April 6, 2065. 7:07 AM.

Seiki and Matsuyuki were taking the direction to their school until…

"Good morning, Matsu, Sei!"

They were greeted by Hofuri, one of the few people they could call a friend. The three of them had been close ever since their enrolment at Matsunogi Elementary Academy and always ended up in the same class every year. Her mother was supposedly in charge of Umesato Junior High School, run by the same management as Matsunogi. Apparently, there were special circumstances that allowed her to get to that position, but Hofuri didn't get to ask her about the details.

They walked towards the school, chatting on about topics concerning their real lives, until a notification popped up on each of their Neuroqlests.

"Woah, looks like a new mail from our master."

"Let's see… looks like things are truly getting bad."

"Indeed. Matsu-chan hadn't gotten much sleep these past few days. I wonder what's going on over there."

"I-I can handle myself just fine!", Matsuyuki pouted in response, to which Seiki grinned and said:

"Ohho, says the person who overslept just now?"

"Aaahh, that's private business! Private!", she spoke in a flustered manner, a tinge of red appearing all over her face.

In the midst of this tense atmosphere, Hofuri had a slight chuckle and said to herself:

"You two haven't changed a bit, huh?"

Apparently, they had just gotten a message from the person they called 'their master', saying that there was trouble brewing on the other world they inhabited, and they were to meet later today to discuss the matter. As such, they were forbidden from diving even accidentally until then.

"Well, let's put that aside for now.", Hofuri rebuked. "And let's enjoy our last year of elementary school together!"

"Yeah!", Seiki and Matsuyuki cheered in unison.

However, as soon as they arrived, there was a huge commotion going on. There was a new student who had just arrived, causing all the rage amongst the attendees there like an oncoming storm.

For their last year in elementary school, Seiki, Matsuyuki and Hofuri would again be in the same class as determined in the class list. However, there was one student in there whose name wasn't there before. Of course, Seiki wasn't really friends with a lot of her classmates, but even she could pick out an irregularity in her life when she saw it.

Just then, that student appeared before them. Though Seiki couldn't really make out the details, something about her seemed awfully familiar.

"Alright everyone, we'll be having a new transfer student this year! Come on in!"

As the homeroom teacher spoke those words, the door opened as if commanded by a signal, and the student came walking through, sporting long, perfectly braided black hair.

Throughout their time at Matsunogi Academy, Seiki and Matsuyuki were both regarded as girls with exceptional beauty, who could make other students fawn over them. However, the person in front of them, looking as if she were a statue sculpted from ice, made them catch their breath to the point where they wondered if she was even a real human.

"Who is she?"

"So cool!"

The new student paid no mind to the ongoing chatter and introduced herself by writing her name on the virtual blackboard terminal.

"I'm Kirigaya Arisu (桐ヶ谷 娃里珠). I just transferred here from Aeterna Girls' School. I look forward to working with all of you."

"Whoa, Aeterna Girls' School?!"

"That famous girls' school that is every girl's dream?!"

"Why would she come here though?"

"Does it matter? We've got an ojou-sama here in our class! Kyaa~"

Apparently, Aeterna Girls' School was an elite school that had an almost hundred-and-thirty-year history. It was a premier landmark school that rich girls had the privilege of attending, so it was almost unheard of to transfer from there unless you had difficult family circumstances.

The chatter went on, but Seiki was more focused on the student at hand. She was, without a doubt, the same transfer student as the one whose name just appeared on the class list.

Five years ago, the two sisters were approached by a mysterious ethereal beauty with a similar aura as her, who gave them a rather bizarre application that changed their lives to this day. They had not exchanged names back then, but Seiki was certain. This was the same person who offered the two sisters a new path…

Arisu quickly turned her jewel-like obsidian eyes towards Seiki and Matsuyuki, hoping to interact with them a little. For the most part, Seiki could feel at ease with other people, but the aura of Arisu in particular, which she herself could not even begin to describe, made her a little on edge. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't wary around her.

However, Arisu spoke unperturbed, her voice crystal-clear like the flowing of water and sharp like that of a blade, effortlessly destroying any mental defense Seiki put up:

"Don't be so afraid. I came to this school specifically to meet you two."

"Eh? To meet us? But why?"

"Simply because I wanted to.", Arisu spoke rather matter-of-factly. "But if you really want an answer, it's quite a long story. As I said in the mail, there's a big danger looming over that world…"

"Hmm…"

Seiki turned over to Matsuyuki, who was having a bit of a trance herself while speaking to her friends. For the most part, Matsuyuki was rather popular with her fellow students, giving a helping hand to them in times of need. Whenever something seemed even remotely off with her, they would notice it right away. On the other hand, Seiki didn't have many friends to talk to, choosing instead to keep watch on her troublemaking younger sister.

Just then, the morning bell for the first period rang.

"Alright then, we'll talk at lunch today and find out what's wrong."

With that, Seiki and Arisu got to their respective seats, with Arisu sitting in the middle of the front row. As the overprotective big sister, Seiki volunteered to sit behind Matsuyuki, through she herself didn't like the feeling of being watched all the time, so she compromised by having her overprotective older sister sit on her left side.

After their regular classes, Seiki and Matsuyuki went over the lounge to have their lunch, where they were met by dozens of onlookers.

There was lots of chatter surrounding them, which was a matter of course. However, neither sister cared much, and instead went straight to the lounge where Arisu was waiting for them. They bought Hofuri along as well as this was a matter deeply concerning the other world they were in.

In the game they used to play, Arisu was the submaster of a legion called 'Neo Galaxia', a group that signified a new era about to take place in the virtual world that ran for many decades. Its members were plenty, but Seiki, Matsuyuki and Hofuri were among the legion's core.

"Once again, it's nice to meet you, Kurozaka Seiki (黒阪 精奇), Matsuyuki (末幸) and… Nakamura Hofuri-san (中村 祝), right?"

"Y-Yes, that's me."

"I see. I'm glad I finally got to meet all of you in the real. Now then, let's get down to business. We've confirmed there is a group of players who are attempting to cause a cataclysm in EE and disrupt the balance. Matsuyuki, you can sense it too, don't you?"

"Right… everyday… I hear the cries of people there…"

Apparently, Matsuyuki had a special power – not game-specific, but one since birth to listen to the inner voices and emotions of others. At first, she was wary of others because of her power, but over time, she began to comfort the souls of those who were hurting inside.

"Exactly. We don't have a lot of time. If we delay any longer, the suffering that's going on there will increase. EE will turn from a peaceful world into a hellscape where certain darkness would infect others. So…"

With a finger jab pointed towards her comrades, Arisu continued:

"…we strike at them now and ensure they cease whatever they are doing."

With most of the cast in the school ready, Arisu quickly sent a message to the rest of the legion members and said:

"Then, we're heading out now. We've set the disconnect timer for fifteen minutes, so we can clear this malice and come back. And we go in MR mode just in case. Everyone good with the plan so far?"

"Right!"

They all shouted the forbidden command to enter the new world:

"Eclipse Link!"