Chapter 1 - Survive

Without warning, Kazuki's eyes shot open as he hears an explosion in the distance. He sat up slowly, holding his head in pain.

"Ugh...where am I?"

What he woke up to was not the comfy room he was accustomed to. Instead, he found himself sprawled amidst the chaos of a battlefield. The soft sheets and soothing ambiance of home had been replaced by the cold, uneven terrain of a war zone. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke, and the deafening symphony of gunfire, and explosions.

"W-Where the hell am I?" He stood up hurriedly.

Suddenly, an earth-shattering explosion erupted just inches behind him, the force of it propelling him off his feet with a violent jolt. He soared through the air, a disorienting whirlwind of sensations, until he crashed down onto his side atop a jagged piece of rubble torn from a once-standing building. The impact sent a shockwave of pain radiating through his body, leaving him gasping for breath and momentarily dazed.

"Urgh...what's...happening?"

He slowly stood up, groaning in pain. Then, without warning, a figure appeared in front of Kazuki. Before he could react, a fierce punch hurtled toward him, closing the distance in a flash. He had no time to react and instinctively raised his arms in a desperate attempt to shield against the incoming blow.

The brutal force of the punch struck his left arm with a sickening crack, shattering his bone upon impact. The excruciating pain shot through him, causing him to cry out in agony as he was sent hurtling through the air. He was sent flying through the chaotic battlefield, crashing into the remnants of destroyed buildings.

Finally, his trajectory came to a violent halt as he collided with a jagged, twisted metal pole. The impact drove the broken arm deeper into his body, causing him to scream out in sheer torment.

"AAAAAAGH!!! MY FUCKING ARM!!!"

Kazuki screamed in pain. He tried to remove his arm from the metal pole but it made the immense pain even worse.

"Hrggh..grrh..." He breathed heavily.

He was bleeding immensely, from his head, his arms, and from cuts all across his body. Then, that same person from before landed in front of him. Now, Kazuki could get a better look at him.

The guy's hair was a shade of light blue. He was also dressed in a black tracksuit, but it wasn't entirely plain; there were subtle accents or tints of cyan, adding a touch of color to his outfit.

(image)

"W-Who are you!?"

"Don't mind me, I just want your mark!"

"My what-!?"

"Your mark. You have one right?"

He held out his hand, smiling.

"Give it here and I just might not kill you!"

Kazuki grit his teeth, looking up at the guy in anger.

"What the hell are you talking about!?"

"Don't act dumb now. As a matter of fact, I think I'll just take it from your corpse!"

A brilliant, vibrant green energy crackled and surged around the guy's hand, casting an eerie glow in the midst of the battlefield's chaos. With an ominous air, he prepared to unleash his formidable power. But in a sudden twist, Kazuki suddenly grabbed the guy's hand with astonishing speed, pulling him closer.

The unexpected move caught the guy off guard as he tried to pull away but couldn't.

"KEEP YAPPING, WILL YA!?"

In one swift move, Kazuki headbutt the guy with immense force, the resounding impact echoing across the war-torn landscape. The guy stepped back, dazed from the impact.

Seizing the opportunity, Kazuki summoned every ounce of his remaining strength and determination. He freed his impaled arm from the cruel embrace of the metal pole with a grimace of agony. Then, in a lightning-fast motion, he delivered a powerful uppercut that sent the assailant soaring into the air.

"Woah....I didn't know I could do that."

The guy quickly recovered mid-air, launching himself towards Kazuki. But once they were about to clash, another mysterious figure cloaked in black jumped in, kicking the guy away.

The figure landed in front of Kazuki, before taking off their hood. Surprisingly, it was a girl.

"Heya. Got time to chat?"

"Huh?" Kazuki said in confusion.