Tsukiji and Asagi were face to face.
Tsukiji Sagami. A strange character.
His name was already uncommon. And it wasn't just that. He had really very strange abilities. He was smaller in size than Asagi and certainly not more than 60 kg. So how was it that he could resist Asagi's assaults so perfectly? It didn't make sense.
Another thing, Asagi found him as unpredictable as anyone else. She was very smart, and was a martial arts practitioner. However, she couldn't really predict or anticipate what he would do or say in spite of it. Even more so, he seemed mentally unstable due to the state he was in when Asagi cut into his cheek.
Asagi was provoking him, but she knew how bad an idea it was. They were on a street where there were very few people walking by. If something was really happening, no one would help him.
On the other hand, she was not necessarily afraid of Tsukiji. She was confident in her abilities despite everything. Just that something was sowing doubt in her mind. And she was curious.
-" You seem to be really mad at me. I have an idea. "
Tsukiji took his free hand out of his pocket. He was holding a razor blade. So there was a razor blade in his pocket.
He rolled up the sleeves of his other arm with his fingertips until his skin was visible.
And he sliced his arm off with force.
This scene shocked Asagi so much that she put her hand over his mouth and did everything she could to look away. And one thing shocked her even more: Tsukiji's indifference. It was as if he didn't even feel the pain, with all the blood flowing. It was a really deep wound. He probably cut several veins.
Tsukiji turned to Asagi.
-« That settles it, doesn't it? "he asked.
-" ...Dumbass...Do you want to die? "
-" You don't look happy... "
-" You don't get hurt like that for bullshit! "Asagi shouted.
Tsukiji looked at his wound, looking amused.
-" Certainly...that could be a problem. "
-" Come on, rip your sleeve off and tie it up. I know a place close by where we can deal with this quickly! Follow me! "Said Asagi, panicked.
We couldn't tell if it was the effect Tsukiji was expecting or not.
But one thing was certain, it had to be treated. To do that, he had to start by following Asagi. So Tsukiji took a piece of cloth out of his bag and tied it to his arm.
Then they began to walk at a brisk pace.
Eventually, Tsukiji's gaze went to the sky.
- "There's...something up there. »
-" Don't be silly and come on! "Said Asagi, continuing.
However, she finally noticed that she was the only one walking. So she turned around. Tsukiji was standing still.
-" What's wrong with you? Come on... »
The girl with long blue hair didn't finish her sentence. Tsukiji's expression had intrigued him, as well as the direction of his gaze. He was looking up to the sky.
Then Asagi did the same. She had looked up to the sky in turn.
-" What...what is that thing? "
Something had changed in the environment. There were black spots on the sky. These kinds of black areas were deep black. It was anything but normal. And this darkness was invading the blazing sky, at high speed. Clouds were caught one after the other in these dark spots. Suddenly, birds and other animals began to panic.
-" This is not normal... "Said Asagi.
Tsukiji was only observing this phenomenon with his eyes wide open. In no time at all, the sky had become almost completely black. We could only see the sun. That image must have been really awful.
Suddenly the space began to distort. It was as if it folded and bent in places.
And most importantly, the panic had already started. All of Japan was panicked. All of Asia was also panicked. Maybe the whole world was. Not being able to escape a phenomenon that is unknown to us. Not being able to escape anywhere. It must have been frightening.
-" Sagami! We must flee from here! " Empressa Asagi.
-" Running away...You can't run away. "
-" What are you talking about? Are you suggesting that we just sit here and do nothing on top of this injury? "
-" This thing is happening all over the world. There's nowhere to run away to. And...My instinct tells me there's no need to run away. What the hell is going on... "
Given Tsukiji's serious air, there really shouldn't have been anything to do.
Suddenly the black spots that had completely covered the sky began to behave strangely. Some kind of dark matter "flowed" from these spots and fell to the earth. This liquid-like dark matter was falling on the earth from one side only. But gradually, this strange "rain" began to fall from all sides. And when this dark matter touched an object, it was automatically transformed into dark matter and eroded.
-" Tsu...Tsukiji! Seriously, we have to get out of here! "
-" Yeah...We can't let these things touch us! "
As Tsukiji and Asagi fled to an area with less dark matter, they passed right by someone.
It was a woman. She was there, motionless. Judging by her uniform, she must have had at least the rank of Admiral. She had very peculiar characteristics. She had long, bright red hair. Her hair was so long that it reached to her ankles. It was beautiful and perfectly straight. Her skin was pale and her eyes were as red as her hair. She looked like a woman of about 28 years old. She looked really young to have such a rank.
She looked totally relaxed, even satisfied. It was as if she was unaware of what was going on.
Time seemed to stand still around Tsukiji.
"Who is this woman? An Admiral? It's weird...She doesn't belong here. And why is she just standing there like that? She doesn't seem to grasp what's going on...And from that moment on, I realized it was me she was looking at. She didn't care about the sky, what was happening or Asagi. It was me she was staring at."
Tsukiji didn't want to waste any more time wondering about this strange woman. The priority was to be in a safe place.
But while he and Asagi were running, the scarlet-haired woman spoke.
-" Running away is an absurd act. Genesis] is implacable. It is...natural selection. "
She said that with all the height of the world. And she smiled.
It was only after Tsukiji and Asagi realized what this woman meant.
Yes, running away was useless in the end.
A gigantic mass of dark matter had suddenly fallen. Everything had been engulfed.
Everything was black. There was nothing left of it. All of Japan was in darkness. The entire Far East. All of Asia. The whole Planet was black. Black had come into contact with every atom in this world.
That was Genesis.
No more noise. No more activity. The world was as if at a standstill. Dark matter was spreading even outside the Earth. In the Solar System. In the galaxy. In the universe.
It really looked like divine punishment.
[Date and time unknown]
By now, the universe was already all black. No one knew how long it had taken or how much time had passed since the beginning of Genesis.
Everything was still black.
Yes, everything is black. No matter how many times I look in all directions over and over again, I see nothing. I remember this black thing. I also remember the world as it was before this event. It's really real then. Maybe this is the end of the world.
It's weird. I don't feel like I have a shape. I feel naked. Maybe I'm dead, and I'm going to the other world? It's not so bad. I've always hoped that there is life after death. I am relieved.
-« You are mistaken. You are not heading to the realm of the dead. At least, you have not managed to continue on your way. You are stuck exactly where you are. So am I, by the way. »
Um...Someone is talking to me. What is it...I don't have eyes to open. I can't see anything. It's dark. Who's talking to me?
-« Be more attentive. I'm right here. Why do you refuse to take shape? »
That is to say that...I don't really have the strength or the possibility. And then...Who are you?
-« Who am I? You can't hear my name. »
I hear what you say...
-« No. My name would have no sound. That's why you can't hear it. I'd like to believe that one day you will. »
...
-« Tell me your name. »
I've been thinking about it for a while now. I can't remember my name. I remember a little bit of who I was. But my identity is a little vague.
-« Do you want me to pronounce your name?"
Speak my name?
-« That's right. If I pronounce your name, it will mean that you have recognized your desire to go on living. »
...I don't know.
-« You still have something to do. You just forgot about it. But once you get back there, I'm sure you'll remember it. »
Okay...Remind me...My name.
-« So be it."
...
-« Your name is... »