A desolate landscape filled with remnants of what once was a prosperous metropolitan city.
That was the first realization Nozomi had of her surroundings while a strong gust of wind billowed her blonde hair.
Before she could question where she was, the ground exploded right behind her. This made her jump in surprise.
Nozomi hadn't been able to get her bearings before more explosions rang out all around her. Wha-, what's going on!?
Almost as if the skies had heard her silent plea to free her of her confusion, the sound of someone revving a motor engine pierced through the loud sounds of explosions.
When Nozomi turned her attention towards the source, her eyes widened at the huge individual covered from head to toe in black full-plate armor. He was donning a red cape that billowed behind him while driving what appeared to be a mix between a motorcycle and the aesthetics of a white horse. He wielded a majestic spear in one hand.
As the armored man drove past her, Nozomi soon realized that he wasn't alone. She could see a huge army of soldiers in military gear charge into battle alongside tanks.
Nozomi had been forced to cover her ears unless she risked becoming deaf from all the explosions caused by the tanks as they fired at the same time. This was right before their target retaliated with energy blasts of pink that vaporized the tanks along with some unlucky foot soldiers.
Her horrified expression from the carnage soon turned into one of surprised awe as she spotted a few distinct individuals who bravely joined the charge.
One of them was a man dressed in cowboy clothes. He rode on a horse alongside his crew into battle. With the revolver that he wielded, he shot bullets that somehow caused bigger explosions than the tanks by a noticeable margin.
Another was a woman who rode a pale horse, while its rider was a skeleton in black armor. As they rode, the woman pulled out a card and said something Nozomi couldn't quite hear. Then a tiny beam of light shot from the card towards the sky.
When Nozomi dared to look up, her eyes immediately widened. The clouds from the sky that had once only had attack helicopters and jet fighters parted. This revealed the giant angel that the woman had summoned. The angel wielded an equally huge trumpet with both hands.
As the angelical figure sounded the trumpet, Nozomi assumed that it was some sort of signal. Thousands of circular portals opened in the sky soon after. From those portals came an army almost as numerous as the ground forces on the ground.
If Nozomi had to describe most of the flying army, they looked like wizards and witches out of a fantasy book. They cruised the skies on their broomsticks while shooting magic out of their wands at something out of Nozomi's sight.
Just like the ground army, some distinct individuals caught her eye.
The first one was the almost five-meter-tall woman with black hair, soft eyes, and skin pale as snow. She was wearing a white kimono and gracefully flew through the sky without wings. A familiar small masked kid was on her shoulder. The kid seemed to be pointing at something ahead, which the giant woman nodded at in agreement before creating and throwing huge snowflakes at something.
The other unique individuals she saw were also hard to ignore.
A martial artist crossed the skies atop his sword with a golden pagoda floating right behind him. This emanated a ridiculous power from afar.
A costumed superhero in complete yellow shot out a huge tornado from their fingers.
Two mechanical behemoths unleashed their equally huge arsenal without impunity. On the shoulders of the smaller behemoth, there was a masked girl dressed in all red who hadn't hesitated to jump from the giant robot's shoulder so she could punch whoever their target was.
On the left and right shoulders of the bigger behemoth, there were a wizard and a witch, respectively, who also hadn't held back with their magic. Said magic was considerably stronger than most other magical users.
Whoever their opponent was, they surely wouldn't stand a chance.
That was what Nozomi believed as she witnessed the battle unfolding all around her.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
One by one, they all fell. They either got completely vaporized by blasts of energy or, in the case of large targets like the two colossal robots, they got damaged enough that what remained of them fell on top of the ground troops below.
When it was over, Nozomi looked around her surroundings with crushed hope and a haunted look. No one seemed to have survived.
Her eyes soon took notice of the ominous, shadowy individual that floated in the air. They were surrounded by all the destruction they had caused.
As Nozomi kept staring at them, there was only one word her mind seemed to associate with them. "Crossover..." Nozomi blinked a few times. She was confused as to why she said that and why she said it out loud.
She soon froze solid where she was as the shadowy individual turned around and stared right at her.
"You...you shouldn't be here." After saying that with a voice that sounded both familiar and unrecognizable, they shot a pink energy blast at Nozomi.
The next thing Nozomi knew, she was staring at the ceiling of her room.
Nozomi blinked a few times. Her vision slowly cleared as reality settled in, and any memories of her dream quickly vanished, leaving her briefly confused before shrugging off.
Huh, I guess it really wasn't a dream…
Was Nozomi's first, coherent thought as her eyes were welcomed by Seiza's peaceful form curled up on the carpet when she turned her head.
Yet, a gnawing unease tugged at her thoughts. Something important eluded her, like a whisper lost on the wind. As she tore her eyes from Seiza and glanced at her alarm clock, understanding hit her with a jolt. Her eyes widened in panic. Without a moment's hesitation, she sprang out of bed, any remnants of sleep swept away by urgency.
Seiza roused from his slumber, blinking drowsily as he observed Nozomi's frantic efforts to change out of her pajamas and into her school uniform. "What the—what's the hurry?"
"School!" was her single-worded, breathless reply as she slipped on her bronze pendant, grabbed her school bag, and dashed out of her room. Outside, with breakfast in one hand and her school bag in the other, Nozomi raced toward school, Seiza bounding alongside her. Urgh, just what I needed! With everything that happened yesterday, I completely forgot to set my alarm clock! Hopefully, I can make it in time... hopefully!
As she neared the school gate, Nozomi abruptly stopped. Seiza, a few steps ahead, turned back in confusion. "Huh, what's wrong?" he asked, concern edging his voice.
Nozomi hesitated, apprehension clear in her furrowed brow. "Umm, well…" She took a deep breath, steeling herself for honesty. "I... don't think the school would allow me to bring you, Seiza..."
Seiza blinked before letting out a lighthearted chuckle. "Pfft, oh, don't worry about that. For a moment, I thought it was something serious. Open your school bag, I'll show you a neat trick."
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In an isolated chamber far from prying eyes, Kurai stood within a meticulously drawn ritual circle, her posture rigid with concentration. The air around her crackled with latent energy, the atmosphere almost palpably heavy as she chanted a summoning spell in a language that seemed to resonate with the very stones of the ancient structure. "Now come back, monster that serves the Great Master!"
Her command echoed through the vast, shadowed room, reverberating off the cold, damp walls. For a tense moment, silence lingered, holding its breath as if the very room awaited the response. Then, a blinding flash of dark light erupted from the center of the circle, forcing Kurai to shield her eyes. The brilliance was both beautiful and terrifying, an explosion of raw, untamed power that momentarily banished the surrounding darkness.
As the light dissipated, Kurai's vision slowly returned, revealing an oppressive cloud of dark smoke swirling ominously within the circle. The smoke was thick and suffocating, carrying a faint scent of brimstone and decay. She waited, expecting any presence to emerge, but none came.
Frustration bubbled within her, a scowl forming on her face as she muttered to herself. "Okay, this time I am 100% sure I didn't make a mistake with the ritual, so what's going on?!" Her voice echoed in the chamber, highlighting the eeriness of her isolation.
With a hand on her chin, she began to pace around the room in a circle, her mind racing through the possibilities. Each step was deliberate, her heels clicking sharply against the stone floor, a sound that contrasted with the lingering silence. "Did something happen to it? Unlikely. Even if they were ambushed, their innate abilities should make escape easy, or at least, that's what he said." She continued muttering to herself.
The ambiguity gnawed at her, each unanswered question an irritant. Her eyes narrowed as she continued to analyze the situation. Could it have been captured? No, its unique magic and agility make that highly improbable. Perhaps an adversary with the right skill set to counter it? She considered the variables, each thought a potential solution or complication.
Kurai's mind flashed to the moment a contract was formed between the two, the assurances of success in its task, the promise of unwavering loyalty from the summoned creature as it bowed to her. All these aspects were supposed to make failure nearly impossible. And yet, here she was, standing in a room thick with its lingering absence. Nervousness flared at the thought of wasted effort and a potential enemy.
As the smoke cleared, confirming for good the emptiness of the summoning circle, a chill ran down her spine. She could feel the weight of their failure pressing against her, an invisible burden growing heavier with every minute lost to uncertainty. She needed answers, and she needed them quickly. The consequences of inaction, of not understanding this anomaly, were too dire to contemplate.
Her pacing was interrupted by a knock on the door. Annoyed, she barked, "Who's there?"
"It's me," came the reply, causing her frustration to deflate.
"Oh..." Kurai sighed, composing herself. "Come in."
A figure, wearing casual clothes, a black cap, a face mask, and black goggles entered. "I'm here to deliver the recipient," he said, lifting his left hand to reveal a darkly glowing cylindrical object wreathed in shadows.
Kurai stepped forward, her left eye glowing darkly as she examined the object. "Yes... this will do just fine." She nodded, feeling a measure of relief.
She shifted her gaze to the figure, who remained unnervingly silent. "Ah... you're still here... well… actually, I have a different assignment for you. My summon from yesterday hasn't returned. The recall ritual failed, despite being correctly performed."
After a pause, she looked up. "Find out what happened to it. If someone is responsible, bring them here alive. If it's beyond your control... you have permission to do whatever is necessary for your survival. Understand?"
The figure nodded and left without a word. Once alone, Kurai exhaled a weary sigh. Raising her hand, a dark spark erupted, summoning a bean bag from the shadows. She collapsed onto it, spreading her arms wide. Urrrgghh, talking to him for more than a few seconds feels like a heart attack waiting to happen!
She lifted the cylinder, its ominous glow reflecting her thoughts. Why is he so different? A century gap between him and the second youngest... but still... She lowered the object, staring at the cracked, cobwebbed ceiling. Please, let this be manageable. I might always be at my peak, but if this is beyond me...
After a few minutes, feeling somewhat restored, she rose. The bean bag vanished as if it had never been there. If push comes to shove, I guess I could call for their help...
She exited the room, the door creaking closed behind her.
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At school, Nozomi fidgeted nervously at her desk, attempting to eat breakfast. "Hey, keep it together. No one will notice if you stop looking like you're hiding something," Seiza whispered from inside her magically-expanded school bag, which appeared ordinary from the outside.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to focus on her meal. Halfway through, she spotted Yoshino entering the classroom. Concern etched her face as she saw her friend's disheveled appearance and exhausted eyes.
Yoshino trudged to her seat, slumping over her desk without a word. Nozomi was about to wake her, fearing she'd get in trouble, but Seiza whispered, "She probably couldn't bring herself to sleep. After yesterday, I can't blame her. Better to let her rest."
Nozomi nodded reluctantly and returned to her breakfast, her worry for Yoshino mingling with thoughts of the day ahead.
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When the school bell rang for the start of classes, Life entered the classroom in his teacher's disguise, carrying his backpack. "Alright class, everyone in your seats!"
A few seconds after he spoke, everyone settled into their seats with no further fuss. When Life was about to start class, he noticed Yoshino sleeping at her desk. Seriously?! I am the best teacher this school could possibly have, and you STILL decide to sleep in class?! He scowled at her, considering briefly whether to make an example out of her to deter any potential delinquents.
But before he reached a decision, Life realized he had seen this student before. Wait... isn't that the same girl I saw Nozomi carrying out of that shadow barrier? What was her name again? He tried to remember, retrieving the sheet of paper with the student's names.
One of the first names he saw was Kettei Yoshino. There we go, Kettei... right, if I remember correctly... she is a side character, on a similar level of importance as Ms. Manabu, so not that important in the grand scheme of things…
With that out of the way, he reconsidered her predicament as Nozomi traded nervous glances between Yoshino and him, sweating buckets. Life would have been amused if dehydration weren't a possible cause of death.
Life sighed internally. I suppose I can let this one pass. Considering what happened to her yesterday, I'm surprised she even came to my class. A regular person would need months, if not years, of psychological treatment after a near-death experience.
He raised a hand to his chin in thought. Hmm, could it be that people from this world have a lot of mental strength?
He shrugged and turned his back to the class to face the blackboard. It's probably for the best if I just continue class as normal. This is just a disguise for my real job anyway. If a problem arises, I'll deal with it... on my terms, of course.
After writing the day's lesson theme on the blackboard in English, he turned to address his students. "Alright everyone, open your books to page 8!"