Dawn came like a breath of mercy.
The sky bled into a soft gold, the corrupted enemies turning to ash as the system declared the raid complete.
[TUTORIAL COMPLETE]
Survivors: 87 / 112
Rank Evaluation in Progress...
Ray stood atop a boulder, his body scorched, his breath shallow. Around him, the field was littered with broken terrain and glowing embers. Students coughed, healed each other, or just stared blankly into the sky.
Twenty-five students hadn't made it.
Some were friends. Some had barely finished syncing their systems.
And yet... it was only the beginning.
[Teleporting Survivors to Safe Zone…]
Light engulfed the survivors. When Ray opened his eyes again, they were standing inside a grand floating citadel surrounded by clouds. Pillars of white stone curved like wings, and strange machines hovered in the air, projecting holograms of anime stats, class ranks, and global events.
Welcome to: Nexus Academy – Core Campus,
Your new home, battleground, and proving ground.
A figure floated down from the sky.
He wore a flowing black coat, half cyberpunk, half wizard cloak. His face was hidden by a white mask with a shifting anime expression—smiling, then frowning, then laughing maniacally.
[ADMIN USER DETECTED – "Overseer ZERO"]
"Students," the masked man said, his voice layered like a chorus of anime villains, "welcome to the world beyond your world. Nexus exists between dimensions—built from the ruins of forgotten anime timelines and collapsed multiverses."
He pointed at the glowing status windows floating around each of them.
"You were chosen because you carry potential. The ability to inherit, adapt, and evolve within the Anime System."
A cheer suddenly erupted from a group nearby.
"Yo! I ranked up!" shouted Devon, now wearing a half-red, half-electric cloak.
"Look at this! I got Bakugo's gauntlets AND Denki's lightning!"
"Of course you did," muttered Minako, who stood nearby with her arms crossed and wings folded. Her flames crackled low—still recovering.
Ray wasn't listening.
His system window had changed again.
Class Rank: S
Title Gained: First Sovereign
Perk: Hidden Stat Unlocked – "Origin Thread"
Warning: You are an anomaly. This class should not exist. Overseers may intervene.
"...Great," he muttered. "I broke the system."
As the students explored the campus—training grounds, dorms, simulation rooms—Ray kept to the edges, watching. Gathering data. Observing.
That night, in a quiet courtyard lit by floating lanterns, someone approached him.
It was her.
She had short lavender hair, a katana strapped to her back, and a piercing gaze that felt like it could see into his soul.
"You're the dragon," she said.
"You're the girl who picked Levi's speed and Sasuke's Sharingan," Ray replied.
They stared at each other.
Then, for the first time all day—Ray smiled. Just a little.
"Name's Ray."
"Akari," she replied. "And if this place is anything like the animes I've seen... you're the main character, aren't you?"
Ray laughed once, dry and tired.
"Let's hope not. They usually suffer the most."
Above them, the sky shifted again.
A message appeared across the moon in glowing red letters:
[ARC 1: The Dimensional Invasion Begins In 72 Hours]
Form Squads. Train. Survive.
And just like that, peace shattered once more.