Inside the dream...
Shinji found himself in an unknown place, where there was no sky, no ground—just an endless void. In front of him stood the person he had killed, staring silently. Beside him stood a strange man, his face half-covered in shadow.
The one he killed took a step forward, then turned toward the strange man and said sharply:
"Tell him the truth! Tell him what's happening! Don't leave him in an endless loop of questions!"
But the strange man didn't move. He simply stared at Shinji with cold eyes. At that moment, both of them began to glare at him with eyes filled with hatred. Then, in a single voice, they said:
"You are the cause of our suffering."
Before Shinji could speak, he found himself falling into darkness, as if being swallowed by something unknown...
He woke up startled, gasping for air, sweat dripping from his forehead. His eyes held a fear he had never felt before. He began to realize that what had happened wasn't just some random incident… It was the beginning of something much bigger, something he would inevitably have to face soon.
The night was long, but Shinji's mind found no rest. He stared at the ceiling, unable to process what had happened. His body was tired, but his heart and mind were in chaos. Everything had changed since the moment he sensed that strange power, and since he encountered that mysterious figure.
Outside, the rain had stopped, but the wind still howled through the abandoned city. Satoru sat beside Shinji, watching him in silence. He was Shinji's only friend, but he didn't know how to help him in this moment.
Satoru (calmly, though hiding his worry):
"You haven't said a word since you woke up... Are you going to tell me what happened?"
Shinji didn't respond immediately. He took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts. After a moment, he looked at Satoru, his eyes still lost in darkness.
Shinji (softly):
"I... I killed someone. No, not someone. It was something else. It wasn't human."
Satoru (tense):
"Something else? What do you mean?"
Shinji:
"I don't know. It looked human, but... its movements, its eyes, the way it acted... it wasn't normal. It was like something else was controlling it."
There was a pause of silence before Satoru leaned back against the wall and sighed.
Satoru:
"This city is cursed. Ever since we got closer to this abandoned place, strange things have been happening."
Shinji looked at his hands. He could still feel that strange power inside him, but it was slowly fading away. Then, he remembered the words of the mysterious figure he encountered.
"You are about to discover something far deeper than that, Shinji."
What did he mean? Why did he appear at that exact moment? And why did he disappear without explanation?
Shinji closed his eyes for a moment, trying to organize his thoughts, but suddenly, he felt something unnatural in the air. It was as if a hidden eye was watching him.
He stood up quickly and looked toward the window, ignoring Satoru's puzzled glance. The streets were covered in darkness, but in one of the far corners, he saw a shadow move.
It wasn't a hallucination.
Shinji (whispering sharply):
"We're not alone."
Satoru quickly turned and looked out the window as well. But he saw nothing.
Satoru:
"Are you hallucinating now?"
But Shinji wasn't mistaken. The one who was watching him was really there. And suddenly, he vanished.
A chill ran down Shinji's spine. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't just an ordinary intruder.
Shinji (seriously, in a low voice):
"We need to leave. Now."
---
In the shadows...
Shinji wasn't the only one watching—there was another group observing him as well.
In one of the dark alleys, a man stood wearing black clothes, his face hidden behind a mysterious mask. His eyes glowed with a pale blue light—similar to the one that had appeared in Shinji's eyes before.
Beside him, another figure bowed, fully cloaked in darkness.
First Unknown Figure:
"He's starting to change."
Second Unknown Figure:
"As expected. But the time hasn't come yet."
First Unknown Figure:
"Should we act now?"
Second Unknown Figure:
"No. The one we want to move will move."
The first figure looked toward Shinji's location, then smirked darkly.
First Unknown Figure:
"This is your job."
There was a moment of silence before Satoru sighed and closed his eyes. He knew Shinji wouldn't hallucinate or make something like this up. Shinji was rational by nature, and that made it impossible to ignore what he heard.
Satoru (quietly):
"So... what did you feel when you killed it?"
Shinji, still staring at the floor, slowly clenched his fists. There was something unsettling inside him—something he didn't yet understand.
Shinji (softly):
"I didn't feel anything."
Satoru's eyes widened slightly, but he said nothing. The weight of those words wasn't easy to bear, but he waited for Shinji to continue.
Shinji (continuing):
"At first, I was scared... but when its body fell before me, it felt... normal. As if I had done this before."
Something was wrong. But neither of them could pinpoint it yet. Before Satoru could respond, the door creaked open, and the sound of calm footsteps echoed in the room.
A man appeared in the doorway—tall, dressed in dark clothing, with a mask covering half his face. He wasn't a stranger to them. He was one of their instructors, a man named Koryu, known for being one of the most mysterious individuals in their region.
Koryu (quietly, but firmly):
"You finally showed your power, Shinji."
The tension in the room rose, but Shinji didn't move. He knew Koryu wouldn't come here unless it was something serious.
Shinji (indifferently):
"Did you come to tell me I crossed the line?"
Koryu (lightly smiling):
"No. I came to tell you that what you killed wasn't just a strange creature."
Silence fell again before Koryu slowly stepped closer, looking directly into Shinji's eyes.
Koryu:
"That thing... was sent to you."
Shinji's eyes widened for a moment, but he showed no further reaction. A strange feeling crept inside him—as if a part of him already knew.
Shinji (calmly):
"Who sent it? And why?"
Koryu (serious tone):
"Those are questions you'll have to answer yourself. But know this, Shinji: you're about to enter a game far bigger than you can imagine. And if you're not ready, you'll be wiped out before you even understand why you're here."