Part 0: Prologue

Zoruto woke up in a hospital bed, feeling disoriented. "What happened?"

As he looked at his hand, he noticed a grey symbol glowing faintly on his palm.

"What's this?" he murmured, confused.

The nurse, passing by, noticed Zoruto's puzzled expression but couldn't see the symbol. "Are you okay?"

Zoruto nodded, determined to uncover the mystery of the glowing symbol on his hand.

Part 1: A Boy from Arcadia 

It was a sunny day in the city of Arcadia when Zoruto woke up for school. After a quick breakfast, he brushed his teeth, got dressed, and rode his bicycle to school. Upon arriving, he met his friends in the hallway.

"Finally, you're here, Zoruto!" Hiroshi Tanaka, his best friend and a top student, called out.

"Yeah, what's up?" Zoruto replied with a curious grin.

"Today's the math test," Miyuki Sato chimed in, adjusting her backpack.

"So what?" Zoruto smirked, confident in his academic abilities.

"It's on trigonometry," Miyuki added, her voice serious.

"What?!" Zoruto's expression fell. "You've got to be kidding me!"

The hallway buzzed with whispers: "Is that Zoruto? The genius, panicking over a test?"

Despite being a brilliant student, Zoruto had a particular disdain for trigonometry. Both he and Hiroshi were the top students of Arcadia, known for their quick minds and strategic prowess in chess. Miyuki, though intelligent, had a reputation for being overly talkative and often worried about unnecessary things.

As they settled into their classroom, Zoruto leaned over to Hiroshi. "I can't believe it's trigonometry. Out of everything, it had to be that."

Hiroshi smirked. "Relax, you'll ace it. You always do."

Before the test began, Zoruto noticed something off. The normally loud and chatty Miyuki was quiet. "You okay, Miyuki? You look like you're about to faint."

Miyuki sighed. "I studied all night. My brain is fried."

Zoruto chuckled. "It's just a test, you'll be fine. Besides, you're smart."

"Yeah, but not as smart as you two," she said, pointing at him and Hiroshi.

"I'm sure you'll do great," Hiroshi reassured her. "Just focus."

As the teacher entered the room, Zoruto turned to Miyuki again. "If it makes you feel any better, I didn't study either."

Miyuki blinked in surprise. "Wait, really?"

"Really. I just… didn't feel like it," Zoruto replied casually.

"You're either brave or crazy," Miyuki muttered, shaking her head.

The math test passed in a blur of numbers and formulas. Zoruto managed to keep his cool, though he was visibly relieved when it ended.

"That was brutal," he said as they walked out of the classroom.

"Brutal?" Miyuki asked incredulously. "You didn't even study, and you probably got a perfect score!"

"I wouldn't be so sure," Zoruto replied, feigning modesty.

As they walked out of school, the trio's personalities began to shine more.

Hiroshi, ever the calm and analytical one, carried his books under his arm like he was always ready to study. He had a reputation for being methodical, solving problems with ease, and was known to spend hours at the library after school.

Miyuki, on the other hand, was fidgety and quick to panic. She had a habit of overthinking things, especially school-related topics, and was always seen clutching her notes as if they were a lifeline.

"Did you hear about the new arcade opening up?" Zoruto asked, his tone casual.

"You mean 'Neo Haven'?" Hiroshi responded, adjusting his glasses. "Yeah, I read about it. Supposed to have the latest VR games."

"VR?!" Miyuki perked up, her worries about the math test momentarily forgotten. "That sounds fun! We should totally go after school tomorrow."

"Only if you promise not to get motion sickness again," Zoruto teased with a smirk.

"That was one time!" Miyuki shot back, puffing her cheeks in frustration. "And it wasn't even a real roller coaster!"

The trio continued to chat as they made their way toward the bus stop, the usual hustle and bustle of Arcadia city surrounding them. Arcadia, though not a huge metropolis, was a bustling city known for its high-tech innovation and picturesque views, with a giant clock tower at its center, symbolizing both progress and tradition. The streets were lined with shops, cafes, and large screens broadcasting news and advertisements.

As they walked, a group of students from their school passed by, whispering among themselves while stealing glances at Zoruto.

"Why do they always do that?" Zoruto muttered under his breath.

"Because you're Zoruto," Hiroshi said simply, as if that explained everything. "You're popular."

"I don't care about popularity," Zoruto replied, annoyed. "I just want some peace and quiet."

"You're Arcadia High's undefeated chess champion and top scorer in all your subjects. You're basically a legend," Miyuki pointed out. "People look up to you."

Zoruto shrugged. "I'm just a normal guy who doesn't like attention."

"You call yourself normal?" Hiroshi chuckled. "You're far from it."

As they reached the bus stop, the topic shifted. Zoruto looked around the city, feeling a strange sense of unease despite the ordinary day.

"I've been having weird dreams lately," he said suddenly.

Hiroshi raised an eyebrow. "Dreams? About what?"

"I don't know, it's hard to explain. Just… something strange. Like, I'm supposed to be somewhere, but I don't know where."

Miyuki rolled her eyes. "You've been playing too many video games. You probably just need more sleep."

"Maybe," Zoruto replied, though he wasn't convinced.

Just then, something caught their attention. A stray dog was wandering near the edge of the sidewalk, heading toward the dark forest that loomed at the outskirts of Arcadia.

"That's weird," Hiroshi said, narrowing his eyes. "Why's it going into the forest?"

"You mean the spooky one?" Miyuki asked, sounding nervous. "The one people say is haunted?"

"Haunted?" Zoruto smirked. "You're not scared, are you?"

Miyuki crossed her arms defensively. "No! I just… think we shouldn't mess with it. There's a reason people avoid that place."

"Let's check it out," Zoruto said, more curious than cautious.

Hiroshi glanced at Zoruto, unsure. "You really want to go there?"

"Yeah, why not? It's probably just rumors."

Miyuki hesitated. "Are you sure? That place gives me the creeps."

Despite her reluctance, curiosity got the better of them. The trio decided to follow the dog, walking towards the infamous forest. The transition from the bustling city streets to the eerie quiet of the forest was jarring. As they stepped past the trees, the air grew colder, and the leaves rustled ominously in the wind.

"Stay close," Zoruto said, his tone a little more serious now.

The deeper they ventured, the thicker the mist became, swirling around their feet. The usual chatter between them had quieted as the eerie atmosphere started to take hold.

"This place doesn't feel right," Miyuki whispered, clutching her arms.

"Relax," Zoruto said, though even he was beginning to feel uneasy. "It's just a forest."

Suddenly, they heard a loud howl. The stray dog darted deeper into the woods.

"We should turn back," Miyuki urged, her voice trembling.

But Zoruto's attention was elsewhere. His gaze had locked onto something far off in the sky—a streak of light moving impossibly fast, hurtling toward the forest.

"Look up," he said, pointing. "What is that?"

Hiroshi's eyes widened. "That… looks like a meteor."

Before they could react, the meteor crashed into the forest with a deafening roar, the impact shaking the ground beneath their feet. A bright, otherworldly light illuminated the woods, and the trees seemed to bend from the force of the explosion.

"Miyuki! Hiroshi! Get back!" Zoruto shouted, his heart racing as he felt a powerful pull toward the crash site.