woke up already knowing something was wrong.
Not in the normal way—like "I slept on my arm" wrong. More like… my whole body felt like it had been swapped out while I was asleep.
My eyes snapped open.
The ceiling above me was clean, white, and expensive-looking. Not stained. Not cracked. The lights were built in, smooth and neat. Even the air felt different. Like it was filtered.
I didn't move for a second. I just listened.
Silence.
No traffic right outside the window. No loud neighbors. No buzzing phone on a cheap nightstand.
Where the hell am I…?
I sat up fast.
The sheets slid over my skin like water. Soft. Too soft. I looked down—and that was the second thing that hit me.
My hands.
They weren't my hands.
Bigger. Longer fingers. Veins faint under the skin. No little scars I remembered having. No rough spots where I used to bite my nails too much.
I stared at them like if I stared hard enough, they'd change back.
They didn't.
My chest tightened. My breathing went shallow and stupid, like my body didn't know how to act either.
I threw the blanket off and swung my legs off the bed—
My legs were different too.
Longer. Stronger. My thighs had muscle. Not gym-bro ridiculous, but solid, athletic. Like someone who actually used their body and didn't just talk about it.
I stood up, almost stumbling because the balance felt off.
My feet hit a warm floor. Not carpet. Some smooth wood that didn't creak under my weight.
I turned in place.
The room was… big.
A clean desk. A laptop on it. A shelf with books lined up like someone cared. A closet with sliding doors. Curtains that looked heavy and expensive.
A mirror on the far wall.
My eyes locked onto it.
I walked over like I was being dragged.
Each step made my stomach twist tighter.
When I reached the mirror, I stopped.
Then I lifted my head.
And I froze.
Silver hair.
Not "kind of light brown" or "dyed blond." No. This was silver. Like moonlight. Thick, messy in a way that looked good without trying.
Crimson red eyes stared back at me.
Red. Not brown. Not hazel. Not even that fake anime-red.
It was real.
My face was sharp in a way mine never was. Clean jawline. Straight nose. Lips that looked like they belonged on someone who didn't get ignored in a crowd.
I leaned closer to the mirror, breathing hard.
The person staring back at me… wasn't me.
But he moved when I moved. Blinked when I blinked.
I pressed my palm against the glass.
It was cold.
My throat went dry.
"Okay," I whispered, voice low and rougher than I expected. "Okay. Okay, okay—"
My voice wasn't mine either.
It had weight. A calm kind of deep that sounded older than high school age, even if the face was young.
I gripped the edge of the dresser under the mirror.
My mind tried to throw out explanations. Dream. Hallucination. Prank. Some kind of messed up fever.
But the room didn't wobble like a dream.
The smell was real. Clean soap, faint cologne. The air conditioner hum was steady. My heartbeat was loud in my ears.
And then—
A sharp, sudden jolt ran through my skull.
It wasn't pain.
It was like someone grabbed my brain and dumped a whole other life into it.
My knees almost gave out.
I caught myself on the dresser as images slammed into me.
A big house.
A gate.
A car waiting outside.
A man in a suit bowing.
A woman's voice calling my name.
A younger girl laughing, bright and annoying and cute all at once.
A classroom. Private tutors. Tests. Expectations.
A name.
Senju Kojiro.
The memories didn't come gently.
They hit like a flood. Not just images—feelings too.
The weight of a family name.
The cold way adults smiled when they wanted something.
The pressure of being "the heir."
The sick little thrill of knowing you were rich enough to do almost anything, and the bitter part that came with it—because people treated you like a prize, not a person.
I sucked in a breath, eyes wide.
My hands shook.
This… this is his life.
My life? No. His. Kojiro's.
Except I was here now.
And buried under the new memories—like a second layer—was the old me.
My old world.
My old name.
My old body.
My old room.
I remembered being me.
And that made this worse, because it meant I wasn't just dreaming.
I stared at my reflection again, swallowing hard.
"Senju… Kojiro." I said it out loud, like maybe saying it would make it click into place.
The name tasted strange.
Then something else clicked.
Senju.
My mouth twitched despite the fear.
A short laugh slipped out, sharp and almost angry.
"Senju," I muttered. "You've gotta be kidding me."
Because in my old world, that name wasn't just a name.
It was the name of a prestigious clan in Naruto. It was famous. It had weight. It was the kind of name you heard and instantly pictured wood dragons and a guy with long hair doing speeches about peace.
And now it was apparently me.
I dragged a hand down my face.
The skin felt smooth. No stubble. No acne. No signs of my old self.
My breathing steadied a little, but only because panic has a limit. Eventually your body gets tired of freaking out.
I looked away from the mirror and scanned the room again, forcing my brain to grab onto something normal.
There was a phone on the desk.
My instincts went for it immediately.
I snatched it up, thumb already moving.
The lock screen lit up.
The time read early morning. Too early.
The wallpaper was some simple abstract thing, dark and clean.
My fingers typed the passcode without me even thinking.
Kojiro's muscle memory…
The phone unlocked.
I went straight to the calendar.
The day after tommorow.
A reminder, bold and simple:
ANHS Entrance Day.
My stomach dropped again.
ANHS.
My eyes stayed on those letters like they were going to change if I stared long enough.
No… no way.
My brain ran through acronyms like a desperate idiot.
ANHS.
Advanced Nurturing High School.
Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.
The school from Classroom of the Elite.
The place where people smiled while they stabbed each other in the back.
The place where private points mattered more than pride.
The place where Class A was heaven and Class D was… a joke.
A place where Ayanokoji Kiyotaka walked around pretending to be nothing while being one of the most dangerous people in the building.
My throat tightened.
Then—like my mind wanted to hurt me—more of Kojiro's memories lined up perfectly with what I knew from the light novel.
The acceptance letter.
The uniform fitting.
The dorm assignment paperwork waiting.
The quiet excitement Kojiro had tried to hide, because even for a rich heir, getting into that school was a big deal.
I slowly lowered the phone.
I stared at my reflection again, but this time with a different kind of shock.
I'm in Classroom of the Elite.
The realization landed hard.
And right behind it came the next thought, louder, uglier:
That means the White Room is real.
My mouth went dry.
Ayanokoji's past wasn't just "cool lore" anymore.
It was a real thing. Real people. Real suffering. Real monsters wearing suits and smiling like they were proud.
A small, cold anger curled in my stomach.
Then another thought slid in.
Ben 10.
I almost laughed at myself for even thinking it, like my brain was trying to escape into something less heavy.
But it didn't feel like a joke.
Because there was something on my left wrist.
Something that shouldn't exist here.
I looked down.
Green.
Black.
A thick, solid watch-like device hugging my wrist like it belonged there.
It had the shape burned into my memory so hard I didn't even need to think.
The Omnitrix.
My heart thumped once, hard.
I stepped closer to the mirror, twisting my wrist so I could see it better in the light.
It wasn't a cheap toy.
The surface looked like real metal and advanced glass. The green symbol in the center felt like it had depth, like it wasn't just painted on.
And I already knew—because Kojiro's memories confirmed it—that it hadn't come off.
Ever.
A memory flashed: Kojiro in a bathroom years ago after finding a massive objected indented on a crater, It instantly jolted upwards once Kojiro curiously approached it. Flabbergasted, he began trying to pry it off with shaking hands, shock in his eyes, panic creeping up his throat… and the device just sitting there like it didn't care.
Then another memory: Kojiro pulling his sleeve down fast when someone walked in. Laughing too loud. Acting normal. Hiding it.
Thankfully.... my predecessor wasn't stupid.
He'd been smart.
He'd been careful.
He'd kept it secret from his family.
Even from the people who were closest to him.
I stared at the device, breath caught.
So it's real. It's actually real.
My hands trembled again, but this time it wasn't fear.
It was excitement so sharp it almost hurt.
My chest felt too tight for my ribs.
My voice came out in a low whisper, half laugh, half disbelief.
"No… no way."
Because I remembered watching Ben 10 as a kid.
I remembered thinking, If I had that watch, I'd be unstoppable.
I remembered the names of aliens like they were friends.
I remembered the sounds. The dial clicks. The slam.
I swallowed.
Then the device lit up.
Not bright at first. Just a soft green pulse under the symbol.
A calm, steady glow.
Then a sharper flash.
A sound—clean and clear—rang out.
A small voice spoke, right from the device.
"Recalibration complete."
I froze.
My eyes widened so fast it almost hurt.
The voice wasn't human. It wasn't warm. But it wasn't creepy either.
It sounded like a system. Like a machine that knew exactly what it was.
I stared at my wrist like it was going to bite me.
Then I hissed under my breath, "Shut up—no, don't shut up—wait, not out loud—"
I looked toward the door instantly, heart racing again.
The room was quiet. No footsteps. No voices. No one yelling my name.
I exhaled slowly through my nose.
Okay. Okay. Breathe. Don't get caught on day one. That would be the dumbest speedrun to ruin my life.
I pulled my sleeve down over the Omnitrix, just in case, even though the glow had faded.
Then I moved back to the center of the room, shoulders tense, mind spinning.
The Omnitrix.
In this world.
On my wrist.
I… I didn't even know what that meant for a reality of normal modern highschool life.
But since it exists..... Then....
Ben.
Max.
Vilgax.
Azmuth.
All of it.
Did they exist here?
Or was this some weird offshoot where the Omnitrix ended up in Japan and stuck itself to the wrong person?
I stared at the wall, jaw tight.
I don't know. I don't know any of this. I only know what I watched. And what I read.
A nervous laugh slipped out again.
"Of course," I muttered. "Of course I get isekai'd and it's not even one universe. It's a combo meal."
My hands went to my hair, gripping lightly.
The silver felt real. Soft, thick.
I let it go.
Then I looked down at my wrist again, eyes sharp.
If the Omnitrix was real, I needed answers.
And I knew exactly what stupid thing my brain wanted to do.
Test it.
I shut the bedroom door quietly and locked it.
Then I moved to the curtains, tugging them closed until the room dimmed a little. Not dark—just private.
My heart was still pounding, but now there was something almost playful in it.
A part of me, the old me, was screaming like a kid.
Do it. Do it. Do it.
Another part of me, the part that had read Classroom of the Elite, warned:
You're in a house with rich people and staff. If you turn into an alien and someone walks in, you're cooked.
I rubbed my face.
Then I grinned, slow and almost mean.
"Yeah," I whispered. "But if I don't test it now, I'll go insane."
I rolled my sleeve up.
The Omnitrix sat there like it had been waiting.
I raised my wrist close to my face and spoke quietly, like I was afraid the air itself would snitch.
"Okay… Omnitrix."
Nothing.
I blinked.
"…Hello?"
Still nothing.
I stared at it, annoyed.
Then I remembered.
It wasn't Siri.
It didn't wake up just because you said hi.
You had to activate it.
I placed my palm over the symbol and pressed down.
A click.
The symbol popped up slightly, and the green face lit up like a screen.
My breath caught.
I laughed under my breath, a little wild.
"That's it."
The dial was there. It felt like it had weight, like a real mechanism.
I rotated it gently.
A hologram flickered above it.
Not a random symbol—an alien silhouette, crisp and green.
My heart slammed into my ribs.
"Holy—"
I bit my tongue, remembering to keep my voice down.
I stared, eyes wide and shining.
The silhouette shifted as I turned the dial again.
Another one.
Then another.
Ten options.
Just like the show's starting roster… except not the same ten as Ben's original.
My hands shook.
My smile stretched wide.
I whispered, breathless, "No way… no way, no way—"
I leaned closer, squinting.
The first shape was bulky. Broad shoulders. Horns.
I knew that outline.
My grin turned sharp.
"Gax," I whispered, like I was saying a sacred word, I wanted to react, to say something.
We were just at the first one and this discovery had already awakened something in me.
But there more aliens to be seen, so I continued and steeled myself.
I turned again.
A sleek, jellyfish-like shape, long arms.
"AmpFibian."
Again.
A heavy, armored aquatic build.
"Water Hazard."
Again.
A glowing, bulky shape like a living reactor.
"NRG."
Again.
Plant-like. Flames.
"Swampfire."
Again.
A wolf-like humanoid.
"Blitzwolfer."
Again.
A lean ghostly form.
"Ghostfreak."
Again.
Small. Big head.
"Gray Matter."
Again.
A blob with tech parts.
"Upgrade."
Again.
A moth-like icy shape.
"Big Chill."
I stopped turning.
My hands were trembling so badly now it was almost funny.
I stared at the ten options like they were treasure.
I pressed my lips together, trying not to yell.
Then I did the one thing I always did as a fan.
I started ranting.
Quietly, but with full passion.
"Oh my god… okay, okay, this roster is nasty. This roster is actually crazy. Gray Matter alone is cheating, Upgrade is cheating, Big Chill is cheating, and you're telling me I have freaking Gax? Like… like the big bad himself as a form? What kind of—"
I cut myself off and inhaled, forcing my breathing to slow.
I put a hand over my mouth, eyes still wide.
Calm down. Calm down. You're not ten years old anymore.
But the excitement didn't care.
I looked at the Omnitrix again like it was my new religion.
Then I remembered something even more important.
The questions.
I swallowed, then spoke softly.
"Omnitrix. Status report."
The device responded instantly, voice calm and flat.
"Omnitrix online. Recalibrated interface active. Ten initial transformations available."
My pulse jumped.
It actually answered.
I leaned in like an idiot.
"Okay. Okay, good. Uh… how many DNA samples are in you? Like total."
"Database capacity: over one million unique genetic templates. Current unlocked access: ten."
I stared.
"Over a million…"
My laugh came out breathy.
"That's insane."
I swallowed, then asked the question every Ben 10 fan asks first.
"Master control. Do I have it?"
"Master control: locked."
"Of course it is," I muttered with a grin. "Of course it's locked. Nothing can be easy."
I shifted, then asked quickly, "Ultimate function? Do I have Ultimates?"
"Evolutionary function: available. Ultimate transformations accessible. Authorization: locked to safety conditions and user compatibility."
I blinked.
"Wait—what does that mean? Like… it's there, but it won't just let me spam Ultimate forms?"
"Correct. Safety protocols active."
I frowned, then nodded slowly.
That… actually made sense.
If I had full access to everything right away, the story would explode instantly.
Also, I'd probably explode instantly too.
I exhaled, then looked down at my wrist again, eyes narrowing.
"Okay. Fine. One more question. Why did you recalibrate now?"
The Omnitrix paused—just a fraction.
"User synchronization confirmed. System recalibration triggered by compatibility update and activation threshold met."
I stared at it.
"…So you recalibrated because you decided I'm the user now."
No response. Not directly.
Just silence like it had already said enough.
I swallowed.
My excitement didn't vanish, but something heavier slid into place under it.
If the watch had "synced" to me…
That meant there was no going back.
Not to my old world.
Not to my old body.
Not to my old life.
I stared at my reflection again.
Silver hair.
Red eyes.
A body that looked like it belonged in a magazine.
And a device on my wrist that could turn me into monsters, gods, tools, nightmares.
I breathed out slow.
Then I smirked, because my brain couldn't help itself.
"Well," I whispered. "If I'm stuck here… I might as well be hot and overpowered."
I raised my wrist again and stared at the dial.
The rational part of me said: don't transform right now.
The emotional part of me said: shut up.
I rotated the dial back until it landed on the small silhouette.
Gray Matter.
My lips pulled into a grin.
"If I'm gonna test this," I whispered, "I'm starting with the safest one."
I stepped into the middle of the room, away from the desk and anything fragile.
I took a breath.
Then I did the motion I'd seen a thousand times.
I slammed my palm down on the Omnitrix.
A flash of green light exploded outward.
For a split second, my whole world went neon.
Then my body—
Changed.
It didn't hurt.
It was… weird. Like being folded into a new shape.
My height dropped so fast my stomach lurched.
The room got bigger.
The sounds got sharper.
The air smelled stronger.
And suddenly, I was staring at the dresser from way lower.
I looked down.
Small hands. Gray skin. Thin fingers.
I lifted them slowly, watching them move.
I let out a laugh—high-pitched, quick.
"What—" My voice came out different. Thin. Fast.
I covered my mouth instantly with both hands.
Then I snorted.
"Oh my god."
I ran—more like scurried—over to the mirror, feet tapping quickly.
My reflection was… adorable and ridiculous.
Big head. Huge eyes. Tiny body.
I stared at myself like I was seeing an old friend.
"Gray Matter," I whispered, voice tiny and excited. "I'm literally Gray Matter."
I leaned closer to the glass.
My brain felt… different.
Sharper in a way I couldn't yet adjust to.
Faster in a way that made me question reality.
Thoughts stacking on top of each other like blocks, formatted in a way too impossible for humans to accomplish.
I looked around the room and noticed things I hadn't noticed before.
The exact placement of screws in the desk frame.
A faint hum from the air conditioner that suggested its model and age.
The tiny line on the window seal where heat escaped.
I blinked slowly.
"…This is actually crazy."
I turned my wrist and saw the Omnitrix symbol still there, smaller now but still obvious.
I lowered my voice, talking to it like it was a person even though it wasn't.
"So… do I time out automatically?"
"Transformation time limit: active."
"How long?"
"Variable."
"Wow. Super helpful," I muttered, then laughed at myself.
I hopped down from the mirror area and paced around like a tiny scientist.
Then another thought hit me.
If I timed out randomly in front of someone, it would be bad.
If I timed out in school, it would be catastrophic.
I needed to know the warning signs.
I stared at the Omnitrix symbol.
"Do you warn me before it ends?"
"Warning signal active."
"Good," I said quickly. "Good. Great. Amazing."
I stopped, then my excitement bubbled up again.
I spun in a tiny circle.
"I can't believe this. I can't believe this is real."
Then I heard something.
A faint sound outside my room.
A door closing somewhere down the hall.
My whole body froze.
My tiny heart hammered like it wanted out.
Someone's awake.
I scurried back toward the bed, eyes wide.
My brain raced.
If someone walked in and saw a gray alien child in Kojiro's room, I was done.
No amount of money would fix that.
I grabbed the edge of the bed and climbed up, then hurried under the blanket like it could hide me.
Then I slapped the Omnitrix symbol again.
Green flash.
A snap of shape.
And I was back.
I sat up in my human body, breathing hard.
The blanket slid off my shoulders.
My heart was still racing.
I stared at my hands again—big hands.
I held them up, fingers spread.
Then I laughed quietly, shaking my head.
"Okay," I whispered. "Okay. That's… that's real."
I rolled my sleeve down fast, hiding the Omnitrix again.
Then I pressed my palm to my chest and tried to steady my breathing.
Because if this was real…
If this world was real…
Then tomorrow was real too.
ANHS.
Class battles.
Private points.
Schemes.
And Ayanokoji, walking around with that blank face, acting like life was boring while pulling everyone's strings.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor.
My excitement started to mix with something more serious.
Because the Omnitrix didn't erase the fact that this was a dangerous world.
In some ways, it made it worse.
If people found out I had this watch, I wouldn't just be a student.
I could easily become a target for governments.
A tool.
A prize.
A weapon.
I leaned back, staring at the ceiling again.
So the first logical cauitionary step is simple: keep it hidden.
I exhaled slowly.
Then, because my brain never shuts up, I started thinking about the people I was about to meet.
Horikita Suzune.
Kushida Kikyo.
Sudo Ken.
Hirata Yosuke.
Sakura Airi.
And Ayanokoji.
And later—
Ichinose Honami.
The girl with the smile that looked real until life hit her hard.
I frowned, remembering what I'd read.
He didn't have to do her like that.
The thought came with a little heat. Not hate—more like frustration.
I didn't worship Ayanokoji like countless other fans did. But I didn't hate him either.
He was by essence… complicated.
But I knew what the White Room did to him.
I knew how he learned to treat people like tools.
And I also knew he wasn't a monster by choice.
Not fully at least.
I rubbed my forehead.
I want to help him.
Then I scoffed quietly.
"Listen to me," I muttered. "I wake up in a rich kid's body, get a magic alien watch, and my first thought is 'I'm gonna fix the traumatized genius.'"
I shook my head.
Then my mouth curled.
"Still… yeah. I want to."
Because I'd read it.
I'd seen the cracks.
And if I was here now, I wasn't going to pretend I didn't know.
But I also couldn't walk up to him on day one like—
"Hey bro, I know about the White Room."
That would get me killed socially at best, and at worst… it would make him shut down completely.
Ayanokoji didn't trust easily.
He didn't trust at all.
So if I wanted to be his friend, I had to earn it.
Slow.
Real.
Human.
Not some weird fanboy worship.
Not some "I know everything" act.
I hated people like that.
I'd met enough of them online.
I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees.
And then I remembered the most important detail about the day after tomorrow.
The first day.
The bus.
The old woman.
The whole seat thing that set the tone.
I stared at the floor, thinking hard.
I can't really stop it. Not if I want the story to stay on track. But thats the fun part, should the story truly be on track?
Either way, I would be there. I mean, I don't have any way to actually appear on that very same bus, but if I did appear there?
That already changes things.
Even if I didn't want it to.
I inhaled slowly.
Then, because my personality is my personality, I grinned to myself.
"…Man."
I looked down at my hidden wrist.
"This is gonna be messy."
A knock hit my door.
My body jolted.
"Kojiro?" a woman's voice called, gentle but firm. "Are you awake?"
I froze for half a second, then Kojiro's memories slid into place.
That voice.
His mother.
My new mother.
I swallowed.
"Yeah," I called back, trying to keep my voice normal. "I'm up."
There was a pause, then the handle moved slightly.
"May I come in?"
My eyes flicked to my sleeve instinctively.
The Omnitrix was hidden, but still.
My heart beat a little harder.
"…Sure," I said. "Come in."
The door opened.
A woman stepped inside, and for a second I just stared, because Kojiro's memories weren't kidding.
She was stunning.
Not in an over-the-top model way. More like… elegant. Clean. Like she belonged in a high-end magazine without trying.
Her hair was dark and neatly tied. Her eyes were sharp, but soft when she looked at me.
She smiled.
"There you are," she said warmly. "You scared me. You never sleep this late."
Sleep this late? It's still early as hell.
I forced a smile, because I had to play this right.
"Yeah," I said, voice casual. "I was… out."
She walked closer, stopping beside the bed.
Her gaze scanned my face like a mother checking if her kid was sick.
"You're pale," she said, worry slipping in. "Are you feeling unwell?"
My throat tightened for a second.
Because she sounded real.
Not like some NPC.
Not like a fake "mom" in a dream.
She sounded like a person who cared.
I exhaled quietly and nodded once.
"Just… weird morning," I said. "I'm okay."
Her brows pulled together.
"A weird morning?"
I let out a short laugh, trying to keep it light.
"Yeah. Like… you ever wake up and your brain is just… loud?"
She blinked, then her expression softened.
"Oh," she said quietly, like she understood more than she was saying. "Nerves."
I paused.
Then I realized what she meant.
Tomorrow.
ANHS.
Kojiro's first day.
A huge change.
She sat on the edge of the bed beside me.
"You're leaving tomorrow," she said, voice gentle. "It would be strange if you weren't nervous."
I nodded slowly, eyes on my hands.
"Yeah," I said. "Guess so."
She reached out and brushed my hair lightly.
The silver strands fell back into place.
"You've worked hard," she said. "You'll do well."
If you only knew what kind of circus that school is…
I swallowed that thought.
Instead, I gave her a small smile.
"Thanks."
Her smile returned, warm.
"Supper is soon," she said. "Your father is already downstairs. Your sister is waiting for you like she's going to bite your head off if you take too long."
That got a real laugh out of me.
"Sounds like her."
My mother's eyes narrowed playfully.
"Don't say that like you're innocent."
I lifted my hands in surrender.
"I'm an angel."
She stared at me flatly.
"Kojiro."
"…Okay, I'm not an angel," I admitted quickly.
She chuckled and stood.
"Get dressed," she said. "And wear something with long sleeves."
My stomach dipped.
I kept my face calm.
"Why?"
She gave me a look like the answer was obvious.
"It's chilly today," she said. "And you always forget and complain later."
That's odd, I remember liking the cold.
But then again, this was Kojiro's body not mine.
I nodded, acting casual.
"Yeah. Sure."
She turned toward the door, then paused.
Her voice softened again.
"…Kojiro."
I looked up.
She hesitated, then smiled gently.
"I'm proud of you," she said, simple and honest.
My throat tightened so fast it surprised me.
I didn't know this woman.
Not really.
But Kojiro did.
And somewhere inside my chest, something warm and heavy settled.
I forced my voice not to crack.
"Thanks," I said again, quieter this time. "I… I'll be fine."
She nodded once, satisfied, and left the room.
The door closed softly behind her.