PREVIOUSLY

2-3 minutes had passed, and I was still hanging in the void, clinging to the edge of the roof with one hand. Meanwhile, Mia - the name of the first heroine - was talking to the hooded person, or rather the stalker. However, something was bothering me... The scene wasn't like in IT0. I don't know how to describe it, but ... this scene clearly came from IT0, yet there were some differences. First, the heroine's words; normally she would have spoken naively and acted like the greatest saint, but here, she didn't.

Wan: (hears footsteps quickly approaching the edge) oh... damn

END OF PREVIOUSLY

The footsteps approaching were quick, suggesting that something had changed from the original IT0 scene, which went more like this:

Original IT0 Scene:

Mia: But why are you doing this?

Stalker: (advances slowly, irritated voice) It's... (grits teeth) IT'S YOUR FAULT!! You... left me—... (takes another step toward Mia) you will have to learn from your mistakes...

Then the stalker was supposed to be speaking to her within 5 centimeters and then, enraged, raising his hand to push her. Except here, boom, the protagonist appears and pushes the stalker away with a kick he classified as "light" but which broke some of the stalker's bones. At that moment, I really felt sorry for the stalker.

End of the original scene

But here's what actually happened:

Mia: Stop following me, you're creepy!

Stalker: "Creepy"... CREEPY! (runs towards Mia)

It may seem silly and weird to some, but at that moment, I didn't really feel like saving her and then... I didn't need to help her. I mean... Physically, she's stronger than me, even though it doesn't look like it when you see her, so... what are the chances she needs help? None.

Mia: (defends herself and throws the stalker behind her)

I was right, but unfortunately for her, she had just sent a human over the edge of the roof, so it was like an attempted murder... but, well... I was there, that was already something.

Wan: (catches the stalker with his free hand and throws him back on the roof this time) °how it goes like that?...°

I then climbed back up and could see the stalker on his back, lying down and sweating, and Mia with tears in her eyes. After analyzing, I could be sure she didn't do it on purpose.

Wan: (walks up to Mia and slaps her)

I slapped her, yes, I don't know what else to say, I slapped her, period.

Mia: !?...?

Wan: I don't know you but... What were you thinking? (still expressionless face) You could have easily— you, who threw him like a twig— pushed him away easily.

Mia: (head down)

She had nothing to say, simply because I had only told the truth.

Wan: (turns to the stalker) And you, scum, didn't you think you were weaker than her and that she could hurt you?

Stalker: (hood off) it's that crazy girl who—...!

Wan: Listen, I don't care about the why or how, the problem is that I'm involved now and whether you're a girl or not, you will both take responsibility. That's equality.

It was a girl. In IT0, it was a boy, but at that moment, that wasn't the problem.

Stalker: And what are you going to do if I don't co—...!....

I stepped in front of her, swept her off her feet, and grabbed her hair, dragging her towards the roof exit.

Wan: You will each take responsibility for what you've done.

Stalker: Ouch (struggles) but I—!...

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Wan: I don't want to hear anything from you.

So, I took them to the principal's office, explained the situation as best as I could, and the stalker was arrested, while Mia (the heroine) got a simple verbal warning... That must be one of the privileges of being a main character.

Mia: (closes the principal's office door behind her and then turns around) Sorry, and thanks—... Where did he go! °he dares to leave after slapping me, ... well he wasn't wrong but...°

I was no longer there. Well, I saved her, now she shouldn't talk to me or see me again, I'll just avoid her and that's it.

(sometimes)

Wan: sometimes... (sighs) heroine number one done.

I said that proudly but, in the end, it wasn't really the case.

Ama-ne: Wan, are you okay?... They told me you left class (sitting on a chair in front of a computer)

Wan: yes (sitting on a chair in front of a computer)

Shin-hee: Well, my slave, you were rather charismatic earlier (sitting on a chair in front of a computer)

He is my second and only friend, his name is Shin-hee, and he has the "chunibyou" syndrome. He says he is the "worthy descendant" of the "dreamlike ethereal tree" and that he has sealed within him the "demonic flame of the depths and death."

Shin-hee: my slave... You should stop playing for today...

Wan: I preferred when you said "my follower" instead of "my slave."

We were in the club room I was a part of, the club: "do not enter." We went there almost every day after school to play and read our favorite works, and when I say works, I mean: "manga, anime, novels, manhwa, manhua, webtoon," and any other literary or non-literary work related to pop culture. To sum up, we were "geeks" and occasionally "Otaku." We were often "bullied," but I didn't care, no underage kids who haven't been vaccinated yet are going to make me feel bad about myself, kids who have never experienced real life and who will be disoriented in a few years.

Ama-ne: It's true that you're not playing very well today... Usually, you're the best, but now... even Shin-hee is better.

Wan: You must be right. Oh, and if a blonde girl comes, tell her exactly this: { (censored) }

POV Mia

I was in my agency's car on my way to my photoshoot. It was around 9 PM, more precisely, it was 8:49 PM.

Mia: (mumbling to herself) that boy... (sighs)

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened on the roof.

Mia: ..... how could he slap me!!! I was within my rights to defend myself!

I was complaining, but in truth, I was quite grateful to him. If he hadn't been there, I would have become a murderer.

Mia: next time I see him, I'll make him pay!!!!! And earlier in his weird club room, how could he...—!!...

Flashback

Mia: (in front of the club room door) °well..., I hope he's there° (knocks, then opens)

Shin-hee: (standing on his chair looking at the ceiling) he's lucky that I, the dreamlike tree, possessor of the flame of the depths and death, didn't use my demonic eye of greed!!

Ama-ne: well yes, you're right, thanks to that we would have won... (sighs)

Mia: uh sorry to bother you... °where did I land again!?!?!!°

Shin-hee: huh? Was there someone else here?... Strange, my demonic eye didn't spot you... Don't tell me you ...— BELONG TO THE CORRUPTED TEMPLE!!!!!!

Ama-ne: no Shin-hee, she's not from the corrupted temple, ... forgive him, he's a bit... in his own world. Anyway, you must be the one Wan told us about?

Mia: °caught off guard° Wan? °.... it must be the boy with hair over his eyes° oh yes... that's me...

Shin-hee: (thinking) what does my slave have to do with the new student?...???

Mia: °his "slave"...?!? Isn't this a maso club after all?! With the other crazy guy (Shin-hee) and the one who was hanging off the edge of the roof...° (looks at Ama-ne) °she's the only one who seems normal...°

Ama-ne: you're in luck; he wanted us to deliver a message to you.

Mia: a "message"?

Ama-ne: yes, and he wanted us to tell you this: "stop looking for me and harassing me or believe me, the next time on the roof, I will be there but not to help you" °I didn't quite understand but he wanted us to tell her...°

Mia: .....———°harassing him!!!!!!!!!!!!° (angry but keeps her smile) thank you anyway and sorry for the disturbance (leaves and slams the door behind her)

End of Flashback

Mia: °me harassing him!!! And then what!?!° (irritated) °next time I see him, I'll kill him!° (figure of speech)

Driver: are you okay, Mia? You seem... on edge, maybe?

Mia: yes... I was just thinking about some events.

Driver: well at least, did your first day go well?

Mia: ... (seems a bit disturbed) I don't think you can say that, but... let's say I solved some problems and made several friends among my classmates.

Driver: it's normal for you to be popular! (cheerfully)

That's true... I had almost forgotten because of Wan, but... I have everything to be popular. I'm beautiful, I'm new, so I attract attention, I have good manners, I do modeling. As long as I only show my "nice" side... well, I will surely be popular very quickly, if not already. I'm good at everything: "physically," "mentally," "intelligently," and in all other areas. I have innate talent, but my only "flaw" is that I have two sides: the one everyone sees and loves, the sweet and cute Mia, and my other side... the "real" side, where I relax and act a bit like I did in my thoughts when I talked about Wan and what happened this morning in class.

Mia: °Why am I thinking about him again!!!! I hate him!° (this time, it's the "real" side)

POV Wan

I was in a huge "room," if you could call it that. Every possible space on the walls and even the corners were filled with books. And even if that was all, the ceiling was about forty meters high from the ground. I had one of those tools where you just sit on the wooden platform and turn a sort of crank to go up and down. I could go as high as I wanted, whether it was to the ceiling, four meters, or thirty-two meters. It was up to me to decide how high I wanted to go. Speaking of books, I had counted how many I owned, and it turned out I had 528,542 books. (Descriptive image at the end)

Wan: (a book that looks quite old covers his face) My world has merged with that of IT0.

That was the only phrase I could affirm without hesitation after a whole day of reflection.

Wan: ...but something is wrong... In IT0, the school where the protagonist is located is a school aimed at training 'Heroes.'

« that it is glorious* » I remember those three words because they were the first words I said - sarcastically - after reading the lines mentioning this Hero school. (« que c'est glorieux* »)

Wan: the "Prism" school.... It is not present... or it does not exist?

Should I believe in the possibility that since our worlds have 'merged' and not been exchanged, IT0 has adapted to the 'normal' world, and the 'normal' world has adapted to IT0?

Wan: But if that were the case... (sighs)

Yes, the world of IT0 was not so simple. In fact, the author received many criticisms because the world of IT0 was supposedly "too well written, to the point where readers wanted it to become a 'shonen.'" And although I didn't completely share this opinion, I agreed that the world of IT0 was closer to the world of a shonen than any other genre of work. The author had included fantasy, adventure, action, suspense, drama, and everything else. But unlike his detractors, I found it really interesting.

Wan: So... has IT0 merged only with its characters, or... is it just that I wasn't paying attention... no, not paying attention is impossible for me... Or maybe the other races are just hiding, waiting to appear...

As I was thinking, suddenly, without even realizing it, a translucent window, like in video games, appeared in front of me... It was transparent and had words... in a... color I had never... ever seen. This color was a color that... didn't exist... I could have described it for hours, it was so beautiful, but that wasn't the most important thing here.

⸢This story is intended for this sole reader.⸥

Wan: (no special reaction) ... hmm °a direct message and not a notification..., it's the 'system' present in IT0°

In truth, I was shocked, but as I said before, I have total control over my face and thus my facial expressions. To put it simply: I have a perfect poker face, and the same goes for my logic. I have an "unbreakable" composure.

Wan: °Am I supposed to be this "sole reader"?°

It was probably talking about me because during the last 70 chapters that came out, I was the only reader... all the other readers had stopped, I don't know why, and in the end, I was left alone reading the words the author typed through his screen. It was a bit like a face-to-face between me, the last reader, and the author.

[You are currently between the two worlds, causing a malfunction in cosmic activity. To resolve this issue, an update will be performed.]

Wan: °here's the notification..., the writing... did not appear in the same color as the direct message..., this time it's just white...°

[System calculation in progress...]

[The update will be fully completed in 4 days and 2 minutes.]

[Once the update is completed, you will find yourself in the parallel of the worlds.]

________________

End of chapter|