Chapter I

The world around me plunged into darkness, as if a heavy curtain fell over my eyes, accompanied by a loud ringing that assaulted my ears. My body throbbed with pain, and exhaustion threatened to drag me into a deep sleep. Just as I was about to surrender and succumb to the sweet embrace of slumber, a flurry of barely audible voices reached my ears.

"Are you done already? Where are your big-shot moves now? Aren't you going to show me my place?"

"Ha! Pathetic! Can't even take a couple of simple punches."

"That's what you get. Trash!"

"Now, now, don't be so harsh, or he'll run crying to his mommy and daddy."

The words dripped with mocking disdain. I strained to lift myself up, but a splitting headache held me down, as if someone were scooping my brain out like a scoop of ice cream.

Suddenly, a deep and authoritative voice cut through the commotion, causing my headache to throb even more. I could finally make out my surroundings. Above me loomed a massive transparent dome, like a futuristic stadium. I found myself lying on a surface so polished and cold it could have been marble.

"Who gave you permission to use the training facilities?"

A middle-aged woman with vibrant purple hair, clad in a uniform that resembled a soldier's, strode toward the area where I lay.

"Mr. Arther!"

The boy who had been sneering at me froze, snapped to attention, and saluted the woman. She proceeded to deliver a stern reprimand while I tried to gather my bearings. I glanced around and noticed people in the stands, their eyes fixed on the unfolding drama. Some regarded me with smug amusement, while others anxiously followed the conversation between the two figures on the stage—or at least, that's what it felt like.

"Staff, escort Mr. Vincent to the Medbay."

With those words, the woman commanded two men in medical attire to approach me. They swiftly hoisted me onto a stretcher, and as the world blurred before my eyes, I slipped into unconsciousness.

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Now, here I am, sitting on a futuristic hospital bed, surrounded by an array of medical equipment and wires that seem to be keeping me together. The nurse by my side kindly explains that the contraption fastened to my torso is a state-of-the-art healing device, designed to accelerate the recovery of my internal injuries.

As I try to make sense of my bizarre situation, two burning questions consume my thoughts: Where in the world am I? And who on earth is this Vincent person they keep mentioning?

I struggle to recall any concrete memories, but fragmented images flash through my mind. I remember the mundane tasks of daily life, like doing laundry, when suddenly chaos erupted in my kitchen. However, the memories that follow are hazy and incomplete, leaving me in a state of confusion. I can't even remember my own name, let alone the faces of my loved ones or the sound of my friends' laughter. It's as if a dense fog has settled over my past, obscuring everything in its path.

Just as I start to feel lost and uncertain about my circumstances, a surge of unfamiliar memories floods my consciousness. It feels as though a burst dam is releasing a torrent of information, overwhelming my fragile sense of self. The intensity of these memories threatens to push me into unconsciousness once again, but I manage to cling on, gritting my teeth and refusing to let go. As the pain subsides, a startling realization hits me—I am not the person I thought I was. The memories flooding my mind belong to someone else entirely—someone named Vincent.

The realization sends a shiver down my spine, and fear grips my heart. I can't help but question whether I am possessed by a spirit or if I'm somehow recalling a past life. The circumstances surrounding me are far from ordinary. First, I found myself subjected to mockery and derision from strangers. Then, I woke up injured in a stadium I had never set foot in before. Military personnel roam the area, adding to the sense of unease. And now, I'm confined to this strange contraption, which only adds to my mounting anxiety. My thoughts spiral into extreme possibilities, considering everything from secret government experiments to UFO abductions.

In the midst of my mounting panic, a mechanical voice echoes from an unseen source, cutting through the chaos.

"Patient Status: unstable, invoking code blue."

Before I can process the meaning behind those words, darkness engulfs me once again, and I slip into unconsciousness.