Judai emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, and let out a yawn. Water dripped from his hair onto the floor as he walked over to check his phone.
A message from Rias, sent earlier that day, lit up the screen:
Rias: Why didn't you come to school today?
Rias: Are you sick?
He fumbled with the flip phone for a moment before replying.
Me: I'm sick.
He tossed the phone onto the bed, grabbed some clothes from the closet, a black shirt, grey pants and spotted a red jacket, which he put on as well. After collecting his wallet, keys, and phone, he headed out to find food. Sleeping all day had left him ravenous.
This time, he decided to be extra careful. The memory of a blonde girl and a spear of light was still fresh.
'That had to be a one-in-a-million chance,' he thought, but he felt a flicker of confidence now. He had power, after all. Who wouldn't feel a bit bolder?
On the way to the convenience store, another message arrived.
Rias: I hope you get well soon.
Me: Thanks.
He pocketed the phone and entered the store, scanning for something cheap, filling, and high in protein.
'Hmm… what's good for building muscle on a budget?'
He settled on a chicken salad and two onigiri. 'This should do.'
After paying, he returned home, locked the door, and ate. It wasn't enough. He was still hungry.
"Tsk. Still not full," he muttered, but he remembered his tight budget and pushed the thought aside.
He got up, stretched, and decided it was time to test his power properly.
"Let's see."
The Duel Disk materialized on his left arm. He drew three cards from the deck slot, looking them over.
"If only I had a higher-level HERO and Destiny HERO… I could've summoned Phoenix Enforcer with Trump Witch."
He placed the Performapal Trump Witch card onto a Monster Zone.
A small, cute witch holding a staff appeared, real and smiling at him. Judai smiled back and then tested out the other cards he had in hand.
He removed the Trump Witch card, and the spectral figure vanished. Then he placed Endymion, The Magistus of Mastery onto the Monster Zone.
Light shimmered, and there he stood: a middle-aged man with long blue hair, a goatee, red facial markings, clad in ornate robes, and holding a powerful staff.
Immediately, Endymion leveled his staff directly at Judai's face.
Endymion took in his surroundings instantly, sensing the dense, ambient mana in this world and the constraints on his own power, despite still having the blessing of the god. His expression remained stern, his staff still aimed.
"Explain yourself, kid," Endymion demanded, the tip of his staff glowing faintly.
Judai was momentarily stunned into silence, just meeting the mage's intense gaze.
"Speak!"
"Okay, okay... what do you want to know?" Judai asked, forcing a bit of confidence into his voice.
'He wouldn't actually hurt me,' Judai thought, trying to reassure himself.
"How did you summon me here?!" Endymion's voice was sharp, brooking no evasion.
"Using this," Judai said, raising his left arm to display the Duel Disk.
"Is that... me?" Endymion asked, eyeing the card still in the Monster Zone.
"Yes."
"Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? Playing at summoning beings from other worlds? What if you had summoned a creature bent on annihilation? Your world could be laid to waste!"
"You're right. I'm sorry," Judai said quietly. The common sense of it was obvioussummoning unknown entities was reckless. He just hadn't expected the summoned being to lecture him. It felt oddly like being scolded by a stern father from his past life.
Endymion studied Judai's face, and for a moment, he seemed to see someone elsea younger man with green-white hair and glasses. He sighed, finally lowering his staff.
"Tell me, how does that device function?" Endymion asked, his tone now more measured.
"I place a card, and the being on the card is summoned."
Endymion pinched the bridge of his nose. "And how did you acquire these cards?"
"The device gave them to me. A first-time free draw."
"You are recklessly naive."
Judai had no retort. It was true.
"Why are you even using such a device?"
"Because I have to. This world is dangerous."
"Then why not learn the magic native to this place? The mana here is abundant," Endymion said, genuinely perplexed.
"I don't know anyone who can teach me."
"A world saturated in mana, yet no one instructs its use? Is your world ruled by tyrants who hoard such knowledge?"
"Probably not. I don't think most people here even know mana exists."
"Your world is strange, kid."
Judai didn't react. 'It's not my world, either,' he kept to himself.
"What are your intentions now?" Endymion pressed.
"To get stronger. And to survive."
Endymion observed the determined glint in Judai's eyes. It reminded him, again, of a friend. "Listen, kid. How about I teach you magic instead? But you must cease using that device."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because keeping you here requires the device. Watch."
"Wait"
Judai reached over and plucked the Endymion card from the Monster Zone. In an instant, the Magistus of Mastery vanished. Judai placed the card back, and Endymion reappeared exactly as he was.
'That's... peculiar,' Endymion thought, sensing no passage of time in his own world. 'Did time stop there?'
He took Judai's left hand, examining the Duel Disk closely. Judai could feel the immense strength in the mage's grip.
'It's powered by his mana, his stamina... possibly even his life force,' Endymion deduced.
"That was dangerous, kid. What if something had gone wrong during the transition?"
"It won't," Judai stated with unfounded confidence.
Seeing Judai's casual control over the summoning and the temporal stasis of his home world, Endymion made a decision. It was better to stay and supervise this reckless youth than to leave him to his own devices.
"Very well, kid. I will instruct you in magic," Endymion declared.
'Safer to keep him under watch,' Endymion thought.
Judai's face lit up with excitement. He could learn real magic!
"Sensei," Judai said, giving a slight bow. "Please take care of me."