The final bell of the day echoed through PNHS, signaling the end of another chaotic school day. Class 1-A trudged out of the classroom, each of them still feeling the weight of the physical education training they'd endured, but relieved that the end of the school day was finally here.
Mr. Shawn had dismissed them, still clutching his binder labeled "AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY FORMS: STOP LOSING THESE." As usual, he was already reminding them to fill out any forms for the upcoming field trip, as if they'd ever remember.
Back in the classroom, Zane stretched his legs as he moved toward the door, glancing at Shane.
"You know, I still can't believe you're going to run today after that," he muttered.
"You're one to talk," Shane smirked, adjusting her bag. "You're going to be a puddle halfway through the track rotation."
Zane scoffed, adjusting his own bag. "I will not."
"You will," Akuma said from the back of the room, the usual sarcasm in his voice.
"I can't believe we have to deal with this track nonsense," Mayari sighed as she shuffled through her scroll. "Maybe I'll use the time to reflect on the deeper meaning of life."
Alyas raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, and when the track coach asks why you're sitting in the middle of the field, staring at the sky, you'll tell them it's 'philosophical reflection.'"
"I'll give you ten bucks if you do it," Ronald chimed in, his grin as mischievous as ever.
"Deal," Mayari smirked, tucking her scroll under her arm.
With a collective groan, the class made their way out of the classroom, the chatter still lively as they shuffled down the hallway.
Meanwhile, in the school's quieter corners, Akira, a member of Class F and Akashi's girlfriend, was walking with purpose, her eyes scanning the crowd of students. She had only one goal in mind: finding Akashi.
"Have you seen Akashi?" she asked a passing student.
The student blinked, then nodded. "He was heading toward the gym earlier with his crew."
Akira thanked the student and continued her search. She wasn't in the mood to join the madness of post-school chatter. She had to catch him before he left with his group—mostly because they had something planned, but also because she hadn't seen him since last week.
As she made her way to the gym, she noticed a few students heading out in small groups, chatting about nothing important. But her focus was sharp—she couldn't let herself get distracted.
Back at the school gates, the rest of Class 1-A was heading out, some of them grumbling about the track drills while others were making plans for later.
Zane, however, was deep in thought. His body still ached from the drills, but something had been bothering him all day—something he couldn't quite place.
He was snapped out of his reverie when Shane nudged him.
"Are you going to stand there all day?" she asked.
"Huh?" Zane blinked, looking around as if the world had just shifted on its axis. "Oh, right. I'm fine."
Shane eyed him suspiciously. "You're acting weird. Even for you."
Zane didn't respond. Instead, he glanced over at the school gates as the final bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Something felt... off. But it was hard to place.
Below, in the underground PNHS Command Facility, the investigation was entering its most crucial phase.
The monitors glowed cold blue, casting sharp light across the tired faces of the faculty and government investigators.
On-screen, the footage of the battle played again: the alien swarm, the chaos, the sudden flash of celestial white that ended it all.
The glowing figure descending from the sky—humanoid, yet otherworldly—striking with power no one had seen before. The rings around its arms spun with precision and purpose. A walking eclipse.
Still no identification. No name. No signal trace. No origin.
Only mystery.
"We still don't know what it is," said Ms. Lira, breaking the silence. "Not where it came from. Not how it appeared. It didn't arrive by aircraft, teleportation, or technology we recognize. It was… just there."
A pause.
Coach Marasigan leaned forward, voice low.
"But it saved everyone on the ground."
Mr. Shawn stared at the screen, arms folded. "And then it vanished."
No one had answers.
The investigation would continue. But for now, all they had was a nameless savior, glowing like a star, who had changed the course of a war… and disappeared into thin air.
Zane's House – 2:11 AM
Moonlight spilled into the small room.
Zane tossed and turned in bed, sweat clinging to his skin. His breath quickened. A dream pulled him deeper, deeper than sleep should allow.
Then—silence.
A sudden void.
He stood in a field of ash.
The air was still, but charged. Like lightning had passed through moments ago.
Ahead of him: a crater. Smoke still rising.
In it—a glowing figure.
Zane couldn't move, only watch. The figure turned, and for a second—Zane felt like he was looking into a mirror. Like he was that figure. The world seemed distant, sounds muffled, like he was underwater.
Then—flashes.
He was soaring.
Moving faster than thought. Striking enemies in blinding bursts of light. His body was burning but unhurt. Rings orbited him like planets.
And he could feel everything—each scream, each heartbeat, the pain of the earth beneath him.
He slammed into the massive alien brute—the explosion swallowed the horizon.
Then—blackness.
Zane's Room – Moments Later
Zane shot up in bed, gasping.
His sheets were soaked. Hands trembling.
He stared at his palms. Nothing was glowing. No power surged. Just sweat and fear.
But the dream—
It felt real.
He pressed his back against the wall, heart racing. "What… was that?"
It wasn't like a normal dream. It wasn't memory either.
It was like he'd been there… and wasn't, at the same time.
He covered his face with his hands.
"Am I losing it…?"
He looked to the window. Outside, the stars seemed brighter than usual.
He didn't know why.
PNHS – Teacher Briefing (Next Morning)
Mr. Shawn entered the room with a fresh file. He dropped it on the table.
"Still no leads. No name. No face. No idea where it came from."
Coach Marasigan looked up. "But it came here."
The school head nodded. "Keep the investigation quiet. Let the students rest. They don't need to know what we don't understand yet."
A final glance at the paused footage.
The being—mid-air, eyes glowing, arms outstretched as energy surged around him.
A savior.
Or something else.
To be continued...