"Anyway… it's finally done."
Zane Cartel let out a long breath as he looked at the official-looking document in his hand—a glossy admission notice that practically sparkled under the sunlight.
He read the lines again, just to feel it sink in:
National Entrance Exam Rank: #1
Perfect Score in Mathematics
Admitted to: Chiba Municipal Sobu High School
That last line made him chuckle. Anyone who had watched anime would instantly recognize the school. Sobu High School—famous for its connection to a certain awkward romantic comedy full of misunderstandings, sarcasm, and loners.
And now? He was enrolled there.
But this wasn't just an ordinary case of getting accepted to a school.
Zane Cartel was a time traveler. Or, more accurately, a multiverse traveler. One day, he went to sleep in his old world—a modern version of Earth—and woke up here, in a strange, anime-like version of Japan.
At first, it was exciting. Then, confusing. And now?
Now, it was just normal.
This world looked so much like his own, but with tiny changes. And sometimes, massive ones.
In this island country that closely resembled Japan, there were three elite high schools, each one known not just for academics, but also for being part of some larger, fictional universe. In this Multiverse Anime Crossover world, those schools were:
Sobu High School, where love and philosophy collided.
Shuchiin Academy, home to Kaguya Shinomiya and student council chaos.
Hyakkaou Private Academy, where gambling ruled everything and even students could be treated like livestock.
Thanks to having the knowledge of two lives—and a fairly decent brain—Zane had crushed the national entrance exam. He didn't just pass; he came first in the entire country.
Naturally, all three schools sent offers, basically begging him to enroll.
Most people would have picked Shuchiin for its prestige or Hyakkaou for its raw challenge.
But Zane? He picked Sobu.
Why?
Because it was the safest. The most grounded. There weren't students losing fingers in poker games or aristocrats deciding your social worth based on how you held a teacup.
Just awkward teenagers, sarcasm, and awkward club meetings. That was all he needed.
As he placed the notice gently back into his bag, Zane smiled and stretched, the crisp autumn air brushing against his skin. The park around him was quiet—just a small, familiar spot near his apartment. A rusty swing creaked gently in the wind behind him, and leaves danced across the grass like confetti.
"This is the start of something good," he whispered.
But fate had other plans.
Suddenly—
A thunderous boom cracked the sky!
Zane flinched. His instincts screamed, and he jumped back.
A golden lightning bolt exploded down from the clouds, crashing right in front of him. The park shook. Trees bent backward from the force, and a sharp gust of wind knocked over a nearby trash bin.
He froze. Just a few more steps forward, and he would've been vaporized.
"What the hell…" he breathed, heart pounding.
And then—something even stranger happened.
There was a second noise—a whistling shriek, like something heavy was falling fast.
Zane barely had time to look up before he saw it—a human figure plummeting from the sky.
Without thinking, he dashed forward, arms outstretched.
The weight hit him like a sack of bricks—but instead of being crushed, he caught her. Barely.
They both toppled backward. Dust flew up. Pain shot through his arms, but he held on.
He looked down.
It was a girl.
Young, maybe a year or two younger than him. She had long blonde hair, fair skin, and sharp, almost statuesque features.
Her bright blue eyes were closed, and she wore a white sweater, a short black jacket, and black combat leggings. But the most eye-catching part?
The strange mechanical device strapped around her waist.
It looked like something straight out of Attack on Titan. A Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear, with metal hooks and gas boosters attached to her sides.
Zane blinked, stunned. "Wait… is that real?"
He had seen enough cosplayers to spot a fake. But this? This wasn't foam or plastic.
It looked real. Military-grade.
He gently placed her down and knelt beside her, one hand still on her back.
His other hand reached out, curious to inspect the device. He wanted to know if it was metal or just really detailed plastic.
But the moment his fingers touched the upper strap—
Her eyes flew open.
Bright. Cold. Blue like glaciers.
And Zane froze again.
He realized immediately that his hand, while reaching for the gear, had ended up dangerously close to her chest.
Not great. Really not great.
He opened his mouth, scrambling for words. "Wait—this isn't what it looks like—"
Too late.
She kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying a few feet backward.
Zane hit the grass hard but rolled back to his feet.
The girl was already standing. Alert. Ready. Dangerous.
She raised her left hand and pressed it to her mouth. Her stance was tense—familiar.
Zane's eyes widened.
No… it couldn't be. Could it?
"Annie Leonhart?" he asked.
The girl froze. Her icy stare narrowed.
"Who are you?" she asked. "What is this place? Why did you bring me here?"
Her voice was calm, but beneath it, he could hear anger—confusion—fear.
Zane raised both hands slowly. "I didn't bring you here. Trust me, I'm just as confused as you."
He nodded toward the empty sky. "This world… isn't yours. I think you were pulled here. I don't know why. But I swear, I'm not your enemy."
He swallowed hard.
"I just want to talk. Please."
Annie didn't move for a moment. Then, she reached into her coat and pulled out a small silver ring.
Zane's heart skipped.
The Titan-shifting ring.
She slipped it on her finger, keeping her thumb near the hidden blade.
One wrong word, and she'd bite down—and transform.
But at least she wasn't attacking yet.
It was a start.
Then, just as Zane took a breath of relief—
A blue screen appeared before his eyes.
Floating. Glowing. Sci-fi style.
And then, a robotic voice rang in his mind:
[The Containment System of Myriad Realms has been activated.]
[Greetings, Zane Cartel. You have been selected as a Guardian Candidate.]
[Mission: Identify, contain, and balance anomalies across all fused worlds.]
Zane stood stunned, staring at the floating panel.
"A system…? Now!?"
He rubbed his temples, looking from the glowing UI to the deadly girl ready to unleash Titan wrath.
This day had gone from ordinary to absolutely insane.
Multiverse school life? Sure. He could handle that.
But now?
He had Annie Leonhart in front of him, potentially ready to destroy the block.
And in his head? A containment system asking him to "manage anomalies."
Zane Cartel let out a dry laugh.
"Okay. This is gonna be one hell of a school year."