Died without knowing why.

Outside the mall in Laguna, beside the famous park where many people could be seen walking around.

A man smiled foolishly outside the game shop as he stared at his hand, which was holding a new famous game console he freshly bought from the shop with some of his savings.

"Sigh, I spent 3 years of my hard-earned money to buy this console. Fortunately, it would be worth it."

Leo muttered in a low voice as he sighed deep within.

Today is his birthday, February 20, 2025. Since he just turned 25 today, Leo decided to enjoy himself slightly by spending some of his savings.

Although it was a bit heartbreaking for Leo, in order to enjoy this particular day, he reluctantly bought the console he had always yearned for a couple of months ago.

Hehehe, Sigh.

Leo laughed and sighed at the same time, not knowing whether he should be happy or sad at the prospect of finally buying what he wanted with his savings.

Still, I should play all day in order to make my money's worth.

Shaking his head, as he readied himself to grab a taxi to go home and enjoy his newly purchased console... when suddenly, from out of nowhere, the sound of commotion from the distance caught his attention.

Loud shouts and angry screams from countless people resounded from the park nearby, dozens of meters away from him.

"A protest?" He silently thought, a bit curious about the commotion.

As he was pondering whether he should gossip and approach the commotion in the distance, a sudden deafening sound of a seemingly gunshot rang inside the commotion, followed by the loud horror shrieks coming from the people and the chaotic sounds of marching and running.

"Wha...what is happening?" Leo thought, completely overwhelmed by the sudden change and chaos that took place in the distance.

"Isn't that just a protest? How could there be someone holding a gun!?"

Standing in his original position, Leo could see people running in his direction. Their faces clearly showed confusion, fear, anger, and panic as they ran away from the park at a hurried speed.

He even saw a child at the age of 8 crying in the corner, dearly holding a stuffed toy toward his chest while shouting and calling for his parents.

Shaken greatly, Leo doesn't have time to organize his thoughts as he instinctively approaches the crying child in the distance, intending to help.

"Damn! Irresponsible parents!" He cursed angrily.

Pushing away the people in his way, Leo slowly but surely shortened the distance between him and the child.

As he was approaching the child, in the corner of his eyes, Leo saw countless people fall to the ground, getting stomped by the panic crowds passing them as they cried for help.

He even saw a blooded figure running for his dear life, but only to get pushed towards his doom.

Bang! Bang!

Bang!

As he almost reached the child, three consecutive shots of the gun resounded in the chaotic park.

Raising his head, Leo instinctively looked at where the sound of the gun originated.

In an instant after turning his head toward the direction of the park, Leo's dark brown eyes instantly constricted, and his heart beat fastened at an alarming rate.

Dozen meters away from him. Men covered in black clothes and wearing black devil masks were walking leisurely towards his general direction; in their hands were rifles and revolvers in different categories, which still could be seen spewing smoke.

Every second they advanced, they would raise their guns toward the running crowds, shooting indiscriminately. While doing so, their eyes would reveal a euphoric expression, clearly enjoying what they were doing.

Damn! Damn!

Damn, mad people!!

Leo cursed inside his head as he, without wasting time, ran toward the crying child in the corner in panic.

He never expected that his birthday present would be this unexpected and unforgettable.

...

Reaching the side of the child, Leo immediately squats down and carries the crying child before dashing away from the dark-suited guys.

He didn't even know why or how he managed to do it in an instant, but the strength he shows currently seems incomparable to normal standards. If he could think properly, he would learn that this phenomenon is called adrenaline rush.

Dashing with all his might, Leo breathed quickly as his back became drenched with warm, sticky sweat.

At some point, the child that he was carrying stopped crying and just buried his little head toward his chest.

"Hah, huff... don't worry, I will make sure that you will find your parents," he said while gasping, making the child in his chest less afraid but still tremble occasionally.

The dark-suited guys in the distance were still firing their guns indiscriminately around them...

While doing so, one of the mask guys seemed to notice something and stared at the rushing figure of Leo in the distance. Raising his revolver with one hand, he fired at the fleeting figure with disdain clearly written on his eyes.

Bang! Bang!

"What the?!"

Leo, who was running for his dear life, almost stumbled as he glanced at the hole in the ground less than meters away from him in pure horror; he knew that the bullet was directed at him.

Almost hitting him!

"Why me!" He almost cursed at the masked guy a dozen meters away from him; fortunately, he managed to swallow his words, or else they might put their attention towards him.

"So warm..." As he was rushing with all of his might, the innocent voice of the child he was carrying entered his ears. Although the child's voice is low, with how close the distance is, he still manages to hear his little voice.

"Warm?" Confused, Leo asks the child while gasping for air.

"Warm," the child replied, clearly having no idea where the warm liquid came from since his eyes were tightly closed.

Shaking his head, Leo didn't pay attention to the child as he gritted his teeth and rushed in a random direction.

...

After a full minute of running in a random direction, Leo's strength and adrenaline seem to evaporate as he slows down.

Although he could still hear the sound of the gunfire in the distance, it was already far away from them.

He could assume that they are safe for a moment.

Without any strength anymore, Leo slowly put the child on the ground...

Thi... This!

He didn't even put the child on the ground when Leo exclaimed inside his head as he saw the child's clothes covered in red and warm, sticky blood. Even his stuffed toy was covered with blood to the point that blood was leaking from it.

Without thinking about it, Leo already guessed what happened.

Greatly shaken, Leo tilted his head down and looked at his chest, which at one point became covered in fresh blood, making his mind greatly shaken as he slumped slowly toward the ground, weakly facing the clear blue sky.

"I see... I... got hit by the bullet..."

He mumbled weakly as he saw the sky seemingly darken for a moment before a crack appeared and revealed a dark void devoid of any light. Instantly engulfing his vision.

"Is that Nirvana?" He thought weakly, as his eyes blurred before completely becoming dull.

"Brother?" The child asks as he stands up and approaches Leo, shaking Leo's body in an attempt to wake him up...

***

Unknown to the people, above one of the tall buildings, a man wearing a dark windbreaker looked down toward the ground, silently watching the unfolding chaos with great interest.

Interest in a way of watching how pathetic the people below were.

A minute later, as if feeling something, the man's lips curled up slightly before gazing at the distance where Leo's body lay lifeless on cold ground in silence.

"He's already dead? I didn't expect one of the future powerhouses would die just like that."

What could I say?

"Pathetic..." The man mumbled in disdain before gazing toward the sky full of cracks, revealing a darkest void devoid of any light, before continuing to watch the chaos below.