Heart beat...

~ First person Pov ~

.

.

.

I walked through the rows of seats, trying to keep my head down. But the stares—they were everywhere.

Some students whispered to each other. Others barely spared me a glance. A few just looked… bored.

I reminded myself that this was normal. I was the transfer student. It made sense for people to be even a little curious about who I was. Though, that didn't make it any less uncomfortable.

Then, as I moved past one of the desks near the middle—

I saw her...

A girl, sitting near the window, resting her chin in her palm as she gazed outside.

She had silky black hair, no... Not black, but a dark shade of purple that cascaded down her shoulders, framing her beautiful, delicate features. Her skin was quite pale too, almost porcelain-like, and her eyes—

A deep, shade of violet...

They looked like polished gemstones catching the light. For a split second, my chest tightened. A strange, unfamiliar throb pulsed through me.

'Wha-What the hell—?'

I quickly shook whatever the hell that was, off...

It had to be the accursed hormones of this new body might have given me. I was mentally twenty-five, but physically? Seventeen. That was enough of an explanation for me. Plus, it feels weird as hell to feel that way for a kid... Yuck...

I forced myself to keep walking.

I could see that Renji had already taken a seat ahead and waved at me lazily. "Oi, new guy! Over here."

I sighed and slid into the seat right beside him.

Before I could even take in my surroundings—

A presence settled over the room.

The professor had arrived. And from the moment I looked up at him—

Something told me this class… wasn't going to be easy an easy one...

The moment the professor stepped forward, the classroom fell silent.

Not because he did anything. He didn't slam a book on the desk or clear his throat to get our attention.

He didn't have to.

His presence alone commanded the room.

I sat up a little straighter as I got a proper look at him. He was young for a teacher—probably in his mid-thirties. His sharp black hair was neatly combed, and he wore glasses that reflected the dim classroom light. His dark eyes, however, were unreadable. I could tell he was the calm, calculating type...

And of course, he focused directly on me. For a split second, I felt the same static sensation from earlier. But just as quickly as it came, it was gone.

"Good morning, class," he finally spoke, his voice smooth and even.

"Good morning, Professor Falkner," the students answered in unison.

I hurriedly echoed them, trying not to stick out.

Falkner gave a slow nod, then glanced at the roster in his hands. "As most of you already know, we have a transfer student today."

I stiffened slightly as his eyes flicked toward me.

"Ayano Keiji," he said my name perfectly, not stumbling over it like some foreign teachers might. "You've come to us at an… interesting time in the semester."

There was something about the way he said that. Like there was a second meaning behind it.

I kept my expression neutral. "I'll do my best to keep up."

Falkner's lips twitched—something between amusement and curiosity. "See that you do."

With that, he moved on. I exhaled. 'Well, that could've gone worse.'

Falkner turned to the large blackboard behind him and picked up a piece of chalk. "Now, before we continue with today's lecture, let's have a quick recap."

With practiced ease, he began writing three words in bold strokes across the board.

The Great Collapse.

A chill ran down my spine. I'd heard that term once before—when I asked Renji about the date. The classroom remained silent, students watching intently as Falkner turned back to us.

"Who here," he said smoothly, "Can anyone explain the significance of the Great Collapse?"

A few hands shot up...

I could see Falkner scanning the room, then pointed at a student near the front. A blonde-haired boy who sat with near perfect posture, clearly the type who actually enjoyed being called on.

"It was the event that marked the end of the Old Era," the student answered confidently. "It's why we use the AE calendar—After Exile. The Collapse wiped out entire nations and changed the world's structure forever."

Falkner nodded. "That is correct. But—" His gaze flickered toward me again. "Since we have a new student today, let's take this moment to explain further."

I fought the urge to sink into my seat.

Falkner paced slightly, his voice smooth and controlled. "Before the Great Collapse, the world was structured under a vastly different system. One that no longer exists. The event itself erased not only civilizations but also history as we knew it."

Wait... What?

Entire civilizations were just wiped out? But also history? What did that even mean?

I glanced around, but none of the students looked shocked by this. To them, this was normal knowledge. Of course it was. It's their world.

Falkner continued, "What little records remain suggest that the Collapse was not a singular event, but rather a chain reaction—one that resulted in the near-total destruction of the previous world."

A pit formed in my stomach.

'What kind of event could destroy history itself?' Now, I'm worried about this world I'm in.

I clenched my hands under the desk. It's official, I needed to learn everything about this world, and fast as well...

Because something told me… This wasn't just history.

It felt like it was some sort of a warning. I couldn't place my finger on it, but that's what I felt.

Falkner's chalk tapped against the board. The Great Collapse.

He turned to the class, his gaze sharp. "As we just heard, the Collapse was the event that ended the Old Era. But what most fail to understand—" his voice remained calm, steady, "—is that it wasn't just one war. It was a series of conflicts. An era of destruction that lasted nearly a century."

I frowned slightly, my hands tightening under the desk.

A hundred years of war?

Falkner continued, his tone as precise as his handwriting. "Entire governments crumbled. Borders were redrawn. Cities vanished from existence—not by magic or divine punishment, but by men. By power struggles. The world we know today exists because of those wars, and yet, most records of what came before are… incomplete."

He let the last word linger, giving the class a moment to absorb it.

I could feel the tension in the room. Even the students who looked disinterested earlier were paying attention now.

Falkner's gaze flicked toward me again, just for a second. I practically had to force myself to stay calm.

Was this normal for a history lecture here? Or was he watching me for a reason?

"Now," Falkner continued, turning back to the board. "Who can tell me the most significant outcome of the Collapse?"

A few hands went up, again.

This time, he gestured toward a girl sitting near the middle—the same girl I'd noticed earlier.

"'You may speak miss Katsura."

This time, its the one wit the one with Violet eyes. Her name too, it's Katsura? It doesn't sound so bad, it's the opposite even... Wait... Why the hell am I thinking about her name!?

'C'mon dude... Focus.'

Katsura lowered her hand and answered smoothly. "The formation of the Five Great Powers."

Falkner nodded. "Correct."

I filed that information away instantly. The Five Great Powers?

"The war didn't end because one side won," Falkner explained. "It ended because no one could win. The world was exhausted. Resources were depleted. Armies fell apart. And from that chaos, the strongest surviving factions took control of what remained. That was how the Five Great Powers came to rule."

I glanced around, but no one else seemed surprised by this.

I kept my expression neutral, but my mind was racing.

If this world had no magic, no gods or demons, then this wasn't some fantasy kingdom. This was a world shaped by war. And it was still standing because of whatever balance these 'Five Great Powers' had maintained.

Which meant that whoever controlled those five factions essentially controlled the world.

And if war had lasted a hundred years before…

What were the chances it wouldn't happen?

'No... It ain't the wisest thing to dwell on things I can't possibly control.'

It's best I just get on with my life...

_________________________________________________

~ First Person Pov, End of the day... ~

Damn the day was long... The only thing I could remotely understand was the math. Everything else, I had to learn from square one... Which sucks, but what can a man do about this kind of setting?

PING!!

I looked ahead, seeing the screen pop up in front of me...

------------------------------------------------

{GROWTH QUEST: Head home and get your A-game on! You're super weak, and you won't survive if you are, so it's time to get strong!

Tasks;

0 / 50 pushups

0 / 50 Crunches

0 / 50 Squats

0 / 1 kilometer run

REWARD: ??????}

--------------------------------------------------

"You have got to be kidding me..."

It didn't even disappear. The glowing text hovered in front of me, like a damned mocking personal trainer I never asked for... It's my FIRST day too! 

And the damn reward was just question marks?!

I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "This thing is seriously out to kill me…"

Renji, walking beside me as we left the school grounds, glanced over. "You say something?"

I snapped upright. "Nope. N-Nothing."

He shrugged, not pushing it, thankfully.

I let out a slow breath. Fine. If this was how it had to be, then I'd start from zero. I glanced at the quest again. Pushups. Crunches. Squats. Running.

Nothing too crazy. Just basic training.

I could handle that much… right?

...Right?

.

.

.

.

.

.

END