As the classroom door swung open, the lively buzz of students going about their morning routines filled the air. Cruzer, still reeling from his painful flashbacks, was abruptly brought back to the present by the sound of his name.
"Hey, Cruzer! Still daydreaming like an idiot, I see? Didn't Rin tell you not to bother her?"
The sharp voice cut through his thoughts like a knife. He blinked, his vision refocusing on the source of the interruption. His heart skipped a beat, and the color drained from his face as he recognized the girl standing before him.
It was Alisha.
Alisha was a vision of elegance and intensity, her appearance reflecting both her cultural heritage and her unique style. She had long, straight black hair that reached her back, ending just below her waist. Her hair was impeccably smooth and glossy, catching the light in a way that highlighted its natural beauty.
Her bangs were cut neatly across her forehead, framing her face and accentuating her expressive black eyes. Those eyes, dark and piercing, seemed to hold a depth of emotions and intelligence, making her gaze both captivating and intimidating.
Her skin was smooth and fair, a soft contrast to her dark hair and eyes. She had a delicate bone structure, with high cheekbones and a sharp jawline that gave her an air of sophistication. Alisha's lips were naturally rosy, often set in a determined line or a wry smile that hinted at her sharp wit.
She was wearing the academy's uniform with her own personal touches. The dark blue blazer fit her slender frame perfectly, and the pleated skirt ended just above her knees, revealing her knee-high socks that added a hint of rebellious charm to her otherwise prim attire.
The crisp white shirt beneath the blazer was neatly tucked in, and a navy blue ribbon was tied around her collar, completing the ensemble. Her choice of knee-high socks, in particular, drew attention to her long, graceful legs and added a touch of youthful playfulness to her look.
Alisha and Cruzer shared a complicated history. In the memories of his normal, mundane Earth, she had been his childhood friend, his confidante, and his partner in crime. They had studied at the same school and had been inseparable for years, sharing countless adventures and secrets. But as they grew older, life had pulled them in different directions, and they had slowly drifted apart.
Now, seeing her here, in this world filled with magic and danger, Cruzer felt a strange mix of familiarity and alienation. He remembered the Alisha who had been his best friend, the one who had always stood by his side. But the girl before him seemed different, hardened by the realities of this world.
"Alisha?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
She smirked, crossing her arms over her chest, disdain flashing through her eyes. "Why are you acting as if you've seen a ghost, you goof? Did a beating from Rin make you forget everything?"
Cruzer shook his head, trying to reconcile the memories of his old friend with the girl standing before him. "No, I haven't forgotten. It's just... you seem different."
"Different?" Alisha raised an eyebrow, her smirk fading into a more serious expression. "Of course, I am different, unlike you. Loser in our previous Earth, loser still here. Unlike you, I've been working hard and have better talent."
He nodded, feeling a pang of sadness at the truth of her words. "You're right. It's just... seeing you here brings back a lot of memories."
Alisha's expression softened slightly, and for a moment, Cruzer saw a glimpse of the girl he used to know. "Yeah, it does. But we can't live in the past, Cruzer. We have to focus on what's in front of us."
She turned to walk away but then paused and looked back at him. "By the way, I heard what happened with Rin. Do as she says, don't bother her and don't bother me or Anup as well."
"What? Anup, that bastard, is here too?"
She threw a disdainful glance at him and without answering his question, continued, "I'm just giving you a warning as your former best friend. We live in a different world now, the difference between us and you is like that between a dragon and a worm. Next time I see you bothering Anup or Rin, you won't be getting out of bed for a year. I guarantee it."
Color drained from his face, and he turned pale at his former best friend's threat. Cruzer clenched his fist so hard that his fingers dug into his palms.
Ichinose Rin glanced at him in disdain and turned to the window, ignoring the rest of the class.
With a nod, Alisha walked away towards Rin's seat, leaving Cruzer to ponder their conversation.
When Alisha greeted her, Rin's cold face seemed to melt a little as she returned the greeting with a slight smile. The two girls started having a conversation, ignoring the other students in the class.
Seeing Alisha again stirred up a whirlwind of emotions and memories in Cruzer, but it also jogged his thoughts about the two Earths. He remembered that while anyone could transmigrate to this Earth, the process wasn't as straightforward for everyone else. Typically, when someone transmigrated, they had to be reborn and start their life anew as a baby to ensure this Earth wouldn't reject their soul. This was the standard process to maintain the balance and harmony of the world's mystical energies.
Cruzer's case, however, was different. Unlike others, he had transmigrated to this Earth at the same age as his previous self, without the need to be reborn. The memories he retained from his past life surfaced almost immediately, without the need for any complex rituals to recall them.
As this realization settled in, he recalled the words of the mysterious entity that had hinted at his uniqueness. "You are different," the entity had said. "You are unique." It was now clear to Cruzer that he might be the only one in the entire world who had transmigrated without the necessity of being reborn and performing the ritual to recall his memories.
As he recalled the encounter with the mysterious entity, he slowly unclenched his fist. He muttered to himself, "Just you wait. Alisha, Rin, I'll return all the humiliation you guys have put me through."
As he took his seat in the classroom, he felt a renewed determination to learn more about this world, to jog his memory, and to train to get stronger before the year-end promotional exam commenced. He vowed to show the people who he thought would have his back but ruthlessly stabbed him because he was weak and not as talented as them what he could do.
As he was having such thoughts, the homeroom teacher arrived and began taking attendance before commencing that day's lesson.