Shirone was floating in the darkness.
It was a cold, quiet space filled with countless stars scattered throughout.
It was an overwhelming, infinite world.
Suddenly, the scene, which had seemed frozen in time, began to accelerate, and the stars stretched out into long lines.
It's pulling me in.
Among the stars gathering in one spot, there was a sphere made of rock and gas, its size unknown.
No!
Shirone shuddered as the stars collided, but before he could react, the planet started to disintegrate.
It was a phenomenon that went against the laws of physics.
Time is flowing backward.
As the stars continued to move, Shirone's body began to disintegrate as well, and during this process, his consciousness started to fade.
And yet, I still exist.
Shirone didn't know what exactly this last remaining part of his being was, but somehow, he still existed and felt everything in the universe compressing into a single point.
At the end of this chain of events, where light, time, gravity, and universal forces merged, there was only...
Vibration.
The light was vibrating.
As he went deeper, the light turned into bubbles that bubbled up and repeated the cycle of creation and destruction.
In that moment when everything was filled with light, and even the last pieces of Shirone's essence came together...
Iced coffee.
It was an intense sense of integration.
...!
It was like a huge explosion.
"Eww!"
Shirone jolted upright from his bed.
His clothes were soaked in cold sweat, and the sweat dripped down his body as if it had rained.
He looked around the room. It was quiet, and the moonlight softly filtered through the window.
The familiar scent of books filled the air.
Only when he saw the photon theory books scattered across his desk did he feel that everything was real.
Whew, another nightmare.
He drank some water from the kettle and opened the window. The cool breeze of the early summer night helped clear his cold sweat.
Why does this happen every night? What on earth is happening to me?
Shirone had been having the same dream every night ever since he entered the Infinite Realm during the speed gun test.
While the dream itself didn't seem too terrible, the shock upon waking up was immense.
Something feels off.
A wave of anxiety suddenly washed over him.
Since experiencing the "Immortal Function," everything about him felt... wrong.
"Euuuuu."
Shirone hugged himself as the cold air hit him once again.
Even if it's just a nightmare…
The real problem was the strange feeling that lingered even in the waking world.
He couldn't put his finger on it, but it felt like some of his senses had become sharper.
But what exactly is that?
It wasn't a heightened sense of smell, touch, or improved hearing or vision.
It's not the five senses... this is something else.
It was like gaining an entirely new sense.
"Are you a ghost or something?"
The sound of a piano came from the ceiling.
Shirone turned in surprise, only to realize that it was already dawn.
He sighed and made his way to the bathroom, his tired eyes barely open.
I don't think I've slept at all.
Since the advanced class practical evaluation had finished last week, regular classes were starting again today.
That's a relief. If I just focus on training, I won't have these strange sensations.
With that thought, Shirone quickly changed clothes, packed his bag, and left the dorm.
The atmosphere in class was calm.
After the competition ended and the students reconciled, most of them were discussing the speed gun test.
Usually, after a practical evaluation, each class receives a star, but this time was different.
This was because Class Five's speed gun test had made such a huge impact.
It was natural, then, that two students with unprecedented scores of 1,200 had risen to the advanced class.
"Huh? Isn't that Shirone over there?"
As Shirone walked toward the advanced class building, he could feel the shift in his status.
He had gone from being known as a promising prospect and Amy's boyfriend to being the school's representative student.
Maybe that's why the senior students in his class started approaching him and talking to him.
"I saw your speed gun performance. Let's stay in touch from now on."
"Yes, senior."
The strict seniority system meant that moving up in the ranks was hard, but if someone had exceptional skills, you couldn't treat them carelessly just because they were juniors.
In that sense, Amy had been smart to recognize Shirone's potential early on.
After exchanging greetings with the seniors, students from Class Six approached him next.
"Hello, senior!"
"Senior Shirone, I'm a big fan! Can I study like you from now on?"
This was the class that had been most upset when Shirone had been promoted early. They had been stuck in the middle, while Shirone had gone from Class Seven to Class Five.
But now, even the seniors in his class considered him a potential rival in the graduating class, so they had to put their past grievances behind them.
"What are you doing after class today? We're having a magic demonstration later. Do you want to come, senior?"
"Our research group is going on a vacation. Come with us. I'll be your partner."
Shirone politely declined the offers and finally arrived at Class Five.
"Shirone! Shirone! Shirone! Shirone! Shirone!"
As soon as the classroom door opened, a classmate grabbed Shirone by the neck and pulled him inside.
Shirone, caught off guard before he could even put down his bag, was confused by the excited looks of his friends.
"What's going on?"
"The semester's almost over. Come join our study group. We're making one with the kids from Class Five. The performance evaluation is on a free topic, so it'll be quick and fun. Come join us."
"Hmm."
Shirone had received numerous offers to join a club but had always turned them down.
"No, think about it. I heard you don't join study groups because you focus on personal studies, right? Well, there are quite a few students like that here. But you still have to do the performance evaluation. That's why we're making this temporary group. It won't take much time, and we can disband once we finish. You can still study in your spare time."
"Aha, I see."
It was a reasonable strategy.
Since the performance evaluation was a free topic, it wouldn't be as strict as theory or practical evaluations. It would be foolish to join an existing group, finish the evaluation, and leave.
So, the plan was to create a temporary group to handle the evaluation.
Just then, Neid came running over.
"Hey! What are you talking about? Shirone is off-limits! Shirone is mine!"
A friend who knew Neid's true intentions spoke up, as his friends looked at him in confusion.
"You're joking, right? Are you trying to get me to join that weird research group? Shirone, you absolutely can't join that. Don't join our group, just pick any other research group. I've never heard of Naid doing a performance evaluation while I was at school."
The Paranormal Science Research Society had a long history, but its official activities were very rare.
"Huh? Neid, do you have a research group? Where is it?"
Neid quickly looked around and used his sharp wit to avoid the situation.
"Heh, of course I do. Who wouldn't have a research group, especially if you're the most popular person in school? But anyway, since Shirone can't join, I'll take her with me."
As Neid tried to pull Shirone away, the student who had suggested the research group shouted out.
"Hey, Shirone! Think carefully! Don't go in there! And Neid, stop trying to get Shirone into that group and let her go somewhere comfortable!"
"Hahahaha! It's too late to say that. We've already crossed the line!"
"Wait! What does that mean...?"
Shirone's words were cut off as the door slammed shut, leaving the students in the classroom stunned.
"…What did he just say?"
"This is a big problem. That guy Neid, he really seems to be trying to drag Shirone into it. We can't let ourselves get caught up in this."
"No, it looks like they've already been dragged in. Why did they leave? Class is about to start."
Shirone stepped into the hallway and pulled his arm away from Neid.
"Hey! Even if I say so, what's this 'forbidden line' you're talking about?"
"Haha! You're not wrong. You're the only one who's seen the true nature of the Paranormal Science Research Society."
"The reality of the research group? There's nothing to see."
Neid, glancing around, made Shirone sit down.
"Just sit for a moment."
"Okay, okay. Stop being so dramatic."
Neid's voice became quiet.
"You're the only one who's actually been to the research center. So, you can't ever tell anyone about it."
"Nobody asked me if I'd tell anyone or not."
"Anyway! We don't have any active members left, and the management is thinking about shutting us down. We need to keep everything quiet, so don't mention anything about the paranormal."
"Okay, I wasn't planning on talking about it anyway."
Shirone thought that the research group was close to falling apart, but in the shadows, a few members who understood its true value were plotting to take over, while the teachers were desperate to disband it by any means.
"By the way, Shirone… Are you really going to join the research group created by the genes?"
"I've thought about it. Why? Is there a problem with that?"
"Of course. No matter how unpredictable the performance evaluations are, it's not worth joining a group just for the sake of it. Besides, you're aiming to be the top student. Every point counts. It would be better to work alone or join a proper study group, rather than trying to make do with some shabby place."
In graduating classes, some students score perfectly in certain subjects, so a one-point difference in the performance evaluation can be a huge factor.
Hmm, but if I do the performance evaluation on my own, it'll take too much time.
Shirone, thinking about it, said.
"What if I join the Paranormal and Psychic Research Society?"
"Shirone, you?"
"Yeah. From what I've heard, it seems like you don't have any external activities, and you and Iruki both need to do performance evaluations anyway. I figured it would be better to do it with you guys rather than mess up another good research group."
"Haha! That's true."
Neid readily agreed.
That part, however, was the reason Neid hadn't been able to recommend it to Shirone sooner.
It had been 45 years since Alpheus Magic School was established. While most students passed their graduation exams and entered the workforce, there was another society hidden from most people, where extraordinary things were happening.
The Paranormal Science Research Society was one of those places.
Shirone asked again.
"Well, what I said earlier was a joke. What do you think? How about you, me, and Iruki doing a performance evaluation together like this?"
"Are you sure you're okay with this? I'd love it if you joined, but honestly, this isn't a normal study group. I can't explain it in full, but I'm sure it's not what you think."
You could tell there was something to hide from the way Neid and the others acted. But a study group formed solely for grades, without real interest, wasn't appealing either.
"Actually… it's not just about the performance evaluation."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I've been acting a little strange lately. I was planning on asking you guys anyway. I thought paranormal science might be able to explain it."