Silence gripped the room, and the nervous energy was palpable. Students exchanged whispers, their voices hushed to avoid drawing the attention of the unsettling man at the front. With no class representative chosen yet, the room seemed directionless. Suddenly, a boy with a striking appearance, his clothes and hairstyle giving off a delinquent vibe, stood up from his seat, breaking the tension with his swift movement. All eyes turned toward him, curious to see what he would do next.

"Stand up!!!".

The command caused the perplexed students to stand in unison, all facing the front of the classroom. The strange man raised his balled-up hand to his mouth, clearing his throat with a sharp sound that echoed throughout the room, silencing any remaining whispers. The entire class instantly fell quiet, entirely focused on him. A deep, stern voice filled the air, resonating in every student's ears with authority, demanding their full attention without effort.

"Hello, students. I'm your homeroom second-year teacher, Damatsu Kojima. I will also be your science teacher on this floor. Pleased to meet your acquaintance, and let us all strive for a great school year; please take it easy on me".

The new teacher, now known to all as Damatsu Kojima, bowed slightly toward the class. Before anyone could react, the boy with a striking sense of fashion and style yelled again, asserting himself in the moment and keeping the class in line.

"Bow!!!".

After he finished, the students followed suit, bowing in perfect sync. In complete unison, their voices echoed through the room as they responded together, a respectful chorus filling the air.

"Please take care of us!!!".

The delinquent raised his voice again, his tone loud and commanding as he addressed the class, ensuring everyone followed the proper protocol.

"Sit!!!".

The class retook their seats, their bodies slowly relaxing as the suffocating tension in the air began to lift. The customary greeting seemed to have cracked through the ice that had encased their minds, bringing a sense of normalcy back to the room. However, Arkens was struggling. Every movement, standing, sitting, and speaking felt like a heavy burden on his body. The reason for this sudden weakness was unknown, but his right hand instinctively gripped his school shirt over his heart. Sweat formed rapidly on his brow, and his eyes started to take on a sickly hue. Watsu, seated beside him, noticed immediately a look of worry spreading across his face as he watched his friend in distress.

"Arkens, dude, you don't look good at all. I will ask if I can escort you to the nurse's office; I can't watch anymore."

Arkens raised his hand, shaking his head from side to side with a forced smile. His eyes closed as if trying to brush off the concern. He wiped his face on his arm, attempting to clear the sweat from his brow. When he opened his eyes again, he tried to look more composed, though the strain was still visible.

"I'm alright- don't worry about me, Watsu. I'm just a little winded today, and the uniform is killing me with the heat".

Watsu wasn't convinced in the slightest. Typically, he would've pushed Arkens to admit something was wrong, but this time, he couldn't pinpoint his friend's condition. Reluctantly, he decided to monitor Arkens for now. Sensing the tension, Arkens quickly changed the subject, pointing to the new teacher, Damatsu Kojima, who was currently absorbed in the book he had brought with him. It was a distraction, but at least it shifted the focus away from Arkens's current state.

"New teacher, huh? He looks like serious business- The tinted glasses and a shaved head".

Watsu leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands behind his head as he stretched his legs out. His eyes were fixed on Mr. Damatsu, who appeared to be in a relaxed state himself. As Watsu watched him, he quietly analyzed the new teacher, trying to understand better the man who had quickly shifted the energy in the room.

"Oh yeah, you think he's ex-military? He looks jacked!- that suit of his ain't hiding anything".

Arkens nodded in agreement, acknowledging Watsu's quiet observation of their new teacher. Though still feeling off, he shared the same curiosity about Mr. Damatsu and what he might bring.

"Most likely, the military doesn't make you look like a super soldier; no wonder the entire class was stunned to death. If he weren't a teacher, I'd pass out."

Watsu turned his head slightly toward Arkens, a look of disbelief crossing his face.

"Oh shut up-".

They both laughed as the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Time pressed on, and soon, it was almost the end of the school day. Arkens, Watsu, and the rest of the class entered the gymnasium, now dressed in matching tracksuits provided by the school, which carried the same color scheme as their uniforms.

Throughout the day, Arkens had kept his strange ailment hidden, maintaining a straight face around everyone, especially Watsu. He couldn't let him find out about the excruciating pain coursing through every fiber of his muscles, joints, and nerves every time he moved or even thought. His vision had become unstable, with afterimages of objects within his sight shifting in and out, confusing his brain and causing delayed responses.

At one point, when Watsu was talking to him about a sensitive subject, searching for advice, Arkens found his friend's words warped and barely audible, as if they were underwater. Despite his best efforts, his mind struggled to keep up with reality.

"----So Arkens, like I was saying, I'm thinking of confessing-".

Before he could finish his sentence, Arkens stumbled over his foot and collapsed, smacking hard onto the gym's cold, glossy wooden floor. His body could no longer endure the overwhelming pain, and the discomfort that had been building all day finally consumed him. Curled up on the floor, he hugged himself tightly, his heart pounding so violently that it felt as if his entire body was vibrating from the force. He couldn't hide it anymore the pain had overtaken him.

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"ERAGHHHHHHHHH!!!!-".

Arkens screamed in agony, his body thrashing from side to side as he tried to fight the intense pain. His arm draped gently over his closed eyes, but it did little to block out the torment that continued to wreck him. Watsu bit his lip, his face breaking out in nervous sweat as panic settled in. People rushed over, gathering around the scene, staring in shock at the sounds Arkens was making. The gym teacher in charge pushed through the crowd and quickly kneeled next to him, her face growing serious as she took in the visible torment Arkens was enduring.

"Watsu, help me take him to the nurse's office quickly! Everyone, please create space so we can get through!".

Watsu's expression shifted, becoming severe as he quickly snapped into action in response to the teacher's directions. A focused determination replaced his earlier nervousness as he did everything he could to assist, swiftly following the teacher's instructions to help Arkens.

"Arkens!-".

Watsu immediately lifted his distressed friend, carefully hoisting Arkens over his shoulder. Without hesitation, he jogged alongside the gym teacher toward the nurse's office, which was located on the other side of the building. His pace was quick but steady, and every step was filled with urgency as he focused on getting Arkens the help he needed.

After some time had passed, Arkens began to stir. His eyes fluttered open, revealing a white ceiling with a fan spinning lazily above him. He tried to move, but the moment he did, a sharp jolt of pain scattered through his body, urging him to stay still for now. He found that moving his head wasn't as tricky, though. Glancing around, Arkens realized he was in the nurse's office, and from the dimming light clinging to one of the white walls, it was clear that the sun was setting.

"It's.. super late, huh?.. What the hell happened to me-".

A woman with dark, baggy eyes suddenly popped her head over Arkens's face without warning, startling him. In his surprise, their foreheads collided with a painful thud. Both immediately winced, clutching their heads in pain as they groaned in unison from the unexpected impact.

"AHH!- You've gotta be shitting kidding me!".

Arkens opened one eye to peek at the individual, a single tear resting on his face from the impact. He saw a black-haired woman with two rolled buns neatly styled at the back of her head. A beauty mark sat on her right cheek, just above her cheekbone. She wore a lab coat over a plain dark purple dress paired with high heels and black lipstick. Her tired, droopy eyes were now fully open, revealing a striking shade of blue. A name tag was pinned to the lab coat, indicating her role.

"Kira?! Eh-Erm! Ms. Haruno?!".

The woman, large in every sense of the word, with a defined and imposing figure, rubbed her forehead, still wincing slightly from the collision. Her expression was a mix of mild annoyance and exhaustion as she tried to compose herself after the accidental headbutt.

"Ebihara, it seems you're finally awake..".

Arkens giggled softly, feeling oddly better despite his earlier condition. His movements were still sluggish, but no pain or affliction existed when he moved. Ms. Haruno, now known as Haruno Kira, the school nurse, noticed this improvement and sighed a breath of relief, her tense demeanor relaxing slightly.

"Thank god- I didn't want to send you to the hospital and deal with all the paperwork and questioning..".

Ms. Haruno sat on a swivel chair equipped with wheels, and as soon as she made contact with its soft surface, it gently rolled her backward. Her exhaustion was evident in her slouched posture and the deep bags under her eyes, rightfully so, given the day's events. She seemed to carry the weight of the long hours on her shoulders.

"You look better than you did a few hours ago; you seriously gave us a scare with your heightened blood pressure, persistent perspiration, and constant screaming like an enraged ogre, dying from being cut in two..".

Arkens tilted his head in confusion, trying to piece together the situation based on her analogy. However, seeing how late it was and noticing her laidback demeanor, he decided not to overthink it. With a slight shrug, he figured he'd accept it and move on.

"So that's what happened, huh.. Thanks for helping me and not sending me straight to the hospital- I wouldn't hear the end of it from my mom and little sister".

Haruno slumped forward in her chair, her tired eyes locking onto Arkens as she stared at him.

"Right.. I guess you wouldn't remember, but your friends were all here, screaming your name for no goddamn reason, asking me a bunch of questions as if a minimum wage paid nurse like myself knew any answers to- Your little sister, who I could've guessed came in a rush after I kicked them out and provided me information in case anything serious occurred".

She picked up a piece of paper and casually rolled it into a ball. Without looking, she tossed the ball toward the trash can and effortlessly sank the shot.

"It looks like we won't be needing it. You must be wondering why she's not here. It started to become late, and she couldn't stay here any longer, even past club hours. Even though I'm supposed to be gone, the principal made an exception and allowed me to keep you here until further notice."

Arkens stretched his arms and legs, feeling the stiffness ease as he listened to Ms. Haruno explain his situation.

"Well, I think we should get out of here. I have the school building keys and am entrusted-."

She rolled her eyes, a sign of her exhaustion, before continuing her train of thought. Her voice carried a mix of professionalism and mild frustration as she laid out the details.

"With making sure to lock the front doors before heading home".

Arkens stood up, nervously laughing as he gathered his belongings, all neatly arranged in one spot. The level of tidiness caught his attention, a familiar kind of organization that reminded him of someone he knew all too well.

"Nya.. I must've worried them like crazy".

It was time to leave, and Haruno's impatience was evident. The sky had darkened before they realized it, and the evening chill was setting in. As they stepped outside, Arkens politely thanked her for her hard work, offering a small smile.

"Seriously, thanks, Ms. Haruno. Without you, I'd be much more in a hassle".

Haruno didn't bother replying, too drained to care, as she walked toward her car, which sat alone in the faculty parking lot. Arkens watched for a moment, making sure she drove away safely before turning to head home. The darkness had fully settled in, and the town was eerily quiet. The silence felt almost too still as he walked, and he believed he was alone.

Arkens felt a slight tremor beneath his feet, but at first, he brushed it off, chalking it up to his tired mind playing tricks on him. However, as soon as he took another step forward, a stronger tremor shook the ground, stopping him in his tracks. His heart skipped a beat as the unsettling vibration rippled through the earth, forcing him to reconsider his surroundings. Something was off.

'Strange. An earthquake? From here? We never got quakes before, much less multiple times..'

Arkens gulped, feeling the weight of the growing tension as he continued his trek. As he rounded a corner, walking past a light pole, he saw another one farther down the street, its bright glow flickering ominously. Though nothing particularly unusual about the direction he faced, his body seemed magnetically drawn to it. The tension in the air thickened, the flickering light casting eerie shadows. His unease deepened as the pole flickered again.

Instinctively, his head lifted toward the night sky, and at that moment, sweat slid down his face as he witnessed something unbelievable that defied reality itself. What he saw was only ever spoken of in fiction, things that could only exist in dreams or nightmares. The world above him seemed to shift in ways that shattered his sense of normalcy.

A figure cloaked in all black clashed mid-air with another familiar silhouette. Arkens squinted, his eyes straining to make sense of the scene. As the two figures collided, suspended in the air, the shock of their clash sent ripples through the night sky. In that instant, Arkens recognized the unmistakable face of one person, his homeroom teacher, Damatsu Kojima.