Pov James The Classroom

Hard at work, James was in the fourth row doing a math assignment. He was stuck on the last equation. He resisted the urge to give up and answer the equation as fish as a joke.

Taking a deep breath glancing back to see the usual sight of some classmates fooling around, some working diligently like Jin, but the one who always draws his attention like a deep void.

His piercing gaze landed on Trish, who was promptly snoring after finishing her work like usual.

Her beauty always stunned him. Her skin always reminded him of limestone. She had full lips, very long black hair, always a bit messy, and her build was very reminiscent of the girls at his MMA gym. Though if that were all she was, he wouldn't look at her twice because Momo had her beaten when it comes to looks.

The qualities that draw his gaze were much harder to nail down. Trish was brilliant, a bit sadistic, capable, reliable, brave, cocky, single-minded, and obsessive, but most of all, she was entirely uninterested.

He turns to the math problem, a sigh escaping his lips just as his pencil touches the paper.

A loud staticky feminine voice suddenly started announcing to everyone. "Congratulations. Your universe has been selected for the unification of worlds''.

He froze, almost not believing what he heard. James looked up and saw a few of his classmates rising.

Then the thin, tall fiery red-haired Ralf, the football team's running back, shouted, "What the fuck" his nose and forehead scrunched up, looking dazed.

"I just heard a voice say something about unification. Did you guys?'' Gabriela, the head cheerleader stuttered Gabriela; her bleach-blonde hair, Light blue skirt, and Lavender Campesina Blouse completely contrasted her dark bronze skin.

James looked relatively calm externally; his face was a mask. On the inside, that was a different matter entirely; it was a turbulent storm of confusion and worry.

Many students started to talk at once, making everything else unintelligible. After a few seconds, the voice begins again, "It seems everyone is too weak to survive the process. At this time, you will be given a chance to survive."

Mrs. Vans stood up her looking quite irritated. "Quiet everyone, this is just some prank by someone, "cautioned Mrs. Vhans.

The voice started speaking again. ''You will be given three minutes to choose a class, or one will be chosen randomly."

Jin suddenly shouted, "Whatever you do, pick a class!" he was looking at James as he said, nodding his head in affirmation.

Only one card floating before James caught his eye. James was seemingly drawn towards it, ignoring the thousands circling him. They did not even enter his eye.

Extending his hand out, he grabbed it. Looking at the card, it was like everything finally made sense.

The card had a beautiful illustration of an Obsidian skinned muscular man wearing an armored Gi, his fists coated in what looked to be chi, his right fist extended in a punch while his left was positioned close to the face. The card read Way of Nihility.

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A void completely blocked out all the light around him when he grabbed the card.

His clothes melted off only to be replaced by a gold Uwagi and purple Zubon, completing his gi.

The Gi looked made out of steel but is extremely light and flexible and paradoxically seems even more durable than steel.

Intuitively, James knew how to activate his chi. Focusing on his gut, where a void was, he felt his energy pool being pulled from his stomach, and with a guttural roar, he felt his chi flow through his veins. His was Overflowing with power, and his chi coated his body in a paper-thin invisible Aura.

The void surrounding him started to condense until it was the size of a basketball. It hovered in front of his fists. Strips devoid of color started peeling off the ball, then transfiguring into metallic wraps that coiled around his fists. Making his fists look like massive clubs devoid of color.

He felt a pull as if his very life force was being drawn into one exact point on his body the wraps. They were draining his chi, and the aura surrounding him was pulled toward his wraps. It kept draining him until his chi center was empty. The wraps started to get drastically heavier, quickly exceeding 400 lbs each.

James was unaware that the three-minute timer had elapsed while in the void.

What disturbed him from his deep thought was a sudden ripping sound. Then came the screams and blood.

The teacher was gone before he could even react or understand what was happening. Most of the first three rows were being dragged or dying.

Realization finally set in, and he charged in, barely caring for form each punch turning these green creatures' heads to mist.

What he saw scared him. Some of these students he talked to have shed blood, sweat, and tears on the field, with him all lying dead and bloody guts spilling across the floor and brains leaking from their skulls.

'This can't be real. I have to save them. I have to please; there is so much blood.'

His mask almost faltered at the absolute atrocities James was witnessing.

He could not seem to punch fast enough as it seemed nearly endless. When in reality, he had killed twenty-five out of thirty-eight.

"Everyone hurry to the back of the room," bellowed Trish. Her voice breaks through James's trance as if waking from a dream.

He focused on her voice and finally saw what was before him, many of the dead creatures mixed with his classmate's bodies.

Two of the creatures were about to stab him from his flank. He effortlessly grabbed the last two and turned around, unable to look at what he saw as his failure.

He rushes to the group of his friends. His mind is in turmoil he goes onto autopilot. He looked at Jin, who was now covered head to toe, looking like the grim reaper.

"What is going on? You seem to know something, Jin. These are goblins aren't they?" he says, throwing their corpses behind him. The bodies slam into the wall at the front of the classroom 30ft away, cracking the brick wall.

As if to prelude, more screams, explosions, gunshots, and yelling could be heard when the bodies hit the floor on the other side of the classroom.

"Yes, those seem to be goblins, but this is not the time to discuss this. While I don't know exactly what's happening, I have read about something like this happening in a web novel back home.

By the sound of it, more than one portal opened in the school. Right now, we must focus on what is before us." Jin said, almost out of breath.

With James' question answered, he had nothing to focus on, but Trish caught his eye again.

She was wearing something that defied reason this time: an ink-black dress with shifting images of Nebula and Galaxies. She was seemingly wearing the very cosmos themselves.

She looked so calm and focused, almost like this was her element.

His neck hairs started to stand on end. He felt like he was being stared at.

Glancing behind, he winced at the gore slathered across the floor. Blood painted the desks and floor. The lifeless faces of classmate's eyes were leering at him.

The lifeless eyes felt almost accusatory to him. 'You're so strong. Why couldn't you protect us' they seemed to shout at him.

James noticed Jin looking around then he seemed to focus on the portal.

"Have you guys noticed that there is a number above the portal? The number has been dropping every time a goblin has died," said Jin pointedly.

Looking quite perturbed, Trish pensively responded, "Yes, I have; I think it might close if we defeat all the goblins that come out of it, or we may have to go in if they don't come out."

"I think we should go in to get our classmates; some might still be alive," Jin remarked with some apprehension. The four are staring at the portal, trying to make a decision but reluctant to make the first step.

A few moments pass with all the sounds happening outside getting louder, and finally,

"Momo is in Coach Hales' English class. I need to get to her and make sure she is safe. Can you guys handle it here?" Questioned Trish, worry strewn across her face looking at the three restlessly.

Noticing that she seemed extremely worried for the first time since this whole thing happened, he knew what he needed to do.

James looks at Trish and proclaims, " Do what you want. I'm going to the portal over there and see if I can rescue some of our classmates; hopefully, they and Mrs. Vhans are still alive." Inwardly he was hoping to atone for the mistakes he made hear.

Jin asks Trish. "Will you be okay alone? You sure you don't need our help?"

You guys go ahead and save our classmates. I will be fine and join you all when I have Momo safe and back at my side." Trish remarked assuredly.

James followed the group heading towards the portal.

His face was a mask, almost tranquil looking, but internally it was a raging fire of anger and guilt.

Right before He walked through the portal, all he could think about was his failure to save the people close to him.

'They were right there within reach, yet they died one by one, all that training for nothing. The moment something or someone tried to cause harm within reach, my fists failed me. What were they for if not saving people?' He anguished in thought while he struggled to maintain his mask.

He took a deep breath, trying to center himself, Not even sending a glance backward, trusting Trish to save Momo.

He felt Jin grab his arm right before entering the portal. James would only realize how much that one action changed everything much later.