Prologue

moonlight's doing its thing, everything's draped in darkness, and a cool breeze is doing a little whisper dance. Most folks would be chilling with televisions or diving into some steamy ramen, right? But nope, not in this tall building.

Inside, it's a different story – people grinding away, a few on the verge of desk-napping. Little did they know, in the dead of night, things were about to get crazy. Cue a tale of hustle, exhaustion, and unexpected twists under the chill vibes of the moonlit office.

"Hey Aki! When will that be done? We need those papers within 10 minutes," complained his annoyed coworker beside him. "Yeah, it's almost done," Aki replied while typing away on the keyboard. Under pressure, Aki finished his paperwork within 5 minutes and stretched his body. "Aki," his friend said, putting two fingers to his lips, signaling a rooftop smoke break.

"I deserve a break too, let's go," Aki replied.

Later on the rooftop, they lit up cigarettes.

"What time is it?" Aki asked his friend.

He checked his watch, "12:23 AM."

"Seriously, I should be sound asleep by this time," Aki said with a hint of frustration in his voice. "Well, work is work," his friend replied.

"What else can you expect from this job but suffering?" Aki said, chuckling a bit.

"Hey koyomi?" Aki looks at his friend "Hmm?" Koyomi hummed "If you were able to quit this job and get a new one will you do it?" Aki asked in a low distinct voice "Hell yeah" Koyomi replied "But sadly you can't" Aki chuckles as they both laughed together.

"Aki, do you know why I like smoking here on the rooftop?" Koyomi asked him. "Why?" Aki replied, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Look down at the building below," Koyomi told Aki.

Aki followed suit and looked down at the people walking and the cars moving.

"See those people walking and the cars moving? They look like ants from up here," Koyomi said.

"Yeah, right? But why, what's the point?" Aki asked with curiosity in his voice. "I feel lighter every time I watch those 'ants," Koyomi replied as he took a drag of his cigarette.

"True, haha, it's kind of cool," Aki said, as if he found the idea intriguing.

They were just hanging out on the rooftop when suddenly, they heard an explosion from inside the office. Both of them were startled, quickly turning around. "What the-?" Aki exclaimed, a mix of confusion and fear in his voice.

The people inside the office started screaming in fear. "What the hell is going on?" Aki threw away his cigarette 

Koyomi tossed his cigarette and turned to Aki, "Let's check inside!" Aki nodded, and they ran into the office. When they entered the office, the entire place was almost in ruins and on fire. 

"Stay away from me! Please, don't!" shouted one of their colleagues as if begging for their life. "There might be a terrorist inside the office," Koyomi said, glancing at Aki. "Let's get out of here."

"W-what? Aren't we going to help our colleagues?" Aki asked Koyomi, sounding concerned.

"Are you losing it? Do you wanna die?" Koyomi shouted, grabbing Aki's arm and pulling him out of the office. "Let's get outta here!"

Aki wrestled his arm free. "What about them?" he yelled, pointing to his back. "If you won't do anything, I will." He quickly adjusted his uniform.

Koyomi hesitated on whether to join Aki or not, scratching his head in frustration because Aki was being stubborn. "I can't handle that! What if something happens to me? What about my family?" Koyomi said.

Aki sighed, "Fine, just go." He pointed to the door behind Koyomi.

"What about you? Are you staying here?" Koyomi asked, puzzled. "Yes, go ahead. If I die" Aki stops for a moment and smiles at him "just clear my browser history," Aki said, running towards their screaming colleague.

"That stupid motherfucker," Koyomi facepalmed and then rushed out of the office.

Aki walked through the burning office, moving carefully. He spotted a broken pipe on the floor and picked it up, turning it into an improvised weapon.

As he reached a door, he opened it slowly and found a colleague lying face down in the meeting room, missing an arm.

Aki's eyes widened at the sight, almost making him vomit. "Who did this?" he muttered to himself, filled with disbelief and anger.

-Flashback 

"There might be a terrorist inside the office,"

-end of flashback

"Terrorist?" Aki asked himself, approaching his colleague's lifeless body.

As he pulled the body towards him, his eyes widened at the sight of the bullet-riddled corpse. Aki staggered back, sitting on the floor and vomiting.

"This wasn't the work of a terrorist," he muttered to himself, a mix of confusion and fear in his voice.

Aki couldn't move as someone grabbed him from behind. When he slowly turned, he saw the secretary with a burned left face and both legs severed.

"Help me," the secretary weakly pleaded.

Aki's heart raced, and all he could do was stare at their injured secretary, who desperately sought assistance.

After a few minutes, their secretary was suddenly stabbed in the head. Aki stared from head to toe at the attacker.

Aki's breath quickened, and he trembled in fear when he saw the man's face – covered in blood, red eyes, and sharp teeth.

"Looks like you'd make a tasty treat," the stranger said, pointing the knife at Aki.

Aki screamed in terror and attacked the stranger with the pipe, repeatedly striking his head until the stranger caught the pipe, smiling maniacally at Aki.

The stranger grabbed Aki's collar and tossed him, rolling across tables until his back hit the wall.

"Ahh-!" Aki screamed in pain, his hands gripping his back.

"You're brave, dude. Didn't expect you'd bash my head with that pipe," the stranger said, slowly approaching him.

"I hate those who act tough, thinking they can handle their opponents but they can't," the stranger licked his knife.

"Damn, this might be the end," Aki thought to himself, watching the approaching stranger.

As the stranger approached, ready to stab Aki, a rock suddenly hit the stranger's head.

"Huh?" The stranger looked to his left, and Aki followed his gaze.

"Koyomi?!" Aki exclaimed. "Are you trying to kill my friend?"

The stranger looked at Aki, "Looks like you brought another dish for me, huh?"

"One dish? Sorry, but I brought a whole feast for you, if you can handle it."

The police entered the scene, pointing guns at the stranger. "Freeze!" The stranger looks at them. "Haha," the stranger laughed, standing up and cracking his neck. "Lower your weapons if you don't want bones snapping."

"Drop the knife or you'll get hurt!" a police officer warned.

"Sure, shoot me," the stranger said, approaching them slowly.

"Go ahead, shoot me," the stranger challenged as he rushed the police. He was shot multiple times and fell to the ground.

After the police dealt with the stranger, Koyomi approached Aki. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah, just my back hurts a bit, haha," Aki replied, chuckling.

"You're crazy, I told you not to go," Koyomi scolded, lifting Aki. "Let's get out of here."

"Sir, we'll take care of this," the police nodded, and Koyomi and Aki walked away.

While Koyomi carried Aki and they chatted, they suddenly heard a noise as if something fell inside the office.

"Huh? What's that?" Aki turned to look behind them. "Maybe the police are just arranging the bodies inside," Koyomi suggested, continuing to walk.

As they looked ahead, they saw the stranger, smiling at them, holding a gun.

"They were both stunned, realizing the helplessness against a gun. Without hesitation, Koyomi ran, hugging Aki closely. "Hurry!" Koyomi shouted, desperately trying to run while supporting Aki.

"I'm trying," Aki replied, his hand still at his back due to the pain.

*Bang Bang*

Two gunshots rang out, narrowly missing them. As they returned to the office, they were shocked to find the police officers' bodies dismembered.

They continued roaming inside the office, desperately searching for an exit.

"Where? Where's the fire exit!?" Koyomi shouted, panicking.

"You're so dumb! We have to pass through the restroom to get to an office near the boss's office!" Aki snapped at Koyomi.

Koyomi just followed Aki's instructions silently. As they made their way, the stranger blocked their path, aiming the gun at them.

"Where do you two think you're going, huh?" the stranger sneered. Koyomi stepped back as the stranger continued to follow them.

"I'm enjoying chasing after you two. You're exhausting, to be honest," the stranger grinned maniacally. Meanwhile, Koyomi kept retreating. "My sweat was worth it because I'll finish you right here, right now!"

"Looks like I'm the only one you'll feast on," Koyomi said to the stranger with a smug expression.

Aki looked at Koyomi with a puzzled expression. "Koyomi, what are you planning?" Aki asked.

The environment fell silent, and Koyomi smiled at Aki. "You're such a good friend," Koyomi quickly figured out his plan. "Tell my wife and kids I love them," Koyomi said to Aki. "No, don't!" Aki protested as Koyomi threw himself through the window, shattering it.

As Aki fell, Koyomi watched him with a smile. After a few seconds, a gunshot pierced through the air, and a hole appeared in Koyomi's forehead, as the stranger shot him from behind, exiting through the front of his head.

Aki's eyes widened as he fell, watching Koyomi lose consciousness. He landed in a trash bin making a loud banging sound.

"You're such a bastard, thinking you're a hero for throwing your friend out the window, HAHA!" the stranger laughed.

"Who would've thought?! Well, thanks for the meal!" The stranger grinned widely, saliva dripping from his sharp teeth.

As the stranger was about to sink his teeth into Koyomi's arm, his face suddenly got slashed, as if touched by black flames. "Huhh?" the stranger exclaimed in anger and bewilderment.

The stranger stood up, fixing his clothes, and looked out the window. Aki, now airborne, flew towards him with his body engulfed in shadowy flames, resembling black fire.

When Aki hit the stranger in the face with a long blade, the stranger clutched his face, feeling the intense heat of the black flames. "Ahhh!" the stranger screamed in pain.

As Aki landed, he stood still, his face obscured by shadows, and his left eye turning white as if expressing intense anger silently.

"I thought you were just trash thrown out the window earlier, you bastard, HAHA. You're surprisingly competent, huh?" the stranger taunted Aki.

As Aki began his next move, the surroundings darkened, and the entire building trembled. The stranger felt a tinge of fear, sensing that something ominous was happening.

With each step Aki took, the floor beneath him crumbled and broke apart.

The stranger, sensing an unusual force, lifted a table and threw it at Aki.

However, when the table hit Aki, it shattered as if Aki were made of steel rather than flesh.

"Huh?" The stranger punched the floor, but it only crumbled. He picked up broken pieces of concrete and threw them at Aki one by one.

With each piece that hit Aki, he slashed through it effortlessly with his long blade.

"Too confident!" Aki crouched, assuming an attacking formation. "Stay back!" he warned.

Despite the warning, Aki continued walking towards him. The stranger, unable to do anything, charged at Aki, jaws open, ready to devour him.

Just as the stranger was about to reach Aki, he swiftly slashed the stranger's neck, severing it.

The stranger lay lifeless on the floor, convulsing slightly. Aki, after separating the creature, walked slowly towards Koyomi's lifeless body, gazing at him with a mix of sorrow and regret.

The cold breeze of the early morning enveloped them, prompting Aki to cover Koyomi's body with his coat.

After a few moments, sirens echoed outside – firefighters and police were approaching. Aki heard footsteps of approaching officers, so he stood up and hurriedly made his way to the fire exit.

"Farewell, Koyomi," Aki whispered as he left the scene, leaving behind the aftermath of a nightmarish encounter.

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