My name is Horikawa Kyoko, and I'm a corporate work slave.
As a child, my only dream was to experience the unknown, to view sceneries no one had ever witness. That is my dream.
That dream still lingers deep within.
I've recently taken up gaming—mostly romance and RPGs—but work get's tiring to the point thhat I can't finish many of them.
And despite all my hard work and efforts, my salary hasn't budged in three years.
My social life was nothing special.
All my friends in high school left and did their own thing as did I myself.
Never did I ever spoke with them again.
And now even more stressed as my father made it in the hospital after the result of my mother's death.
The life I lead now is that of a single independent woman.
Not too pretty, not too indecent, yet still never noticed by guys.
It's fair to say love isn't on the table for me at this point.
Perhaps, I need a wake up call, what could I do to make things different? I mean...
"Miss Horikawa!"
The deep grueling voice of my boss, jabbed me out of my thoughts.
"Yes, Mr. Takanawa? Do you need something?" I responded as my fingers drummed against the surface of the table
He silently hands me a folder of documents. my teeth shut tightly as I suppress a groan.
"I'd already finished the campaign ad, damn him." I muttered under my breath.
"Sure, I'll get right on it."
What nightmare.
Can't I get a sign, something that can save me.
Agh! who am I kidding?
Back at my desk, a loud solid contact filled the air as I stumbled to the floor folding my toe from the outer part of my sock
"OOOUUUCHHHH!!!!"
"What incompetent dumbass placed this thing here?"
My attention turns to the strange object.
The hell....
A tiny
Goddamn...
BOX!!?
The box is the size of a Rubik's cube, with strangely alluring numbers written on top of it, following at the back until it continues with unique kanji symbols.
"Hey, I'm not kidding who put this thing here?"
A random box, why is it at my desk of all the others?
My eyes crinkled the corner of the office, in my view was the rest of coworkers at their desk, lifelessly typing and printing on the cursed computer-sama.
Luckily I just have printing... Poor workers
My eyes lingered on the mysterious object, with a unfamiliar pair of numbers at the back.
240? why do I feel like this number is important? Is that a lottery number or perhaps it's a code to something?
I shake my head.
NO!
However distracting it is, I can't dwell on this, my boss might, or will kill me if I don't get started with the documents.
I ignore it and rise to my feet, then made my way to my desk.
While sitting at my work space, the slow and undesirable sound of printing began as I typed into the live draining computer-sama.
"I hadn't the time to finish my lunch"
OHH BACK TO WORK HE SAYS!
That ugly asshole.
How long will I have to deal with him...
A familiar scent plague my nose, the appeared of a well paid, blonde senior stood at my sight, red dress and a cocky annoying grin imbedded on her face, it was without a doubt someone I hated.
"Well Hi there Kyoko, how's the boss's slacker~"
I let out a slight groan as my eyes darted towards her.
Monika, My Senpai the individual, I've somewhat been acquainted with in high school.
Monika always gave worst beatings, and anytime I'd fight back her minions didn't waste time thrashing me
Isn't she a b*tch?
"Can you not call me by my first name."
I shot her a empty look before turning back to my desk.
"And what could you possibly want from me Monika."
Monika's eyes held a strong glint of confidence, one that my dead eyes couldn't seem to muster on will.
"I just wanted to harass my Kohai, but luckily, I'm in a good mood today so I'll go easy on you."
With that her back faces me, as her steps were slow and steady passing the office hall.
"Well aren't you considerate."
"Hehe!~"
hey aren't you going to follow me, I saw a huge cave, I figured we'd see your mother's corpse in there, didn't she died from committing suicide?
And it's perfect right, I heard you were so fascinated by mysterious things and fantasy."
I bet she's trying to get me yelled at.
But even so...
My body left the seats and pasted towards her, each step carrying weight.
"Fuhahaha~ well aren't we sensitive today."
Upon reaching her, I clenched my fist to the maximum limit.
Then releasing it, I raised my hand.
SMACK!!
A loud solid contact was met with her face leaving a red mark.
Monika's eyes widen in shock, She then laughs and walks out the room without further elaboration.
I pant slowly from anger.
Who the hell does she think she is... my mother, I hope that witch dies in a tragic way.
Hours later, I brought the documents home, exhausted.
"Ughh! This is torture! I still have work to do at home..."
Seeing the pilled up dishes at the corner of my eyes, I groaned.
"Oh to hell with me!"
Entering my room, and dropping my bag onto the floor with a heavy thud, I cast a weary glance around the room.
My eyes land on a box sitting on my desk next to my folders.
"What's this now?"
my voice tinged with a hint of curiosity.
I reached out to inspect the box.
"How small... The same number 240.... is it the same one I saw earlier?"
Or could this just be a prank? I thought to myself.
The box was small as the center of the palm, adorned with strange symbols and unfamiliar markings like earlier.
Alright, I must know what this says... something about this, it feels like it's telling me to... I feel like I might regret this somehow.
But first I should get a few things ready.
The sound of papers and pencils could be heard as my fingers were rummaging through the drawer underneath.
Ah-HA! OKAY! Got it! Something about this is fascinating, it's like fate brought it to me... how much could I get it sold for?
Placing my glasses on, I take a look at the box.
Let's see here...
"Rankers were a concept, A thing create by the Divine goddess, Each their own holding a single priority."
I read aloud, deciphering the cryptic Kanji symbols on the box.
"Shin and Kami...."
Perhaps they have more meaning, As for the rest it seems well written.
Why does the words feel so foreign and yet....significant
My fingers grazed the surface of the box.
It's like a forgotten memory at the back of my head.
my curiosity became piqued with each passing second
Hmmm... 240, and then there's this Divine goddess...
What could any of this mean?
Could it be Greek mythology or perhaps folklore?
As I leaned in for a closer look, a sudden, ear-piercing screech shattered the silence the room, causing me to recoil in alarm.
"Yikes! What the hell Is that!?"
My heart leaps into my throat, My pulse pounded in my ears, and a surge of adrenaline shot through my veins, leaving me trembling and breathless.
The noise instantly stopped upon my reaction.
What is this thing....
My mind raced, grappling with a mixture fear and yet, a slight hint of curiosity.
The box lay on the floor, now emanating a soft, otherworldly glow that bathed the room in an eerie light.
A house alarm?
What is this, did a military weapon ended up inside my home?
why does the thought of it sound.....cool?
"Greetings, Ranker 240!"
Eeeek!!
I jumped back in surprise and fright.
"You will now be transported to another world. Please comply"
My heart drums rapidly in my chest.
"A- Another world?"
The voice was mechanical, emotionless, yet authoritative. It reverberated through the room, echoing in my mind.
"YES if you accept. If you wish to refuse, NO."
"You have ten seconds to decide. Good luck."
"Is this a joke!"
"HEY RESPOND DAMMIT!"
"JUST WHO THE HELL IS PULLING THIS SHIT!?"
It sounded like some sort of twisted sense of humor, but the intensity of the situation felt too vivid to be a mere joke.
"What the hell is actually going on right now!"
I fell back on the floor my rear making a loud impact with the floor's tile.
"where did that voice even come from?" My thoughts whirl in a chaotic manner.
And Good luck my ass!! This can't be real can it?
"SPEAK!
Speak you goddamn box!"
I have to make a choice before it does something else.
But what in god's name do I do?
(edit here.)
Panic claws at my chest, tightening its grip around my heart.
My eyes lingered onto a frame of my mother.
"Do I really have to choose?"
What if I said 'no' and it triggers something worse? My mind races with each thought more frantic than the others."
I won't know unless I try.
"NO" I decide aloud, my voice trembling a bit.
The box suddenly stopped at my command.
My panic stopped as the box turned off, I dared not move an inch.
I've seen it many times in those novels I read—agreeing would mean being taken to some world, then captured or enslaved, and having to defeat some demon lord while I'm at it.
"Like hell, who am I kidding, those things don't actually exist,
It's just a harmless house alarm with a voice..."
TOTALLY FINE! right?
I said in a mean's of calming myself down, the thought of stories and novels seems to do just that.
"It seems now I have to discard this before anything else happens...."
"I could probably get it pawned somewhere."
Before I can touch the box, it erupts with a blinding, white-hot light, searing my retinas and painting the room in stark, unnatural shadows.
An ear-piercing, metallic screech slices through the air, making my ears ring and my head throb. I clutch my head in agony, collapsing to my knees.
"AAAAAHHH!!!!!" I scream, my voice raw with panic and confusion.
My body feels like it's on fire, every nerve ending tingling with an electric shock.
"I can't move,
can't breathe...."
"GAAHHHHHHH!!!"
I screamed, once more my voice filled with desperation.
Dammit, Dammit, Dammit.
I answered in time didn't I!?
"YOUR ANSWER IS IRELLIVENT"
"YOU SHALL NOW BE OFF OF THIS GLOBE"
"THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING RANKER."
"COUNTDOWN STARTING AT TWENTY"
My fist clenches into my palm as my body was a few feet away from the box, my back being against the bed.
I've never felt so helpless, so utterly at the mercy of something beyond my control.
"Speak to me you f*cking troll!"
Do you think this is funny!?
"I can have you arrested!"
My pulse quickens, the countdown echoing in my ears.
Each second feels like an eternity, the voice's mechanical precision heightening my dread.
"This isn't goddamn funny, respond now!"
My knees made a loud contact with the rug as I looked down at my demise
Please...
Whoever you are...
Stop scaring me like this
Screeeeeeeeekkk!
My body why does it feel so numb....
After that small screech.
I let out a yawn as I was battling to keep my eyes open.
I feel so restless too....
"what is happening to me."
My thoughts became disjointed
No.... NO!
What kind of end is this....
My fingers gripped the bed head in means of standing and trying to escape.
Loud exasperated panting got the better of me, my chin then hitting the bed frame.
"YOUR TIME HAS PASSED RANKER"
Everything around me becoming blurry in an instant.
Aghhhh.....no....
My body fell flat on the floor, giving up on me, something felt as though it was escaping my body.
In a desperate attempt, I tried reaching my phone on the bed, my fingers brushed the top of the screen before falling onto the floor in failure.
I....give up...
You win!
Just let me live!
the picture of my mother fell onto my face as the room shook, the picture in my desperate hour, lend me comfort.
The noise vanished, replaced by an eerie silence leaving everything black.
Kyoko's soul had left her body at that time, entering the box she lost her consciousness to.