Chapter 1: The Vanishing Act

Ren Nishimura's morning routine had been unremarkable—until he stepped out of the shower to discover that his family was gone. At first, he dismissed it as a prank, his mind refusing to acknowledge the possibility of something sinister. But as he stepped outside, his surroundings betrayed a chilling silence, empty and devoid of life. The streets, usually teeming with people, were now eerily vacant. He hurried to school, his steps quickening as he realized the scale of his solitude. The sensation of fear and dread gripped him as he navigated the empty roads.