The E-Class Enigma

The Awakening

Chapter One: The Day Everything Changed

It was the 24th of January, 2021.

The morning air was sharp and brittle, biting at Mahiru Amana’s skin like frozen needles. Pale sunlight filtered through heavy clouds as he walked to school. The only sound was the steady crunch of his shoes on frost-covered pavement. Each breath rose in misty plumes, quickly fading behind him.

It should’ve been a normal day—quiet, uneventful. But nothing had been normal for the past three months.

As Mahiru reached the iron gates of Tsukuyomi Academy, he stopped.

A crowd of students had gathered near the entrance, whispering and pointing, their voices buzzing with awe and disbelief.

But these weren’t ordinary students.

At the center of the group stood a boy completely engulfed in flames. The orange fire flickered over his body, crackling softly, but he looked calm—hands in his pockets, posture relaxed as if waiting for the bus.

Floating a few feet above him was a girl with silvery hair that shimmered like moonlight. Her hair drifted around her weightlessly, and her feet didn’t touch the ground—hadn’t touched it, if rumors were true, in weeks.

Mahiru paused, frowning.

Three months… It’s already been three months since this madness began.

It started small—odd events, strange sightings, unexplained phenomena. Then came the battles. Not full-scale wars, not cities in ruins—just chaotic, sudden skirmishes. The monsters that appeared were real but small. Containable. The government responded quickly. The military handled the rest.

But something even more shocking emerged: people began awakening powers.

Talents.

No one knew the cause. Evolution? Radiation? A divine curse? Theories flooded the internet, but no answer ever stuck. What mattered was this: overnight, the world changed.

Mahiru watched it all unfold. Friends, neighbors—even teachers—began to manifest powers. Some were whimsical. One girl could make flowers bloom by humming. Another boy’s eyesight improved tenfold—but only when eating strawberries. Some talents were bizarre. Some were powerful. Most were completely useless.

Still, fear spread. Magic was real. And with it came panic, suspicion, and a new kind of order.

“Yo, Earth to Mahiru!”

A tap on the back snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to find a short, grinning boy looking up at him—Ema Amand.

With messy blond hair and the cheerful grin of a cartoon character, Ema looked more like a lost ten-year-old than a high school student. But appearances were deceiving. He was ranked B-class thanks to his Iron Body—tougher than steel. Legend had it he once got hit by a truck and didn’t even bruise.

“What’re you daydreaming about?” Ema asked, still smiling.

Mahiru shrugged. “Same as always. Trying to figure out when everything went insane.”

“Pfft.” Ema chuckled. “Insane is the new normal. Might as well get used to it.”

He wasn’t wrong.

Talents were now officially ranked. E-class was the weakest, and SS-class was the strongest. Most people ended up in E or D—barely useful daily. C and B meant combat-capable. A-class talents were rare and respected. S and SS? Practically legends.

Then, there was the Unique Class, which was a rank with only one known user.

The principal of Tsukuyomi Academy.

The school bell rang loudly, scattering the gawking students. Mahiru and Ema exchanged a glance and headed inside.

They didn’t get far.

A sudden shove hit Mahiru from behind, nearly knocking him over.

He turned quickly, clutching his shoulder.

Behind him stood a tall boy with spiky crimson hair, arms crossed. Two silent followers flanked him like shadows. The red-haired boy’s smirk was full of venom.

“There he is again,” he sneered. “The talentless wonder.”

“Back off, Amem,” Ema warned, stepping forward.

But the bully didn’t budge.

Then the hallway fell silent.

A new presence entered, and the atmosphere changed instantly.

She walked with purpose—each step graceful and deliberate. The noise faded around her like ripples disappearing in still water. Her long black hair flowed behind her like ink. Her uniform was flawless, her expression cold.

Her name was Stuut. Ranked A-class. A prodigy.

Boys froze. Even the fire boy from earlier looked over, blinking in surprise.

Without hesitation, she stepped between Mahiru and Amem, glaring at the redhead with eyes sharp enough to slice steel.

Then, unexpectedly, she turned—and scowled at Mahiru.

“Mahiru Amana! What are you doing just standing there?! Class is about to start!”

Mahiru blinked. “Wait, I—”

“No excuses!” she snapped, firing words like bullets. “You’re always spacing out. You never pay attention. And you’re always—always—late! Do you even care about your education?! About your future?!”

“I—Stuut, I was—”

“No. Excuses.”

Amem scoffed behind them. “Enough already!”

Stuut turned to him slowly, eyes narrowing. “You’re late again, Amen.”

He tensed but nodded stiffly.

“And why,” she said coolly, “did you interrupt me?”

He crossed his arms. “Why waste time on him? Come with me instead. Ditch the loser.”

“Oy—” Mahiru began, but he never finished.

Stout’s fist flew forward.

Her punch landed cleanly on Amem’s jaw with a sharp crack. He flew back and slammed into the floor. His followers stared in shock.

She brushed her hand off. “One punch? Pathetic.”

Without a word, she turned, grabbed Mahiru’s wrist, and pulled him down the hallway.