Prologue: The New World

A hundred years ago, the world was a peaceful place, only filled with modern problems such as poverty, polution, and political affairs.

However, one day, the sky had began to fall.

Monsters had rained from above, falling to their death, or surviving only to cause the death of thousands... no, millions.

Almost a quarter of the world population was culled in under one day. Until the sky had stopped falling, leaving but a big footprint in the world.

They called it, "The Rupture".

Not too soon after, the carcasses of those monsters had been discovered to contain a special type of energy.

It wouldn't be discovered not too long that the monsters's appearance had began to change the human race as people with magic and seemingly super-powers had began to appear all over the world.

They were called Mages.

They were the only ones with reliable powers to defeat the monsters more effectively, thus becoming a regular job with high risk, high return profiles.

And in a hundred years, the world had grown accustomed to them.

The life of danger, and a life lived with magic.

***

"Table 2 is done eating, we need some prep work on the ingredients for the Risotto."

"...—"

It was a busy afternoon.

A pale young man stood still at the center of a busy kitchen as they all moved and looked at him, trying to get his attention.

However, his face was shrouded in a shadow.

"Hey! Riba! Where's the meal for Table 1? I told you to...—why aren't you answering?"

His co-worker asked, only to see the young man smiling at him, putting his hair net down.

"I'm quitting."

...

"Wah, that was just not it. I can't totally keep up with the workload, there's too much to do and memorize. I thought we already have machines to replace the cookers but they were just lies at the end huh?"

Walking along the road side of the beach, the young man kicked his feet in every step, his hand on his pockets.

"Even if I didn't quit right away, I'd still have to pay them back the damages and the fees because of holdups. I'd basically earn nothing this month."

He leaned back at the wall, looking at the light that began to emanate from the city.

It was 5PM, a time before the sun sets, allowing the city to show its colorful lights.

"It's really beautiful... huh.."

If only this scene was seen by the me with better circumstances, I'd be more happy.

It was his thoughts at that moment.

Araki Tokiyori.

A fresh graduate, switching from job to job every week to look for his calling.

"Haah. I want to run away from this reality."

He sighed, his breath forming a fog as he tugged on his scarf, snickering at his own words.

"If only I was a hunter with some kind of overpowered power, I could have been able to save you..."

His eyes looking far into the ocean, remembering a memory of his mother.

Two sides of that memory, a good one, and a bad one.

"Ah... It's snowing."

Before he knew it, snow had began to fall.

"...Ah? Why is my...—?!"

His vision looked like it fell, rolling down into the ground as it blinked twice.

"Huh...? Why can I... see my own body?"

It wasn't just his body.

It was his headless body.

This is...?

His brain desperately tried to understand that situation, however, it won't be too long until he finally realized that it was...

"Death. Though, it won't exist for you. Go and start everything for me."