The first thing Kazuto Ren noticed was the smell. It wasn't the sterile, recycled air of the plane or the faint perfume of Aisaka Yume's shampoo, which he'd grown used to during their flight. No, this was something raw, earth, damp leaves, and a strange, metallic tang that clung to the back of his throat. His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to a soft, golden light filtering through a canopy of trees. The plane's hum was gone, replaced by an eerie quiet broken only by unfamiliar bird calls and the rustle of leaves in a breeze that felt too sharp, too alive.
Kazuto lay on his back, his navy school blazer crumpled beneath him, tie loose around his neck. His black hair was a mess, sticking to his forehead, but he didn't bother fixing it. Instead, he stared at the sky, too blue, too vast, with clouds that shimmered like they were woven from light. "This isn't right," he murmured, his voice low and steady, betraying no panic. He wasn't the type to lose his cool, not when he'd aced exams under pressure or faced down bullies at Japan's most elite academy. But this? This was something else.
"Kazuto! Oh, thank goodness, you're awake!" A familiar voice, bright and laced with relief, pulled him from his thoughts. Aisaka Yume knelt beside him, her silver hair catching the strange sunlight like a halo. Her violet eyes sparkled, and her face, those soft lips, high cheekbones, and a beauty that could make anyone stop and stare, was etched with worry. She wore her school uniform, the navy skirt and white blouse slightly dirtied but still hugging her curves in a way that made Kazuto's chest tighten. She leaned closer, her hands hovering over him. "I was so scared! You were out for ages, and I thought maybe you got hurt when we crashed or something!"
Kazuto's lips twitched into a faint smile, his usual cold demeanor softening for her. "Yume, I wasn't hurt. I was sleeping." He sat up slowly, brushing dirt off his sleeves. "You know I can sleep through anything, storms, exams, even your snoring."
Yume gasped, swatting his arm playfully. "I do not snore, Kazuto Ren! Take that back right now, or I'm stealing your snacks for the rest of this… whatever this is!" She pouted, but her eyes danced with mischief, and Kazuto couldn't help but chuckle. That was Yume, always finding a way to make him laugh, even in the middle of a crisis.
He reached out, tucking a strand of her silver hair behind her ear. "Alright, no snoring. But seriously, what's going on? Where are we?" His tone was calm, but his sharp mind was already working, piecing together the oddities: the glowing vines curling around the plane wreckage, the air that felt too heavy, the faint hum of energy he couldn't quite place.
Yume's expression grew serious, though her excitement bubbled just beneath the surface. She sat back on her heels, gesturing at the forest around them. "Okay, it's a lot, so don't freak out. We were on the plane to Paris, right? For the school trip. But then suddenly an insane storm hit us, black clouds and lightning covered the sky before our visions faded. Everyone passed out, except you, I guess, because you were napping like it was another day off." She grinned, poking his side. "When we woke up, the plane was here, in this forest. And it's not Earth, Kazuto. We're in a different world."
Kazuto raised an eyebrow, leaning against a twisted metal panel from the plane. "A different world? You're saying we got isekai'd or something?" His tone was dry, but he couldn't ignore the evidence. The trees were too tall, their leaves tinged with faint purple. The air carried a strange energy, like static before a storm. And the plane, half-buried in the ground, overgrown with those glowing vines, looked like it had been here for years, not hours.
Yume nodded eagerly, her hands gesturing wildly. "Exactly! It's like one of those anime we watched last summer! But it's real. Some people showed up, guys in fancy robes, calling themselves cultivators. They said this is a world where people train to gain crazy powers, like flying or shooting fire. They called this place the Azure Dragon Realm, and there are these big groups, sects, that run things. They tested everyone's 'spiritual roots' to see if they had talent." Her voice faltered slightly, and she looked down, twisting her fingers. "They took almost all our classmates to join three sects: Jade Lotus, Crimson Flame, and Starfall Pavilion."
Kazuto's eyes narrowed, sensing there was more. "Almost all? What about us?"
Yume hesitated, then met his gaze. "They… didn't pick you. Said your spiritual roots were too weak, barely above a mortal's. They offered me a spot with Crimson Flame, apparently, I've got some rare dual fire-and-wind affinity, but I told them no. stay with you." Her voice was firm, her eyes fierce with loyalty. "No way I'm leaving you alone in some weird new world, Kazuto. We're in this together."
For a moment, Kazuto was silent, his expression unreadable. Weak spiritual roots? He almost laughed. His Absolute Denial's strength wasn't something anyone could measure with their little tests. He could deny the existence of their entire cultivation system, their sects, even this whole damn world if he wanted to. With a single thought, he could send everyone back to Japan, like the crash never happened. But Yume's words stopped him. She'd given up her chance at power, at a new life, just for him. That kind of love wasn't something he could brush off.
He reached for her hand, pulling her closer. "You're too good for your own good, Yume," he said softly, his voice low and warm. "You didn't have to do that for me. You could be off learning to shoot fireballs or whatever."
Yume blushed, her cheeks against a soft pink. "Fireballs sound cool, but I'd rather be here with you." She squeezed his hand, resting her head against his shoulder. "Besides, I think we're gonna have way more fun figuring this world out on our own. Right, Kazuto?"
Kazuto's heart warmed, and he tilted her chin up, kissing her lips gently. Her lips were soft, sweet, and she melted into him, her hands resting against his chest. The kiss lingered, a quiet promise in a world that felt anything but certain. When they parted, Yume's eyes were half-closed, a dreamy smile playing on her lips. "You're gonna have to stop kissing me like that, or I'll forget we're in a crashed plane," she teased, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kazuto smirked, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "Maybe that's the idea." He stood up, pulling her to her feet. "Come on, let's take a look around. If we're stuck here, we might as well figure out what we're dealing with."
They moved through the wreckage, stepping over broken seats and scattered luggage. The plane's interior was a mess, but oddly preserved, no rust, no decay, just those glowing vines creeping through the cracks. Yume found her backpack, pulling out a bag of chips with a triumphant grin. "Score! At least we won't starve yet." She tossed him a candy bar, winking. "Your favorite, Mr. Sweet Tooth. Don't say I never take care of you."
Kazuto caught it, shaking his head with a faint smile. "You're gonna hold this over me forever, aren't you?" He tore open the wrapper, taking a bite as they sat on a fallen log near the plane. The forest around them was alive with strange sounds, distant roars, the hum of insects, and something else, a faint pulse that seemed to come from the earth itself. Kazuto felt it in his bones, a pressure that wasn't quite hostile but definitely wasn't friendly.
Yume munched on her chips, her eyes scanning the trees. "This place is so weird, but… I kinda love it. It's like we're explorers in a new world! Back home, we were just students, but here? We could be anything." Her voice was bright, her excitement infectious. "I mean, I know it's dangerous, but doesn't it feel like an adventure? Like we're in a story?"
Kazuto glanced at her, his expression softening. "An adventure, huh?" He could end this adventure right now. Deny the crash, deny the storm, deny this whole world's existence. But Yume's joy was something he didn't want to dim so easily. She was thrilled, thrilled by the idea of powerful cultivators, sects, powers beyond logic, and he found himself wanting to see where this went, for her sake, if nothing else. "Yeah, I guess it could be. But we're gonna need more than chips to survive."
Yume giggled, nudging him with her elbow. "Oh, come on, chips are life, Kazuto! But yeah, we should probably find a town or something. Those cultivators guys said there's a city nearby, something like Azure Star City, I think. Maybe we can figure out how this world works." She paused, looking at him with a mix of curiosity. "You're not worried, are you? About the whole 'weak roots' thing? I mean, you don't seem fazed at all."
Kazuto leaned back, his dark eyes fixed on the horizon. "Worried? Nah. This world's got its rules, but I'm not playing by them." His tone was calm but carried a quiet edge, a hint of the cold, unyielding power he kept hidden. He didn't need spiritual roots or sects to tell him he was strong. Absolute denial was beyond their understanding, beyond anyone's.
*Swoosh!*
Before Yume could press him further, a rustling in the bushes made them both tense up. Kazuto stood, instinctively stepping in front of Yume. His senses sharpened, picking up on a faint aura, dark, predatory, and unmistakably hostile. He felt it like a chill down his spine, a killing intent that would've made most people freeze. "Stay close," he said, his voice low and commanding, the warmth replaced by something colder, sharper.
*Swish!*
A group of figures emerged from the trees, ten of them, their robes tattered and stained, their faces scarred and grim. They carried weapons like swords, spears, and one burly man with a massive axe that looked like it could cleave a boulder in two. The leader looked like a tall man with a jagged scar across his cheek, grinned, his teeth glinting in the moonlight.
"Well, well, what do we have here? A couple of stragglers from that strange metal beast, huh? Hand over your treasures, kids, and maybe we'll let you live long enough to beg."
Yume clutched Kazuto's arm, her voice a whisper. "Kazuto, I think they're also cultivators. I can feel their aura, it's strong, way stronger than the sect recruiters. They're bandits, and they mean business. We should be careful."
Kazuto's expression didn't shift. His dark eyes locked onto the leader, calm and unyielding, like a storm waiting to break. "Bandits," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You picked a bad day to show up." He felt Yume's hand tremble slightly against his arm, but she didn't back down. That was his Yume, scared but fierce, always ready to face whatever came next to him.
The leader laughed, a harsh, guttural sound that echoed through the whole forest.
"Big talk for a kid with no spiritual aura! You're nothing in this world, lil bro. We're at the Core Formation stage, mid-tier, third layer. You think you can scare us just by those lines?" He raised his sword, its blade glowing with a faint red light, pulsing with energy.
"Give us the girl and your goods boy, or I'll cut you in half and leave her to the beasts. Plot twist: we are the beasts, MWAHAHAHA!"
Yume's grip tightened, but she spoke up, her voice steady. "You're not touching him or me, you creep. Back off, or you'll regret it." Her defiance made Kazuto's lips twitch, a hint of pride breaking through his icy facade.
The leader sneered, stepping closer, his sword raised. "Regret it? You're dreaming in daylight, girl."
"Crimson Slash!"
The leader suddenly screamed out loud and swinged his sword towards Kazuto.
*Swish!*
A wave of red energy tore through the air, aimed straight at Kazuto's chest, fast enough to kill anyone in an instant.
But Kazuto... Well, he didn't even move. He didn't need to. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he said, "I deny it."
*Shsh*
The red energy blinked out of existence, like a light switched off. The leader stumbled, his sword arm frozen mid-swing, his eyes wide with shock. "W-What the hell was that? Where did my attack go?!" His voice cracked, betraying his confusion.
Kazuto stepped forward, his presence suffocating, his voice cold as a winter blade. "I deny all of yours' existence." His words were soft, almost casual, but they carried a weight that made the air tremble.
One by one, the bandits started to vanish in thin air. No screams, no blood, no bodies, just gone, like they'd never been there. The clearing was silent again, the glowing vines pulsing faintly as if nothing had happened. Yume's jaw dropped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Kazuto… what was that? You just… erased them?!" Her voice was a mix of shock and awe, her eyes searching his for answers.
Kazuto turned to her, his expression softening just enough to ease her worry. "Just a little something I can do, hehehe," he said, shrugging it off with a wry smile. He didn't want to explain Absolute Denial to her, not yet. It wasn't about keeping secrets from Yume, he trusted her with his life. But this power was something that he wasn't ready to share, a truth that could change how she saw him. He wanted to stay as her Kazuto, not some untouchable monstrous force in disguise of a human.
Yume crossed her arms, pouting, "'A little something'? That's, like, overpowered stuff, Kazuto! You're gonna have to spill the beans eventually, you know." She stepped closer, poking his chest with a teasing grin. "But wow, you were so cool just now. Like, total action-hero vibes. My heart's still pounding!"
Kazuto smirked, pulling her into his arms. "Action hero, huh? Guess I'll have to keep that up for you." He kissed her forehead, lingering there for a moment, her warmth chasing away the chill of the forest. "Let's get moving. That city you mentioned, Azure Star City or whatever. We'll head there, let's see what this world's all about."
Yume beamed, looping her arm through his as they started walking. "Yes finally! Adventure time! I bet there's gonna be things like, floating markets and cultivators, flying on swords. Oh, and maybe we can find some real food too. Chips are great, but I'm craving sushi." She giggled, her enthusiasm lighting up the path ahead.
Kazuto glanced at her, his heart softening. He could deny this whole world, send them all back to Japan in a split second. But Yume's excitement, her love for this strange new reality, is keeping him away from doing that. He'd play along for now, let her have her fun. This world was vast, full of dangers and secrets, but none of it could touch him, because he was the "Absolute Denial". And as long as Yume was by his side, he had a reason to keep going.
As they walked, the forest hummed with life, and Kazuto sensed faint presences in the distance of cultivators, beasts, maybe something older, darker. He ignored them, focusing on Yume's chatter and the warmth of her hand in his.
Kazuto never needed to care about them... They were not worthy enough to gain Kazuto's attraction.