1 Prologue

—Touch it gently.—

"Like this?"

—Now put two fingers inside, if it is wide use three fingers.—

"Hmm, it looks wider than the normal one."

—Make sure it is wet and rub up and down.—

"I never thought it would be so difficult washing a cup."

The youth said as he paused the video and kept the phone aside.

Taking a deep breath, he sighed but was not quite sighing.

"Why do I have to do this?" he said.

Having wasted a considerable amount of time efficiently, he began washing the utensils. After rubbing them with the already worn out scrub, he washed them with the water gushing from the faucet.

He wiped his hand with the hand towel hanging near the faucet and walked towards the living room.

Despite sloping more to the large side, the room was neither too small nor too large.

Sitting on the couch, he grabbed the remote control from the table. Turning on the television, he began flicking through the channels.

—The origin of life is one of the great mysteries in the Universe. To determine the origin of life, scientists are investigating the problem in several ways. Some scientists are studying life on our own planet. Some scientists are seeking out life or fossil life on other planets or moons in our solar system. And other scientists are trying to detect life in other solar systems, either by measuring life's effects on the atmospheres of distant planets or by measuring artificial radiation like radio signals that advanced life may produce.—

—Thus far, the most fruitful approach has been to examine life on our own planet. However, even in our own backyard, it is difficult to determine life's origins because it began at least 3.5 billion years ago. We know that life began at least 3.5 billion years ago, because that is the age of the oldest rocks with fossil evidence of life on earth. These rocks are rare because subsequent geologic processes have reshaped the surface of our planet, often destroying older rocks while making new ones. Nonetheless, 3.5 billion year old rocks with fossils can be found in Africa and Australia—*click*

-They are going all out with this crap, huh?

Standing up, he turned off the television and closed it.

"Science cannot prove everything. Knowledge that we all believe is a fragment of our future reality can also be an assumption adapted to suit the needs of distinct species."

Walking into the bathroom, he rubbed his back. A foaming stream of water gushed out as he opened the tap on the handbasin.

He splashed cold water on his face and looked into the mirror. Wiping his face with the white cloth he grabbed from behind the door, he put on an outdoor outfit.

"You are kidding me, right?"

Lost and penniless, those few words were all he could think of.

Well, penniless wasn't quite right. He had his wallet in his pocket, and setting aside the fact that he had an abundance of minor change and very few notes, it couldn't be denied that he had his assets on him.

More than enough to go to the nearest mall to do some shopping and eat some lunch. Still, he could only be referred to as penniless.

Afterwards, he went to the nearby store to get something to eat.

"Was the ramen always this expensive?"

Flipping the rare ridged 10 yen coin he was holding, the youth sighed deeply.

He was an unremarkable youth, bearing short black hair and average stature. He had some muscularity which, combined with his cheap jersey, gave off the air of an athlete.

His sharp eyes were his only noteworthy feature, and now even they drooped helplessly.

The banality of his appearance was such that one could instantly lose him in a crowd, however the gazes directed at him were those of wonder and incomprehension, as though they were looking at something strange. He exhibited the same reaction.

The youth could only cross his arms in comprehension as the brazen gazes washed over him.

"So basically, it's like that, huh?"

Snapping his fingers, he pointed at the black sky and shouted.

"Where the heck am I?!"

Nothing but these formless, microscopic creatures covered the world before his eyes.

※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

Hayasaki Shu was born in Heisei-era Japan's pressure-free education system.

He had lived seventeen years, and to describe his life would take another seventeen years.

Setting that aside, we could simply describe his present situation as "High school third year, shut-in."

Or in more detailed terms, "A piece of trash who disregards everything, even his parents, to shut himself in his shell even with his entrance exams right around the corner."

There was a strong and particular reason for his solitude, but he had also tarnished it.

On typical weekdays, he would occasionally think "Getting up now would be a pain", and that became an impetus to cut school.

With his absences steadily increasing, before he realized it, he'd become an exemplary shut-in who brought tears to his parents.

He spent his days in sloth, plunging ever deeper into the net with minimal communication.

"The result being stuck in this box with this creepy jelly, huh…I don't really get it myself."

Reconfirming his surroundings yet again, he heaved his umpteenth sigh.

Leaving his original location, the young man began walking in a random direction.

The idea might be worth a try if it both excites and terrifies you in equal measure. This was what Shu was feeling at the moment while looking at the amoebic creatures around it.

An endless array of eye-like dots that stared at him while ignoring him at the same time surrounded his eyes. They were harmless since Shu had been walking on them for a few moments prior, and there had been no changes in their reactions.

"Supposing this is A New World Fantasy, I guess this must be the standard medieval civilization…But where's the civilization?" Shu said.

He thought back to the sights he'd seen on his way to the alley and organized the information in his head, or so he thought he would. But wherever he moved his eyes, there were only these jellies scattered everywhere, with a black sky that seemed like it's been closed from outside.

"What am I supposed to do here?" Shu uttered loudly.

[PARTICIPANT - 1]: [SYSTEM ACTIVATION COMPLETE]

[SCAN COMPLETED]

[CODE NAME: 1] - [SAFELY CONSIGNED]

[LAUNCHING THE PROJECT]: [BILLION RECURVES]

-Eh? What the heck was that supposed to mean?

"Hey, who was that? What am I doing here?"

…

-No response, huh.

"Am I supposed to walk like this until I die?" Shu asked.

-Tch, nothing again.

While carrying some preferences in mind, Shu calmed down and continued walking forward.

First, calmly analyze this time period's culture and its differences with Japan(which was already repealed). Determine any differences in the laws of physics, and possibility of contact with humanoid organisms. These were his priorities.

[PARTICIPANT LOCATED]: [OCCUPYING A 250-METER RADIUS]

[MOVE 225-METER IN THE LEFT DIRECTION]

Shu couldn't hide his excitement when he heard those words and smiled with relief. For him to catch up with the other person, he started running in the direction the voice pointed at.

[PARTICIPANT NEARBY]: [DISTANCE - 200 M]

[PARTICIPANT NEARBY]: [DISTANCE - 150 M]

[ACCESS DENIED]: [REPOST TO THE START POINT]

While running, Shu vanished, returning to the point from which he started.