Chapter 1
"I never thought I'd see you again. This must be fate!"
Ye Yu gently wrapped his arms around Ichika in front of him, feeling the softness of her body. A ripple of desire stirred in his heart.
Hearing his words, Ichika's tense body finally relaxed. She went limp in his embrace, as if all her strength had melted away.
She murmured softly, "I'm really happy to see you again too..."
Ye Yu's lips curved into a cryptic smile.
Her full name was Nakano Ichika—the eldest of the quintuplets from the anime The Quintessential Quintuplets.
Ye Yu had originally been an ordinary office worker on Blue Star. But then the apocalypse arrived. He awakened a powerful Devouring ability, and relying on it, he climbed step by step to the peak of strength.
One day, he woke up... and found himself in this new world.
His name was still Ye Yu, now a 20-year-old sophomore in the literature department at Nerima University.
It was only a month ago that his memories fully returned.
This world was similar to Blue Star—no zombies, no mutated beasts, no toxic environments. There was electricity, internet, smartphones, computers, and endless delicious food!
To Ye Yu, this place was paradise.
Most importantly, he had brought his ability with him.
In a peaceful world like this, he was invincible!
Just as he was lost in his thoughts, a soft knock sounded at the door.
Standing there was a breathtakingly beautiful short-haired girl.
He swore she was the most stunning girl he'd ever seen.
Pink short hair, sapphire-like eyes, and porcelain skin so flawless it seemed unreal. Even Ye Yu—an experienced veteran from the apocalypse—felt his heart race at first glance.
As a Level 5 ability user, women had never been in short supply back in the apocalypse. But in a world where everyone fought for survival, strength mattered most. Looks were secondary.
On top of that, constant exposure to contaminated food, toxic air, and poisoned water meant beauty rarely lasted—unless you were an ability user with enhanced physiology.
Ye Yu enthusiastically asked what he could do for her.
She explained she was the new neighbor and asked if some items left outside belonged to him.
During their chat, he learned her name: Nakano Ichika, a freshman at Musashino University.
That name was like a key unlocking his sealed memories.
Thanks to his powerful Level 5 mental strength, every memory remained crystal clear.
After she left, he used his super hearing—gained through devouring—to eavesdrop on the neighbors.
Names like Nino, Miku, Yotsuba... reached his ears.
He finally confirmed it: he'd transmigrated into the world of The Quintessential Quintuplets.
Though for some reason, the girls were already in college.
But seriously—the charm of these quintuplets was irresistible.
To win Ichika's heart, he orchestrated "chance" encounters and a hero-saving-beauty moment to become friends.
Then he frequently asked her out, and their relationship grew closer.
Today, he'd invited her over, claiming he wanted to show her a treasured possession.
Thanks to his spatial ability, Ye Yu had a personal storage space—mostly filled with food and weapons from the apocalypse. Precious metals and jewelry? Barely any. In the end times, food and weapons were king.
What he showed Ichika was a rare necklace from his collection.
While she was captivated, he began telling a story about meeting a cute girl when he was young... and playing cards with her.
Then he confessed: he recognized Ichika as that girl.
Yes—he'd straight-up stolen Fuutaro's childhood backstory with Ichika.
That led to the earlier scene.
Was it shameless?
Ye Yu figured that for someone who'd clawed his way out of the apocalypse, not being a complete psychopath was already pretty good.
Impersonating someone? It didn't faze him in the slightest.
"Ye Yu... you can let go of me now, right?"
Ichika's face was flushed. This was her first time being so close to a man.
Her cheeks burned, and her body trembled—whether from embarrassment or excitement, she wasn't sure.
But she didn't hate the feeling.
Ever since Ye Yu saved her, she'd felt drawn to him.
He was handsome, and they clicked surprisingly well. Everything about him captivated her.
Yet deep down, the shadow of that childhood boy had always lingered.
So when she learned today that Ye Yu was that boy... the two images overlapped perfectly.
She realized she had truly fallen for the man in front of her.
Hearing her ragged breathing, Ye Yu could no longer hold back his desire.
He gently lifted her chin and pressed his lips to hers.
Ichika's mind went blank, as if fireworks exploded inside her head.
She stiffened, letting him do as he pleased...
The next morning, Ye Yu stretched lazily, feeling deeply satisfied.
Sensing the soft warmth on his arm, he turned and lightly kissed Ichika's cheek.
He really loved this world.
Ichika let out a soft murmur, then slowly opened her eyes.
Seeing Ye Yu's mischievous grin and remembering his intensity from last night, she flushed with embarrassment and anger, pinching his waist hard.
"I have to go back. Today's the first day of school. I hope the others didn't notice I was gone all night."
She tried to get up—but a sharp ache shot through her body.
Hiss...