Aegis stepped through the portal, and the familiar world of Earth faded behind him. Before him, a new scene unfolded. A city not exactly advanced, but refreshing to look at nonetheless.
Houses, buildings, and trees that seemed to have come straight from his own memory.
"Kuoh... so this is the place."
He observed closely. Humans bustled through the streets, coming in and out of the station. They looked far too busy to notice his presence.
Normally, the appearance of a being like him would cause complete annihilation to a mortal world, but everything seemed fine.
Aegis silently thanked the Vortexia for allowing his energy to be fully redirected into an empty space. That way, his arrival wouldn't cause any harm to reality.
"Now, the real work begins."
To create a truly immortal being, he first had to find a suitable body. One that could contain his power without collapsing. It was impossible for a human to withstand it, but there was a possibility someone out there could.
"I'll be searching."
He began walking through the city of Kuoh, inspecting every inch of it.
"Hmm, there are a few candidates..."
He found several people who met his criteria. But none of them felt quite right.
"I'd prefer a cute girl."
Though he'd only admit it to himself, he was being selfish. Despite how long he'd lived, his tastes remained unchanged. He loved cute, beautiful things. So he wanted his traveling companion to be a beautiful girl.
"Ah! Wait. I want her to be a good person, too."
That was definitely important. After all, she'd be living with him in that body. And he preferred her to be a being of integrity and full of love.
"I want her to be gentle, kind, warm-hearted and sweet. Also, honest, brave, and determined. That would be great."
Aegis let out a disbelieving laugh.
"Maybe I'm asking too much, huh?"
As he pondered, he reached the entrance of a school. The sky was turning red and orange, and stars were beginning to appear.
"Kuoh Academy... a fine place indeed."
The gates were open, and students were rushing out.
"Um, I'll stay in this world for a while."
After all, the odds were better if he stayed in one place for a time.
"Maybe this is a good place to find that perfect girl."
Kuoh Academy was known for having many beautiful girls. He couldn't recall their faces precisely, and most of the anime's plot had evaporated from his memory after millions of years. But he still remembered that, back when he was human, he had felt interested and drawn to the characters of this academy.
"Should I just walk in and kidnap a pretty girl? Maybe that'd help me find someone interesting."
It was probably a stupid plan, but it was the first thing that crossed his mind.
"It might be a good option, but it wouldn't be appropriate for me to do that. I need someone who can live with me for all eternity. I can't choose that person based solely on appearance."
He needed someone who would love him. Who could make him happy. And that sort of thing couldn't be forged in an instant.
"Alright. What if I become a student? That could be fun."
That way he could slowly get close to the students, learn how they thought, make friends. Spend time with them. And maybe find someone worthy of becoming his eternal companion.
Just maybe.
He chuckled. It had been a long time since he'd felt this optimistic.
He turned around and started walking. He headed to Kuoh's main street, and after a long walk, sat down on a bench beside a plaza. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
The air was sweet. People passed by, and the world turned. Silence reigned above his head, and he dozed off sitting there.
Sleeping was just a way to shut off his mind for a moment. A good way to remember. He recalled the life he had before becoming the Aeon of Beginning and End. The man he had been, his hopes, his dreams, and his sorrows.
Undoubtedly, he would never forget them.
Time moved on, and night fell. Aegis remained there, still as a statue, not caring about the curious glances from passersby.
And when the sun shone in the sky, he opened his eyes and went to sort out his enrollment in Kuoh Academy.
He became an exchange student, and moved into a house not too far from the school. He even built a small garden in the yard.
"Umu, alright."
Little by little, Aegis planted various flowers. The seeds sprouted and grew quickly. The petals opened, and the blossoms released a delicate scent.
"This is good."
×××
Aegis stood before the mirror, studying his reflection. A young, handsome man stared back at him through the glass. His skin was smooth, and his muscles were well-defined—pleasing to the eye.
"I suppose I look good."
He pulled out a white long-sleeved shirt and a pair of black pants. The new uniform had been delivered to his door a week after his arrival in this world.
He slipped into the clothes in one go. Still unsatisfied, he threw on the black jacket with white trim. Then, using his fingers, he attempted to tame his unruly black hair, running his hand through it. Unfortunately, it was a rebellious mess—but at least it looked like he'd made an effort.
"There. This way I'll look presentable."
Unlike most students, however, he had no experience wearing a school uniform. In front of the mirror, he tried in vain to tie the necktie around his collar. After several minutes of futile struggle, he decided to let it hang loosely.
After all, who would care about such vain and stupid little details?
Satisfied with his appearance, he grabbed his backpack and stepped out of the house. He walked through the streets of Kuoh toward the Academy. As he drew closer, he saw students in uniform going about their morning routine.
"It really is a sight."
Aegis smiled. His features softened, and so did his demeanor. No doubt, he could be a popular student if he wanted to be.
He soon reached the academy, and the moment he stepped through the gate, he felt it. A slight pressure in the air. Nothing visible. Someone was watching him from a considerable distance.
The corners of his mouth lifted, and he made his way to the administration office.
"Did you hear? Apparently, there's a new transfer student."
"Really? Know anything else about him?"
"Not much. Just that he's a newcomer. They say he's super handsome and mysterious."
"Oh, there he is! Look at that guy!"
"Whoa… He's got golden eyes."
Aegis could hear the whispers behind him. It seemed his presence had been immediately noticed by the other students.
"Supposedly I'm mysterious? Well, whatever."
After picking up his schedule and some documents, he exited the office. He paused briefly, glancing around. The students had already entered their classrooms, so the place was empty and quiet. Well—almost empty.
"…"
His eyes met a pair of violet ones staring coldly at him. It was a girl. Slender, beautiful, and striking. Her short black bob barely brushed her shoulders.
After sizing her up, he noticed there was no confusion or surprise in those sharp eyes. Was it her gaze he'd felt when he arrived?
Aegis bowed in a curtsy.
"Good morning, young lady."
"Uh…" The girl blinked.
Aegis expected this to be one of those moments where people were left speechless, but she recovered quickly, giving a slight bow in return.
Ah, classical manners. He liked that.
"You must be the new transfer student, right?"
"That's right."
"I see. I wonder what brings you to our academy."
She gave off a cold, dangerous aura. That wasn't an innocent question—those weren't words one used with a normal student. Aegis suspected she already knew he was a supernatural being.
"Hehehe~ Would you believe me if I said I came here to make friends?"
From another angle, the laugh and words definitely sounded like something a creepy old man would say.
Aegis chuckled at himself. But contrary to what he expected, the girl's expression didn't change. She continued observing him with suspicion.
"Hmmm. You're good at lying, aren't you?"
"Guilty."
"I see," she went on, her tone even colder. "You're not even trying to hide your intentions. That's unusual. Are you a demon? Or maybe a fallen angel?"
The girl lifted her chin in a defensive, authoritative gesture. She seemed used to handling tense encounters with supernatural beings. Aegis wondered if she was trying to intimidate him.
So she already knows I'm not human… though I don't remember ever leaking my aura…
He should have appeared human. It was strange for someone to detect him so easily on day one.
Scratching the top of his head, he said, "I'm just curious about the students in this Academy. I think it's fun to come here and study. Especially when there are so many beautiful girls willing to spend time with me."
He realized his tone had shifted into that of a complete jerk. It didn't need to be said out loud—but he enjoyed tossing more fuel onto the fire.
"So you're a supernatural being trying to take advantage of the most vulnerable students, huh?"
Her violet eyes glittered dangerously, and her lips curled into a sarcastic smile. Aegis felt a heavy pressure settle over the air.
"I don't want to harm innocent students. Will you follow me outside?" The girl said.
"No."
And as if that single word were a trigger, the temperature dropped several degrees.