Chapter 1: The Leap

In this world, there is one indisputable fact - god's have reigned and shaped the world as they see fit. They have been there ever since the beginning of creation, and they will always be a constant. But when humans were created, the gods had felt an emotion they had never felt before, they felt as if their authority was threatened. A new species, alike in their image - a reflection of themselves, had struck fear into their hearts. However, the gods, in all of their cunning glory, had discovered that humans had feared something even greater than they feared them - they discovered that humans had feared death. Using this knowledge to their advantage, they had seized control of death, and monopolized it. They weaved tales of dogma and mythos which converted the human race's fear of death into fear of their power. The human race seeked refuge and comfort from death, and they gave them that. They had successfully subdued and made the human race submit to their rule. However, exceptions from the fact still remained - individuals who did not fear them, who did not bend to their power, and followed their own will. Individuals who had shaped the world, like them, on their own terms. Instead of erasing them, they had instead decided to employ these individuals to do their divine bidding for them, as they are the only ones who could see through to what all the gods could see - truth. 

These individuals were eventually branded as "Soldiers of God" - otherwise known as Angels.

-

August 1st, 1945.

A cold, summer evening. Out in the rice paddies of Hiroshima, a fight between two children breaks out. One of them throws a punch against the other boy, causing him to fall to the dirt.

BOY: "I know you took it, Asahi!"

Asahi stands up and wipes himself off, the dirt and dust coming off of his samue spreading into the air, a mocking puzzled look is drawn onto his face.

ASAHI: "Took what? I didn't take anything!" 

The boy becomes more irritated, clenching his fist hard once more. 

BOY: "I'm not gonna ask again! Just give it back, you street rat!"

Asahi immediately becomes angered, he puts on a look of rage on his face and lunges at the boy.

ASAHI: "Don't call me that, you jerk!"

Asahi gets on top of the boy and starts pummeling him. The boy tries to punch back and block some of Asahi's flailing punches. 

OLD MAN SHIZUO: "Hey! Both of you stop it!"

Asahi and the boy still continue throwing punches at each other, as the old man runs over from the rice paddy to stop them. 

-

At night time, just outside of a rice paddy, Taka, Asahi's brother, along with Asahi are seen apologizing to a stubbled older man. Taka is bowing and forcing Asahi to do the same.

TAKA: "I'm sorry for my little brother's behavior towards your son today! I promise I won't let it happen again!" 

Taka forces his brother to bow deeper to the man, Asahi is slightly annoyed. 

BOY'S DAD: "Oh don't worry! Kids will be kids, Taka. Besides, it reminds me of a certain brat a couple of years back who'd get into scraps all the time."

The boy's dad starts letting out a boisterous laugh, as Asahi turns to look at his brother who is seemingly flustered. 

TAKA: "I'll be going now, please apologize to Old Man Shizuo for me as well. Oh, and also tell him that I'll see him tomorrow!"

Taka and Asahi start walking down the dimly lit dirt road in silence, until Taka hits Asahi on the head. 

ASAHI: "Ow! What the hell was that for?!"

Asahi starts to rub his head, as Taka puts on a displeased face.

TAKA: "Ya really expect that you can just stay quiet all this time and get away with what you did? Oh no no, it's not that easy lil' brother. Now c'mon, spill you runt!" 

Taka gets closer to Asahi, trying to intimidate him into telling the truth.

ASAHI: "I-I didn't do nothing! That kid just wanted to fight!"

Taka gets closer.

TAKA: "You sure?"

Asahi looks away, with a face laced with guilt.

ASAHI: "I-I may have… borrowed a book."

Asahi mumbles and looks away, as Taka's face eases up. 

TAKA: "'Borrowed'?" 

ASAHI: "...I maybe took it without telling him."

Taka backs away, and sighs.

TAKA: "What kind of book was it?"

Asahi turns to look back at his brother. 

ASAHI: "I-It's a book about stars and planets."

TAKA: "And where is it?"

ASAHI: "At home."

Taka idles, he takes a breath while looking around him, before looking back at his younger brother and telling him;

TAKA: "Finish it, and when you're done, make sure to apologize and return it to that boy." 

Asahi's face lights up, as he nods. Taka continues walking down the dirt road as he gestures for Asahi to catch up. He runs over to Taka excitedly. He asks him a question. 

ASAHI: "Isn't your boxing match tomorrow?"

Taka grins. 

TAKA: "Yeah, it's against this guy called 'Asato the Tank', although from what I've seen he's a little more on the skinnier side, heh."

He giggled to himself. Asahi was now curious.

ASAHI: "'Tank'? Was he in the army like you?"

TAKA: "Dunno, but I never saw him in the navy that's for sure. Then again, the navy is big…" 

Asahi lets out a sound of curiosity, and looks at Taka. He then feels a twinge of regret for the question he's about to ask.

ASAHI: "You know… Uncle was in the army, and he said he loved it. So I want to know, why did you leav-"

TAKA: "Listen, Asahi. Whatever you do, don't trust that man. Taking that book from that boy was one thing that I could let go, but… no matter what happens, I can't let you listen to whatever uncle tells you."

Takas face glares into Asahi's with unprecedented seriousness. Asahi looks away.

ASAHI: "...Fine, I won't bring up Uncle around you ever again. But, could you still answer the question?"

Takas face eases, then takes on a whimsical look as he looks around. 

TAKA: "I'll answer your question, but first…"

Taka begins running into one of the nearby paddies, Asahi is surprised.

ASAHI: "W-WAIT UP!" 

Asahi starts running after him, chasing Taka into the field and through the grains. After a while, Taka stops, with Asahi behind him, exasperated and gasping for air.

ASAHI: "W…What was that about, brothe-"

Asahi notices the shining specks in the water, and he looks up. The pair of brothers are enshrouded in pure darkness, listening to the wind run through the grains, and the two brothers left face to face alone, with the splattered midnight sky. Asahi's eyes beam up in wonder. 

TAKA: "Ahh… this midnight sky. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it."

Taka sits down on the ground.

TAKA: "And you like stars too, right Asahi?" 

Taka gestures to Asahi to come sit down next to him, Asahi comes over and sits next to his big brother, whilst Taka spreads his legs and arms out wide and lays down. He then takes in a deep breath of the midnight sky and sighs. 

TAKA: "...This is why."

Asahi stopped stargazing and looked on over to his brother with a puzzled look.

TAKA: "The night sky is supposed to be the same everywhere, no matter what. But… being all the way out there, far away from home, looking at the night sky, it wasn't the same. That was not the night sky I loved looking at, it was a fake. Smoke and smog covered the air, tensions were high, and the night sky that I took comfort in suddenly felt like a big old blanket that kept the sun from us, a blanket that tortured us and smothered our hopes, our dreams, our futures."

Taka gets up from his position laying down, still looking at the stars while his brother looked at him. 

TAKA: "So… I ran. I ran away from that illusion that tortured me. Ran back home, to you. Everyone else might call me a coward, but…"

Taka puts his rugged hand on top of Asahis head, and ruffles his hair. 

TAKA: "I like this better." 

Asahi swats his brothers hand away annoyedly, his brother laughs teasingly. They both go back to watching the stars.

ASAHI: "Hey Taka?"

TAKA: "Mhm?"

ASAHI: "You better knock him out in one punch tomorrow, ok?"

Asahi plants his fist on his brother's shoulder.

ASAHI: "And if you can't, then I'll be there to finish the job myself!"

Taka grins. 

-

Asahi sleeps peacefully on a futon with drool in his mouth, with only the light of a door shining on his face, with Taka being on the other side. Taka closes the door, then hears a knock at the front door. Taka opens it. An old man wearing a black fedora, a suit, and a black trench coat appear. 

UNCLE: "Heyo, Taka-boy!"

Taka has a displeased look on his face. 

TAKA: "Come in. I'll get tea started."

The old man grins.

UNCLE: "Thanks!"

- 

UNCLE: "Whoo! You still know how to make a great tea, just like your mother." 

Taka frowns. The old man continues sipping, he then pulls out a pack of cigarettes, opening it and popping one of the bone colored rolls in his mouth.

UNCLE: "Mind if I smoke here?"

Uncle grins, and Taka reluctantly takes out a lighter from his pocket and flicks on a small ember from its cold-hard steel. Uncle puts his cigarette over the flame, and takes a huge puff from it, releasing a grey cloud into the room. As he smokes, he looks at Asahi's bedroom door.

UNCLE: "You know, I remember 11 years ago when Asahi was bor-"

TAKA: "Enough of the bullshit, why are you here so late, Unc?" 

Uncle smiles. He puts down his cigarette on ashtray and sits up straight. 

UNCLE: "You know something, I fought in the first World War. Stationed at Tsingtao, ironically enough with your old man and a couple of other faces you may recognize. We fought tooth and nail for that port. Yeah, and we ended up in trenches too. And lemme tell you, it was… the worst. Me and your dad sat in our piss and shit for weeks, till we were given the go ahead to liberate the port. Some of us died in those trenches, whilst some of us lost limbs if we were lucky, and didn't just end as a splatter of fucking red mist. It was really hell on earth."

Taka is silent. 

UNCLE: "However, there was something I saw that day. A miracle. On that battlefield, I saw it. In your father. Standing atop all those bodies, as he gunned down every single motherfucker on that field. And when I looked into his eyes, y'know what I saw?"

Uncle pauses. He leans in close to Taka, and says...

UNCLE: "Death; without remorse." 

He goes back.

UNCLE: "And I still saw that look, even years after the siege. And I think… I felt the same too. So we decided to do something about it. My point is, Taka… You owe me. I saved your brother from the jaws of the yakuza, and I saved you from a war that'll change the world forever. You were never much like your old man, you never had that look..."

Uncle pulls out a strange object from underneath his trenchcoat, a grotesque and gruesome looking stone. 

UNCLE: "I want you to eat this."

Taka gets confused.

TAKA: "What the fuck is this? Some sort of demented tea snack? I'm not eating that."

Uncle laughs at Taka's sarcastic comment and refusal. Uncle sets the stone down on the table. 

UNCLE: "I'll leave it here if you change your mind. It tastes horrible, but I'm warning you right now... if you don't eat it, you'll no doubt lose tomorrow."

Taka glares at Uncle.

UNCLE: "And if you lose... I'll take everything you hold dear away. Your life, your peace, your brother... I'll strip you of everything you love."

Uncle stands.

UNCLE: "Got that, brat?"

-

Taka stands in the light, looking at it and basking in it before he is interrupted by the sound of a bell as Asato closes in. Taka pushes further into the center of the ring, already a little bit hurt, dodging blows from Asato. As he does, he also exchanges a few blows with his opponent, trying to weather down his stamina. Asahi watches ringside, cheering on his brother and analyzing each blow exchanged between his brother and Asato. Eventually, the bell rings as they both have a cross counter exchange. Both fighters limp back to their corners and sit down. Old Man Shizuo, who acts as Taka's coah, and Asahi approach Taka with water, a bucket, and a towel. 

OLD MAN SHIZUO: "You've got him on his last legs kid, power through, stay light on your feet, and look for an opening, and lash out. After all, you still have that." 

ASAHI: "You're doing great Taka, just kick his ass a little more and I know you'll knock him out!"

Taka smiles and nods, he looks to the stands, seeing his uncle and a posse of yakuza behind him, smiling. As soon as the bell rings, Taka swiftly stands up and slowly closes in on Asato. However, something's off, he looks at Asato, wondering why he's just standing still in his corner. Taka freezes, he feels a sudden overwhelming heavy atmosphere come over him, and so does Asahi, as he looks confused. 

TAKA: "What the hell? My body suddenly feels heavy, is it fatigue? Right now?" 

Everything feels slowed down to Taka. Asato standing menacingly in the corner of the ring, Takas eyes dilate, while he breathes exasperatingly and his heart beats make sounds as loud as thunder. 

TAKA: "Something is off, I don't like it."

Taka then slaps himself for a brief second.

TAKA: "No, I don't need to think about that. Right now, I just gotta get knock him out-"

Taka opens his eyes, and all of a sudden, Asato is there. Sending up an uppercut at lightning fast speed. Taka barely dodges it, getting grazed by Asato's fist leaving a cut on his face. Taka strafes away, but Asato closes in faster than he could even blink, sending out a right straight which Taka blocks, but is sent sliding back on the mat. Taka pants, trying to recollect himself whilst not trying to fall to the mat after Asato's punch. 

TAKA: "What's with this guy, is he TRYING to kill me?! That punch wasn't normal, hell it was way stronger than it was before! He must be doped up, I don't know when he did it but he's gotta be-"

Taka looks up to his Uncle in the stands. 

TAKA: "That stone... did this fucker eat it?! Is this what Uncle meant when he said I was gonna lose if I didn't eat it?!"

Taka begins to close the distance between him and Asato. Asato begins to do the same. Taka strikes, and his opponent sends out a counterattack at him. Even though it was fast, Taka just barely managed to dodge it. Taka keeps sending out punches and dodging his opponents attacks. Until suddenly, Taka messes up, and takes a direct punch from his opponent square in his face. He is knocked hard into the mat. 

ASAHI: "Taka! What just happened, old man? That punch looked way harder than it did before! Am I just imagining it?"

OLD MAN SHIZUO: "No, you aren't. That same punch wasn't that strong just a few rounds ago, but now that felt like it had the force of a cannon behind it! What changed…?!"

The referee is starting the countdown, Asato is beginning to look relieved and ready to walk out the ring, arrogantly not even facing Taka, as he lays knocked out on the mat. As the countdown reaches the count of 7, it seems like it's over for Taka. Until… 

TAKA: "Ahh, that was a good punch. I don't think… I'm getting up from this."

Taka then remembers Asahi, his memories of happiness with his brother. Them watching the stars the night before, his little brothers beaming smile. He then remembers Uncle's threats, about how he'll strip away everything that he holds dear from him. He remembers the stakes, about how if he stays down here, it'll all be over. Taka recalls the moment...

And uses it.

TAKA: "...Y'know what? Nah, fuck this."

Taka gets up onto his knee on the count of 8. 

TAKA: "I'm not gonna have everything I care about be taken away from me again. The yakuza, Uncle, even you, you cheating bastard Asato! All of you fuckers can try as hard as you want... because I'm gonna hold on tight and not let go. And I'm gonna do it all without eating some disgusting ass stone! So you can just stay right there and look pretty, trust me you won't be before long... because right now?" 

Taka stands on the count of 9. He smiles an evil grin. 

TAKA: "RIGHT NOW I JUST WANNA KNOCK YOU OUT!"

He yells out to Asato.

TAKA: "Where do you think you're going, you monstrous bastard…? I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU JUST YET!" 

He is inspected by the referee, and Asato is stunned and angered by Taka's persistence, as are the yakuza. The bell rings again, and Asato instead closes in the distance between him and Taka. He sends out a straight, thinking of sending Taka back onto the mat once more and ending the match. Instead, Taka dodges it, barely scratching him, and Taka sends out a counterpunch straight to his face. However, Asato takes the punch head on, smiling and not even flinching. Taka is shocked, his instincts kick in as he jumps out of the range of Asato before they send out another lightning quick jab. Taka is breathing heavily. 

TAKA: "That was close! I can't take another hit like that again!" 

Taka's breathing slows and he calms down. He analyzes the situation. 

TAKA: "He managed to take a punch straight to his face without flinching?! He's beyond even being just doped up, I've never heard of a performance booster that can act so quickly and have effects like this."

Asato closed the distance fast, eager to throw a right at Taka to knock him down once more.

TAKA: "Shit! He closed the gap between us way too damn quickly!"

Taka guards successfully but is sent back with Asatos right.

TAKA: "He dealt a nasty blow to my arm just now! Not good, if this keeps up one of his punches is absolutely going to shatter my guard!"

Taka looks at his opponent and once again glances at the distance between them, forming a strategy in his mind. 

TAKA: "He's one of the nastiest infighters I've ever fought, that's for sure. He closes the distance between us before I could even blink, and he hits like a damn truck too." 

Asato once again closes the distance, attempting to send out an uppercut. However Taka takes a step backwards, and sends out a jab that connects with Asatos jaw. 

TAKA: "For now, I've gotta keep my distance and just hope to wear him down with a couple of jabs. Once I get him in position, I could use that." 

Asato continued to throw himself at Taka, landing some hits that Taka could take without getting knocked down, but Taka wasn't letting up either, letting jabs flash out left and right, keeping his distance from Asato. However, Asato eventually comes in from Taka's right, faster than he could see him, and he lets out a right landing straight into Taka's face. Asahi cries from the sidelines.

ASAHI: "TAKA!!!" 

A straight like that, square into Taka's face. It seemed like the match was over, until…

TAKA: "Heh…"

Unflinching and uncoiling, Taka takes the punch in stride, just as Asato had done to him before.

TAKA: "Don't think you're the only one who could do that too, ASSHOLE!"

Taka unveils his secret weapon; the switch-hitter style he's been secretly mastering all this time. He rips it out, screaming.

TAKA: "PHOENIX STYLE: UPRISING COUNTER"

Asato tries to guard, but the uppercut breaks through, and lands the hit on his chin. The punch sends Asato flying, and crashing himself onto the mat. A silhouette of a middle-aged looking man, leaning casually on a wall watches Taka in the arena, as he sends Asato flying.

ELIAS YUUL: "*whistle* Wow, what a surprise. That lad really is…"

He stands impressed.

ELIAS YUUL: "...quite a bit of a monster, eh?"

ANNOUNCER: "KNOCKOUT!!!" 

The crowd is in an uproar, Taka rests himself on the ropes, giving his brother a thumbs up from across the ring. Asahi smiles back at him looking content, he sends another thumbs up to Taka. As the referee counts down, Taka sighs in relief for the match, finally being over. But then… at the count of 9, Asato gets up faster than anybody could even blink, even the referee was in shock, much less Taka.

REFEREE: "A-are you oka-"

ASATO: "Yes. Let's continue…"

Asato wipes his face, he smiles devilishly.

ASATO: "...We don't have much time." 

Taka is shocked and struggles to lift himself off the ropes, but when he stands up and assumes a guard against Asato, as soon as the referee allows them to resume, Asato appears in front of Taka in the blink of an eye.

TAKA: "Wha-"

Faster than Taka can even process Asato's speed, Asato sends out an uppercut that lands square on his chin, sending him bouncing into the ropes, and bouncing back into Asato's reach. Asato hits him again, sending him back onto the ropes and back to him. He unleashes a barrage of attacks against the helpless Taka. Asahi looks on with horror, seeing his brother being treated like a punching bag. Taka appears to be knocked out, but is still being tossed back and forth between Asato's fist and the ring's ropes. Taka is being pummeled by punch after punch, his consciousness fades away. As Taka falls, however, his mind enters a different space...

-

Taka stands still, looking down to 2 pieces of manju he holds within his palm. A chilly air surrounds his body, as he looks up and around him to see that he's standing in the middle of a crowded street, in front of a treats shop, the orange light from within gracing his face with it's warmth.

As he looks around him, he notices something. He notices... that everyone around him wears a smile. Not one that's overly happy that it seems forced, but not exactly a subtle one either. Everyone that walks past him is genuinely happy, not something he's seen since the war had started. He also could've sworn that it was summer, but now he feels the presence of autumn has rolled in, as it swirls all around him, which makes him deeply confused. He also could've sworn that he was actually in a boxing ring as well, although he can't remember the finer details, he knows this wasn't where he was supposed to be. 

"What the hell is going o-"

Then, he hears it.

ASAHI: "TAKA!!!"

He turns to his right, and sees his little brother running towards him in the distance. He wears a long grey coat and a beaming smile. As he gets closer, Taka eases on his suspicions, and slowly eases into a smile. At this moment, right here and right now, nothing matters, because as cold as it is right now, Taka has never been this warm. 

CHAPTER ONE END.