SIN

"Huh..."

Bright light assails my eyes as they begin to flicker open. I lie on my back, facing the gleaming afternoon sky. Rubbing my forehead, I lean to the side-

"HOLY FUCK!!"

I jump to my feet, scrambling in the opposite direction. I was laying on the edge of a fucking cliff. I dust myself off, regaining my composure. Slowly, I inch back toward the drop-off. And as I look over, all I can see...ARE CLOUDS?! WHERE THE FUCK AM I?!

Keeping my head at a swivel, I observe my surroundings. I was on a small patch of grass isolated at the edge of what seems to be a black pine forest. Anything else beyond was obstructed by foliage- and there sure as well wasn't anything I could see below.

I scratch my head. 

"How did I get here..."

The last thing I remember...what do I remember? I know my name, I know I got isekai'd here...what happened afterward? I know I have wierd powers as well, called a twitch-

"Was that green flame some sort of magic?"

"Twas a Twitch."

I grab my head as it explodes with searing agony. What was that? A memory? Who had been talking to me anyway? Their face was all obstructed...

Wait.

Wasn't I looking for him?

I strain my mind, trying to think back, but it's like there's a chunk of my memory missing. A crucial one.

This man, though. He seems important. Over everything else, I should prioritize finding him...AND WHERE THE FUCK I AM. Looking at myself, I had also come to the realization that my clothes were in veritable tatters, my chest a glowing blue anomaly. It was called the Corazon I think.

I don't think I could DREAM of a story that would lead me to this situation.

Well, there's nowhere else to go, so into the forest I guess. Steeling my resolve, I turn heel. and head into the brush. 

The vibe of this forest was HEAVILY Japanese, though the black pines were enough for me to deduce that. It was a clear day, a sparse cloud dotting the sky here and there, despite the fact that most sunlight was blotted out by tree cover. There was also a noticeable lack of fauna in this area, aside from a few birds that would occasionally appear in flocks in the sky. It was also eerily silent, aside from a vague, indescribable noise coming from a ways away. 

A sudden rustling catches my attention. I turn clockwise, gauging my surroundings. There was nothing I could see...

"You there!"

It was a man's voice- about my age, 19-20. Puzzled, I respond.

"Yes?"

"What business do you have in my great domain?!"

Who the fuck does this dude think he is? I arch my brow. "Who the fuck are you to be talking to me like that?"

There's a sudden crashing noise behind me, and I whip my head around to see a figure arising from a rather dramatic landing pose. As he gets closer, I can make out his form. He has a rather slim-fit build, wearing a white, gleaming jacket with a black skull sigil emblazoned on the back. He has a white, buckled conductor's hat positioned over his glowering face, with strands of black hair poking out from above. 

At his side is a shining silver rapier.

His face wrenches in anger as his hand inches closer to his blade. "I'll ask you again. Who are you?"

My foot digs into the soil below as I position myself. "I could ask you the same thing."

With a resounding, almost elegant noise, he draws his blade. "I am Tenshi, the promised guardian of God Plateau." He waves his blade, gesturing to the scene around us. "Savor this, invader, for it is the last thing you will ever lay eyes on."

"Alright-"

I dive to the left- but a fraction of a moment before Tenshi's blade sits pointing forward, lunged through the space where my neck had just been. 

"GOD FUCKING-"

His head snaps in my direction, before he lunges back in my direction. Once again, I duck out of the way, dropping onto my stomach. Swinging my body horizontally, I sweep my legs toward his shins, hoping to knock him off balance. Swiftly, he jumps upward, completely avoiding the attack. Eyes still trained on me, he spins midair, before sending an airborne kick toward my face. I roll on my back, evading the strike, hopping back onto my feet as his heel slams into the dirt. I dust myself off. 

"Why is this necessary?" I ask inquisitively. He swipes his blade in the air, expression intensifying. "In what country do you live in where one can simply appear without jurisdiction? What reason do I have to believe that you aren't planning something heinous?"

"Well, uh..."

"NONE!"

A plume of dust shoots upward from his foothold as he springs toward me. I draw my katana, turn on my heel, and ready an attack as the scream of electricity cuts through the air. He cocks his blade back, a pulsating wave of orange energy engulfing it.

His brow furrowed in rage, his eyes flash a bright orange. "Uchi..."

I grit my teeth, hardening my will as bolts of energy jump and arc from my body. "Thunder..."

"GIRI!!"

"BOLT!!"

In a sharp, encompassing blast, our blades meet in a cataclysmic collision. A sound akin to a thunderclap rips through the air. The moan of wood drones through the air as trees begin to give way under the force, grass waving and whipping about wildly. 

This kid was a LOT stronger than I had expected. The amount of force we're exerting has to be nearly relative. 

He screams out in rage, a vein shooting through his forehead. The force increases.

Shit.

I can't keep up with this.

I had already felt worn out- for reasons I couldn't tell you if I tried- so I DEFINITELY can't take this much longer.

"FOR GLORY!!"

My feet begin to dig into the ground. My grip is wavering.

"FOR HONOR!!"

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck-

"FOR THE LAND OF GOD PLATEAU!!"

There's a sharp crunch as my leg gives way- and a surge of pain shoots through my body. This is all right as my blade is knocked to the side from force.

We lock eyes for a moment as he's perched midair, blade cocked to strike.

And with a searing slash, the edge is brought down upon me, striking me down.

A wave of blood sprays from the ragged gash cut through my chest, my eyes rolling to the back of my head...as I collide with the ground.

I cough up a wave of blood, gasping for air. He sheathes his blade, placing his foot on my chest.

Blue sparks. 

Jumping from my palms

My chest.

His gaze assails me as he leans over my unmoving body. "Tell me, intruder. What is your name...?" 

With an explosion of soul, my body is thrust upward, shrouded in its warm embrace. Swiftly, he unsheathes his sword, lodging it into the ground to prevent himself from being blown away. He shields his eyes with his arm, illuminated by a violent, bright blue light.

I turn my head toward him, eyes narrowed as I wipe the blood dripping from my lip. "Okoramo Kubihige."

---------------

The footfalls of the reinforced boots of the agents echo through the empty halls as they scatter in all directions, the bright lights they brandished waving wildly. Two stayed walking forth side by side, however. A woman with angelic wings and a displeased expression, and a man in a black suit. 

The woman lets out a disgruntled huff, walking in a way so as to avoid the water that was steadily rising. The man sighs, tired of her antics. 

With a small, almost refined hop, the woman sticks her arms out, landing on a raised platform. She sighs, sticking out her chest as she arches her back. The man just continues trudging through the water, jaded.

Finally, he arrives at her side, though her attention is elsewhere. A dim light at the end of the hall.

"Suppose it's up there?" The man asks.

"Why the fuck wouldn't it be there?! It's the only lit fucking room." She snarls. The man holds his hands up in innocence. "My bad..."

They were not prepared for the scene that awaited them as they crossed the threshold. Lying propped up against the armrest of the main module chair...was the curb-stomped body of Atticus.

The woman reels back in disgust, the man approaching. "An unprecedented sight..." He pokes the corpse's glazed over eye before making his way to the control panel. It seemed to be in good condition. The woman carefully steps over the corpse, before prancing over to his side. 

"Still salvageable?" She asks. He nods. "Should be."

--------

Exiting the hulking for of Kurma, they are bathed in the warm light of the morning sun. The woman grimaces. "This is twice now that the Lieutenants have unable to not only protect their sacred slice- but also an entire Akashiro Beast."

The man nods. "I hear His Highness is looking to completely abolish the system- replace them with...more stable options."

"An idea I've been proposing for years..." She murmurs.

"Though," He says, running his hand through his hair. "With those placeholders out of the way, I feel project W.A.R will go about MUCH smoother. The mining is almost done as well."

A smile creeps up the edges of her mouth. "And Douga will make quick work of that snot-nosed kid. So I doubt we'll have to employ..."

With an earth shaking thud, a hulking form slams into the crest of Kurma- before spreading its valiant wings in defiance...blotting out the sun. The very air seems to shake as it lets out a cry belonging only to a beast.

The Akashiro Beast, Garuda.

"...other methods."