Awakening

Entrance: Trapped in a tumultuous Tokyo, a calamitous storm struck the city in 2030, unleashing chaos. Amidst this turmoil, Hiroki Kurogane, a 17-year-old, sought refuge in a dilapidated bookstore. His musings on the world's corruption were interrupted by a mysterious sound from a peculiar book, sparking an enigmatic journey, to know about new things that he never expected to know about it. So how will he deal with the coming atrocities?

Chapter 01: Awakening

 Tokyo, the streets alive with a bustling energy, yet veiled by the ominous grip of a thunderous storm. The year is 2030, a time marred by a catastrophic event, leaving the city reeling in its wake.

Amidst the chaos, [Hiroki Kurogane], a solitary 17-year-old, seeks solace within a weathered bookstore's confines. Hiroki, while possessing a good intellect, lacks aspirations for the future. He enjoys conversations but refrains from forming lasting connections; trust doesn't come easy to him in a world he views as deeply flawed.

In a moment of introspection, fear of impending demise briefly grips him. However, this fear soon gives way to a deeper realization. He contemplates the corrupted state of the world, acknowledging his own detachment from its problems. As these thoughts swirl within him, a peculiar sound interrupts his reverie, emanating from a nearby table.

Uncertain of its authenticity, Hiroki curiously investigates, discovering a closed book resting upon the table's surface, which is sparking intrigue and curiosity within him.

Hiroki was certain the book had been open when he first entered. Perhaps it was his imagination. He attempted to decipher its contents, but the pages were mostly empty or inscribed in unfamiliar languages. Amidst the confusion, he stumbled upon a fragment in his native language, a puzzling phrase: "Within each soul, a hidden key. Till life's last breath, Yumix always will be? ..." The remainder of the text was an enigmatic jumble, leaving him perplexed.

As he contemplated these cryptic words, he blinked for a mere moment, and the book appeared empty once more. Dismissing it as fatigue, he dismissed the peculiar occurrence. However, the turmoil outside intensified—a catastrophic storm of tornadoes and violent weather. The bookstore's doors exploded inward, plunging the room into darkness.

In the chaos, Hiroki made a horrifying discovery—his hand was completely severed. Shock turned to despair as he let out a bloodcurdling scream. Amidst his panicked state, the strange sounds from before returned, this time a voice urgently advising him to catch something before it's too late. Dismissing it as a figment of his imagination, he glimpsed the book, faintly glowing.

In a fleeting moment, he pondered if the book was the cause of the calamity, questioning his own sanity. With his last ounce of strength, he reached for the book with his remaining hand. But fate had other plans; a violent impact from a iron bars of the door, propelled by the storm's force, struck his heart.

In those final moments, despair mingled with a haunting realization of powerlessness. Thoughts of unfulfilled aspirations and missed opportunities flashed through his fading consciousness. "I couldn't do anything in this life," he lamented, resigned to the inevitability of his demise. Darkness encroached upon his vision as he lamented his perceived powerlessness in life.

He glimpses the last moments of his life with the book in his hand. He did not know that fate had thrown him in the perfect place, while he was unconscious. He felt yellow or violet lights even though he did not see anything. Despite his best efforts, Hiroki struggled to maintain focus amidst the swirling chaos of sensations, losing himself in this strange and surreal experience. The tangible world had vanished, replaced by vague glimpses of something completely unfamiliar - they were blurred memories, not his own, but random things from another world perhaps, and in the end, Hiroki's consciousness completely has faded away entirely.

As Hiroki drifted between wakefulness and dreams, memories rushed in like fast thoughts, painting the picture of his life. I was in a world that felt all wrong, cursed and twisted. My so-called friends, they weren't there when I needed them most, just empty words and empty promises. I stopped believing in friends; the word felt hollow. The real trouble, I realized, was the gap between the strong and the weak, dividing people. It made me stop caring, even though I wanted to help.

But this world, it felt broken. It needed fixing from the very start. I knew it, but what could I do? I can't recall what happened next, everything blurred. Was it a disaster, just in our city, or had the whole world fallen into chaos?

In this fuzzy state, a girl voice pierced through, distant but clear, even I couldn't exactly understand what she was saying. And i said in myself, What if I had another chance? Would I be different, or would I just cover my ears? Am I just a failure, unable to change anything?

Amidst these thoughts, Hiroki began to drift back to consciousness, though not entirely sharp. It's like he was awake but not quite there. He couldn't grasp where he was yet.

His senses were returning, but they were fuzzy. He could vaguely see and feel, but it wasn't crystal clear. And then, a woman, appeared in his vision. She was trying to help him, tending to him urgently as they rushed through what seemed like a chaotic situation. There were noises all around, urgent and alarming. He couldn't quite focus.

In a moment of half-awareness, he mumbled, "Really? ... What a cute .." But even that fleeting thought slipped away as he drifted into deep sleep, losing himself in the hazy border between wakefulness and dreams.

 In the eerie wake of his unsettling dreams, Hiroki stirred from sleep, abruptly cutting off an unfinished plea for cessation. His eyes fluttered open, an odd sense of disorientation enveloping his waking consciousness. As he attempted to rise, he discovered himself confined within a room exuding an archaic essence, reminiscent of ancient times.

Struggling to grasp his surroundings, Hiroki's movements were feeble. The room bore semblances of an era long past, almost five centuries ago. Confusion clouded his thoughts as his memory failed him, leaving him utterly disoriented. With a feeble attempt to stand, he navigated the unfamiliar chamber, grappling with a haze that shrouded his recent past.

A voice disrupted his perplexity, jolting him from his bewildered state. "So finally you woke up, kid... you slept for a long time" she said in a clam attractive way. Turning towards the source, he found a lady that she looks like 25 years old, standing there, her words a curious blend of concern and relief. Stumbling to recollect, Hiroki queried, "Weren't you the one who brought me here?"

"Yeah, you had a serious injury. While asleep, you mentioned something troubling, seems you had some nightmares" she explained with a hint of amusement. Hiroki, grappling with fading recollections, remarked nonchalantly, "oh.. Really? That was odd." Intrigued by his calm demeanor, she inquired further, "You didn't seem bothered or embarrassed about it. But Anyways, your health should be in a good condition now, may I know your name?".

"My name ... oh, it's uh.." . Caught off guard by the realization that his memory was a fractured jigsaw puzzle, Hiroki hesitated. Internally, he grappled with a whirlwind of fragmented thoughts. ``Oh, I can't remember my name? What was I doing all this time? Why is so much information missing or broken in my head? What was I doing last? Didn't someone call me H.. Hi.., Hiroki?!`` , he replied to her : "I guess my name is Hiroki Kurogane" he reluctantly offered. Sensing his uncertainty, She probed, "eh you said you guess.. Do you recall anything about your origins or family?".

Doubt lingered in Hiroki's response, conveying the gaps in his fragmented memory; he expressed his lack of knowledge with his body gestures. Calming his concerns, she reassured him, "Don't dwell on the details now. Rest until we gather more information." Seeking clarity, Hiroki inquired about the circumstances that led to his current state.

She took on a serious yet composed tone: "Well, a lot of things happened. We heard a big explosion sound from outside, near the village. We rushed with our local guards to see what happened, and we found this catastrophe. Many people were injured, and unfortunately, 19 have died so far. There are numerous critical injuries. There wasn't a clear reason for what happened, as most of them don't remember. Only a few could recall, but they didn't want to speak about it, and some even started losing their sanity when they remembered.".

Hiroki didn't react strongly to this, focusing instead on trying to recall exactly what had happened. She responded in an attempt to reassure and uplift him: "Don't worry; you're in a safe environment now. We'll continue with our duties."

Then he inquired, "By the way, what's the name of this place?" She replied, "Oh, so you don't know. You're in Jiika Village, on the borders of Yumix." As soon as he heard these words, he was startled, his mind struggling, ``didn't I hear these words before? But where exactly, I'm sure this is something important!`` She noticed his unease and asked, "Is everything okay?" He quickly responded, "I'm fine, no worries." She suggested, "I recommend you rest for now." He agreed, "Yeah, you're right. i have to go back.".

While he was heading to his bed, he realized he didn't know her name. He called out, "Uh.. , what's your name, by the way?' She responded in a calm tone "Oh, me? I'm Nao Yamamoto. You can call me Nao." Then, she left the room. He sat on the bed, resting his hand on his face, attempting to remember and analyze why all of this had happened and why his memories were so fragmented.