BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!, The digital alarm clock started beeping. It was 5:30 AM, time for Kurogane Raijin to wake up and go to school. Why so early? Today was the last day of school before their big and important exams started and the teachers called all the students early so they could review everything they've studied one last time.

Raijin didn't want to go. It's not as if he needed the extra help anyway. Raijin was a smart guy. Of course, he wasn't intelligent or gifted, but he still had a reasonable amount of intelligence. But, that intelligence didn't work when he had just woken up. But, he decided to go anyway, as he would be more entertained at school than at home.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEE-, Raijin grabbed the alarm and threw it at the wall on the opposite side of his room. It smashed into pieces and it's screen came flying from the other side of the room and hit Raijin on the forehead. Raijin's eyes shot open quickly and he put his hands up to his forehead.

He wasn't bleeding, but it still somewhat hurt. Raijin slowly sat up on his bed. He yawned and rubbed his eyes slowly. Raijin climbed off his bed and walked to the restroom. He walked up to the sink to wash his hands, and stopped to look at himself in the mirror for a moment. His straight, short yellow hair was messy. His dark blue eyes had black circles under them, due to Raijin not sleeping much recently. But, ever since "THAT" incident, he couldn't sleep well. He had too much on his mind to be able to sleep comfortably.

He washed his face and hands and then left the restroom and walked downstairs. His parents had already gone to work. This made Raijin sigh. They always used to stay for a while after Raijin had woken up to greet him and talk to him and make him breakfast. But, after "THAT" incident, his parents were barely at home, let alone talk to him. It was as if they had forgotten he existed. That wasn't possible, right? He was still their son. He knows that they are going through a tough time, but so is he. They shouldn't neglect him. They shouldn't abandon him. They would never abandon him, right?

Raijin shook his head and pushed those negative thoughts away. He walked to the kitchen and made himself a sandwich. It was just a basic sandwich. He sat down and ate it. After he finished eating it, he walked back upstairs, went to the restroom and took a shower. He then wore his school uniform, but not before thinking of burning his ridiculous uniform. His school uniform consisted of a white T-shirt and a gold jacket with blue-black trousers and red shoes. The mishmash of colours made Raijin almost want to vomit.

He had enough money to get a taxi and reach school quicker but he eventually decided against it and took out his bicycle. He hopped on his cycle and started cycling to his school. On his way there, he started to notice that the sky was getting darker and he also felt some slight tremors from underground, as if an earthquake was approaching. He didn't know what was going on, but he started to feel worried that maybe some natural disaster would come, like an earthquake or a tornado.

At one point, halfway to the school, he contemplated if he should go back home, but he decided against it. He reached his school after cycling for a while and parked in front of his school. Nakawakana high school. This school was named after a supposed mythical city Nakawakana-Jigiro, which apparently lies deep down underneath the Sea of Japan. Raijin had never even heard about this "Mythical City" before enrolling in this school. He just chalked it up to a lame school trying everything it could to have one cool thing about it, since it had that stupid uniform. When Raijin thought of his uniform again, he almost puked.

He walked up the stairs and went through the door. He walked through the hallway and reached his locker and opened it. That was one of the things that made Nakawakana high school different than other Japanese schools. Instead of shoe lockers, like they're is in every other school in Japan, this school had no shoe lockers and instead had lockers like an American school for students to store their personal belongings such as textbooks, folders, notebooks, jackets, gym clothes, and other school supplies during the school day.

He put some of his books in the locker and when he closed the locker, he let out a startled shout. Why? Because behind the lockers open door, was his best friend, Hebimori Sapenta's face there, with a terrifying grin.

"W-what's with the creepy face?", Asked Raijin. Sapenta's grin grew deeper and even more creepy before;

"Ignore him, Raijin. He's been like that since this morning. I don't know what's gotten into him", A new voice entered the scene.

Raijin turned around and saw a girl with short purple hair and green eyes standing behind him. She had a mole under her right eye. It was his other friend, Nakamura Ayuna.

"Maybe he's excited about something? He always acts creepy when he's excited or happy", Raijin suggested. He remembered one time when Sapenta had gotten a tablet as a gift and he acted like he was possessed, running all over the place and doing splits and pull ups everywhere. "Maybe. Or, he could also be upset? He also acts weird when he gets upset".

Ayuna put a finger to her chin, as if in deep thought, before she let out a bright smile and, "How are you, Raijin?"

"Why did you not answer my question after acting like you were thinking of an answer?"

Raijin sighed in exasperation after Ayuna completely ignored his suggestion and asked how he was doing. Raijin knew that Ayuna always ignored trying to think deeply, despite how smart she was. She was, without a shadow of a doubt, the smartest

student in the school. But, she didn't think a lot. She would say that her mind would hurt. This would often annoy Raijin, who was dumber than her and it really infuriated Sapenta, who was much, much dumber than both Raijin and Ayuna.

"Well, anyway, I am fine, Ayuna. What about you?"

"Oh, I'm fine! Actually, I'm more than fine! I woke up this morning and turns out my favourite music group released a new song! I was super cranky that I had to wake up today, but that fact made up my entire day!"

"Uh-huh. Good to know."

While Raijin and Ayuna were talking, Sapenta was still standing behind them with the creepy grin still on his face.

"'Aight, you know what? You clearly want us to ask why you are in such a weird state, but none of us are going to ask. Come on, Ayuna. We're leaving", Said Raijin. He was getting a bit irritated that Sapenta was still acting weird, so he grabbed Ayuna's hand and began to walk away with her, before,

*WHAM* *SMASH*

"Woah?!" "Raijin!"

A massive fist collided with Raijin's face and sent him flying into a locker. The strong punch made Raijin drop Ayuna's hand, and as he flew backwards, he let out a pained gasp. He blinked as he slumped down and looked up. In front of him, he saw a muscular teenage boy with a brown hair and a crew cut with brown eyes. It was Okaro Niko, the school's biggest bully.

Ever since "THAT" incident a couple of months ago, Niko had begun picking on and bullying Raijin. It was as if he didn't have a heart. How could he even think of bullying someone that had been through a tragic thing only a couple of months ago?

"Well, lookie who's here. If it isn't my best friend, Furonagana Taikone!", Niko cackled wildly as he exclaimed that.

Raijin didn't answer and just glared up at Niko. Niko saw this and started laughing even harder while shaking his knees, pretending to be intimidated. Ayuna also glared at Niko and just as she reached down to help Raijin up to his feet, a war cry came from their side.

"UUUUURRRRRRRAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!"

The moment the sound came, a barrel rolled into Niko. No. It wasn't a barrel. It was Sapenta. He had rushed at Niko and punched him in the neck. As weird an immature Sapenta was, he was physically very strong. He had a good amount of muscle and he was tall. Much taller than Raijin and a bit taller than Niko. He also knew boxing. So, while he was lacking in mental capacity, he made up for it with his physical attributes.

Niko let out a choked gasp as Sapenta punched his neck, but he quickly recovered and sent a right hook towards Sapenta, catching him off guard and hitting him. Sapenta stumbled back a bit, but quickly recovered as well and went to punch Niko in the face. Niko saw the punch coming and ducked underneath it before sending an uppercut at Sapenta, knocking him back. Niko went to kick Sapenta in the chest. But, before he could, he felt someone sweep his legs from underneath him, making him collapse. Or, that was supposed to happen, at least. The second Niko was swept off his feet from behind him by the now standing Raijin, he landed in a push up position and quickly lifted both of his legs, putting Raijin in a head lock with his legs.

Raijin let out a startled cry as he fell to the ground. He started to choke.

The last thing Raijin heard and saw was Niko's legs choking him and Ayuna and Sapenta shouting his name. He blacked out.

DARKNESS