Chapter Three: Summons from Another World

The royal palace's grand hall erupted in brilliant light, its ancient marble floors illuminated by a complex array of glowing runes that spiraled outward like a blooming flower. The air crackled with raw magical energy, making the hair on the guards' necks stand on end. As the light reached its peak intensity, reality itself seemed to tear open, revealing a portal that pulsed with otherworldly energy.

When the light faded, a group of bewildered young men and women stood in the center of the runic circle, still wearing their school uniforms. The crisp black blazers and neat ties looked absurdly out of place against the medieval grandeur of the palace. Steam rose from their clothes—an after-effect of interdimensional travel—as they tried to comprehend what had just happened.

Renji Takamura was the first to find his voice, though it came out shakier than he would have liked. His hands were trembling, and the last thing he remembered was sitting in class, struggling to stay awake during a mathematics lecture. Now he stood in what looked like something out of a fantasy game, complete with armored knights and floating magical orbs that illuminated the vast chamber.

"Where..." he started, then had to swallow hard before continuing. "Where are we?"

Next to him, Akari Shimizu clutched her school bag tighter, her knuckles white with tension. She recognized everyone around her—they were all from Class 3-B. The same class that Hoshi had disappeared from three years ago, vanishing without a trace during lunch break. The memory of that day still haunted her: his empty desk, the police investigations, the rumors that had spread through the school like wildfire.

An armored figure stepped forward, his elaborate plate mail gleaming in the magical light. He dropped to one knee before them, head bowed in a gesture of both respect and supplication. When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of desperate hope.

"Heroes of another world," he began, each word carefully measured, "we have summoned you in our darkest hour. Our kingdom—our entire world—faces a threat beyond mortal comprehension. The God of War threatens all existence, and only you, chosen warriors from another realm, can stand against him."

The students exchanged nervous glances. Shiro Kazama, always the skeptic, let out a short laugh that held no humor. "God of War? Look, if this is some kind of elaborate prank—"

"This is no deception," the knight interrupted, raising his head. His eyes held a haunted look that made Shiro's words die in his throat. "He was once a man, but now... now he has transcended mortality itself. He has mastered powers beyond our understanding, and soon he will wage war upon the world itself."

As if to prove his words, he gestured to an attendant who brought forward an ornate frame covered in silk. With trembling hands, the knight pulled away the fabric, revealing a portrait that made the blood drain from every student's face.

The painting showed a warrior in elaborate armor that seemed to pulse with dark energy. But it was the face that made Akari's heart stop. Though his eyes now burned with golden fire, though his features had hardened into something almost divine in their perfection, she would know that face anywhere.

"Hoshi?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

The other students burst into shocked murmurs. It was impossible. Hoshi, their quiet classmate who had disappeared three years ago, who had never stood out except for his tendency to fade into the background—he had become this being of terror and power?

"No," Renji breathed, taking a step back. "That's not... it can't be..."

But the truth was undeniable. Their lost classmate had become something beyond human, beyond mortal understanding. The God of War that threatened this world was the same boy who had once shared their classroom, who had eaten lunch alone on the roof, who had disappeared without anyone realizing just how significant that day would become.

As the implications sank in, each student felt the weight of destiny settle upon their shoulders. They weren't just being asked to save a world—they were being asked to fight someone they had known, someone they had failed to understand or protect. The revelation hit Akari particularly hard; tears welled in her eyes as she remembered all the times she had wanted to reach out to Hoshi but had hesitated, had let her own shyness hold her back.

The knight began explaining their roles, how each of them had been granted unique abilities suited to combat this threat. But his words seemed distant, unreal. All they could think about was the portrait—the familiar yet transformed face of their former classmate who had become something that made even hardened warriors tremble.

A war unlike any other awaited them, and at its center stood the quiet boy they had known as Hoshi, now transformed into Kael, the God of War.