[ After taking just a few seconds to commit the surrounding environment to memory, Ayanokōji Kiyotaka set off. He knew that standing still in a daze would be too conspicuous; such behavior would draw unwanted attention and increase the risk of unpredictable consequences. ]
[ Regardless of the world he was in, Ayanokōji preferred to remain an existence ignored by others. That was the only way to avoid unnecessary trouble. ]
In the classroom of Class 1-D, every eye was glued to the screen as if they were watching the premiere of a blockbuster film.
"That guy... he really is Ayanokōji!"
"Wait, did Ayanokōji go off and film a movie behind our backs?"
Horikita Suzune looked at the boy sitting beside her with a look of disbelief. She had heard from her brother, the Student Council President, that Ayanokōji had managed to score exactly 50 points on every single entrance exam. Ayanokōji had dismissed it as a coincidence, and at the time, Horikita found it hard to believe anyone could control their scores with such surgical precision. Now, watching the screen, her doubts began to shift.
"It's just a video," Ayanokōji replied nonchalantly.
Internally, however, he was analyzing the footage. The scenery, the strange beastmen—none of it looked like CGI or physical models. Current technology wasn't advanced enough to create something so hyper-realistic that even he couldn't spot a flaw.
What piqued his curiosity was how much the creator of this video seemed to know about him. In this school, only the faculty should have access to his true data. Furthermore, he realized that if he were to be transported to another world, his thoughts and actions would align perfectly with what was being shown.
My father wouldn't waste time making something like this, he thought. And yet, people all over the planet are seeing the same thing.
"Transmigration? Another world?"
In the Student Council office of Shuchi'in Academy, Shirogane Miyuki—his signature dark circles under his eyes prominent—stared at the TV in confusion. He turned to Shinomiya Kaguya.
"Shinomiya, is this a movie you're playing?"
"No, President. I haven't touched the controls."
"Then let's change the channel." Shirogane grabbed the remote and mashed the buttons, but there was no response. "Strange... is the battery dead? Or is the TV broken? Even the power button isn't working..."
Fujiwara Chika rushed over and yanked the power cord from the wall. The room went silent, but the screen stayed lit. The video continued to play, powered by an unknown force.
In another world entirely, the sky split open with a radiant light. What began as a beautiful pillar of light suddenly unfurled like a massive tent, rapidly blanking out the sun and covering the entire firmament.
"What is happening?!"
In the Royal Capital, the Imperial Knights fell into a panic. They rushed out of the palace, weapons drawn, staring up at the sky in a state of high alert.
Among them stood a man with flame-red hair and eyes as blue as the sea. His hand instinctively flew to the hilt of the massive dragon-sword at his waist. He watched the sky with a sharp, guarded gaze. After a moment, he relaxed his grip and began to stroke his chin, deep in thought.
To cover such a vast area... this is beyond the reach of any ordinary magic user.
[ Ayanokōji looked down at the plastic bag in his hand. Though he didn't know how it had gotten there, he quickly inventoried its contents: crackers, bottled water, some loose change, and his phone. He took out the phone, tried it a few times, and wasn't surprised to find there was no signal. ]
[ 'The currency here won't match my own. Securing a steady supply of food and water is the priority,' Ayanokōji thought. He rolled the plastic bag up and tucked it securely into his clothes. ]
[ "However, there is something more important than food right now: information." He stood up, intending to return to the main street. He planned to gather intelligence by eavesdropping on pedestrians. On his way to this alley, he had already memorized every street and landmark, forming a complete map in his mind. ]
"The closer we get to the Royal Selection, the stranger things become. Is this the will of the Holy Dragon...?"
The girl murmured to herself, lost in thought. This was Emilia, a half-elf maiden.
"Lia, that street in the video... it looks very close to where we are!"
[ "Hey! If you don't want a beating, hand over everything valuable!" Three thugs appeared behind Ayanokōji. He turned slowly, his eyes scanning them. ]
Next time I'm on leave, I should patrol that area, thought Reinhard van Astrea as he watched the broadcast.
[ 'So, there are bandits in this world too.' Ayanokōji's gaze swept over the three men, extracting useful data. ]
[ He had no desire to fight. In his original world, he could easily handle three men of this caliber. But he was acutely aware that he was no longer in his original world. Common sense might not apply here. If these people possessed strength beyond his imagination, the risk of combat was too high. Furthermore, a commotion might attract unwanted attention. Delaying them was more efficient than fighting. ]
[ "Out of the way!" Suddenly, a petite, cat-like figure blurred past, skidding to a halt in front of the four of them. ]
[ 'Fast. Based on her footwork, she's trained. Based on her expression, she's running from someone.' Ayanokōji's gaze shifted to the girl. He had no interest in her or her troubles, but if she was running that fast, her pursuers were likely close behind. ]
[ "Don't mind me! Just stay alive!" the girl shouted at them before leaping up, scaling the wall with superhuman agility and vanishing over the rooftops. ]
[ Ayanokōji watched her go. 'Her reaction was too casual. Is robbery a common occurrence here?' He frowned slightly. While he could deal with these thugs easily, his instincts told him not to stand out in an unfamiliar environment. ]
[ More importantly, he had observed earlier that while the order here wasn't perfect, it existed. There were guards patrolling the main streets. ]
[ 'This is the only alleyway in the immediate area. The person chasing that girl will likely pass through here soon. If it's a guard, that works in my favor.' Having calculated that help was on the way, Ayanokōji decided to stall for time. ]
[ "Hey! Give us the money, did you hear me?!" The largest man stepped forward and grabbed Ayanokōji by the collar. The boy's expression remained unchanged; his cold eyes looked at the thug as if he were watching a dull, low-budget play. ]
[ "I'm sorry. I'm a stranger here, and I have no money on me," Ayanokōji said calmly. He had already hidden the plastic bag from view. ]
[ "No money? I bet you'll find some after a beating!" The man roared, infuriated by Ayanokōji's lack of fear. He swung a massive fist toward Ayanokōji's face. ]
"Excellent evasion!"
Watching the screen, Reinhard couldn't help but voice his admiration. The reaction speed and the footwork were clearly the result of rigorous, elite training. But more than the physical skill, he was struck by Ayanokōji's mental process.
It was calm, meticulous, and calculated to a degree that was almost terrifying.