Akihiro

A dim and fuzzy scene of a room within what appears to be inside a medical ward. Two patients, laying on separate beds, a noise of a beeping machine that gradually lost its volume, and the lingering scent of blood.

"Mom, Dad! Please wake up, don't leave me," a child crying for help in between their beds.

I reached out to touch the child's shoulder, but he turned his head first towards me.

"Ah, you look familiar," I pondered. It felt strange. The child's bright yellow eyes were bawling with tears, how miserable he was. A doctor walked in, went through me like I was a ghost, and reported to the child that his parents had died.

"You must be their son. I'm sorry to tell you but, your parents are dead. I'm sorry you lost your family at such a young age. Is there anyone that could take care of you after this?"

The child's legs gave out as he collapsed to his knees and was deafeningly silent, unable to respond to the doctor's question.

"Aki, there was nothing we could do. Your loss has truly grieved me."

When I heard my name, Aki, I felt a squeezing ache in my chest, like if a thousand needles were piercing me.

Reality jolted me back to the point my memory could recall where I was. I woke up in my room and sighed.

"Another nightmare. I've been having these for two consecutive days now."

When I looked around, I realized I had been up all night playing a video game till I passed out. I stood up and switched off the screen because it was still on with the game playing on its screen. I checked my mini virtual alarm clock right next to my computer and saw that I was practically late for school; it wasn't uncommon, but I wasn't in the mood for some scolding. I hurried to the shower and finished as fast as I could and changed into my uniform, grabbed the sandwich I purchased yesterday from the fridge, and finally took my bag along with my Cyberboard.

(A Cyberboard has a similar design to a skateboard but has far more advanced technology that allows it to fly its rider as well as other features)

"I'd be toast if I didn't have this board with me," I muttered to myself.

When I opened my front door, I noticed a deformed figure across my apartment on top of a roof with an antenna. I was in a hurry, so I brushed it off and mounted myself on my Cyberboard, and soared to the top of my apartment. I was drifting through the skies of Cybertown, the most populated of the three floating cities built by the "Rerum" organization back when Cryptids were destroying the mainland. It's so congested that not even a single Cyber vehicle can travel through the tight streets where people generally stroll. Everything is mainly buildings. So, the majority of us Cyber vehicle users are flying on top of them.

"Almost there," I gladly said to myself. So, by doing a gesture using my right foot, I opened the holographic UI from my Cyberboard and checked the virtual clock. I was already 5 minutes late even though my apartment was close to the school.

I clicked my tongue and whispered to myself, "I'm gonna get yelled at by Mr. Manla again." He always scolds me on a daily basis.

Mr. Manla was already outside the gates and noticed me as I was about to land, but he didn't have his usual unpleasant expression on his face every time I see him in the morning. I landed on the ground and dismounted my Cyberboard; Mr. Manla was waiting for me outside the gate; I braced myself for the usual shouting 'Why are you late again, Mr. Kaiba?!' but today he was quite peaceful.

"Mr. Kaiba, Since you are always late for school, it will not be an issue today if you deliver these printouts to your classmate Ms. Hinata, who has been absent for two days.", he calmly requested.

"Who is Hinata?" I confusingly asked. I wasn't the sort of person who was popular and had friends at school. I don't recall anyone's name in my school, even the teachers. But because Mr. Manla continually scolds me every day for being late and not engaging in school enough, he's the only professor whose name I remember.

"Geez, you need to remember your classmate's names, Kaiba. She's your class's student representative, for Pete's sake!" Mr. Manla was quite disappointed with my question. "Here are the printouts, and I'll also give you directions on your Cyberboard's map so you can know where her house is; even if it's nearby, it's still best to be cautious.".

I got the printouts and was relieved that I didn't get shouted at again. While Mr. Manla was installing my Cyberboard instructions to Hinata's residence, I asked when I could give her the printouts.

"If you won't mind, could you send it to her right now? I'm quite worried about her since I received no letters about the reason for her absence." As he answered my question, he handed me my Cyberboard. I could tell he was concerned about his pupil, so I accepted his proposal. But because I also wanted to ditch class. Mr. Manla is a strict but kind professor; he scolds me but then pats my back and says 'excellent job' every time I was in the mood to be productive.

"Sir, I'll tell you the reason for her absence once I get back." I delightfully said to Mr. Manla.

"Be back as soon as you hand out those, okay? I'll take care of your attendance so be careful on your way," he smiled and walked away to the school's gates. I mounted on my Cyberboard, activated the UI, swiping for the map interface, and dashed to Hinata's residence. While soaring, I realized that my apartment and Hinata's house were quite close on the map. I eventually landed in front of the house and walked to the door to ring the doorbell; no one replied, so I rang it again still no one responded.

I pressed a button to send a message inside. "Hello? I'm Aki Kaiba. I only want to hand out these printouts from our professor," I explained.

No one replied, but I heard footsteps and assumed she was on her way to open the door.

A few minutes had passed since I heard the footsteps, and the door still hadn't opened; I was curious and fearing if she was in danger, so I loudly knocked on the door three times. I was ready to contact the Public Safety Bureau because I was becoming frantic, but then I heard a loud unearthly shriek. I instantly recalled the news from yesterday about the other two cities having difficulties with the surge of incidents involving Cryptid's inexplicable appearances. My heart was beating fast and loud that I could hear it clearly, but just as I was ready to yell for aid, I heard a scream from the second story. You can tell that she's calling for help. I didn't have time, and I was already engaged in the situation, so I had to decide whether to ask for assistance or be the one to help.

"Fuck it," I blurted out.

I tossed my backpack and printouts to the ground and grabbed my Cyberboard. I rammed through the door with all of my entire weight until it burst free from its hinge. After that, I hurried through the corridors and went up the stairs, but there was another scream from the left door, so I swiftly turned around and kicked it down. There I finally found Hinata with a horrified expression, laying on the floor, eyes peering at the ceiling, scratches and blood marks all over her body and clothes.

"Above you!" Hinata yelled loudly. When I turned my head and looked at the ceiling, I saw something horrifying.

The lower half of a spider and the upper half of a humanoid woman with a face severely disfigured, according to the book I had read about Cryptids, for sure it's the Arachne, a Greek mythological creature. It has an appetite for beautiful women but has a weakness of electricity.

It was my first time seeing a Cryptid with my own two eyes, and the sight of its eerie long spider legs clinging to the ceiling and awful visage horrified me. I was shocked and unable to move, but just as my mind was able to think, the Arachne screeched and spat its webs at Hinata, limiting her movement and dragging her outside the room's open window.

"Damn it! I couldn't put a stop to it. Move your fucking body!" I shouted at myself out of frustration. "I don't wanna regret my actions, so move!"

I was already deeply involved with the situation, so I hardened my resolve. I gritted my teeth and dashed to the open window. I saw one of its eight legs on the roof. Fortunately, I was able to spot the Arachne, despite the fact that it has one of the quickest climbing speeds on solid walls. I mounted my Cyberboard and squeezed through the window as I flew to the top; eagerly, I caught up with the Arachne, but Hinata, on the other hand, got entrapped by one of its web cocoons.

I observed an antenna while flying on top of the roof and thought to myself, "Isn't this the roof I saw this morning with the deformed figure?" I reflected on myself. "If I had reported what I witnessed earlier, this would not have happened," I lamented and dismounted my Cyberboard.

I was terrified as I stood face to face with the Cryptid, with its disgusting eyeballs on a human head, but I had already resolved that I needed to do something that I wouldn't regret, so I developed a strategy.

I placed my Cyberboard beside me to focus but suddenly, the Arachne spat its webs at me just as I was about to set it. Luckily, I responded and evaded it in time, and found myself standing behind the antennae. So, I decided to pull off one of its poles and flung it as strong as I was able to at the Arachne. It avoided it, but its placement was far enough away from Hinata. So I took the opportunity to bend down and touch the roof to activate my Phenomena 'revamp' I can alter or reorganize solid material in any manner I desire. Although doing it without a license could get me in trouble but, I had no other choice.

I altered the roof to construct a pillar of asphalt capable of knocking the Arachne off its feet and immediately summoned my Cyberboard.

"Peto!" I shouted. My Cyberboard rushed into me and caught it, so I hurled my board to the Arachne while it was in the air, electrocuting it since the Cyberboard also has a defense mechanism that paralyzes an entity that is not authorized to hold it.

"Thank goodness, one of its many features is when called by its known name, it instantly locates its owner." I thankfully remarked. Then I dashed up to Hinata and attempted to pull her out, but it was too sticky.

The Arachne screamed as it falls from the building, "quite painful, huh?" I smirked at it while mumbling. I resumed my focus on Hinata and swiftly removed the webs. But I had let my guard down; spiders that I could recognize as tarantulas were crawling out of various locations, filling the spaces in the roof, windows, and corners. I was startled, so I hastened to remove the webs until Hinata was out of the cocoon. Hinata was unconscious, asleep, and I felt somewhat successful. However, there was still one problem I had to face. I tried walking backward while carrying her, but I bumped into the pillar I created earlier while thousands of tarantulas were surrounding us. I looked over to the side, and the Arachne had regained its movement and was climbing up the building again. I couldn't go anywhere.

"What the hell do I do now?" I muttered to myself; my Cyberboard was with the Arachne, and I didn't have time to summon it. I was cornered with Hinata in my arms.