(1 week later)
The school hallways buzzed with life, filled with the characteristic commotion of the first day of classes.
First-year students moved around with maps, some wearing confused expressions as they searched for their classrooms.
"Do you know where Classroom 1-C is?" - a petite blonde-haired girl asked the boy beside her, anxiously scanning a classroom list.
"Eh? A-Ah... No, I think we're in Block B... Oh, wait! It's over there" - the boy, wearing glasses, replied, pointing in a random direction, more out of desperation than certainty.
In contrast, second and third-year students moved with much more confidence. Groups of friends gathered in the hallways, catching up after the summer break.
"I can't believe you went to Okinawa and didn't tell me!" exclaimed a girl, playfully punching her friend's shoulder in mock outrage.
"Sorry, sorry! It was a family trip. I got you a souvenir, okay?"
"You'd better have."
"I worked at my uncle's restaurant all winter… it was a disaster," said a tall boy in an exasperated tone.
"Seriously? Well, I slept until noon almost every day," boasted another, earning a mix of envy and laughter from his peers.
The atmosphere was cheerful, carefree, filled with typical jokes and youthful laughter. But then, a sudden shift in the energy of the hallway caught everyone's attention.
A man was walking among the students with natural confidence, seemingly unaware of the stares that followed him.
He wore a black leather jacket that fit his frame perfectly, over a high-necked shirt that added an air of elegance. His pants complemented the outfit, striking a balance between casual and sophisticated.
His hair, tousled yet clearly well-kept, seemed to move with each step, giving him a touch of controlled rebellion. To complete the look, he wore dark glasses that concealed his eyes, adding an aura of mystery that only amplified his allure.
"Who is he?" - whispered a first-year student to her friend, her cheeks flushed.
"A model? An actor?" - speculated another, her eyes completely fixed on him.
The second and third-year students, less impressionable but equally curious, also began murmuring among themselves.
"Is he new? I don't remember him from last year..." - one boy remarked, crossing his arms to mask his insecurity in the presence of the stranger.
"Maybe he's the new teacher people were talking about" - his friend replied, frowning as he observed the man - "Remember Otowa-sensei retired last year?"
"That's right, old Otowa's gone…"
The man strode forward with steady steps, seemingly oblivious to the commotion he was causing around him. However, the slight smile on his face suggested that he was very aware of the reactions he provoked.
'These kids are more expressive than I expected'
He thought with mild amusement.
Finally, he turned into one of the classrooms, disappearing behind the door.
When he entered the room assigned for his first class of the day, the chatter that had filled the air among the first-year students immediately ceased.
All whispered conversations, nervous giggles, and tired sighs were replaced by an expectant silence, heavy with curiosity and awe.
The boys, sitting at their desks or leaning back against their chairs, watched him with a mix of respect and a touch of envy.
'Is that the new teacher? He looks more like a movie star…' - thought one as he crossed his arms, trying to appear indifferent.
"How can someone look that cool and still be a teacher? It's not fair! Do we have to compete with the teachers now too?" - another whispered to his friend, squinting in disbelief.
On the other hand, the girls made no effort to hide their reactions.
Many exchanged knowing glances, while others leaned forward in their seats, fixing their gaze on the man with an evident glimmer of interest.
One of them, her cheeks flushed, murmured excitedly - "He's even more handsome up close!"
"Do you think he has a girlfriend?" - her seatmate whispered, covering her mouth to avoid being overheard - "He definitely must have one."
Thanks to his heightened senses, the man could feel the gazes locked onto him and hear the various whispers.
This didn't bother him in the slightest. Remaining calm, he allowed himself a faintly ironic smile as he removed his dark glasses and slipped them into the pocket of his jacket.
'Aren't high school kids in Japan supposed to be shy? Maybe I need to let go of my old stereotypes'
The man's past experiences had taught him how to handle female attention, but this was different. Now, he was standing in front of a group of teenagers—his students—which added a surreal layer to the situation.
'¡Yoshi!... let's get started'
the man gave himself a mental pat on the back and smiled.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Miyamoto Yuuma, and I'll be your literature teacher. I hope we can get along well and learn together throughout this year."
The serenity in his tone seemed to ease some of the tension in the room, though not enough to stop the curious glances altogether.
A few boys crossed their arms and looked away in a comical attempt to ignore how imposing the new teacher was, while the girls seemed torn between paying attention and continuing to admire him.
"Welcome, Miyamoto-sensei!"
Even so, the class responded almost in unison to his introduction.
Yuuma leaned slightly against the desk at the front of the room, crossing his arms with a relaxed expression.
He observed his new students for a moment, as if evaluating them, before speaking again in his characteristically calm tone.
"Alright, now that you know a little about me, it's time to learn a bit about each other. You know the drill—name, hobbies, what you expect from this year… those basic things that everyone hates but are necessary"
A murmur of discomfort spread through the classroom.
Some boys shifted in their seats, while the girls exchanged nervous or excited glances, depending on their confidence.
Yuuma smiled faintly, noticing their reactions.
"Come on, it's not a test. It's just to break the ice" - he said, gesturing toward the first seat near the window - "You go first."
The boy he pointed to, a skinny teenager with glasses and messy hair, stood up awkwardly, visibly nervous.
"Uh... I'm Takuya Ishida. I like video games and anime... and... I hope to learn a lot this year"
He mumbled, his voice trailing off toward the end as some classmates smiled kindly at him.
"Thank you, Takuya" - Yuuma said, nodding encouragingly - "Next"
One by one, the students began introducing themselves.
There was a mix: shy boys who could barely speak loudly, and energetic girls who took the chance to stand out.
When it was the turn of a short-haired girl with orange hair and a confident smile, she stood up enthusiastically and shot a direct look at Yuuma before speaking.
"I'm Yurikawa Hana. ¡I love pets, bunny plushies, and sweet treats! Oh, and Miyamoto-sensei, I think it's awesome that we have a teacher like you"
She finished with a broad smile, prompting some laughter and murmurs in the classroom.
Yuuma blinked for a moment before laughing softly.
"Thank you, Yurikawa. Though I hope you'll find literature class to be just as 'awesome' for your taste"
This brought more laughter and helped ease the atmosphere further.
"Alright, next"
Yuuma resumed the round of introductions, but internally, his focus shifted to the holographic screen that appeared before him and the girl named Yurikawa Hana.
*Ding, ding, dong*
[You have encountered Yurikawa Hana, a main character from Mieruko-chan!]
Once again, he had come across a main character from another anime story.
Just like with Sumireko Ogawa, the busty girl who worked at the bookstore near the train station, here was another girl who originated from an anime.
However, what caught Yuuma's attention the most was the strange aura surrounding this girl.
Although he couldn't confirm what type of aura it was since he couldn't activate his ocular ability at the moment, he was almost certain it was some kind of special spiritual energy, unlike that of ordinary humans.
'System, show me information about Yurikawa Hana'
[Yurikawa Hana, age 16, is the friend of the main heroine in the story Mieruko-chan. She is an extremely cheerful and sociable girl, always hungry and persuasive. She has a very strong positive outlook and loves all things cute and sweet. In the original story, she becomes the target of various paranormal beings due to her extraordinarily powerful spiritual aura]
'She's from a story related to paranormal things, though she isn't the main character'
Yuuma muttered inwardly, suppressing an ironic smile.
His gaze sharpened momentarily before quickly softening again.
'I'll need to stay alert—those ghosts will likely start approaching'
Adjusting his posture to appear more casual, Yuuma returned his focus to the ongoing introductions.
"All right, next."
At his prompt, a blonde-haired girl stood up.
She was undeniably attractive, with long, straight blonde hair, the tips dyed pink. Her bangs framed her striking red eyes.
She wore makeup and adorned herself with numerous accessories on her ears and hands. Her slender figure, particularly her upper proportions, was well-developed for someone her age.
"My name is Kitagawa Marin. I like… watching movies or talking about anything with my friends. I don't judge what people like—I'm very respectful in that regard"
[You have encountered Marin Kitagawa, a main character from Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru!]
Yuuma couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as the system notification appeared once again.
"That's a good thing. Remember, being respectful of others' interests is important" - Yuuma replied calmly, nodding at her words - "Thank you, Kitagawa. Next"
Internally, however, he was surprised to have found another main character at the school so quickly.
'System, give me information about Marin Kitagawa.
[Marin Kitagawa, age 16, is the main heroine of Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru. She is a popular girl at her school due to her figure and beauty. She also works as an amateur model for a local agency. Her greatest dream—and her biggest secret—is to create costumes to cosplay as her favorite characters. In the anime, she falls in love with her schoolmate after he makes her cosplay outfits.]
Still leaning against the desk, Yuuma narrowed his eyes slightly.
'System, she isn't connected to a world of ghosts or monsters?'
Unlike the girl from the bookstore or the orange-haired student, the information about this blonde girl, Kitagawa Marin, made no mention of anything supernatural.
[Not all the characters who have converged in this world are from anime with monster or horror themes. However, they can all now be affected by the laws of this reality]
'I see...'
Yuuma nodded mentally.
As the next students took their turns, Yuuma reflected on what the system had revealed.
Marin wasn't directly linked to the supernatural, which was precisely what concerned him.
In a world where the paranormal lurked in the shadows, how long could someone like her remain untouched?
"Hi, my name is Miko Yotsuya. I don't have any particular likes; I'm fine with simple things"
The calm and measured introduction of another girl suddenly drew Yuuma's attention.
She was slender, with straight black hair, its tips dyed purple. However, what stood out most were her golden eyes—eyes that immediately caught Yuuma's focus.
[You have encountered Yotsuya Miko, the main character of Mieruko-chan!]
[Yotsuya Miko, age 16, is the main heroine of Mieruko-chan. She can see ghosts and supernatural entities. Despite her power, Miko strives to maintain a stoic exterior when facing spirits, though she is internally terrified. She deeply cares for her friend Hana Yurikawa, using her ability to protect her in various ways, such as steering her away from routes with spirits and bringing her food when she was ill due to spiritual energy depletion.]
'She's the main heroine of her story and the friend of the orange-haired girl... and now I've run into her here too. It seems coming here was the right choice.'
Yuuma was genuinely astonished.
Initially, he thought there was no point in following through with the plan of becoming a teacher and coming to this school. In a short amount of time, he could easily gather enough resources to live luxuriously in this new world.
There seemed to be no apparent reason to work as a teacher at a high school in Kamigoe City, located in Saitama Prefecture.
However, something within him suggested he might find something interesting here.
Something told him that he might discover things that would help him achieve his goals much faster than simply hunting minor ghosts in his neighborhood.
And his intuition was proving to be spot on.
What other surprises would this school bring?
As the introductions neared their end, a girl with reddish-brown, medium-length hair stood up.
She had a slim yet well-proportioned figure and average height. Her face was lightly made up, and she wore two large green earrings that immediately caught everyone's attention.
"My name is Ayase Momo. I like people with tough attitudes, especially guys like Takemura Ken. Also, I love boiled crustaceans, like a steamed crab"
The girl named Momo spoke with great enthusiasm, drawing curious looks from the rest of the class—including Yuuma.
[You have encountered Ayase Momo, the main character of Dandadan!]
Once again, the system diverted his attention.
'… I shouldn't even be surprised anymore' - Yuuma muttered inwardly.
[Ayase Momo, age 16, is the main heroine of Dandadan. She is a bold, confident, and fierce young woman. With a practical attitude, she often loses her temper when angered, especially when underestimating or dealing with her friends' antics. This usually results in comically violent outbursts toward the person responsible for provoking her. In her main story, she awakens telekinetic powers that she uses alongside her story's protagonist to battle monsters and aliens.]
'!'
'Wait, wait… monsters and aliens?'
Yuuma froze for a moment as he read the notification on the screen.
Someone with telekinetic powers was someone worth building a good friendship with, especially if they were a main character.
However, it wasn't just her powers that intrigued him—he'd also just learned about the possible existence of aliens!
'This... damn it, that old man'
Yuuma didn't know whether to laugh or cry at this information.
Now, not only did he have to face supernatural beings like ghosts, but it was also highly likely that he'd be fighting aliens too?
This was supposed to be a peaceful world, for crying out loud!
That was on a completely different scale!
'Calm down... don't panic... don't rush'
Yuuma tried to regain his composure. He couldn't lose his cool at this moment. He needed to carefully analyze the situation he was in right now.
Yes, it was very possible that he would have to face aliens because of the existence of this girl named Ayase Momo, but he also had to consider that, in her world, she was supposedly the one tasked with dealing with them.
That was the most likely scenario.
'System, a question: in the world of Dandadan, is this girl named Momo Ayase capable of dealing with aliens?'
[Yes, alongside the main character, Momo Ayase is capable of confronting supernatural beings and aliens by adequately developing her powers]
'Then this also applies to Yotsuya Miko and Yurikawa Hana, right?'
[Affirmative.]
Yuuma now felt a little more confident.
If high school girls could handle it, why couldn't he?
He didn't know much yet about Sumireko Ogawa, the large-breasted girl working at the bookstore he visited last week, but he was almost certain that the same applied to her.
'Alright, then I should focus on dealing with these beings, which means I'll need to get closer to these girls'
Yuuma's gaze rested on the four girls sitting in the classroom.
Yuuma understood that, eventually, he would cross paths with characters from different anime inhabiting this reality. He had assumed that sooner or later, he would have to interact with them and had mentally prepared for those encounters.
However, so far, everyone the system had pointed out to him had been women... and, to make matters worse, four of them were high schoolers still attending classes.
'Are there seriously no interesting adults in this world? Or is this some kind of cosmic joke?'
He thought with a mix of resignation and frustration.
While Yuuma had never been shy about engaging in romantic relationships with multiple women—something that in his original world had been enviable to some and problematic to others—this was an entirely different situation.
He found himself in a fantasy world, where societal rules were not the same as in his previous life, but even so, there were lines he preferred not to cross.
'They're teenagers... students. It wouldn't be right. Besides, I'm here as a teacher, not someone looking for romance'
Even so, he couldn't ignore a small voice in the back of his mind, one reminding him that this world wasn't like his old one, at least not in the traditional sense.
Ghosts, monsters, aliens... the last thing he should be worried about was maintaining appearances. It was hard not to wonder if the same rules applied in this reality.
'This is a complicated world, after all... and if things were to develop differently in the future, perhaps...'
Yuuma shook his head to clear those thoughts before they went any further.
'No, what's important now is to focus. If these characters have a significant role in this reality, then I must ensure their presence doesn't cause more problems than I already have.'
With that resolution, Yuuma brought his attention back to the present.
Tapping his fingers on the desk a couple of times, Yuuma captured the attention of the entire class.
"Alright, everyone. Now that we've introduced ourselves, I want you to listen carefully because I'm about to assign something special"
He announced with a relaxed tone, though inside, he felt a certain excitement about what he was about to do.
"This semester, you'll be working on a group project to present at the end. The theme will be: 'Exploring the deepest stories classic literature can tell'"
A few murmurs of confusion and curiosity rippled through the class. Yuuma raised a hand to calm them down.
"This won't be a simple essay or presentation. I want you to work together to create something unique. It could be a play, an anthology of short stories, or even a creative analysis of a famous work. The choice will be yours, but you must ensure that you capture the soul of the theme and present it memorably"
Some students' eyes lit up with interest, while others seemed less enthusiastic.
"And here comes the fun part" - Yuuma continued, letting his most charming smile appear - "I'll be assigning the groups"
The murmuring in the room grew louder.
As first-year students, not many had formed close friendships yet. Nevertheless, some students tensed up, as it would be their first time working with strangers.
Yuuma pretended not to notice the reactions as he began reading off the list he had prepared mentally, thanks to the system's help.
"Group 1: Takuya Ishida..."
He continued naming students, alternating sequentially according to the order they had introduced themselves.
"Group 4: Yurikawa Hana, Yotsuya Miko, Kitagawa Marin, and Ayase Momo."
Four pairs of eyes turned to him with mixed expressions of surprise, curiosity, and a hint of confusion.
Hana grinned broadly, leaning toward Miko with enthusiasm - "This is going to be fun! I'm sure we can create something amazing"
Miko, a bit more reserved, nodded timidly.
Marin seemed thrilled at the opportunity to work with such interesting girls, while Momo crossed her arms with a thoughtful expression, evaluating her new teammates.
Yuuma observed them with satisfaction, though he kept his expression neutral.
He knew bringing these four girls together —Hana Yurikawa, Miko Yotsuya, Marin Kitagawa, and Ayase Momo— was a priority.
He couldn't let them remain isolated, each facing their unique challenges without support. If he could get them to work together, perhaps they could develop bonds that would strengthen their ability to face the situations this world would throw at them.
'It's better for them to become friends now. It'll be easier to guide them if they already trust each other'
Yuuma thought as he straightened up and crossed his arms.
"Remember, teamwork is key. You'll be spending a lot of time together planning and creating, so make sure to support one another. I'm here to help if you need it, but I trust you'll find a way to shine as a group"
As he continued assigning the remaining groups, Yuuma watched out of the corner of his eye as the four girls began exchanging words.
'This will be interesting'
he thought, satisfied with the start of his little experiment.
'If they can overcome their differences, they won't just complete the project—they'll be better prepared for whatever comes next'