Chapter 26 – Prologue

Ｒe‍a​d​ ‌oń​ K​à&t;Rҽ&a;dinｇĆa​&f;&e;

 

[By the way, Nanashi, have you heard the recent rumor going around?]

“…A rumor?”

[Yes. Word is that the Sanctum Tower will soon be restored. And that a new teacher is coming to the General Student Council.]

“Hmm.”

As expected, it didn’t take long for information about Sanctum Tower and the Sensei to spread.

The news that the Sanctum Tower—which had been inactive for nearly a month—would soon be restored, and that a new teacher from outside Kivotos would be the solution to the crisis.

Some dismissed it as mere gossip, but those in the know likely suspected the source of the rumor was the General Student Council itself.

After all, the GSC hadn’t denied it. They just maintained their silence.

“I see.”

[…What a boring reaction. I thought you’d be more excited, considering you suffered more than anyone from Sanctum Tower’s shutdown.]

“Well, I already expected this.”

[That intuition of yours again? Honestly, sometimes I wonder if that ‘sixth sense’ of yours is an actual supernatural phenomenon. Shouldn’t we investigate it someday, Nanashi?]

“Haha…”

I couldn’t even deny it.

At this point, calling it just ‘intuition’ felt like an understatement. Its accuracy had grown too uncanny.

My lackluster response seemed to bore Himari, as I heard her let out a small hmph through the comms.

Wryly smiling, I quickly changed the subject and urged her on.

“Senpai, more importantly, can you give me their positions?”

[Fine. Sigh, using me as your personal navigation system again. To treat the greatest genius, sickly beauty of Millennium like this—what an arrogant junior. Ah, there’s one behind the pillar, five meters ahead.]

“Got it.”

Though she complained, Himari still meticulously tracked the enemies’ locations and relayed them to me. Following her directions, I dashed toward the pillar and swiftly subdued the target before webbing them up to the ceiling.

“GYAAAAAH!”

“That makes twenty-three. Is that all?”

[Yes. No more bio-signs detected. Get out of there now. I’ve already notified Valkyrie.]

“Understood.”

After briefly answering Himari’s request to get out quickly, I turned around and looked at the disaster I had created.

though ‘disaster’ wasn’t the right word. Just a bunch of villains strung up on the ceiling. Their heads were probably throbbing, and their legs would ache, but did I owe these scumbags any courtesy?

As I quickly passed under the cursing villains and exited the building, Valkyrie’s sirens blared behind me.

“They seem faster than before.”

[Guess why? It’s because of you.]

“Huh? Me?”

What did I do?

[…You can’t be serious. Lately, you’ve been handling every incident in D.U  yourself, trying to adapt to that weird intuition of yours. That’s why Valkyrie’s stepping up their game.]

“Ah.”

So I’d been stealing Valkyrie’s workload.

‘Well, I was planning to expand my operations soon anyway.’

Once the Sanctum Tower was restored, I’d gradually reduce my activities in D.U. and shift focus to other districts—intervening in main story and event storylines.

That was one of my long-term goals.

Unlike in the D.U., where I could intercept Valkyrie’s comms for intel, other districts required me to rely more on my heightened senses. So I’d been training myself to spread my awareness wide to detect incidents, then narrow it down to pure danger perception during combat.

This was also part of my training to freely adjust the range of my senses when needed.

“Oh, right, Himari Senpai. The Engineering Club hasn’t contacted me yet, right?”

[No. It’s been quiet. Probably because the equipment you requested is… unconventional.]

“Yeah, can’t argue with that.”

The Vibranium Shield I’d commissioned was, frankly, impossible to fully replicate with current technology.

So I’d only asked for the essential functions, but even that wasn’t something they could whip up overnight.

Though Utaha had vowed to make it happen no matter what…

‘Honestly, who knows how it’ll turn out.’

All I could do was trust them.

I believe in our Engineering Club.

***

—The time has come.

Suddenly, those words flashed through my mind.

I wasn’t startled or surprised. I’d been expecting this, I just felt it was more of a “So it’s finally happening” feeling.

I stood up, threw on my coat, and spoke to the club members still absorbed in their work.

“Senpai. Eimi. I’ll be stepping out for a bit.”

“Where are you going?”

“D.U. I think he’s arrived.”

“Huh?! You mean—the rumored ‘Sensei’ is here now?!”

I nodded lightly in response.

Himari’s jaw dropped at my casual answer, and even Eimi stared at me in disbelief.

“…This is straight-up supernatural.”

“Seriously, how do you even—?”

Their gazes were starting to shift into researcher mode, so I quickly slipped out of the clubroom before they could grab me for experiments.

Not that I minded being studied, but today of all days, I’d have to decline.

Because—

Today was the day this world’s story truly began.

Donning my mask, I took to the skies.

I sped through the city, crossing Millennium’s borders and heading straight for D.U.

After leaping over countless buildings, I finally reached the General Student Council building—just as my senses locked onto a presence nearby.

“……”

Four students from different academies… and a man following behind them.

A gender that shouldn’t exist in this world. No halo above his head. No weapons.

The Sensei. The true protagonist of this world.

He was alive. Moving. Commanding the students, taking down delinquents blocking his path.

“Oh…”

I let out a quiet gasp as I watched.

Perched on a rooftop, I observed his every move. Scenes that had only been 2D in the game were now unfolding in reality.

For a moment, I considered helping—but I held back.

This was the prologue. It’d be weird to interfere.

‘Let’s just watch.’

It’s the game’s opening scene—wouldn’t it be odd if I suddenly showed up and solved everything?

Sure, reality was different, but still, I wanted to see the prologue play out.

Besides—

“…As expected, Wakamo isn’t here.”

I also wanted to check the variables I’d created.

Whether due to our previous clash or something else, Wakamo wasn’t present. Only a few delinquents, who’d apparently heard the news, were ransacking Schale’s clubroom.

“Hmm.”

I’d created this divergence. It was my responsibility to handle it.

I could fill the gaps in the main story or event stories myself. The Sensei would play a crucial role moving forward, so I could support others in his stead.

Or intervene directly if needed.

‘I sowed the seeds, so I should reap them myself.’

I shook my head with a wry smile.

‘Looks like I’m in for more trouble.’

Just as I was feeling a bit melancholic—

Tzzzt—!

“Huh? Did my eyes just—?”

For a split second, I thought the Sensei—who was directing the students in the distance—locked eyes with me.

Then, a noise rang out.

A staticky, glitch-like sound.

It came from my pocket. Confused, I pulled out the source—my Millennium digital student ID.

“Huh?”

The moment I checked it, my eyes widened.

“What the—?”

[Name: Nanashi Hiro]

A name had appeared.

The previously obscured name, the pixelated text—was now clear.

Why now? Why at this exact moment? What does this mean?

It should’ve been a joyous occasion, but I could only react with bewilderment.

Because the name was… weird.

“Nanashi… Hiro?”

Wasn’t Nanashi just a placeholder?

And why this name?

‘Is “Nameless” even a real name?!’

What kind of lazy naming was this?

As I grumbled internally, I realized the Sensei had long since cleared out the delinquents and entered Schale’s clubroom. I’d been so distracted I missed the rest of the prologue.

‘So why did my name appear now?’

Was meeting the Sensei or witnessing the prologue the trigger?

Or was it just a coincidence?

‘No idea.’

I was deep in thought over this inexplicable change when—

Ding!

[Himari Senpai: Sanctum Tower just came back online, and communications are restored. Your intuition is honestly ridiculous.]

Unbeknownst to me, the Sensei must have used Shittim Chest to restore the Sanctum Tower, because Himari had just messaged me from Millennium.

‘Which means—’

I looked up immediately after reading her message.

And there it was—the change in Sanctum Tower.

The spire at the heart of Kivotos.

Sanctum Tower, the core of all infrastructure, was now radiating a brilliant light—one that hadn’t been there before.

“It’s starting.”

Blue Archive.

The mobile game I’d been reincarnated into.

Its story had finally begun in earnest.