Zane Cartel had been in this world for three years now.
Three long years of adjusting, surviving, and planning.
He had arrived here as a confused teenager, memories of two lifetimes fused in his brain. Since then, he'd balanced living as a student, adapting to a new world—and preparing for whatever came next.
During that time, he worked hard, studied obsessively, and eventually earned his way into Sobu High School, one of the top three academies in this anime-like world. But beyond school life, Zane had another identity—one that paid the bills.
He became... a manga artist.
Not by passion at first, but out of necessity. Money was needed. Rent, food, supplies. And in this world—especially in Sakura Land—manga and light novels were king.
Light novels didn't come easy to him. He hadn't read many, and the writing style wasn't his strength. But manga? That, he could manage.
So, after two and a half years of drawing and editing, late-night coffee and sore fingers, he created his first real serialized project.
A story about giants, walls, rebellion, and survival.
Attack on Titan.
And now, that story had come crashing into his life in a very real, very dangerous way.
He sat at the table across from Annie Leonhart and calmly handed her a stack of hand-drawn manuscript pages.
She looked confused, her blue eyes narrowing. "What is this?"
"Something I drew," Zane said casually. "Take a look."
Suspicious, but curious, Annie took the thick stack and carefully examined the first page.
What she saw made her freeze.
"This is... the world inside the walls of Paradis Island," she whispered.
Her hands trembled slightly.
Her eyes scanned the page.
"This is Eren... and Mikasa."
Each panel was detailed. Lifelike. Terrifyingly accurate.
She flipped through the next few pages, faster now, panic rising in her chest.
Colossal Titans breaching the outer wall. Reiner smashing through the inner gate. Children screaming. Mothers crying.
Everything was too real. Exactly as it had happened.
Annie's pulse spiked. Her lips parted, but she didn't speak.
It was her world. Her past. Her sins—captured in ink.
She turned more pages, her expression shifting from confusion to grief.
The scene showed her own time in training. Her life as a cadet. The other recruits. The long days and nights of pretending to be someone she wasn't.
She turned another page—and then stopped.
Because the next pages... were events that hadn't happened yet.
Scenes from the future.
Her betrayal. Her desperate transformation. Her battle. Her eventual defeat.
Her body encased in crystal.
Everything laid bare in black and white.
She kept flipping, refusing to believe. But the story was there, fully drawn.
The exact events she knew, and ones she hadn't lived yet.
When she finally reached the last page, Annie lowered the manuscript slowly. Her hands were shaking.
She stared at Zane.
"How do you know this?"
Zane didn't answer directly.
Instead, he said, "Sometimes, stories from one world leak into another. They come as dreams, or ideas. Artists call them 'inspiration.'"
He leaned forward.
"But that's not the point. The point is... you, Annie, are one of many anomalies now crossing into this world."
He let that sink in before continuing.
"This world—Blue Star—is not ready for them. Beings from other realities, each with dangerous powers, are slipping through the cracks. And someone needs to contain them. Someone needs to protect the people here."
Zane paused, then said clearly:
"I want to protect this world. But I can't do it alone. I want you to help me."
Annie remained silent.
Her eyes dropped to the drawings again. Then to her own hands. To the ring on her finger.
She looked lost.
Confused. Torn. Fractured.
"…I just want to go back," she said at last.
Zane didn't push further.
He stood up and offered a small smile.
"Fair enough. I won't force you. But you must be hungry. Let's eat first. Then we'll talk again."
Before she could respond, the doorbell rang.
Annie stood up immediately, tense.
Zane waved her down. "Relax. It's probably the delivery I ordered earlier. Just some computer parts."
He walked to the door and called out, "Yes?"
A voice responded, muffled from the hallway: "Delivery. Computer accessories. Please confirm."
Annie heard the exchange and cautiously lowered her shoulders.
Zane returned a minute later carrying a sealed box. He placed it aside and moved into the kitchen.
Soon, the sizzling sound of food filled the air.
The smell of eggs and rice drifted out, rich and savory.
Fifteen minutes later, Zane returned with two plates of steaming hot egg fried rice. He set them on the table and added two cups—one filled with water, the other with a fizzy black drink.
He placed the bottle beside it. "This is Coke. Try it. You'll love it."
Annie eyed the food suspiciously.
Zane smiled. "Worried I poisoned it? Fine. You can take mine."
He handed over his plate.
Annie hesitated, then nodded. "Thanks."
She dug in.
And immediately her eyes lit up.
Compared to the moldy bread and cold soup from her home world, this meal was divine.
She devoured the first few bites—but ate too fast.
She choked.
Zane pointed at the Coke. "That'll help."
She shook her head and poured herself a glass of water from the kettle instead.
She drank it quickly—
—and then frowned.
The water tasted… strange.
Before she could dwell on it, her vision started to blur.
The world around her tilted.
Dizziness hit her like a wave.
"No—"
She recognized the signs instantly. Poison. Tranquilizer. Something slipped into the water.
"Damn it!" she whispered, and reached for her ring.
She managed to press it—metal barbs popped out and pierced her skin—
But before she could trigger the transformation, Zane was already in motion.
He lunged forward and grabbed her hand, clamping his palm over the ring.
Her blue eyes met his one last time.
"Go to sleep," he whispered.
Darkness claimed her.
___________________________________
Get membership in patreon to read more chapters
Extra chapters available in patreon
patreon.com/Dragonscribe31