The world was no longer as it once was.Like the flickering light of street lamps, reality sometimes trembled, cracked, and warped.Sometimes a wall would seem to shake… sometimes a man's shadow would fall the wrong way as he stepped.But people called it "perception.""Fatigue," "lack of sleep," "eye strain from screens."But it was a system error.Like bugs in a video game...And though no one else noticed, Ryuga did.Something whispered inside him:
"Something… is wrong."
Morning.Ryuga opened his eyes as sunlight hit them—not through the curtain, but directly.
"Damn it..."
He grabbed his phone immediately.
08:57
His eyes widened. His heart began pounding wildly.He had set an alarm. He was sure of it. Or at least he thought he had.What did it matter now?The bus was long gone.He hurriedly dressed. As he reached for his coat, his eyes caught the clock.
"Damn it, there's no time left!"
He left the coat behind. His stomach growled, but there was no time for breakfast.He rushed out on an empty stomach.
By the time he reached the office building… it was too late.
The moment he stepped inside, the clock read 10:03.Today was the day of the meeting with the company's biggest investors.And Ryuga had an important presentation in the project.
At the end of the corridor, his manager appeared.His shoulders trembled with anger. His tie was loosened.
"Late again, Ryuga?!""How many chances have I given you? How many?!""My patience is gone. I'm done!""YOU'RE FIRED!"
Ryuga tried to say something. But the words stuck in his throat.It felt like the warmth was draining from his body.As his manager's footsteps faded away, Ryuga just stood there... frozen.His vision darkened.
He slammed the door as he left the office.The rain had just started.
"What else could go wrong?"
Right then, the sky darkened.Lightning struck.A cold, sharp wind blew.His thin white shirt clung to his skin.He had forgotten his coat.
He ran to the bus stop, but the bus had just left a few seconds ago.Behind it, only the fading headlights reflected on the wet asphalt.
He sat down on the bench at the bus stop.
"No job... rent unpaid... If I'm late again this month, the landlord will kick me out... What am I going to do..."
Raindrops seeped through his hair and trickled down his forehead.
Then, a sound...From a dark back alley, a metallic music...Not a melody, but a call.
Ryuga startled.He looked toward the sound.It wasn't raining in that alley.It was as if another reality had sliced through this street.
He dragged his steps quietly over the cobblestones.Next to the trash bins, there were cardboard boxes.
Something…was glowing.
He approached and parted the boxes.A strange, black box appeared.On it, a red button blinked rhythmically.
"How much worse can things get..."
And he pressed it.The box opened.
He couldn't see what came out.Because his vision went black.