“Diablo! You must die for the sake of peace on our planet!” I shout, panting as I point my sword at the Demon King, Diablo. Both of us are covered in wounds, and the destroyed throne room around us is littered with the bodies of fallen comrades and demons alike.

“Foolish hero. Even if I die, peace will not last long. You humans will always find someone else to blame for your problems or fight over what you lack,” Diablo says, gripping a wound with one hand while keeping his sword pointed at me with the other.

“Humans are not animals like you demons!” I snap, charging at him.

“Foolish, ignorant hero! Humans are emotional creatures, not rational ones!” Diablo roars, venom lacing his words as he lunges forward to meet my attack.

Both of us unleash our auras, knowing that this final strike will decide the fate of our world. Our swords collide, and in an instant, a blinding light engulfs us as our auras explode from the sheer force of impact.

I gasp for air, my eyes flying open as I jolt upright—only to almost fall out of my… desk?

“Noriko!” A middle-aged woman’s voice cuts through my confusion, sharp and angry. She stands at the front of the room, glaring at me as the other students burst into laughter. “Why can’t you pay attention and stop disrupting class?”

“Are you talking to me?” I ask, confused. My voice comes out high-pitched and distinctly feminine. Is that… my voice?

“Noriko! Are you threatening me? Go to the principal’s office now!” she shouts, her glare intensifying.

“I’m not threatening you, miss. Also… could you show me where the principal’s office is?” I rub the back of my neck, still bewildered. The female voice is definitely mine. As I lift my hand, I realize it’s not my strong, hairy arm covered in battle scars but that of a young, toned girl. What in God’s name is going on?

“Noriko! Enough of your games! You’ve been sent to the principal’s office so many times you practically live there!” the teacher fumes, her patience clearly at its limit.

“Understood, miss.” I stand up nonchalantly and head toward the door. As I walk, I hear the whispers of my classmates.

“Here we go again.”

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“What is this? The fifth time this week?”

“Shh. She might hear you.”

Ignoring them, I step into the hallway. A group of boys disappears into a nearby room. Figuring it would be easier to ask them for directions, I follow after them.

As I step inside, I immediately notice the white walls and, more importantly, a group of boys surrounding a smaller, weaker one who is cowering on the floor.

“Hey. What are you doing?” I ask angrily, stepping toward the bullies.

The group turns to me, confused.

“Why the hell are you in the boys’ restroom?” asks one of them—a blond-haired, blue-eyed kid who glares at me.

“Oh? It’s Noriko.” Another boy, taller and more muscular with black hair and brown eyes, cracks his knuckles with a menacing grin. “We have a debt to settle with her. Maybe afterward, she can pay with her body.”

I freeze. Did I just hear that right? My expression darkens.

“Hey, bean sprout. Block, or you might die.” I growl before throwing a punch infused with aura. Even though I can tell the aura on this planet is weak, it’s still enough to be deadly if I choose.

The boy tries to block, but his bones snap as he’s launched backward, crashing into the bathroom wall with a sickening thud. Blood dribbles from his mouth as the dented wall behind him serves as proof of my power. The other bullies gape in horror.

“H-Hey now, Noriko… we were just joking,” the blond stammers, laughing nervously as he backs away.

“Joking about rape? What kind of joke is that?” I snarl before slamming my fist into his jaw, knocking him out in a single hit.

The remaining two bullies don’t hesitate. “Fuck this!” they shout before bolting out the door.

I turn my attention back to the smaller boy still cowering on the floor. He’s shaking.

“Wh-What d-do you want?” he stammers.

“Nothing. Are you alright?” I kneel down and offer him my hand.

Before he can answer, an angry voice cuts through the air.

“What’s going on here?”

An overweight, balding man storms into the restroom, followed by a uniformed officer. The moment their eyes land on the scene—bloodied bullies, a dented wall, and a trembling victim—their expressions shift from confusion to outrage.

“Noriko! Did you do this?” the old man barks, his face red with fury.

“I did. But—” I try to explain, but he doesn’t let me finish.

“You are hereby expelled! Get off my property and don’t ever come back!” he roars.

“Noriko, you are under arrest for assault and property damage,” the officer says, pulling out… are those shackles?

“Wait! I only fought them because they were going to fight me and rape me!” I argue, trying to clear up the misunderstanding.

The officer freezes, glancing between me and the old man. With a sigh, he finally speaks.

“We still need to take you in while we investigate.”

“Fine.” I hold out my hands, allowing him to shackle me. As he does, I glance at his name tag—Shiba.

“How long will the investigation take, Mr. Shiba?” I ask.

“A couple of days, most likely,” he replies before leading me out of the restroom.

The moment we step into the hallway, a crowd has already gathered, whispering amongst themselves.

“Oh shit, she’s finally lost it.”

“Damn, she actually got arrested?”

“Let’s be real, we all knew this would happen eventually.”

I ignore them, following Shiba out of the school. But the moment I step outside, my breath catches in my throat.

Towering skyscrapers, flashing neon signs, and vehicles made of metal moving along paved roads—this is nothing like the world I know.

“What in God's name…?” I murmur in awe.

Shiba leads me toward a strange metal beast. My eyes widen as he opens its stomach, revealing seats inside. Hesitantly, I climb in, and he closes it before moving to the front. He opens another compartment, climbs in, and the beast roars to life.

As we move through the city streets, I should be scared. Worried, even.

But I’m not.

I’m excited.

Is this magic? Or is it some kind of advanced technology?

My mind swirls with questions as we drive into the unknown.