Morning
Rien walked along the roadside, his bag resting lightly on his shoulder. His steps were calm, steady-almost too steady for a normal human.
Behind him, a familiar voice echoed.
"Hey, Rien-wait up!"
Rien didn't stop.
"You should walk faster, Kuto."
Kuto finally caught up, practically collapsing beside him. He leaned one hand on Rien's shoulder, panting like he had run a marathon.
"Bro... you walk too fast. And it looks like you're only walking."
Rien silently handed him a packet of chocolate cookies.
Kuto's expression instantly brightened as he snatched them.
"Thanks!"
Rien lifted his gaze toward the sky-expressionless, unreadable.
"Someone's watching us... how boring."
Kuto looked up as well, squinting.
"There's nothing there. Just clouds."
Rien kept walking.
"Someone is watching us from ninety-three billion light-years away."
Kuto almost choked on a cookie.
"Bro... your eyes are insane. How do you even know that?"
Rien replied as if discussing the weather.
"Meta Interaction."
Kuto blinked.
"Meta... what?"
"Meta Interaction," Rien repeated calmly.
"I can see beyond existence and influence concepts, plot, destiny, and the rules of reality. I can sense beings outside dimensions."
Kuto's jaw dropped.
"Bro... you're basically a god."
Rien glanced at him, emotionless.
"I am far beyond the concept of gods, Kuto."
Kuto tried to match his pace again.
"HEY! I said walk slower!"
At School
Students sat in their seats as the teacher entered with a stack of cards.
"Good morning, students. Based on your test results, we've prepared your ID cards and assigned ranks. Come take yours."
They rushed forward.
"Woah, I got B!"
"I got A!"
The teacher clapped sharply.
"Quiet. The ranks range from A to D. A+ means you have potential to go higher, but your cosmic-energy criteria doesn't qualify yet."
He opened a register.
"Students selected for the school tournament:
Yumi Kaori
Kuto Haraki
Kaito Koto
Rien Kinohutsu."
Kuto sprinted to Rien with glowing eyes.
"We're selected, bro!"
Rien stared out the window.
"I don't think it will be interesting."
Kuto slapped his back.
"Don't worry. We'll win!"
After Class - Teacher's Office
The four selected students stood in front of the teacher.
"You four will represent the school in the upcoming tournament."
They nodded, took their leave.
As Rien and Kuto exited, a hand suddenly gripped Kuto's shoulder.
Kaito stepped forward, voice low and sharp.
"Since we're a team, everyone should know who the leader is."
Rien turned, grabbed Kaito's wrist in a single movement, and slammed him against the door. Calm face. Cold eyes.
"You don't have the status to be a leader."
Kaito's fingers trembled as his hand reddened.
"You're... going to regret this-"
He pulled away and stormed off.
Kuto exhaled dramatically.
"Don't expect a thank you."
Rien gave a faint smile and walked on.
Interval
Kuto and Rien stood near the water dispenser.
"Rien, look!"
Kuto splashed water at him.
The water vanished mid-air, as if reality itself refused to let it touch Rien.
Kuto groaned.
"Bro... you're seriously untouchable."
Suddenly, Kaito appeared behind Rien, throwing a punch.
But the space in front of Rien bent like a shifting mirror-
light twisted-
and Kaito's fist passed through a different slice of reality entirely, missing Rien and swinging into empty air behind him.
Rien turned slowly.
"You're stupid."
Kaito froze, face drained of color, then walked away in humiliation.
Kuto stared at Rien.
"How did you even do that!?"
Rien took a bottle, closed the tap, and began walking again.
"Reality Bending. I can shift realities, time, dimensions-anything-with a thought."
Kuto followed him, completely lost.
"So... you can change people's thoughts too?"
Rien placed the bottle in his bag.
"I can also erase thoughts. If someone imagines a multiverse that shouldn't exist, I can bend, reshape, or destroy it."
Kuto whistled.
"Iconic."
Yumi entered, breathless.
"According to the teachers, the tournament starts in one week!"
Kuto fell on the chair dramatically.
"That's too far..."
"More time to train!" Yumi laughed.
The bell rang, and class resumed.
After School
Rien and Kuto walked home, eating chocolate cookies.
"Shouldn't you train?" Rien asked.
Kuto waved dismissively.
"It's a team battle. You can handle everything."
Rien suddenly slowed down... then stopped completely.
Kuto turned back.
"HEY! Why did you stop?"
Rien's eyes widened a fraction-rare for him.
"I was... thinking about something."
He was thinking about Kuto.
And in that single moment, across countless realities, Rien erased and destroyed every timeline, every multiverse, every existence where Kuto was not his friend.
Only the ones where their bond existed-remained.
Rien took a slow breath and walked toward Kuto again.
"Let's go."
Kuto grinned.
"Knew it-you can't walk without me behind you."
Rien didn't deny it.
He simply continued walking beside him.
Next Day At School
The school grounds roared with excitement. Banners waved, students screamed, cameras flashed—today wasn't a normal day.
Today was the clash of cosmic users.
The host raised the mic.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Today we witness a legendary battle between two cosmic academies! Tokyo Cosmic School—Blue Team! Osaka Cosmic International—Red Team! Let the strongest school rise today!"
Kuto stood between Rien and Hana, eyes sparkling.
"Bro… this is AWESOME!"
Yumi scanned the enemy team calmly, her expression tightening.
"It won't stay awesome for long. They're not normal."
Kaijo cracked his knuckles, aura flaring.
"Don't worry. Today I prove who deserves to be leader."
From the stands, Rien's mother waved wildly.
"Rien! Go! Mama knows you'll win! OHOOOO!"
Rien stared at her with a deadpan face, then turned toward the enemies who glared like predators.
Kuto whispered, "Why they looking at us like hungry cats?"
Yumi sighed. "They're tigers, idiot."
Kuto smirked. "Same thing."
The host raised his hand.
"Fighters ready! Countdown begins!
Five… four… three… two… one… START!"
KA IJO VS ASAHI
Kaijo charged in first, cosmic energy exploding around him. His defense shattered every incoming attack.
He smirked.
"Is this all you've got!?"
Asahi appeared behind him in a single dash, kicking Kaijo's skull. Kaijo hit the ground hard.
"You've got defense," Asahi said, grinning. "But no stamina."
Kaijo rose slowly, wiping blood from his mouth.
"You think speed can beat me?"
He lunged in, unleashing a barrage of punches. Asahi dodged, but not fast enough—several blows landed, cracking the stage.
YUMI VS REN SATUKI
Yumi faced Ren, their auras clashing fiercely.
Ren smirked. "You're strong… but not enough to beat me."
Yumi tilted her head, smiling sweetly.
"Cute confidence."
Her cosmic energy surged, gravity multiplying around Ren.
Ren's legs buckled instantly.
"H-H-How… can you do this…!?"
Yumi approached calmly, grabbed Ren by the hair, lifting her like a doll.
"You challenged ME, remember?"
She absorbed Ren's cosmic energy and threw her across the battlefield—Ren slammed into a wall, unconscious.
The crowd exploded.
"REN IS DOWN! Osaka Team loses one member!!"
KUTO VS HANTARO YAMADA
Kuto had his hand around his opponent's throat, smirking.
"You entertained me… but the match is ending. Choose—
Die by my hand?
Or surrender?"
Hantaro snarled and pushed back with cosmic pressure, knocking Kuto away.
"You're strong, but I'm the great Hantaro Yamada! You can't beat—"
Kuto vanished.
Behind him—
"Hell Kick!!!"
BOOM.
Hantaro flew out of the arena.
Kuto dusted his hands.
"I don't care about your name."
KA IJO'S FURY
Kaijo didn't stop punching Asahi even after he collapsed.
"You… can't… defeat… ME!!"
Guards rushed in, dragging the enraged Kaijo away.
"I'll kill him! LET ME GO!!"
R I E N vs OPPONENT TEAM LEADER
The opponent leader came at Rien with full force, cosmic flames bursting around him.
Rien didn't move.
Every punch missed.
Every kick missed.
Reality simply… refused to let him touch Rien.
The crowd gasped.
Rien stepped forward once—
The leader's arm bent backward by itself.
Rien spoke calmly, emotionless:
"You're too slow."
A knee flick—barely even an attack—sent the leader skidding across the stage, coughing blood.
He tried to stand.
Rien appeared behind him.
"No. Stay down."
He tapped the leader's neck with one finger.
The leader collapsed instantly.
The entire stadium went silent.
AFTER THE MATCH
Yumi and Kuto met up, proud.
"We finished early," Kuto bragged.
"We're obviously the strongest," Yumi winked.
Suddenly, Rien walked up holding orange juice and chocolate cookies.
Both stared at him.
"W–Where were you!?" Kuto shouted.
"And when did you finish!?"
Rien checked his watch.
"Ten minutes after the match started.
Then I went to the rest room."
Kuto's jaw dropped.
"But I SAW you fighting the team leader!"
Rien walked away calmly.
"Nothing is difficult for me, idiot."
A tiny smile tugged at his lips.
Kuto ran after him.
"WAIT—HOW DID YOU BEAT HIM SO FAST!?"
Rien didn't slow his pace. "I saw what you did earlier," he said quietly. "You're getting stronger."
Kuto's face brightened instantly. He clapped his hands with excitement. "Obviously! I'm the strongest—no one can beat me!"
He snatched the chips packet from Rien's hand and marched toward the restroom, full of confidence.
Rien follow him politely there a small smiles on his lips "Keep working hard, Kuto." His voice is confident and full of love.