Mio sat quietly at her desk, still adjusting to life in the new school. Around her, students chatted casually, flipping through textbooks, some doodling on their tablets. It looked… normal.
But something didn't sit right.
She glanced down at her class schedule. Strange shapes decorated the page—one of them a faintly glowing star in the corner. Her eyes flicked up to a nametag nearby.
Jake.
"Hey, um… Jake?" Mio whispered.
Jake looked up from his notebook, chewing on his pen.
"Yes?"
"Why does our schedule have this weird star symbol?"
His expression stiffened for a second. Luna, seated beside them, peeked over and raised an eyebrow.
Before either of them could reply—
BRRRRZZZ!!
A loud alarm rang out. Red lights pulsed along the ceiling.
Miss Lily, their homeroom teacher, clapped her hands once.
"One by one! Stay calm and follow instructions!"
The class immediately stood up. No panic—like they were used to this.
"Wait—what's happening?" Mio asked, startled.
Jake grabbed her bag and handed it to her. "Come with us. We'll explain later."
"No time," Luna added. "Just trust us."
They led Mio out of the classroom. The hallway looked normal… until they turned into a narrow side-door Mio hadn't noticed before.
It led into a dim corridor with flickering lights.
At the end stood an old arcade machine, wrapped in wires and etched with strange symbols.
Mio blinked. "What is this place?"
Before they could answer—
"Lunaaaaa!"
A girl ran into the room, arms wide open. Her hair was a striking blue, tied into messy pigtails.
"My bestieeee! My pookieeee! I'll miss you even if it's just two hours!" she squealed, crashing into Luna.
Mio's eyes widened. "Wait… Miya?"
Miya smirked, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a blue card marked ULTRACLASH. She tapped it against a skull emblem on the arcade machine.
Click.
A glowing coin dropped from the machine's mouth.
Miya caught it, winked at Luna, and slid the coin into the slot.
Vrrrrmmmm.
The machine lit up. A hidden door behind it slowly creaked open, revealing golden light and swirling mist inside.
Without a word, Miya turned and stepped through.
The door slammed shut.
Mio stared, stunned. "What… was that?"
Jake grinned. "Your turn."
Luna handed her a coin. "Don't worry. It won't bite."
Miss Lily stepped in, her voice calm but firm. "This is your first real test, Mio. You don't need a weapon yet—just your will."
Mio gulped. Her hands trembled slightly. Weapon? What did she mean by that?
But something inside her stirred—curiosity? Excitement?
She inserted the coin.
CLUNK.
The machine hummed. The same golden door opened before her.
Jake and Luna stepped beside her.
"Welcome to the club, Mio," Jake said with a grin.
"Let's see what you're really made of," Luna added.
TO BE CONTINUE