Journey to Planar World

The city remained alive even though the clock struck midnight. Neon lights from izakayas illuminated the narrow streets, while the sounds of laughter mixed with loud conversations filled the air. White-collar workers, with loosened ties and weary faces, sipped sake under the pressure of their superiors, trying to ignore the creeping fatigue.

However, atop a majestic office building, far from the hustle and bustle of nightlife, something strange was happening. A space-time rift, shimmering like a shattered mirror, appeared in the air. Cold, chilling alien energy emanated from the crack.

A boy, about ten years old, stepped out. His skin was as white as snow, his hair just as bright, and his golden eyes glowed faintly under the moonlight. He wore a neat white shirt and black shorts, looking like an ordinary child—except for the cold, indifferent gaze he directed at the world around him.

”I sense the presence of the Savior in this world.” He murmured, his voice sounding flat yet filled with disdain.

”Are they roaches? They never learn, even after being destroyed countless times.”

The boy was the Abyssal Devourer, a creature that aimed to steal the World Source, which would bring about the apocalypse of the world itself if the World Source was stolen to a certain degree.

In fact, his intelligence far surpassed even graduate students from the world’s leading universities. However, behind his innocent face, a dark intention lurked that could bring about total destruction.

”Whatever. The Savior is nothing more than a nuisance.” The Abyssal Devourer sneered slightly.

He raised his hand, a pitch-black energy flowing from his body. A dark magic circle began to form in the air in front of him, radiating an aura of destruction and chaos.

”Summon.”

The light from the circle dimmed, and a figure of an old woman with short lavender hair appeared. The woman wore a sky-blue priest’s suit with white embellishments and black lines around the collar, sky-blue pants with white embellishments, and black high heels. She knelt with one leg in front of the Abyssal Devourer, her eyes filled with respect and dedication.

”Greetings, Lord. Give your command.” The old woman said in a raspy voice.

The Abyssal Devourer looked at her indifferently.

”Tomorrow, I want your creation, the virus, to have spread throughout Japan.”

The old woman bowed her head lower.

”Understood, leave it to me, Lord.”

After ensuring his command was received, the Abyssal Devourer nodded. He didn’t have direct combat power; as a Summoner Type, his strength lay in manipulating and using the villains he summoned.

”I’m going. Make sure your plan goes smoothly. Don’t let yourself be found. Even though your virus can destroy human civilization, you yourself are no different from ordinary people. A single bullet can take your life.”

Of course, the Abyssal Devourer wasn’t worried about his summoned villain. It was just that he was worried that the Savior had the power of karma to track down his hiding place.

Better safe than sorry.

”Yes, Lord.” The old woman replied.

The Abyssal Devourer turned his small body and walked away calmly. He knew that the Savior knew of his arrival. Therefore, he had to find a safe hiding place before dawn.

In the distance, the city lights continued to shine, unaware that a great threat had just emerged in their midst.

❀❀❀

The next day.

Morning.

Yotsuba opened her eyes slowly. Usually, she was the first to wake up among her sisters, due to her habit of helping the sports club. But something was strange this time. The place she woke up wasn’t her usual room, but a cold, unfamiliar room.

The walls were made of unknown cold metal, and the floor was covered with a material that felt slippery under her fingers. Around her were several small beds with people sleeping on them—Ichika, Nino, Miku, and Itsuki.

”This… where? Why are we here?”

No matter how cheerful she usually was, Yotsuba panicked.

She immediately crawled towards Ichika who was sleeping on the bed next to her. Carefully, she shook her sister’s shoulder.

”Ichika, wake up! Wake up quickly!”

Ichika opened her eyes half-consciously, her short hair disheveled.

”Yotsuba… it’s still morning… let me sleep a little more…” She complained, her voice heavy with sleepiness.

It was known that Ichika was the last one to wake up among the quintuplets.

”This is not the time to sleep! This is not our room! Look around you!” Yotsuba said in an urgent tone.

”...”

It took a few seconds for Ichika to fully wake up. She looked around, then immediately sat up straight.

”What the…?”

Without wasting any time, Yotsuba woke her sisters one by one. Nino complained loudly when her shoulder was shaken, Miku murmured protests in her sleep, and Itsuki almost slapped Yotsuba reflexively. But once they were all fully awake, their drowsiness was replaced by panic.

”WHERE ARE WE?!” Nino shouted, hugging herself.

”Could we have been kidnapped?!”

Miku, the most timid among them, was very restless and anxious to wake up in a strange place.

”Why are we here? What’s going to happen to us?!”

”Calm down, Miku!” Ichika said, trying to control the situation even though her own face implied confusion.

”We have to think about this with a cool head.”

At that moment, their attention was diverted to another corner of the room. There was a young man also sleeping there, separated from them by a thick glass wall.

”Who’s that?” Nino asked, approaching the glass.

”He…” Itsuki was stunned, recognizing the other party’s face.

”He’s Uesugi Fuutarou! The number one student in the entrance exam at Asahiyama High School.”

Nino stared at Itsuki in confusion.

”Who? Do you know him?”

Itsuki nodded slowly.

”Yes. Yesterday, I asked him to be our tutor, but he arrogantly refused. I don’t know why he’s here with us.”

Their commotion seemed enough to wake Fuutarou. The boy opened his eyes slowly, blinking a few times before realizing that he was in an unfamiliar place.

”Where am I?” He murmured, sitting up while scratching his head.

Nino, with an angry expression, tapped on the glass wall.

”Hey, you! Why are you here?! Are you one of those who kidnapped us?!”

”What?!”

Fuutarou looked at them with a surprised expression.

”I don’t even know where I am! Besides, why would I kidnap you? I don’t have time for that kind of nonsense!”

”We don’t know why we’re here either!” Nino replied in a sharp tone.

Ichika immediately stepped in between them, raising her hand to calm the situation.

”Stop arguing. It’s no use. We need to figure out what’s going on.”

”What needs to be figured out?” Fuutarou complained. ”I’m a poor guy. If this is a kidnapping, they chose the wrong target.”

”This doesn’t make sense…” Miku said softly, her eyes welling up.

With the atmosphere becoming increasingly chaotic, Ichika finally took control.

”Okay, listen. We need to find a way out first. If we keep arguing, we won’t we won’t get anything done.”

They all agreed, although their faces still showed confusion and anxiety. After checking around, they found a metal door in one corner of the room. Unfortunately, the door was locked and couldn’t be opened.

”Come on, open it!” Yotsuba tried to pull the door handle with all her might, but her efforts were in vain.

”Stop, Yotsuba. You’ll only hurt yourself.” Ichika said, pulling her sister away.

”I don’t like this at all!” Nino shouted angrily, kicking the wall of the room in frustration.

”Whoever did this, I’ll make sure he pays dearly!”

Itsuki, who had been silent all this time, held his hungry stomach.

”I’m hungry… how can we eat in a situation like this?”

Ichika tried to stay strong, even though it was clear she was also scared.

”At least, there are food supplies and other necessities here. We won’t starve.”

Fuutarou watched from behind the glass, trying to digest the situation.

”This place… is strange. It’s too complete to be called an ordinary prison. Why are we all here?”

”Why are you asking us?” Nino retorted sharply.

”Because I want to know too!” Fuutarou replied in the same tone.

Ichika sighed deeply.

”Enough. We won’t find anything if we keep arguing.”

Although they were still frustrated, they finally decided to stop trying to open the door and focus on checking what was in the room. They found canned food, bottled mineral water, and other equipment enough to survive for a few days.

After a while, the atmosphere became a little calmer. Miku sat in the corner, clutching her knees while trying to hold back tears. Yotsuba checked every corner of the room, looking for something that might be able to be used to open the door. Nino just stood there with an annoyed expression, occasionally tapping on the glass wall. Itsuki was busy checking the available food, while Ichika continued to try to keep everything under control.

On the other side of the glass, Fuutarou sat leaning against the wall, staring at them with furrowed brows. This situation didn’t make sense to him. He wasn’t a valuable target for kidnapping, and he had never dealt with these five girls since rejecting Itsuki’s request.

”What’s really going on here…?” He murmured softly.