Dante leaned back in the chair he took from his parents' house. He couldn't wait to rest. He just moved across the country for college.
Although it was a second time, the process still drained his soul. Just a few more hours, he said to himself, looking away from the pile of boxes laying across his single bedroom.
It was a little let down that he couldn't get the old apartment. He asked the landowner to do him a favor but in the end, that man gave it to a new tenant.
It was an ultimate act of betrayal but Dante couldn't blame the man. In this economy, every penny was worth fighting for.
His phone vibrated on the desk. Dante opened his eyes with annoyance etched.
"Wanna hangout?" Dante read a message from his friend. He suppressed a groan and typed.
"Sure. Time and location."
"Now and usual bar."
Dante looked at the time, it was 3 pm.
"Too soon for that, bro."
"I see no problem. Come, please. I am so lonely."
Dante squinted back. He didn't believe Julius' words at all. The man was a natural magnet for people. And he was certain that the man was setting some sort of double date.
"Ok. Wait for 30 minutes."
"Sure. I will order a drink for you."
Dante was puzzled by that text.
"Idiot. It will be warm by the time I get there. Just order a light meal for me. I don't want to waste tonight." With that, Dante turned off the phone.
He stood up from the chair and stretched his body. He looked around his room and found a box he was looking for.
Quickly, he took out a gray hoodie and wore it. He thought about dressing up nicely but gave up the thought. Dante knew his own appearance.
He was an average looking guy, so plain that you could lose track of him in a crowd. It was his superpower during his cringy teenage years but now it was a curse.
He was neither handsome nor ugly, the only thing he had was his physique. He didn't go to the gym religiously but his genes carried him.
Dante grabbed a key, hanging on the wall and closed the door to his small apartment. He went downstairs and grabbed the bike he placed.
He unlocked the bike and started paddling full force.
After doing unwanted exercise, he arrived at the destination.
The bar wasn't a particularly impressive-looking bar. Just a simple building really. But the atmosphere was cozy and cool. It was really a blessing that he found during the first year.
He opened the door and inhaled cold air.
"What's up, Dante." A familiar sound greeted him immediately.
Dante nodded at the bartender and answered. "Good to see you, Thomas. Looks like you shaved off your beard."
Thomas scratched his chin and smiled cheekily. "Yeah, I want to try a new look."
"The mustache looks good. Keep up the good work." Dante gave his word to Thomas.
Thomas was a dropout collage student. He won't tell the reason but apparently things got heated with the teacher and he caused a fight fight with students.
All he heard about Thomas was that he was a cruel guy. Julius didn't believe that at all. After all, Thomas was one of few people he could interact with.
Dante glanced inside the bar and noticed a group of people sitting in the corner.
He heard Julius' aura oozing from the group.
"Yo. Long time no see. Come here." Julius noticed him and gestured to him.
He grabbed a nearby chair and sat down. He observed the group.
Two pretty girls. He never saw these girls before. Luckily, he didn't need to introduce himself.
"He is Dante, my best friend. A bit of oddball but he is super smart." Julius introduced him to the girls.
"Dante, that pretty girl with blond hair is Jenny. She is a first year student, majoring in art. And the other girl is called Reiner, the same as Jenny."
Dante nodded. "Nice to meet you. I hope Julius didn't say anything weird about me."
"Oh no. We are talking about college." Jenny said.
Dante observed the two girls. They were both pretty in their own way. Jenny screamed like your neighbor's older daughter. An unreachable crown.
While Reiner was a nerdy girl who finally saw her appearance after high school and decided to get a makeover.
They both matched his tastes but he didn't plan to persuade them.
He gave a look to Julius and squeezed into the conversation. Surprise, surprise. The conversation was smooth, thanks to Julius.
The man was very talented in that regard.
As for Dante, he became a talk machine after drinking beer. Alcohol was the best drink for this kind of things.
They mostly talked about college. After all, Jenny and Reiner are first year students. They asked about all the things related to some and other stuff.
They both left after the night came. Dante had a pleasant conversation with the two but secretly hoped that they wouldn't meet again.
Because he wasn't sure how he would make a conversation to the two without Julius.
"So how is your summer?" Julius asked, taking out a cigarette.
Dante grabbed a piece of grape and threw it inside his mouth. "Not terrible. I mostly spend time in the forest."
To avoid my family. He added to himself.
"So that is why I can't reach you." Julius got up from the chair and stretched. They had been sitting for hours.
"What are you doing in the forest? Slicing off animals?"
"What? No. I go camping. You don't understand how hot my hometown gets."
"Any progression in your love life? Secret childhood lover?" Julius teased with a grin.
Dante gave Julius a light smack in the back. "What love life? I am a changed man."
"Sure. Sure. I still have videos of you venting about her."
Dante's eyes widened and rocked Julius's shoulder. "I told you to delete that."
"Haha. I am just joking, man."
"Sure hope so."
Dante dropped to the desk and grabbed an unfinished beer. Perhaps it was time for a change. Something to get him out of this self pity and started enjoying himself more.
"I don't think I can forg…." he began, just as the ground trembled slightly.
Dante gave a soft laugh, "I forget, we get tremors here all the time. I sure hope those two aren't in panic."
Julius was about to ask him something.
But the tremors didn't subside as they should have. It intensified to the point that plates on the table fell to the floor.
Then the ground bucked and rippled.
Dante immediately went sober and got up from the chair. Julius grabbed his hand and tilted his head to the outside.
Along the time, Thomas also followed the two.
When they reached outside, the tremors stopped. No. It vanished. Vanished in the air. The only thing remaining was a panic spreading through the people.
Strangely, Dante didn't feel anything regarding the situation. He was trained to be calm and collected under stress by his father, who was a war veteran and shitty dad.
As he was contemplating his life, Julius nodged his shoulder. Dante looked at his friend, face filled with terror.
Confused by this, he followed Julius's eyes and looked up at the sky.
Impossible.
A giant palm falling from the sky slowly.
Impossible. There shouldn't be such a large lifeform to exist in outer space. The palm was falling, falling.
Dante sighed and looked at Julius, putting a small smile. "Well, I have a fun time with you, my friend. I don't think the supernatural would be real."
It seemed like his words managed to reach Julius because the man rolled his eyes and let out a defeated laugh.
"Is it a love confession?"
Dante punched at Julius with a laugh. "Heck, no."
Thomas looked at the two and sighed. "You know, you guys are really strange fellows." He paused and looked around, people were panicking.
Some were praying at the palm, hoping to stop. Some worshiped their gods.
Thomas shook his head at the sights and took out a pack of cigarettes. He took out one and put it in his mouth.
Sure, he was afraid. But he was more tired. Tired at everything.
Thomas tossed the pack at Julius. Julius caught and took out a cigarette as well, he then gave it to Dante.
"Nah." Dante declined the offer.
Julius shrugged off with a smirk. "You know, this is the end. You should experience new things at least."
Thomas nodded and let out a smoke in the air.
"The end, huh?" Dante looked at the incomprehensible horror and shook his head. He didn't know why but his gut was telling him that this was not the end.
The three friends enjoyed the moment, waiting for the palm to come.
Suddenly, it stopped. Dante noticed that the flame around the palm froze.
He squinted his eyes, trying to see a better look at the palm. 'Strange.'
He then noticed that the palm wasn't the only thing that stopped. Everything around him stopped as if time was deleted from the world.
[Detecting a Low level Grade mortal planet.]
[Assimilating mana to the planet core.]
[3..2..1…..error! Error.]
[The planet core is beyond recovery.]
[Finding alternative route.]
[Found 2.45 trillion possibilities to save the planet.]
[Choosing the best possibilities.]
[Leave the planet to ****]
[Teleporting every intelligent being to the Tutorial plane.]
[3..2..]
Dante saw a series of words forming in the sky. He was confused but somewhat understood the meaning behind those words.
Before the countdown reached zero, he grabbed his friends.
[1..0.]
With that, the world around him vanished.