As the train screeches to a stop, we step off, the cool mountain air hitting us like a wake-up call. I squint against the sun, and as we move away from the platform, the sight before us almost knocks me off my feet.

We’re standing on a mountain peak, the edge of a massive cliff that overlooks an enormous city, sprawling as far as the eye can see. But this isn’t any normal city—this place feels like something straight out of a dream, or a nightmare, depending on how you look at it.

At first glance, the architecture looks like traditional Japanese, with pagoda-style buildings, tiered roofs, and winding canals running through the streets. But there’s a futuristic edge to everything—metallic trims on ancient wood, glass bridges stretching across the sky, neon lights flickering beneath the eaves of the temples. The sun casts a golden hue over the city, making the buildings gleam like polished metal, but there’s an undercurrent of energy that feels... different. Something’s off.

“Whoa…” Isak breathes, his voice barely above a whisper as he leans forward, his hands gripping the stone railing at the edge. “This is… insane.”

But it’s not just the city. No, what really grabs our attention is the people walking around below us. We’re seeing creatures straight out of fantasy—a mix of demi-humans, elves with pointed ears and glowing eyes, dark elves with obsidian skin, and stout dwarves all wandering the streets. And they’re not dressed in medieval armor or robes. No, they’re wearing tracksuits, blazers, jackets, and casual outfits that look like they were pulled straight from a shopping mall in 2024.

Jiho’s the first to point out the sign, his voice still shaky with disbelief. “Uh… guys? Look over there.”

We all follow his gaze to a massive wooden sign just outside the station. In bold letters, it reads: University City of Sanzu.

“University City?” Abel mutters, his brow furrowing. “What kind of place is this?”

I step closer to the edge, peering over, trying to wrap my head around what we’re seeing. The city below is bustling with life—people, creatures, whatever they are—all about our age or a bit older, walking around with backpacks slung over their shoulders, chatting in fluent English. A group of elves in fitted blazers stroll past a couple of demi-humans dressed in casual streetwear, laughing like they’re heading to class or something.

“What the hell is going on?” I whisper, my brain struggling to catch up.

Jiho, standing beside me, is wide-eyed, his mouth slightly open. “Did… did we just step into some kind of fantasy college town?”

“I mean, it’s not exactly a fantasy world with dragons and dungeons, but… this is nuts,” Isak adds, still gripping the railing as if it’s the only thing keeping him grounded.

Then, just to mess with our heads even more, a group of students—elves, dwarves, humans—casually walk up to the train we just got off. They’re talking in perfect English, their voices carrying up to where we’re standing. One of them, a tall, dark elf with silver hair and a sharp suit, laughs as he nudges his friend—a human girl wearing a tracksuit and sneakers. “Dude, this class better be worth it. I swear if Professor Meren gives us another group project, I’m dropping this course.”

I blink, shaking my head like I can somehow snap myself out of this. But nope, this is real. We’re standing on the edge of a mountain, overlooking a city filled with every fantasy race you could imagine… and they’re all dressed like they just walked out of a university campus back home.

“Okay,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck. “So, to recap, we’re in a city that looks like a mix between feudal Japan and a futuristic downtown, surrounded by elves, dwarves, and demi-humans who are apparently college students.”

Jiho’s still staring, his face pale. “This is… way too weird.”

Abel, ever the calm one, finally chimes in with his usual deadpan delivery. “So, basically, we’re in some kind of alternate universe college town. Cool. Just what I always wanted.”

I snort, glancing at him. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re thrilled.”

Abel shrugs, his expression unreadable. “Hey, at least there’s no math class, right?”

I shake my head, trying to process everything. “Alright, let’s figure this out. First things first—what do we do now?”

Isak finally peels himself away from the railing, running a hand through his messy hair. “I mean, we could go ask those guys what the deal is. Maybe we’re supposed to enroll or something?”

“Enroll?” Jiho scoffs, glancing at Isak like he’s lost his mind. “We didn’t come here to go to college!”

Isak grins. “Yeah, but think about it! Magic classes, sword fighting, maybe some cool electives like ‘How to Summon a Dragon’ or something.”

I roll my eyes, but honestly, Isak’s not entirely wrong. This place does feel like some kind of bizarre university city. The people—or creatures—here are all around our age, and they’re clearly living life like normal students.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

I lean against the stone railing, staring out over the sprawling city below, the sheer scope of it hitting me all over again. This isn’t what we were expecting, not by a long shot. But whatever this place is, one thing’s clear: it’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

“Alright,” I say, pushing off the railing and turning to face the others. “Let’s head down. Maybe we can figure out where the hell we are, and more importantly… what we’re supposed to do next.”

Jiho nods, still looking a little freaked out but determined to keep it together. “Yeah, let’s go.”

We start making our way down the steps, the path leading us toward the bustling streets of the University City of Sanzu. And as we descend, the reality of our situation starts to sink in.

This is the start of something way bigger than any of us could’ve imagined.

As we start making our way down the mountain slopes, I can’t help but marvel at just how massive this place is. The further we descend, the more sprawling the city becomes. It’s like the entire mountainside has been carved out to make room for this impossible blend of traditional and futuristic architecture, all winding around the massive snaking river that cuts through the heart of the city like a ribbon of silver.

For a moment, I can’t help but think back to the stories of the Japanese Sanzu River, the river that souls cross in the afterlife. It’s got that same eerie, mythic quality about it—the way it winds and stretches through the city, connecting all these districts together like the lifeblood of the place. The whole thing feels like we’ve stepped into some kind of purgatory, but, you know, with more blazers and track jackets.

"Hey," Jiho mutters beside me, squinting down the path. "Is it just me, or does this remind you of Oxfordshire? Like, a bigger, Japanese version?"

I glance over, seeing where he’s coming from. The layout feels familiar in a weird way—the way the streets crisscross between old, stately buildings and courtyards. Except here, it’s all on a much larger scale, and there’s a distinctly traditional Japanese vibe running through everything.

"Yeah," I reply, nodding. "Except Oxfordshire didn’t have this whole ‘multiverse college’ thing going on. Or, you know, elves casually walking around like it’s normal."

Isak jogs up ahead, practically bouncing as he takes everything in. "I dunno, man. This is like some insane mix of a medieval fantasy city and a college town. Can you imagine the clubs they’ve got here? Like, ‘Water Manipulation 101’ or ‘Advanced Swordsmanship for Beginners.’ Sign me up!"

I can’t help but chuckle at that. Isak’s already mentally enrolling in classes, while Jiho’s still trying to wrap his head around the whole situation.

As we keep moving down the slope, more people—creatures?—our age pass by, talking and laughing in friend groups like it’s the most normal thing in the world. Elves with flowing hair and sharp, angular features walk beside humans, demi-humans with animal traits chat with dark elves, and dwarves in trendy sneakers and hoodies saunter past as if they’ve got no care in the world.

It’s insane. The mix of species is something straight out of a fantasy game, but they’re all dressed like we would be back home, casually blending the ordinary with the extraordinary.

We’re still taking it all in when something catches our attention ahead. Off to the side of the path, near a courtyard, a kid around our age is standing by the river, his eyes locked in concentration. At first, I don’t understand what’s happening, but then it hits me.

The guy’s manipulating water. Like, literally moving it.

The water is swirling and spiraling in the air, tendrils of it snaking around him like he’s casting some kind of spell. His hands are outstretched, fingers twitching, and the water moves in perfect synchronization with him, hovering and twisting like it’s obeying his every command.

“Dude,” Isak breathes, slowing to a stop. “He’s actually doing it. That’s magic.”

Abel, ever the calm one, tilts his head slightly. “Yeah, but why does he look like he’s constipated?”

I roll my eyes at Abel’s usual deadpan delivery but can’t tear my gaze away from the kid. The guy is focused, sweat beading on his forehead, his brow furrowed in concentration. The water keeps swirling around him in intricate shapes, like he’s trying to perfect something, but one wrong move and it looks like he’ll lose control.

We all just stand there, mesmerized by what we’re seeing. It’s one thing to read about magic or see it in games, but this? This is real. Right in front of us. Someone our age manipulating water like it’s an extension of his own body.

It’s almost too much to process.

But apparently, we’re staring too hard, because all of a sudden, the guy loses his focus. The water shudders and splashes down onto the ground in a chaotic mess. He spins around, glaring at us, clearly frustrated.

“Hey! What the hell, man?” he snaps, shaking the water off his hands. “I’m trying to concentrate here!”

We all flinch, stepping back like kids caught snooping where they shouldn’t be. Isak holds up his hands, grinning sheepishly. “Sorry, dude! Didn’t mean to, uh, distract you or anything. It just looked… cool.”

The guy scowls but doesn’t say anything else, turning back to the river, muttering something under his breath as he tries to gather the water again.

“Come on,” I say, nudging the others to keep moving. “Let’s not anger the guy who can summon water dragons or whatever.”

As we walk past, I can feel the weight of everything sinking in. This isn’t just some fantasy city where people wear weird clothes. There’s magic here. Actual magic. And if that guy is any indication, this whole place is going to be a lot more complicated than we thought.

Jiho glances over at me, his eyes wide with a mixture of awe and anxiety. “Haru, what have we gotten ourselves into?”

I shrug, trying to play it cool, but honestly? I have no idea. “Whatever it is, we’re already here. Might as well figure it out.”

As we continue down the path, I can’t help but feel the weight of what’s to come. We’ve stepped into a world unlike anything we’ve ever imagined, and there’s no turning back now.

And somewhere, deep down, I can feel a strange thrill rising in my chest.

This might just be the adventure we’ve been waiting for.