Chereads / Enigma 0 Echoes / Chapter 1 - Embrace the dawn of a new beginning

Enigma 0 Echoes

Ninja_Toon01
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Synopsis

Chapter 1 - Embrace the dawn of a new beginning

At midnight on a winter day, a boy stood atop a pile of rocks, appearing bored as he gazed at the moon. Surrounding him were trees, while a sprawling city with bright buildings stretched out before him. As he looked downward, he placed his hands upon his face and whispered, "So this is how it begins... a city consumed by chaos and a multitude of magical masters." Unfazed by the destruction unfolding around him, the boy, with scruffy black hair and green eyes, rose to his feet, turned away, and started walking. Buildings continued to crumble and explode, but the boy, his black shirt billowing in the wind, clenched his fists and muttered, "What a dreadful sight to witness..." As he departed, the area was blanketed in snow.

Twenty days later, a group of hunters ventured through the snowy forest, their guns held high, seeking sustenance in the form of deer or rabbit. Silence enveloped the surroundings as they scanned their surroundings. One man turned to his companion and remarked, "Go further to the left... there might be something significant, perhaps a deer, right?" The second man nodded, proceeding quietly towards the left. In an instant, they noticed a figure in motion—something more than a mere deer; it bore a resemblance to a human. Astonished, they exclaimed, "Hey, Arthur? It's not a deer, it's a human! Let's go after them; they might be in trouble." Man #2, taken aback, his expression morphing into seriousness, followed suit as they pursued the fleet-footed individual, struggling to match their speed. In hushed tones, one of the hunters whispered, "This person is incredibly swift; we can hardly keep pace." As they continued their chase, the human abruptly halted and collapsed to the ground. Unaware of the circumstances, one of the hunters reached out, gripping the fallen figure, and whispered, "It's a teenage boy?" Man #2 rushed over, exclaiming, "A boy?! What is he doing in the forest?" Realizing the peculiarity of the situation, they decided to carry the boy back to their humble abode nestled at the heart of the forest.

As they found themselves in the small brown house, Arthur took a seat on a small chair and table, while Man #2 prepared some tea for the boy. Arthur's gaze fixated on the young boy, who then questioned, "Why are you staring at me like that? And your place looks so impoverished too..." An eruption of rage burst forth from Arthur, "Silence! This is the only place we have. And why is a young boy dressed like that wandering in a snowy forest with temperatures plummeting to negative 40 degrees?" The boy replied, "I don't know. I was just wandering around, trying to find some food, I guess." Arthur gradually calmed his anger and inquired, "I see. So, what is your name?" Meanwhile, Man #2 arrived with the tea, cheerfully announcing, "Tea is now ready, everyone!" The boy responded, "My name is Isshinna Vacantborne..." Arthur and Man #2 exchanged whispers, puzzled by the name "Vacantborne." Man #2 couldn't contain his laughter and remarked, "I've never heard of a last name like Vacantborne..." Arthur, adopting a serious tone, questioned, "Where did you grow up?" Isshinna retorted, "That's none of your business..."

As Arthur grew increasingly annoyed by Isshinna's response, he retorted, "Fine, forget about it. How old are you then?" Isshinna took hold of the tea, drank it three times, and then set the cup down, questioning, "Does my age really matter in this situation?!" Arthur, feeling his anger rise, replied, "No, it doesn't, but just disregard what I said... Anyway, how long have you been in the forest?" Isshinna fell momentarily silent before answering, "For about a month or so..." Arthur and Man #2 rose from their seats simultaneously, prompting Isshinna to ask in a startled tone, "Why did both of you stand up like that?!" Man #2 interjected, "The forest is highly dangerous... There are wild beasts with capabilities surpassing those of normal humans... They are known throughout this entire forest, and their numbers likely exceed hundreds of thousands..." Isshinna whispered in fear, "Hundreds of thousands? That's incredibly frightening... And do they use magic?" Arthur concluded Man #2's explanation by stating, "Yes, they do. It seems you're aware of the existence of magic in this world. These wild beasts possess supernatural abilities that can annihilate an entire town in an instant..." Isshinna inquired, "What are they called?"

Man #2 settled back into his seat, pushing it against the table, and cheerfully stated, "They are called Farias Wolves..." Isshinna whispered, "Farias Wolves?" Man #2 confirmed with a smile, "Yes, that's what they're called..." Isshinna finished drinking the tea, stood up, and addressed Arthur and Man #2, saying, "That's it... I'm leaving, but thank you... Uh, by the way..." Man #2 introduced himself, "My name is Shinsuke, and my partner here is Arthur..." Isshinna bowed his head and expressed gratitude, "Thank you, Mister Shinsuke and Arthur, for taking care of me..." As Isshinna attempted to walk out the door, Arthur raised his hand and exclaimed, "Wait!!!" Isshinna paused, turned his head, and asked, "What is it?" Arthur responded, "You need a coat..." Isshinna placed his thumb on his chest, closed his eyes, and confidently stated, "Don't worry... I have good resistance to such low temperatures..." Arthur whispered in disbelief, "What?" As Isshinna opened the door, a strong gust of wind blew in, accompanied by snow hitting him. However, Isshinna covered his hands with his palms and declared, "This is no problem..." He slowly closed the door, turned back to Arthur and Man #2, and bid farewell, "Have a good life..."