The locker room was silent for a heartbeat, save for the hum of a flickering fluorescent light. To Leon, it was just another Tuesday before practice. To Lucas, it was the moment before the apocalypse.
"You're acting weird, Lucas," Leon said, pushing off from the locker. He reached into his bag and tossed a half-empty water bottle toward his friend. "If you're that tired, skip the gym. Elena is already there, and you know how she gets if we're late. She'll make us do double laps."
Lucas caught the bottle, his hands shaking slightly. Hearing Elena's name hit him like a physical blow to the chest. In the previous timeline, he had watched her get crushed by the Shadow Legion. Now, she was just a few hallways away, complaining about their punctuality.
"I'm fine," Lucas forced out, his voice sounding foreign to his own ears. "Just... a vivid dream. I'm good now."
Suddenly, the air in the locker room turned heavy. The shadows on the floor began to stretch and vibrate.
[CONVERGENCE INITIATED]
A massive, translucent blue screen flickered into existence in the center of the room. It wasn't the polished, golden interface Lucas remembered from the final days—it was raw, jagged, and aggressive.
[The World 'Earth' is merging with 'Elnor']
[Expansion of Landmass: 400% Complete]
[Integrating Magic Circuitry into Local Physics...]
Leon stood still, his golden eyes narrowing. He didn't panic; he simply watched the screen with a detached curiosity that made Lucas's heart ache. Even without his memories, Leon's soul was built for this.
"Is this... a prank?" Leon asked, stepping toward the screen.
A high-pitched chime echoed through the school.
[Determining Class based on Willpower and Inherent Strength...]
[Scanning Player: Lucas...]
[Class Found: 'Vanguard of the Forgotten' (Unique Rank)]
Lucas stared at the screen. In the old world, he had been a standard [Knight]. This time, his soul—tempered by the death of the world and the trauma of the reset—had birthed something far more powerful.
Then, the System turned its gaze to Leon.
The blue screen turned a violent, bleeding crimson. The text began to scroll so fast it became a blur of white light.
[Scanning Player: Leon...]
[Error... Divine Residue Detected...]
[Error... Calculating Potential...]
[Class Found: 'Emperor']
Leon blinked, his white hair catching the red glow of the screen. "Emperor? That sounds... excessive for a high school student."
"It's just a game, Leon," Lucas lied, his grip tightening on his friend's arm."Let's just get to Elena. We need to stay together."
As they stepped out of the locker room, the school's roof was gone. In its place was a sky filled with two moons—one silver, one a sickly violet. The city of was being physically torn apart and stitched back together with sprawling forests and medieval stone citadels.
Leon asked "uh? What happened to the school roof? Why are there two moons? One silver and one violet? Wait more over why is there moons when it's day time? And is there a forest here?" Lucas thought to himself "just like previous timeline if someone from that timeline sees him like this I am sure that they would think if he really is the one who fought against the Demon Emperor and his minions"
At that time in the distance, the first roar of a Chimera echoed.
Lucas looked at Leon's profile. Leon was looking at the monsters with a calm, almost predatory focus. He didn't have his skills yet, but his instinct was already there.
I won't let you carry the world alone this time, Lucas thought, drawing a jagged practice sword from the equipment rack.Stay close, Leon," Lucas said, stepping into the chaotic new world. "I'll handle the front."
Leon followed, a small, puzzled smile on his face. "Since when did you become the brave one, Lucas?"