The bright blue sky cheered with a scene of joy as a family sat on a hill beneath the protective arms of a tree and the soft comforts of the grass, overlooking Aesthetic City.
"Haruka, Raito!" a father called out, his voice warm and commanding.
"This world is cruel alone, so don't absorb its pain alone. You have Raito. And that goes for you too, Raito. You two should always protect each other and Mom," he continued, his gaze fondly resting on the two boys standing side by side, all roughed up from playing. Their mother cuddled beside the father, her presence a comforting aura. Both parents were faceless, mere silhouettes of love and support.
"Hear that, To? I'm the boss of you from now on," Haruka teased, ruffling Raito's hair affectionately.
"Yeah right!" Raito shot back, laughter bubbling between them as they wrestled, their parents' laughter ringing in the air, a melody of warmth.
But that warmth faded, and reality snapped back in an instant.
Haruka stood alone on the very same hill, now overlooking the ruins of Aesthetic City. The vibrant colors of his childhood memories were replaced with a grim panorama of destruction. He walked off without saying a word, each step heavy with the weight of loss.
As he scanned the landscape, his eyes landed on a corner shop in the distance, its dilapidated structure a relic of a world that once thrived. Haruka felt a pang of nostalgia mixed with determination. He headed toward the shop, pushing aside the memories that threatened to overwhelm him.
Inside, the air was stale, filled with remnants of a past life. Haruka's foot crunched on broken glass as he stepped through the doorframe. The dim light revealed a broken-down mini-market, shelves empty and dust-covered. He scanned the area, seeking something, anything, that might be of use.
His gaze fell upon a long string of wire snaking across the floor, leading into the storeroom at the back. Curious, he tugged on the wire, and a faint metallic sound echoed from within. His heart raced, adrenaline coursing through him as he pulled harder.
Suddenly, a massive crash followed. The door burst open violently, and four zombies lurched forward, snarling and hungry, their eyes glazed with the hunger for flesh.
Haruka barely managed to roll the wire up in time to keep one of the zombies at bay. He swerved to the left but slipped on a beer bottle, crashing to the ground.
One zombie pounced, pinning him down, the wire tangled between them like a lifeline. Gritting his teeth, he reached for a nearby beer bottle, his hand straining to grasp it. With a swift movement, he smashed it, and with a sharp thrust, he stabbed the jagged edge into the zombie's skull.
The creature fell limp, and Haruka rolled away, still gripping the wire tightly. He jumped through the shattered glass door, escaping into the chaos outside.
As he landed, he drew his katana, taking a fighting stance. The night was filled with the sounds of chaos—zombie growls mingled with distant alarms.
A zombie bumped into a nearby car, setting off the alarm. BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP! The sound pierced through the night, drawing the attention of more zombies. A massive horde began to barrel toward him, growls echoing as they approached.
Haruka froze, eyes wide in disbelief. The weight of the situation hit him, and his grip on the katana slackened. With a desperate, deep breath, he stretched his arm outward, palm open.
The cylinders on his mask rose as he inhaled, steam hissing out as they dropped with a mechanical clunk. The ground rumbled beneath his feet, and water erupted from underground, shooting toward the sky.
The powerful wave crashed down, sweeping the zombies away like ragdolls. Haruka dropped to one knee, using his katana to steady himself, his breath heavy as he surveyed the area.
Without hesitation, he bolted toward the woods, heart pounding.
In the forest, Haruka found a low-hanging branch and rested, using his backpack as a makeshift pillow.
But rest evaded him. He tossed and turned, lost in a restless sleep.
Flashback: NEXUS Stadium was a scene of pandemonium—smoke, blood, and screams filled the air. A young Haruka sat on the ground in the middle of the panicked crowd, covering his ears and squeezing his eyes shut. His mother grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him through the chaos, her face obscured, only her tearful blue-white eyes visible.
Haruka glanced to her side and saw a young Raito clinging to her leg. Behind them, people were trampled and bitten, blood staining the ground. They huddled in a corner, with Haruka wrapping his arms protectively around Raito.
Their mother knelt beside them, her voice trembling. "Stay here, my babies. Mommy's going to find us a way out. Haruka, you're in charge, okay?"
Raito clutched their mother, refusing to let her go. Haruka pried him off with gentle force, whispering reassurance into his ear. "It's okay... Mom will be back. She promised."
But Haruka's gaze fell on a horrifying sight as chaos intensified. Their mother lay on the ground, motionless, her wide, lifeless eyes staring back at Haruka as zombies devoured her.
Back in the present, Haruka stirred in his sleep, still restless. The cylinders on his mask rose and stayed extended, releasing bursts of steam. The mask tightened around his face, suffocating him.
He woke with a gasp, clutching at the mask, tumbling from the branch and hitting the ground hard.
Wriggling on the ground, he struggled to remove the mask, panic rising within him. Finally, he lay flat on his back, bloodshot eyes staring up at the night sky.
Taking a deep, controlled breath, he concentrated. The cylinders retracted with a heavy hiss, loosening their grip.
Haruka stared at the stars, panting, then turned his head to notice a faint light shining through the trees.
Pushing himself to his feet, he walked toward the light, heart pounding with a mix of hope and trepidation.
From the woods, he saw the outline of a broken gas station in the distance, its flickering sign humming weakly, casting an eerie glow over the cracked pavement.