he just... flipped languages like nothing!? K-Kiyotaka, what the hell?! You never told me you could do that!
Yukimura nearly choked. "That pronunciation... that cadence... that's near perfect. This is not normal. How many languages does he even know? Is it just German? Damnit, I have so many questions, but no way to get any answers..."
Horikita frowned sharply. "...So he has another skill he never bothered to mention. Typical." Is there something apart from socialising that he isn't good at?
Ryuen clicked his tongue, smirking with irritation. "Tch. The damn monster can apparently speak German like it's his mother tongue. Go Figure."
Katsuragi crossed his arms, genuinely startled. "That accent was astonishingly precise. It's evident he's put time and effort into truly learning it."
Hiyori brought a hand to her lips. "...His intonation was indistinguishable from a native speaker. That level of fluency requires years of practice."
Ishizaki shot up from his seat. "HEY—WHAT THE HELL!? Why's Ayanokoji-san speaking German like it's his first language!?"
Ibuki rolled her eyes but her expression was shaken. "Ugh. As if he needed another freak skill. I swear he acquires talents like he's picking items off a supermarket shelf..."
Albert, normally silent, muttered in perfect English under his breath: "...Bro's pronunciation is flawless."
Everyone who heard him froze.
Ishizaki turned to him. "Bro—YOU speaking English right now isn't the point!"
Ichinose blinked rapidly. "He can speak German too!? Is there anything he can't do?"
Amikura leaned toward her. "Y-You didn't know either, right?"
"No! I didn't!" Ichinose was genuinely caught off guard.
Chihiro leaned forward in her seat like a stunned meerkat. "H-He spoke that... so smoothly. Like he's lived there his whole life. Was Ayanokōji-kun always this talented?"
Kanzaki exhaled slowly, eyes narrowed in analytical disbelief. "...That level of fluency takes years of continuous practice to achieve that level of fluency. I am starting to question just how dangerous he may have been to our class now..."
Chihiro nodded shakily. "It's actually a little bit scary now..."
Ichinose was mildly irritated by Kanzaki, "Kanzaki-kun, come on! He's trapped in another world for goodness sakes! Stop doubting him so much. We aren't even in class competitions right now!"
"Gee, Honami-chan, you're sure defending your boyfriend with some vigour aren't you?" Amikura raised an eyebrow with a teasing smirk.
"I-I told you it's not like that Mako-chan!" A quick retort. Too quick for Amikura's liking.
"Uhuh, you keep telling yourself that sweet Tomatonami-chan."
Komiya muttered, "That wasn't even surprising anymore, in all honesty..."
Arisu Sakayanagi chuckled, eyes glimmering with delight. "Oh my... Kiyotaka, you're full of delightful surprises. Perfect German on command? How far does your education go, I wonder?"
Hashimoto whistled low and long. "Perfect German. Of course. Because why wouldn't he speak perfect German? Next he's gonna recite ancient Greek or decode alien languages: next on his To-do list."
He leaned back with a smirk that didn't reach his eyes. Seriously though... what is he? And how many more surprises does he have up his sleeve?
He glanced toward Sakayanagi. And here I was thinking I had a read on him but, hime seems to know him to some degree, I wonder what their connection is? I'll ask later our break...
Sotomura nearly fell out of his seat. "HE'S A TRANSMIGRATOR. I KNEW IT. ONLY ISEKAI PROTAGONISTS GET MULTILINGUAL BUFFS!"
Hashimoto snorted. "The King really unlocked the German DLC."
A few first-years burst into laughter at the shear stupidity of that brief outburst from the strange spectacled, otaku-senpai.
"Hey so, why is that pony-tail senpai calling the guy on screen 'king'." An innocently curious first year asked.
This elicited a round of laughters from the soon-to-be second year boys:
"Kukuku, truly a monster, in every way." Ryuen dropped a line to increase the laughter even more.
"Hahaha, damn straight, bro is built differnet." Ishizaki
"Hahahahah, my my, t-Rex-kun is indeed deserving of the title 'king' in this regard." Koenji, praising him made the girls and the rest of the first-years even more confused, they couldn't understand the connection at all. After a few questioning glances towards the second-year boys, they realised they wouldn't be told anything, so the discussion moved on.
Kushida smiled brightly, too brightly. "He can speak German? Fluently? Ahaha... that's soooo impressive... and terrifying." She muttered the last words under her breath so only she could hear.
Kushida was beginning to be concerned that she may have messed with someone fairly powerful and could only hope, Ryuen might take care of him. Although after the paper shuffle exam, she didn't have even a spec of trust for Class C's tyrant.
Sato whispered, "What if he knows like ten languages?"
Onodera shrugged helplessly. "At this point, I'd believe it." He sure is a smart cookie isn't he?
Akito rubbed his temples. "First insane speed. Now fluent German. What's next?"
There was no malice in his rhetorical question. Just pure admiration and shock that his bro was so ridiculously talented. Far more so than he let on. Clearly.
Keisei stared at the screen in open disbelief. "...Do you have any idea how many years people spend mastering German pronunciation? This isn't normal. This is... borderline superhuman."
Haruka half-whispered, half-cried, "He just said it. Like it was nothing. Someone please tell me Kiyopon's secretly been studying under a German grandma."
Airi covered her mouth, trying her best not to giggle, "mphf... Haruka, I don't think Kiyotaka-kun has a German... Hahahamphf... Grandma."
Clad in my unwrinkled, pristine uniform, devoid of a phone for location checks-would I even be able to check my location outside of ANHS? I faced a strange dilemma. The nearest town seemed like a reasonable information hub, but these kids were potential sources of local gossip.
My peculiar attire would undoubtedly stir chatter. To blend in, I contemplated the uncomfortable notion of finding or stealing attire akin to those worn by the trio.
Unpleasant, yet a necessary step to seamlessly blend into this odd setting.
A hush rippled across several rows when his thought floated across the speakers:
'...If blending in requires clothing, I might have to steal something.'
It hit the audience in different ways, but the reactions came swiftly.
Ichinose's breath hitched. "H-He wouldn't... actually do that, right?". She wasn't judging him—she was worried—like she always was about others and perhaps it was to do with her past experiences with shoplifting. Ichinose didn't want the same shunning to happen to someone she knew was a good person.
Amikura leaned beside her, whispering to keep her calm. "It might be the only thing he can do... he's alone out there."
Ichinose bit her lip, unable to deny it.
Kanzaki folded his arms, thinking far more pragmatically. "...Given the circumstances, obtaining clothing would be a priority."
He exhaled. "It seems unlike him... yet he does act according to rational necessity rather than morality."
It was his polite way of saying: if Ayanokoji needed to do it, he absolutely would.
Airi fidgeted with her sleeves, face pink with distress. "Kiyotaka-kun... stealing?"
Her voice was barely above a whisper. "He's gentle... I don't want him to have to do something like that..."
Her worry was painfully sincere, her hands trembling.
Hiyori tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, far calmer yet clearly unsettled. "...In stories, displaced protagonists often need to adopt the customs of the world to survive."
Her eyes softened. "I don't think he wants to steal. Ayanokoji-kun is simply preparing mentally for the most efficient path...". A second passed, followed by a small and gentle sigh filled with worry. "...It worries me that he has to think that way at all."
Sato leaned forward, squinting at the screen. "Honestly? If he has to, then... he's definitely capable." She said it with reluctant acceptance rather than admiration. Then, after a moment:
"...I hope he finds another way though. He really doesn't deserve more trouble."
"Of course he could do it."
Kei's hands tightened around her skirt, anxiety peeking through the bravado. He's careful... sneaky when he wants to be. If it's life or death or whatever that place is, then yeah—he'd pull it off. She swallowed.
He had to right, he promised to protect her and said he was strong enough to do it. And after all, no one was stronger, smarter and cooler than her boyfriend.
"But I hate that he even has to think like that. Why's he in a world where stealing is an option he has to consider...?" Her voice cracked near the end, though she hid it well.
"Kei-chan, you seem to know him really well?" Matsushita questioned.
"Huh? O-oh well... let's just say we're good friends?" In all her anxiety, karuizawa forgot her relationship with Kiyotaka was supposed to be a secret due to him mentioning it so casually.
Matsushita wasn't buying it all, she was far too observant to miss something like that. Kei-chan and Ayanokoji-kun definitely have some deeper connection. This was due to Ayanokoji's earlier mention of her first name and the sheer worry and anxiety exhibited by Kei-chan throughout the viewing.
She wasn't going to press on however, that wouldn't do this situation any good. She'd get her answer very soon as soon as Ayanokoji looked somewhat settled enough, resulting in a much more calm Kei-chan.
"Ahh, I see, I didn't think both you and Ayanokoji-kun would get on so well since you're like polar opposites."
"Mou, he helped me out during the Zodiac exam and we hang out every now and then..."
"Yes Karuizawa-san is correct, Kiyotaka-kun has helped me a lot as well. He's very reliable." Hirata backed up her claim and solidified Ayanokoji as someone fairly competent to the rest of the class.
"Hirata-kun? Has Ayanokoji-kun really helped you out that much?" Questioned Horikita. Just how much has he done behind my back?
"Yes Kiyotaka-kun helped me get over the class-poll period, when Yamauchi was unfortunately expelled." His face dimmed at the thought.
"I see..." However short the reply, Horikita's acknowledgment was unmistakable.
"Hirata-kun also told me that, Ayanokoji-kun was the most reliable person in class, so I have to agree. He has helped me before too!" Mii-chan exclaimed loud enough for the rest of Class D to hear. In response Hirata flashed her a warm smile and she could only look away with a blush.
This acknowledgment also ran rampant throughout Class D, who began to see that the ghostly presence who used to sit in the corner near the window, was far more alive and present in the class than they could have ever known.
A delicate, amused laugh floated from Class A's seating area. "My, my... you're all wondering whether Ayanokoji-kun could steal something?"
She tilted her head, tapping her cane lightly against her knee. "After witnessing his little dash at the sports festival? At the speed he displayed that day, he could pluck the clothes off a guard and they would only feel a passing breeze."
A few students turned with dropped jaws. It was indeed a logical thought which made perfect sense. If you were fast enough, you wouldn't be caught all that easily...
Sakayanagi's smile deepened. "So yes. If he wished to steal... he could do so with picturesque elegance."
Odd...setting...Walls...
There were towering walls, maybe 45 to 50 meters tall a few hundred meters in front of me. Now if this were some fever dream, I would disregard the strange structures, weird people, landscapes and all but..
This seems too real to be just a dream.
Horikita's eyes sharpened the moment the walls appeared—tall enough to blot out the sky, impossibly thick, stretching endlessly. "...These... aren't modern fortifications. They're far too large. ...These walls... they're far too tall. Even medieval fortresses weren't built on this scale.This is... absurd."
She swallowed. "No structure like this should exist in our world."
Keisei was academically horrified. "Well that's... completely unrealistic." He pushed his glasses up. "A wall easily over fifty metres tall? That height alone is absurd. Even the most advanced countries today couldn't construct such a structure without enormous cost: not to mention the construction time."
He gulped. "...Where exactly is he?" His glasses slipped slightly down his nose in evident concern.
Kanzaki, his voice low. "That design... the gates, the stone, the archaic layout. This resembles a fortified city from several centuries ago, but the scale is far beyond historical precedent." A long breath, followed by a sigh. "This isn't just a foreign country. It's evidently impossible by our standards at least."
Katsuragi observed, "With walls of that height, they're not protecting against humans." He scanned the scene with deliberate calm.
"Either the people here believe they are under threat from something massive... or the walls serve a symbolic purpose." But even he looked unsettled. "This all but confirms it... this world is not our own."
Ike practice leaped off his seat, "WHAT... the hell... is that!?" He stood halfway out of his chair. "Those aren't walls—those are skyscrapers made of rocks!"
"Shut up, you pervert all your screaming is hurting my poor ears!" Shinohara who had stayed fairly quiet since before couldn't help but speak up.
"Yeah, yeah whatever you say uggo." Ike only shrugged in response.
Sudo looked towards the brown-haired pervert. "Kanji... what kind of place builds something like that? What are they trying to keep out!?"
"Kuku, the dog made an actually good point, how surprising! Suzune, why don't you give him some Scooby snacks huh?" Ryuen sarcastically clapped towards the general direction of Class D.
"OI, OI! You bastard, RYUEN! Why don't you come over here and sa-"
"SUDO-kun, stop it. He's only trying to provoke you. Don't let him get in your head, as for once, you made a perfectly valid point." Horikita brought Sudo out of his flying rage.
"Tch. Alright..." Following a tongue click, Sudo Ken decided to listen to Class D's leader with a light blush dusting his face for being praised. She actually said I did good! This has to mean I'm improving well. Go me!
"Kukuku, well Sudog, you sure are a good pet aren't you? If you want Suzune I can buy you a dog collar for it, or maybe you can wear it for me?" Sudo only scowled in his direction. Attempting to mean-mug Ryuen. Whilst Horikita icily glared at him for his disgustingly perverted remark.
He simply shrugged them off with an amused smirk and looked on.
Hands pressed to Haruka's face. "Did Kiyopon actually... get sent to another world...? That's—this is real, isn't it?"
"...No modern country builds medieval cities with stone walls that size. This is impossible." Matsushita, could only add her own quiet conjecture, more so to herself than anyone.
Normally I would chalk this up to the sensation of lucid dreaming but upon tapping and lightly pinching myself multiple times to wake up, nothing happened.
Where am I?
"Wait!"
I stopped my descent down the hill, glancing back at the trio. The girl called out to me.
"Hm?"
"What's your name?"
"M-Mikasa, I don't think-"
"Do you mind if I refuse?" I took on the caricature of Horikita when we first met.
The blonde cringed, and the brunette looked disappointed.
So he's attempting to imitate me to fend off unwarranted questions. Smart. If a little annoying. A few eyes turned to her with embers of joviality in them, but ever the ice-queen, Horikita Suzune simply ignored them. Ice cold.
The girl, now Mikasa, didn't seem deterred, albeit a bit annoyed.
"Well... there isn't anyone else who looks like me and I was just curious."
The wording struck me as odd. Japanese people were a rarity? From what I knew, Asians, let alone the Japanese made up less than 2% of the German population, and are mostly concentrated in the cities. The world is globalised, people should know what an East Asian person looks like, at least if they're from the West.
Are we in some rural community? That would be a possibility if the facts lined up properly, but no.
By what Mikasa just told me, in this...country...Asians, who make up a large portion of tue world population, are a rarity...somehow. It didn't make sense to conclude we were in Germany or Europe for that matter.
"Sound reasoning, and a logical conclusion. However I must say, his observational abilities are off the charts, how has he managed to pick a part small nuances in her statement to such a terrifying degree, to the point that he came to an answer we were all handed. Mere moments after awakening, no less, and with minimal effort. Katsuragi was bewildered someone like this was loitering around in the backdrop of Class D.
Many nodded their head in agreement but, didn't speak, Katsuragi had surmised everything they wanted to say anyways...
The means to how I got here are strange enough—finding out where I am too, is complicating matters. The walls, the strange fauna, the strange clothing. It's like I've gone back in time to the 1700s.
There was a sudden sinking in my heart. What was going on? Nothing was making sense at all.
"I see." I began. "...I'm Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."
Mikasa's eyes widened slightly at my response. "Mikasa Ackerman! My friends name is—"
Is she using the Western naming convention? Shoot.
"Eren Yeager," the brown-haired one exclaimed.
"Armin Artlert, Mister!"
Is this some sort of superhero movie or comic?
This earned a plethora of light chuckles around the audience, who still could hardly believe the absurdity of the situation. And yet still, their protagonist remained seemingly unfazed, if a little confused: could remain impassive enough to make jokes in his head.
I nodded my head. "Hm. Then I'll be—"
"Where are you from Ayanokouji?" Eren ran up to me, curious.
Am I being racially profiled.
More laughter rang out of the auditorium.
"HAHAHA,"
"Stop! I can't breathe. Pffft."
"Hey, who could've thought that guy could be so funny, shame he keeps his jokes to himself."
"Well, he's probably being polite. He sure has some funny thoughts though."
"Eren!"
"Well, I'm not from here. That for sure."
Wink wink, nudge nudge.
"Hey, is he trying to gleam info out of them?" It was a brave first year who asked that.
"Huh, now that you mention it, a question like that will force the person in question to assume you are from somewhere they do know about, fitting a certain stereotype based on initial impressions!" Ichinose had caught the tail-end of the line and made a fantastic observation.
"Fufu, indeed, Ayanokoji-kun is engineering this conversation to gain better geological understanding of his present situation and his unnerving whereabouts at the current time. Very smart." Once Sakayangi had said this, many began doubting conversations between them and the boy on screen. As expected should I add.
"Hey, if he was really able to push those children to that answer, what about us, when we talked to him? Did he find out how many moles I have on my ass 'cause I asked him the time?" The question although ridiculous in its presentation. Also posed a very clear dilemma to the rest of the student body.
You had to meticulously watch what you said around Ayanokoji, who could in essence, manipulate a situation without you even becoming aware he was doing it! forcing you to arrive to a conclusion he wanted you to. Terrifying, that was the collective thought.
The boy shot me a strange look, his tone taking a more disdainful one. "You're from the inner walls? Judging by your clothes it looks like it, they're super high quality."
Inner walls? Are we in a set of walls? And high quality? I'm just wearing my school uniform. What was the economic status of this country? It's well below Western standards if they're calling something like my blazer high quality.
And what's with the contempt? Don't tell me Karl Marx exists here too.
"Kukuku, there goes the monster again making jokes inside his head. Seems he got the information he wanted too, just how manipulative is this guy anyways."
"Fufufu indeed, he has splendidly manipulated them to an answer he wanted. Fantastic if I may say..."
This girl is so damn creepy, stop laughing like that it's making me want to vomit. Kamuro looked on with a scrunched up face.
A small, yet delighted giggle escaped Hiyori's mouth, adorned by an angelic smile. "No, Ayanokoji-kun he can't get to you in that world."
At least I don't think he could?
"Haah? Shiina-san, you do know he can't hear you right?" Ibuki was seriously confused by her talking to a screen.
"Huh, oh of course, but my book-buddy just had a funny thought. I just wanted to comfort him but, he's not here." She looked slightly deflated, like an injured puppy.
Ryuen shot a look of you better fix that and looked away.
Tch, damn bastard, "listen it's not like you can't do it, if you want to then it's fine I guess." She grumbled out an apology.
*angelic smile*
"You know what, keep doing that" A slight nose-bleed followed by a thumbs up from Ishizaki seemed to seal the deal. Only to be pummelled by a swift question mark kick by Ibuki, crumpling Ishizaki's body into his seat.
"Don't corrupt her with your pervyness, Ishizaki!"
"Kukuku! Had that one coming tissue-kun!" Ryuen kicked the dying dog even more.
Backtracking—there appeared to be no motorised sounds at all suggesting that the car was either not invented yet or was very few. I can't fathom modern society without the sounds of cars at least somewhere in the background. There wasn't even sounds of industrial equipment, even in the distance. The atmosphere was clean.
Again, what time period was this? The late 1700s to late 1800s perhaps? No. Before the Second Industrial Revolution. The late 1700s to 1860 the? There's still a large gap of time Perhaps, I'll have to go searching later.
"I guess you could say that."
"Then why's you come out this far to Shiganshina? Just to nap?"
The blonde one was observing me, almost in an intense manner, while his friend interrogated me. He appeared intelligent, even just from a glance. Judging from his actions prior, could he be another Ichinose character? Possibly.
"Etoo... me huh?" Ichinose was slightly perplexed why she was being compared to a small innocent child.
"Honami-chan, it's 'cause you're really observant but also, reaaaally kind almost to a fault." Her best friend filled her in. Well what she surmised Ayanokoji on screen meant anyways.
Also, Shiganshina. The place where we're located was called Shiganshina. I'm assuming he's referring to the massive gate nearby. Shiganshina was inside there and this was the surrounding area, inside the wall.
What was outside the walls then?
Why were there walls in the first place?
Obviously to keep something out. People? No. What was the use of creating 50-metre walls just to keep out people? The Great Wall of China's max height is 14 meters and in India, the walls of Mehrangarh reach as high as 36 meters. Not to mention the latter's walls surround a for.
In comparison to the walls here, they appear to go in for miles and miles, with little to no foundation visible. Unless they had somehow replicated the Burj Khalifa's foundation system, I doubt the pressure from all that material would b good for the surrounding lands. It would start to sink after a while.
A low murmur spread through the auditorium as his thoughts unfolded—not fear, not shock, but something closer to discomfort. He wasn't reacting like someone thrown into the unknown. He was beginning to analyse his situation and predicament.
Kaneda adjusted his glasses slowly, eyes never leaving the screen. "...He's breaking it down like an engineering problem." After a pause, he added more quietly, "That level of structural reasoning isn't something you pick up casually. At least I don't think it. Or Ishizaki wouldn't be as dumb as a pebble."
"Kuku, he got you good with that one, Ishizaki!"
"You, glasses bastard! Who said I'm a dumbass!" Ishizaki retorted to the stray shot from his classmate.
"What're you talking about, you delinquent-fuck. He called you dumb, you called yourself a dumbass. Don't worry, if you're having trouble with your mental health, just ask Ibuki to take good care of your sorry ass." Ryuen has a devious grin across his face as he continued his onslaught on poor Ishizaki.
"What the hell did I do to you Ryuen-san!"
"I dunno know, your face just pisses me off..."
"Will both of you assholes, just shut up already!" Ibuki had enough of their bickering.
Moving swiftly onwards from that debacle, the auditorium was still having discourse run rampant inside its walls.
Hamaguchi frowned, arms crossed. "Why does he already know comparative wall heights?" There was no accusation in his tone—just confusion. "China. India. Foundations. His general knowledge is quite impressive."
Katsuragi let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Is he seriously thinking about soil pressure right now?" He shook his head. "If I woke up next to a fifty-metre wall, I'd be panicking—not calculating load distribution."
A few scattered students exchanged looks and almost everyone nodded in acknowledgement to those words.
Someone from the back muttered, "...He doesn't even sound impressed."
Another whispered, "It's like he's already accepted the situation."
What unsettled them most wasn't the mention of walls, or the scale of them.
It was the fact that Ayanokoji's first instinct wasn't direct fear but, quick-to accept understanding of his what he was seemingly dealing with."
But, despite all that, questions lingered on everyone's minds. What was the use of 50m walls?And what exactly were they keeping it out?
The screen mercilessly carried on playing, no one was fully given a chance of dissecting this thought, not yet anyways as a few of the more superior students had began to formulate their own theories and conclusions. Of course there was Sotomura too.
What kind of Bizzaro world am I in?
Everyone nodded in agreement, that truly Ayanokoji had been transported to a very peculiar world.
"I just came here to visit," I patted around my person and pulled out a small notepad I always kept in one of my pockets. "I was finding good places to draw small landscapes. It seemed like I fell asleep in the process."
A collective 'oh' came from the trio. I took this as my chance to leave.
"I'll be going now."
I could sense that they had more questions, but I was far away before the could ask any.
How troublesome...
A few students blinked in disbelief.
That was it?
No panic. No scrambling for excuses. Just a lie delivered cleanly enough to pass without friction.
Hirata exhaled slowly, impressed. "...He adjusted instantly." There was a hint of concern beneath the calm observation. "Most people would freeze but, it seems Kiyotaka didn't hesitate at all, truly as expected of his calm and poised demeanour."
Keisei's brow furrowed. "He didn't even question whether the story would hold."
Matsushita tilted her head, eyes narrowing slightly as she replayed the scene in her mind. That wasn't just him improvising, she thought. He adapted very quickly. Just how much more are you truly hiding. Had someone, the same as me, been hiding in the shadows of Class D this entire time? I wonder if all of our victories were completely led by Horikita-san or whether, he had a much larger role to play than I had initially confronted him for...
A low, uneasy feeling settled among the students as his thoughts moved on so quickly—too quickly—from the encounter.
Karuizawa's tension heightened."...Walls don't exist for nothing," she murmured under her breath. Her eyes stayed locked on the screen. "And if he's already acting this calm... then whatever they're keeping out must be really bad."
Did I get shorter?
A few "huh?"s could be heard around the auditorium as everyone inspected Ayanokoji, since he knew himself best, they let his own thoughts find the answer for them.
I looked down as my green pants touched the floor. I had never had this problem before—my ankles sometimes peak through from time to time, so I'd say I was a not too tall. I needed to find a mirror or some reflective surface to confirm myself.
What kind of black magic did Horikita perform on me this time?
This aroused many hearty chuckles. And 2 of the strangest ones were at centre stage.
"Fufufu, it seem Horikita-san has casted a magical spell before this too, how utterly magnificent."
Damn, smug loli, always with that creepy laugh. I need me a beverage, pronto. Masumi would go prowling the convenience store later when they got their inevitable break. For what reason, well we all know don't we?
"Kukuku, well Suzune, seems the monster really hates your guts huh. So you got a curse-doll and snagged one of his hairs or something?" His over the top ridiculing, albeit benign, could with enough time and pressure all but reduce even the iciest of shells to a mere watery puddle.
"I've tried my best to ignore your pathetic goading, but I'll make self clear. Do not call me by my give name. Your very existence alone disgusts me and you should stop trying to elicit another rise out of me it won't happen. Hmph." She turned away with a look of morbid disgust adoring her pretty face.
"Kuku, well Suzune, I dont mind you playing the hard to get game. I find breaking 'em better that way." This caused many of the females in the auditorium to view Ryuen Kakeru as the very dirt beneath their soles, their contempt palpable.
"Oi kid! You new around here?" A drunken voice called out to me. Short blonde hair, leather jacket, rose emblem, strange contraption strapped to the sides with gas canisters and what appears to be swords.
I nodded. "Uh, yeah. This is Shiganshina, right?"
"Yes sir!" His comrades shouted in unison before breaking into a song. Something about a plague or something along those lines. I couldn't understand what they were saying, their language was slurred.
Definitely Germans.
"Damn, bro has some serious stereotypes about them Germans huh."
"Hey, anyone in here German and can confirm?"
...
"No, sigh ok." A few pats on the back from his seat mates was a quiet gesture of 'don't worry we're with you fallen soldier' or something along those lines.
The older blonde chuckled. "Don't mind them. They're just a little bit lousy. Say, what can I do for ya? We don't get man visitors, especially from the inner walls. Oh! I forgot—I'm Hanes, by the way."
"I'm Yamauchi. I was just looking for a map, that's all. No need to—"
That's a horrible fake name!
A beat passed.
Then—
Laughter rippled through the auditorium.
Not restrained and certainly lacking respect. Real, unfiltered laughter broke out of the entire room.
"That's a terrible fake name!" Maezono blurted out from the back of Class D, barely holding it together.
Sakayangi tilted her head, tapping her cane lightly against the floor as she scowered her memory. "Yama... Yama... how curious." Her lips curved faintly. "Was he Yamakawa? Yamamoto? Ah—how dreadful. I truly can't recall."
Hashimoto leaned in, lowering his voice just enough to pretend it was private. "Yamadead," he supplied helpfully.
The giggles around Class A sharpened into outright snickers.
Class D, however, did not find it amusing.
Sudo slammed a hand against his knee. "Tch—shut up! You don't gotta say it like that!"
Ike looked torn between embarrassment and outrage. "Oi! He was still from our class, y'know!"
Their protests only made it worse.
Hirata didn't laugh.
He looked away, jaw tight, hands clenched loosely in his lap. It wasn't sympathy exactly—but the scene clearly struck an uncomfortable chord in him. Public ridicule, even for someone expelled, wasn't something he could stomach easily.
Meanwhile, the girls' section of Class D was... noticeably lighter. Relief passed between glances.
Sato let out a quiet breath, shoulders easing. "...Honestly, hearing that name again is more awkward than funny."
Onodera nodded, lips pressed together before allowing a small smile. "I don't miss him. He made me anxious more than anything else. Especially in all those swimming lessons, I mean did you guys see how him and Ike sniffed the air!"
Several others shared that sentiment—some more openly than others.
No one said it aloud, but the thought was there:
Good riddance.
Kei covered her mouth, eyes sparkling despite herself. "...Okay, that was kinda funny." Then she added, with a shrug, "He brought it on himself though."
Even Kushida's smile—polished as ever—carried an unmistakable edge of relief. "I suppose," she muttered sweetly, "some people just aren't suited to staying at this school."
Hah! Just two-no three more and I'll have my perfect school life. Ike that damned pervert. Horikita the stuck-up ice princess bitch, and lastly the one who for now isn't any concern. Ayanokoji.
As the laughter faded, the screen continued playing.
But the damage was done.
A single awful alias had reduced a former classmate to a punchline—and in doing so, reminded everyone just how thin the line at ANHS really was.
One bad choice.
One wrong step.
And you became a name no one could quite remember—or worse, one they remembered only to laugh at. Social death at its finest.
"Nonsense!" Hanes placed his arm around my shoulders, invading my personal space. He stank of wine, not beer. Are we in Italy? Austria? "You go down the road, yeah, straight from here. On your left there's a big map, got it?"
"Uh...yeah...Thank you."
"No problem? And there's a small motel down the Main Street! Doesn't get much business, but it's there! Have a good stay!"
The wine doesn't even smell the good to get drink off of. It smells like British wine. The grapes used don't get enough sunlight because it's raining all the time. Plus, this climate doesn't speak the Mediterranean.
Haruka blinked, then tilted her head. "...Why does that sound like something you'd hear from a wine critic on TV?" There was a pause before she added, half-amused, half-bewildered, "Since when does Kiyopon care so much about wine? Is he some kind of secret wine-connoisseur?"
Akito let out a short breath through his nose. "I seriously doubt he does," he said quietly. "That's the scary part. He's just... analysing it automatically I guess."
Keisei adjusted his glasses, eyes narrowing at the screen rather than amused. "Truly it's strange how his brain is wired," he muttered. "He deduced climate, agriculture, and trade suitability in one thought instead of just the smell and fragrance it carried."
After a second, he added under his breath, "That's not normal observational processing. But then again, with how we've been seeing his thoughts thus far, it's obvious his observation, deduction and analytical abilities are all top notch."
No one could refute this, not even the dumbest of the defectives, as it was proven time and again. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji had formidable observational prowess. This was an established fact.
Kushida clasped her hands together, looking a little lost. "I-I didn't even know wine could smell like countries..." Then, softer, almost fondly, "Ayanokoji-kun really notices everything, doesn't he?"
A few seats away, Kei had a different thought. She frowned, arms folding loosely."...Why does he sound so calm?" Her worry slipped through despite her effort to mask it. "He's in some unknown place with giant walls and weird people, and he's critiquing wine like it's nothing."
She bit her lip, eyes fixed on the screen. Her close friends now somewhat understanding the nature of their relationship could only sympathise with both her, and the trapped classmate on screen.
Hirata offered a gentle, uneasy smile. "In a strange way," he said, "that's very like him." A quiet resignation about his remark: seemingly accepting his quirky ability to just analatse everything.
From slightly farther back, someone whispered what several were thinking. "So even in another world," a Class D student muttered, "Ayanokoji's still built different huh?"
I shed my blazer, as its bright red colour made me stand out in the crowd, and kept ot to my side. I had to start making plans to steal some clothes, money and potentially food. That would be easy in all regards. As soon as I get a good look at the map survival is all but secured.
"So he really will have to steal after all huh?" Asked ichinose. "Ah! Before anyone says anything, I know it's paramount for his survival and I want nothing more than his safety, so it really can't be helped. Eto, someone as kind as Ayanokoji-kun shouldn't have to steal..."
Kukuku Ryuen laughed internally, that monster and nice huh? Give me a break, I think I'm more likely to see Ishizaki in a women's swimsuit before that monster genuinely acts with this so called 'kindness'
A few students shook their heads at the shear naivety of Class B's leader, but, chose to focus on how Ayanokoji was planning to steal. This was because he had thought 'that would be easy in all regards.' About causally stealing from strange people.
Also a few sharper ones like Katsuragi, Sakayangi, Horikita and Kanzaki caught the tail end of the inner monologue. 'One look at the map, and survival was all but secured.' Such utter confidence oozing not from arrogance but, belief. Pure belief that he could genuinely survive in the place. In other students, it filled them with hope and a sincere belief of his optimism. But to those who knew him like Horikita, it meant he was planning something, the question was, what exactly then was Kiyotaka Ayanokoji cooking?
I passed by a window, and inside was a man, and a woman—husband and wife playing with their infant chile. I can't help but envy them a little bit.
Those who truly knew Ayanokoji—what little there was to know—felt it immediately.
Haruka's expression softened first. "...He noticed that first huh," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "Not the house itself... But the family inside it..."
Akito leaned back, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the screen.
Airi's fingers tightened around her skirt. "A husband and wife... with a baby..." she repeated softly. Then, almost shyly, "Kiyotaka-kun... wanted that?"
Kanzaki didn't speak at first. When he did, his voice was measured—but tense. "Envy implies the lack of something," he said. "And, the awareness of it."
He sat up slightly. "That's... incompatible with the image most people have of him. Me included, I suppose."
Kei didn't say anything right away. Her eyes stayed locked on the screen, jaw set, hands clenched together in her lap. "...Baka," she finally muttered under her breath.
She swallowed, voice quieter now. "He's not jealous of them." A pause. "He's jealous of what they're allowed to have. That peaceful life. He'll have to work hard to make it easy for while won't he sigh. Please be safe Kiyotaka so you can come back to me safely and we can have a real date together.
The thought clearly unsettled her more than any display of strength from him ever had.
Horikita reacted differently. Her brows knit together, eyes sharp—not dismissive, but searching. "...That's strange," she said slowly. She folded her arms, thinking. "He claims to want a peaceful life, yet this isn't ambition or strategy."
She glanced briefly toward where Ayanokoji himself would have been sitting—if he were there "This is genuine," she concluded. "And that makes it far more revealing than any calculation."
Elsewhere in the theatre, confused murmurs and uncertain glances dominating the audience.
"He envies... that?"
"A normal family?"
"Isn't that, actually kind of... sad?"
I really did regress in age...How old am I now? 14? 15? Does that mean my strength is back? Again strange. I kept my memories but regress to my physical peak. Everything is so illogical I might start crying.
The next line hit the auditorium like a sudden pressure drop.
For a brief moment, no one spoke.
Then the room fractured into layered emotions and discussions—confusion, disbelief, sharp analysis, and outright denial.
The more resolute students were the first to move past shock.
Keisei's hand went to his chin, eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "...This isn't just time travel," he muttered. "His consciousness remained intact while his physiology reverted. That implies separation between mental continuity and physical state."
Kanzaki's expression was grave. "Which suggests whatever did this didn't merely send him back. It reconstructed him," he said. "Memories preserved, whilst his was body altered."
Arisu Sakayanagi smiled faintly, fingers tapping her cane once against the floor. "How fascinating," she said, tone light but eyes razor-sharp. "A restored body and a preserved mind... almost as if someone wanted him at an optimal state."
She tilted her head. "Or perhaps... returned him to the version of himself they considered most valuable."
Hashimoto frowned, unease creeping in despite himself. "So you're saying he didn't just 'get younger'," he muttered. "He got... reset to his physical peak?"
Katsuragi didn't look amused. "That would explain the lack of panic," he said quietly. "He's not as confused at this sudden change as anyone else would be. I suppose he's evaluating his situation as he's always done."
Then the second part landed.
Physical peak. At fourteen or fifteen.
Ryuen let out a sharp, barking laugh. "Oi, oi—did you hear that?" he said, teeth bared in something between amusement and irritation. "Peak? At fourteen?"
His eyes gleamed. "So you're telling me... that wasn't even your best?"
Ibuki's eyes widened, then narrowed immediately. "Tch. That's just bullshit," she snapped. She crossed her arms hard. "You expect me to believe the freak strength he showed before was him holding back because he was past his damn prime?"
Ishizaki scratched his head, baffled but clearly rattled. "Wait, wait—hold up," he said loudly. "You're sayin' when we fought, he wasn't even at full power?" He glanced at Ryuen, then back to the screen. "That's messed up, boss. Wonder how much more he could've messed us up then..."
Ryuen's grin widened—but there was something dark underneath it now. "Kuku... guess that explains it," He murmured.
A pause followed by a large sigh.
"I was fighting someone that already passed their peak." A damn monster wearing the fragments of his true strength
This made many students consider what transpired between Ryuen's gang and Ayanokoji, it seemed it was a fight of some sort judging by the conversation.
"Oi, Ryuen, what exactly happened between you guys and why do you keep calling the King 'monster' like that. ...It's unsettling, quite frankly." Hashimoto voiced a thought that many had before, but seemed to lack the courage to act on it.
"Just what it sounded like, that day on the rooftop wasn't an internal disagreement between Ishizaki and I. It was a fight against that monster. 1 V 4. And guess what? He whooped our asses without me even getting a lick in." He didn't bother hiding it, everything they would be shown would undoubtedly be his best starting from now so why bother hiding it now eh? Plus this could make things more interesting once the monster gets back...
Many shuddered at the thought. Considering both Yamada Albert and Ryuen were ridiculously strong by their own right, along with the fast and nimble Capoeira practioner Ibuki Mio, and the infamous delinquent Ishizaki. This was news to much of the student body.
The auditorium didn't explode into noise this time.
I the reveal slowly sinking into their own minds.
A heavy, creeping silence rolled through the seats as Ryuen's words finished echoing in everyone's ears.
A 1 vs 4.
Where said person had no injuries.
Where said person also refrained from bragging about it,
For a few seconds, it felt like the entire school had collectively forgotten how to breathe.
Then Class D broke first.
Haruka's eyes widened, her hand flying to her mouth. "...That's... that's impossible, right?" she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. "Kiyopon... fighting?"
Akito stiffened beside her, jaw tightening. "Nah," he said slowly. "That bastard Ryuen doesn't lie about stuff like this." His gaze stayed fixed on the screen. "Not when it makes him look bad." Although it caught him off guard, he was truly proud of his bro. He wanted to knock sense into Ryuen too. But, it seem Kiyotaka had it covered on his behalf.
Airi shrank into her seat, fingers clutching the hem of her sleeve. "...Kiyotaka-kun... fought because of Ryuen coming after our class?" she murmured, voice trembling. Her eyes darted nervously, like she was trying to reconcile the gentle boy she knew, with the vicious image of Ryuen already painted in her mind.
Keisei pushed his glasses up, visibly shaken. "So all those times during PE..." he muttered. "...He wasn't just average. In that regard either. I mean, we knew he could run fast but, a 4 on 1?"
That was when a couple of voices from the back of Class D chimed in.
"Hold on," Miyamoto said, brows furrowed. "If he could do that, why the hell was he so average at swimming?"
"Yeah!" Hondo added, leaning forward. "He had a bang average time during the early classes! That wasn't acting, was it?"
Murmurs spread quickly.
"Or running."
"His grip strength tests."
"He always stopped early."
The suspicion wasn't hostile—but it was sharp.
Hirata stood up slightly in his seat, voice calm but firm. "Maybe he didn't want attention," he said.
His hands clenched on his knees. "If you're that strong, standing out only causes problems. I think... he was avoiding them."
Some students scoffed quietly.
Horikita didn't.
She exhaled slowly, eyes narrowed in thought. "...That makes sense," she said. Then, after a brief pause, she added quietly—but clearly enough to carry her voice: "When he faced my brother... he was clearly holding back. If he was able to take out Ryuen's group without sustaining injuries he may be one of the most formidable fighters on the campus, all things considered."
At this point, even Horikita didn't bother hiding his presence any longer. The whole school would most likely find out what he was capable of anyways. She would at least try cushion the implications of it all.
That snapped heads toward her.
Suzune continued, voice steady but heavy with implication. "I didn't realise it at the time. But now?" Her gaze hardened. "...There's a real possibility he was stronger than nii-san."
That sent a ripple through the theatre. Even Ryuen's grin twitched slightly. Before anyone could press her further, a sharp, unmistakably irritated voice cut in.
"Don't twist it into something ugly."
All eyes turned.
Karuizawa Kei had her arms crossed, expression tight—but not afraid. "He didn't beat them for fun," she said flatly. "And he didn't do it to prove anything either."
She took a breath. Steeling herself. She would do this for Kiyotaka who had freed her from her past. She wouldn't let them paint him in a bad picture if she could help it. Her boyfriend was too cool for that.
"They were messing with me on the rooftop." Her voice didn't waver. "He stepped in because it needed to stop. That's it. And that's also how we became close, for those wondering why he mentioned me in his thoughts earlier."
The room went still again—but this time, differently.
Whispers spread, softer now.
"So it was for someone else..."
"He didn't even report it..."
"He protected her..."
Even some of the harsher looks toward Ayanokoji eased and a heroic image set in for Ayanokoji. He had taken on Ryuen's lackeys and the tyrant himself all to defend a classmate. That impression was the general consensus.
Kukuku that Karuizawa chick really spun the narrative in his favour ay. Not bad at all. I see why he risked his identity for such a valuable piece in his arsenal.
Fufufu, truly magnificent, my what a marvellous pawn you seem to have gotten ahold of Ayanokoji-kun, to think, you aren't even present and she's still diligently defending you. I wonder, just what you had to have pulled to get her so effectively on your side as you have...
And in Class C—
Hiyori Shiina sat quietly, hands folded in her lap, eyes distant.
An enigma, she thought. A boy who hides strength, rejects recognition, and only acts when absolutely necessary...
Her lips curved into the faintest smile.
Just like the protagonists in my mystery novels. A puzzle wrapped in restraint. I wonder... Which chapter reveals the truth?
Back in Class D, no one spoke for a while.
Because the scariest part wasn't that Ayanokoji could fight.
It was that he chose not to.
And that made everyone wonder—
What would happen if he ever stopped holding back?
Once the heavy atmosphere settled thoughts shifted back to what this implied to his physical peak.
Even students who knew about his strength reacted differently now.
Sudo's mouth hung open. "Oi... that's gotta be a joke, right?" He scoffed, but there was no conviction in it. "There's no way someone peaks at fourteen. That's when I could barely bench my own weight."
Albert, silent as ever, folded his arms more tightly. "...He didn't move like someone past his prime," he said simply. "Bro's punches really hurt."
Ibuki clicked her tongue. "Yeah. No kidding."
A quieter, more uncomfortable realisation spread through the theatre.
They hadn't seen his prime. They hadn't even seen his best. And yet—this was the version of Ayanokoji that had already crushed expectations, shattered hierarchies, and terrified monsters like Ryuen.
The laughter died out.
Because suddenly, the question wasn't how strong is he?
It was—
What kind of place produces someone whose peak comes before most people's even began?
What was the White Room?
The map was an old-looking one, but I could get a rough idea of what this place was.
I walked away atter a small glance at the paper, the memory drilling itself deep into my brain.
3 walls, Maria, Rose, Sina.
12 districts on the outskirts of each wall. 4 for each. I'm in Shiganshina now.
The Capital, Mitras, is in the center. Good for communication and presumably the farthest from danger. If all roads lead to the capital, nothing will be unknown for too long.
Horikita's brow slowly furrowed. "...He mapped the entire civilisation in minutes."
Kanzaki adjusted his self in his seat. "The assumption about economic stratification based on wall placement..."
Ichinose clasped her hands together, troubled. "He sounds so... alone. Like he's already separating himself from everyone there."
Sudo leaned forward, squinting at the screen. "Oi... is he just guessing? Or does he actually know this stuff?"
Arisu smiled faintly, cane resting against her knee. "Guessing implies uncertainty. He clearly has none here. A perfect analysis fufu."
Why are we in an enclosed circle? Who built this? Who had the time to build all of this? Where did the material come from?
Information gathered from the children, along with what the general population in the Shiganshina district looks like, I can assume that the poorest citizens live on the outskirts of the walls, in Wall Maria. The middle class, if there even is any, lives in Rose, and Sina hosts the rich.
A very rigid social hierarchy. That means | can narrow down the period further. Maybe before or after the French Revolution and the subsequent wars. 1789 to 1815. Or if I were to gamble, I was in the period before the 1848 revolutions. That could explain the small amount of technological advancement, with the strange gas canisters and equipment.
Confusion rippled outward.
"...Did he just name-drop three revolutions?" Ike muttered. "My head hurts." It seemed Ike was now a groaning mess.
Sotomura's eyes sparkled. "That's not isekai logic—that's world-building deduction. Ayanokoji-dono's brain should be illegal. It's just unfair."
Mashima-sensei adjusted his cuffs silently. This isn't high school curriculum reasoning.
Sakagami was of a similar thought. Just how did they raise this defective Class D student for him to be so capable. Matter-of fact, how on Earth is this kid even in Class D...
Keisei exhaled slowly through his nose "He's not smarter than us because he knows more... he just connects everything a lot faster."
Horikita didn't respond. She was staring at the screen like it might finally answer something she'd been asking herself for over a year.
The population density doesn't seem too large, either, but that could just be people living in Shiganshina as a whole are small. I'll have to check out the other districts when I get the time.
If there are no cars, then horses are the next best thing. Stealing a horse should be easy.
I want to test something...
"H-hey! Stop that thief! He just ran off with my bread!!"
Sorry shopkeep, as the saying goes, finders keepers...uh...loser's weepers!
I disappeared into the crowd, holding 2 loaves of bread and a small bag of coins. I was too fast for anyone to keep an eye on at the time-I could hear the sound of a whistle fading into the background as I got further and further away from the market.
Ryuen grinned, teeth sharp. "Kuku... there it is. No morals. Only efficiency."
Koenji laughed softly. "How refreshing Ayanokoji-boy."
The whistle faded.
So did the room's composure.
Ibuki sat upright. "...Fast."
Ishizaki blinked. "Wait — that's it? No chase?"
Albert crossed his arms, nodding once. "Bros movement... clean."
Miyamoto's voice cracked slightly. "Then... during sports festival... he really was holding back."
Horikita closed her eyes briefly. Again.
Running into an alleyway, I hid myself from the line of sight and killed my presence, rapid tootsteps approaching.
"Has anyone seen uh, someone holding a few loaves of bread run through here? His Majesty's Military Police demands an answer!" The person, whom I assumed to be a guard, asked. They couldn't get my physical description in time? If what Mikasa said was true, I should've stood out like a sore thumb. How incompetent are these people?
Also...
We have a king?!
I got a good look at the people chasing after me, they had the same uniforms as the ones at the gates, only this time they had a green unicorn emblem. They carried muskets. Flintlock muskets.
Soon enough they dissolved into the mass of humanity, my presence comparable to the air l breathe.
Sotomura snorted. "Bro got isekai'd and immediately started roasting the NPCs."
Hashimoto tilted his head, intrigued but cautious. "He noticed the uniforms, insignia, weapons... and command structure in seconds. Man the King really is something else.
Arisu hummed. "A monarchy. Firearms. Walls." Her smug smile sharpened. "This country is a cage. I conclude this as an almost certain fact."
Ryuen leaned back, satisfied. "See? Ain't he just a real monster."
Many could only nod in silent agreement.
I was slowly losing the will to live, losing those wannabe policemen was easy. I shouldn't be too worried. I'll bounce from town to town before procuring some documents and live out my peaceful life.
I took a bite into one of the pieces of bread. It looked fresh, and the crust was-stale...dry...cardboard...
"Disgusting..."
Well, my life just sucks!
The word lingered longer than it should have.
'Disgusting...'
For a few seconds, no one spoke.
Airi's shoulders trembled before she realised it herself. She pressed her hands together tightly in her lap, eyes fixed on the screen. "...He's alone," she whispered. "Completely alone there."
Haruka didn't smile this time. Her usual warmth dimmed, replaced by something protective. "Kiyopon didn't even hesitate," she said softly. "Did you notice? Not about having to steal. Or about, I don't know, being in a whole different world!"
Her voice lowered. "But food... and comfort... that's what finally gets to him."
Akito swallowed. "That means Kiyotaka's tired," he muttered. "Like... bone-deep tired."
Keisei pushed his glasses up, but his hand lingered there longer than necessary. "He keeps moving forward because stopping would force him to feel it," he said quietly. "...I know that kind of thinking, and just how self-destructive it can become..."
Kei's reaction was immediate—and raw. She hugged her arms around herself, nails biting lightly into her sleeves. "...He always does that," she said, voice tight.
"When something finally disappoints him, he makes dry jokes and shrugs it off. Acts like it's nothing." She shook her head once, sharply. "It's not nothing. It's just the only way he knows how to cope."
For the first time, a few students noticed the way her voice cracked—just slightly. Coming to the conclusion that Karuizawa cared far more than they had initially realised.
Ichinose leaned closer to Amikura without realising it.
"...I don't think he's scared," she said, eyes glassy. "I think he's... resigned." She bit her lip. "And that's worse if anything..."
Amikura placed a hand gently on her arm, squeezing once in reassurance. "He's still himself," she said softly. "That matters. Right?"
Ichinose nodded—but her gaze never left the screen.
Hiyori sat with her hands folded neatly, expression serene—yet deeply affected.
He observes like a scholar, she thought poetically. Endures like a soldier. And envies like a child.
Her chest ached faintly.
What kind of life creates someone like that? She desperately wanted to know.
Even Horikita felt it. She didn't speak. Didn't analyse. Didn't correct anyone. She simply stared at the screen, lips pressed thin. For all her logic, all her resolve—this was something she couldn't categorise. But something she deeply understood.
Not strength.
Or intelligence.
Just loneliness.
The screen lingered on Ayanokoji chewing slowly, expression flat, eyes distant.
No one laughed.
No one mocked.
No one spoke.
Because in that small, mundane moment— the bread that tasted wrong, in a world that made 0 sense—They collectively understood something essential.
Ayanokoji wasn't unshaken as he let on. He was just very, very good at enduring.
(A/N maaaaan that was long, I'm taking a break for a week or so and then I'll start the next chapter.)
~Word count: 12k~