2 A reality not worth living

Without warning, a deafening noise pierces Katsu's eardrums, followed by the sudden rain of rubble and debris. The world around him trembles as explosions shake the ground, and the sound of rain intensifies into a torrential downpour.

"I knew I couldn't give up so easily back then, so wake up!" A voice shouts in Katsu's mind, as if calling him back to the present. The memory of those words stirs something within him, and he gasps for air as he jolts upright.

As Katsu looks around, the scene before him is one of utter devastation. The town he loves lies in ruins, barely recognizable amid the chaos and destruction. The sound of gunshots echoes in the streets, mixing with the rain to create a symphony of chaos.

"That's right! I need to get back home!" Katsu remembers, a sense of urgency spurring him to action. He musters up his strength and takes off running, hoping against hope that he'll make it back to his family alive.

his desperate flight doesn't go unnoticed. Cat soldiers, their guns at the ready, spot Katsu and start shouting for him to stop. He doesn't slow down, though, and the bullets start flying. They whiz past his head, each one a deadly reminder of how close he is to death.

Suddenly, a gunshot rings out, and Katsu sees a soldier fall to the ground. It's Hiroto, coming to his aid just in time. Hiroto takes cover and fires his pistol at the incoming soldier's giving Katsu the needed cover. But with three more soldiers on Katsu's tail, Katsu race towards Katsu's home, his hearts pounding with fear and adrenaline.

When he arrive, Katsu bursts through the door, screaming for his parents. But as he does, a dark silhouette holding an ax appears from behind the door, poised to strike. Katsu flinches, bracing himself for impact, but the ax stops just inches from his face. It's his dad, a look of relief washing over his face as he realizes it's his son.

"Katsu!" His dad's voice trembles with emotion as he pulls him into a hug. Katsu's mom comes out of hiding, tears streaming down her face as she embraces her son.

But the reunion is cut short as the sound of gunshots resumes. Katsu's dad takes charge, ordering everyone to take cover. The bullets fly past their heads, the sound deafening and relentless. But then, as quickly as it started, the shooting stops, leaving a tense silence in its wake.

As Katsu catches his breath, the high-pitched sound returns, ringing in his ears with a haunting intensity.

"Stay out here and guard us, Private. We'll check if they're dead," the captain ordered his troop, pointing to the house. "Yes, captain!" the soldier replied, standing at attention.

The two soldiers made their way towards the house. "Surely, we got them, right?" the soldier asked the captain, his hand on his weapon. "Let's check to be sure," the captain replied, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of movement.

As they entered the house, the soldier immediately noticed something was amiss. "Huh? Where are they?" he asked the captain. "They must have escaped, but how could they have escaped in such a short-" The dad suddenly appeared from behind the counter, swinging his ax with deadly force. The captain quickly dodged the attack, narrowly missing the sharp edge.

Without hesitation, the captain pulled out his pistol and fired a shot straight into the dad's abdomen. He screamed in agony, collapsing onto the floor. The captain kicked him hard, intensifying the pain. "Hehehe, you think you can hit me by surprise? Think again!" he taunted, continuing to kick him mercilessly.

Suddenly, Katsu emerged from hiding, pleading with his dad to stop. "Dad no! Stop it! Stop kicking him, you dirty cat scum!" The captain turned to the soldier and ordered him to shoot the boy. "Yes, captain!" the soldier replied, raising his rifle and taking aim.

At that moment, time seemed to slow down for Katsu. He felt an overwhelming sense of dread wash over him as the soldier pulled the trigger. But just as the bullet drew closer, someone jumped in front of him to take the shot. It was his mother.

Katsu watched in horror as his mother fell to the ground, the pain and sorrow unbearable. "MOM!!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face. His dad, fueled by a surge of adrenaline, picked up his ax and swung it with all his might at the soldier who had killed his wife. The blow was fatal, and the soldier fell to the ground, never to rise again.

But the captain was quick to react. He fired a shot at the dad's side, preparing to finish him off with a shot to the head. Katsu was terrified, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the scene unfold. His vision began to blur as he struggled to keep himself together.

"Fight, fight, fight! You must take up your strength and fight! You must not repeat the same mistakes as I did!" a voice pleaded with him.

Katsu's hands shook uncontrollably as he saw his dad's life hanging in the balance.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Never give up! This choice will lead to a change in your life forever!"

As the voice urged him on, an unknown energy began to surge within Katsu, growing stronger with each passing moment. "FIGHT!" the voice shouted one last time.

Suddenly, an unknown power coursed through his body, and he found himself leaping onto the soldier, tackling him to the ground.

The soldier landed hard, cursing and spitting as he punched Katsu in the face and pushed him aside. "You little brat!" he spat, rising to his feet. "I should have taken you out sooner." He lunged at Katsu, ready to deliver the killing blow.

But Katsu refused to give up. He kicked the soldier with all his might, sending him flying backwards. The soldier fell to the ground.

Katsu's eyes fixated on the rifle lying on the floor, a glimmer of hope in the midst of despair. He knew what he had to do. With adrenaline pumping through his veins, he lunged forward, snatching the weapon before the soldier could even react.

"How dare you..." The soldier stood up, his face twisted with fury as he glared at Katsu.

Katsu's grip on the rifle tightened as he aimed it at the soldier's head, his finger hovering over the trigger. But memories of his mother's death flooded his mind, and he hesitated. He couldn't bring himself to kill someone, even if it meant his own survival.

"Hehe, useless pup you are, come on, shoot," the soldier taunted, raising his hands in a mocking gesture.

Katsu was shaking with fear and uncertainty. "I can't do it," he thought to himself, paralyzed with indecision.

"Heh, you can't shoot me, can you? You're too weak, just accept your fate already," the soldier continued to provoke him.

But a voice within him urged him to take action. "Prove him wrong. You're strong, you can do this. Pull the trigger," it whispered.

Katsu was torn, his mind and heart at war. The soldier drew closer, a sinister smirk on his face, and Katsu's resolve snapped.

"Get away from me!" Katsu yelled, stepping back and pulling the trigger.

The gunshot echoed through the room as the soldier crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Katsu was in shock, staring at the body before him. Had he really just killed someone?

"Good job, son," Katsu's father said, grunting as he struggled to get up.

"Dad, what should I do?" Katsu asked, his voice trembling with fear. "What do I do now?"

"You need to escape," his father replied, coughing up blood as he crawled towards the boy.

"I need to do what?" Katsu asked, kneeling beside his father.

"Escape," his father said, his voice growing weaker. "There's another soldier outside. He might come in. You need to get out while you can."

"But I can't just leave you here," Katsu protested, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Don't worry about me," his father said, reaching out to him. "You're strong. You can do this."

"You don't know that," the voice in Katsu's head interjected.

"Sorry, kiddo," his father said, knocking Katsu unconscious.

His father died soon after. The soldier waiting outside had heard the gunshot and was about to come in when he was shot by Hiroto.

"I was too late," Hiroto muttered, looking around the room at the bloody scene. "I will never forget the kindness you showed me."

As he was about to leave, he noticed Katsu was still breathing. He checked the boy's pulse and was surprised to find that he was still alive.

"Still alive, huh?" Hiroto said, relieved. "Well, at least you survived."

He picked up Katsu and carried him to the riverside. As he placed Katsu in a barrel and set it on the river, he spoke to the unconscious boy.

"I'm so sorry, kid," Hiroto said. "I couldn't save them. But if you're alive, then I'll support you all I can. That's what your dad told me when you were first born. A promise is a promise, and I cannot break one."

Hiroto watched as the barrel floated down the river, disappearing from sight.

"I know you will survive," he said, wiping away a tear. "Be careful out there. There are a lot of corrupt people, but I know we will meet again. If not in the streets of the city, then on the deadly battlefield. I will be there to support you in the air."

As Hiroto turned to walk back to the destroyed town, he said his final farewell to Katsu's parents, who had treated him like family when his own had not.

"Until then, I guess...see you there!" he said, determined to keep his promise to Katsu.

As he turned around and walked back to the destroyed, Kat infested town, Hiroto knew that his promise to Katsu's father would never be broken. He would protect Katsu, no matter what.

END OF CHAPTER 2