Although I don't know who this Hiro person is... I get nostalgia from hearing that name for some odd reason.
I feel this uneasy sensation crawling down my spine for some bizarre reason.
Tokuda was unsure of what was happening at the moment. He closed the welcoming message from his view.
"I should ignore it for now."
He then remembers another pop-up that had appeared before the strange welcome message with "Hiro" in the content.
I wonder what that Skill Tree feature is? Could it be similar to the ones in RPG (Roleplay Games)?
He scratched his head several times, wondering how to bring up this "Skill Tree Menu" or even the "Main Menu".
Hm... I should start at least by saying simple keywords. Maybe a word brings it up or like a certain command...
Tokuda took a deep breath as he prepared to chant keywords.
"Skill Tree!"
Nope... That didn't work.
"Start Menu!"
...
"Menu!"
Ting!
The system recognized his command, after he had said "Menu" a sound indicated it worked, it brought up a hollow screen that was in the color of teal.
"Ah! It worked!"
He paid more attention to the screen to see what it had said.
[ < Menu > ]
[ Stats ] [ Party ] [ Inventory ]
[ Options ]
It had the usual options that a typical geek who played games would always expect from a fantasy game. Tokuda was skeptical about which selection to make first.
"Four options..."
He had wanted to look at the "Skill Tree" first, but having these other ones piqued his interest.
I think I'll pick stats first...
Just like he did with the previous pop-ups, all he needed to do was push his finger forward to push on the button that was hollow.
As soon as he pressed "Stats" a different tone played and a new pop-up opened with details of his current abilities.
Chime!
[ USER: HIRO ] [ LVL. 1 ] [ HP: 100 / 100 ] [ REN: N/A] [ CURRENT TRAIT: NON-REN USER]
[ Strength: 1 ] [ Speed: 1 ] [ Stamina: 1 ] [ Magic: 0 ] [ Attack: 1 ]
[ POINTS TO ALLOCATE: 0 ] [ SKILL TREE ]
Tokuda's face went from a smile to a frown when he had seen his stats.
Wow... I'm really weak ain't I?
Well, it may seem bad but, he's only level 1. Although, if he were to level up, he could probably get his stats up. Then, the selection box that stated "Skill Tree" caught his attention.
There it is! Skill Tree!
With the least hesitation, he pressed the button to open the "Skill Tree" screen.
Chime!
[ Skill Tree Skill: The Rebirthed ]
[ Mesu ] [ Tesu ] [ Resu ]
"The Rebirthed? What does that mean?"
He tried to press on the "Skill Tree Skill" but, after all his attempts, nothing would work to bring up more information on it. And even after he also tried pressing on the other options, they didn't work as well.
Maybe they don't work because I don't have a trait right now... I wonder how I can get one.
Tokuda yawned after closing the menu.
Damn, I feel tired, I'll check those other menu buttons out later on. It looks like I should go find an inn so I can go to sleep peacefully.
He walks through the endless number of trees in his path towards the exit of the forest.
The sun is setting already? I should hurry up before it gets too dark.
***
Tokuda got to the main road of the capital where he last was when he had arrived with the trader. The road was as silent as an empty area. No one could be seen.
"I wonder where everyone went?"
Nevertheless, I need to find an Inn as soon as possible.
He walks down the road that looks endless; surprisingly, there were lights that lit up the street at least. After thirty minutes of walking, he found an Inn. It looked like a place from a video game. He walked inside to see a lady waiting at a counter for someone to come inside to rent out a room.
The lady welcomed Tokuda with a bow. "Hello! Welcome to the Sakura Inn. May I get you a room?"
Tokuda's eyes couldn't keep off the lady who looked like she was around his age. Black hair that reached down to her waist; the outfit made it even better.
S-She's so pretty, I don't think I've viewed a girl like this before.
"Oh! I-Is there something on my face?" The lady looked away as she spoke, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Tokuda scrammed while trying to explain that she didn't have anything on her. Although he was too shy to say that she was pretty.
"N-No, your face is good. I just spaced out; sorry!"
He looked away but then remembered that he needed to book some nights.
"Ah, I'll take three nights, please."
The lady smiled with her pink cheeks. "Okay! It will be thirty silver coins please!"
He digs into his pocket again to find thirty silver coins to pay for the inn.
Left with six silver coins, I can likely make it to the end of the week.
He hands the silver coins off to the lady. "Here you go. Thirty silver coins like you requested."
"Thank you! Your inn will be in door 105!"
Tokuda heads off towards his inn while dozing off in the process. The hallways looked like they could keep going forever; they were just a repeat of the same things. But then he got to his inn after a minute of walking down the hallway.
He opens the door and then sees how nice the inn looks. The beds at the time looked so good that one touch from them would send him straight to heaven.
I can't wait to go to bed. I'm so exhausted from all the shenanigans that have been happening all day. First, I had to go to school... well, I mean just get to it, not attend it. And then I got sent to this world that trapped all of us here.
Tokuda looked at a clock he had never noticed in the upper left corner of his view.
I've never noticed this clock before... ten o'clock is the time right now? I wonder what time it is over in Japan, hell I wonder if people have been noticing that people have disappeared? Well, I don't have to worry about that, I know my mom and sister won't give the slightest care at all.
Tokuda's eyes started closing.
Mom... Sis...
Then, he entered into a deep slumber.
***
Tokuda opened his eyes to a different place from the one where he had fallen asleep. Instead, it appeared that he was inside a house.
"Augh... where am I?"
Wait a second... why am I inside a house? I thought I was sleeping at the inn with the pretty black-haired lady.
He got up from his lying position on the wooden floor.
This place feels familiar...
Tokuda went to inspect the place a little bit more to understand where he was.
"T-This... it's my childhood home."
Why am I here?
He looked around the living room to make sure it was his childhood house. But it seemed that his assumption was right; he saw photos in the living room of his family. He was confused. Then a high-pitched voice echoed down the hallway. It was a child's voice.
A child ran down the hallway leading to the bedrooms, shouting for its mother. "Mommy! Look! Look! I got the superhero I've been wanting to get!"
Tokuda directed his attention to the hallway. The child rushed out of the shadows to the living room where he was. Tokuda froze as soon as the child was visible.
That can't be... that's me when I was younger!
"That's great! I'll give it a look after I serve dinner!"
He heads over to the kitchen of remembrance and sees a clear image of a lady who was his mother.
M-Mom? What's going on here? Why am I here? This doesn't make sense!
Tokuda kept trying to think of what could be the reason for being where he was. All the pieces matched in his head, fitting together seamlessly.
A man walked into the house from the front door, entering the living room.
"I'm home."
Tokuda moves his head with a fearful hesitation after hearing the man's voice. Cold sweats were rolling down his neck to the point it was dropping on the ground.
No. It can't be...
After that voice spoke, it was all too clear to him. The memories of this fateful day flowed into his mind. A memory he couldn't forget if his life were on the line.
This is the day... when all our lives changed. The reason why I don't get along with my mother or my sister. That man... is my father.
Tokuda's blood boiled. The man's face had ruined his mother and sisters. It made him furious. He couldn't keep his composure. Just then, he tightened his fists, ready to punch his father out of hate. Then, his mother spoke.
"How was work, honey?"
Tokuda relaxed his hands, feeling the tension gradually fade away.
"Daddy! You are here; let me show you my toy!"
Tokuda's father looked at his younger self, then turned away toward his mother.
"Tokuda go to the room. I need to discuss something between me and your mom."
Tokuda's younger self felt odd. This had never happened before. But he didn't know better, so he went along with the request. "Okay!"
Tokuda watched as his child self ran toward the hallway leading to his room.
Shit! He's going to run into me!
Tokuda tried evading the collision between him and his child self. But something odd happened. Instead of colliding, he ran straight through Tokuda as if he were a ghost.
What the hell? How did he go through me like that?
"Aoi, I have to leave you and this household."
After those words from his father, a plate fell. It was full of the dinner his mother had made.
Tokuda's mother had no words for what had come out of his father's mouth. The only words that could come out of her mouth were, "W-Why?"
Tears were rolling down her cheeks as if it were a flowing waterfall. It was as if her world had crumbled.
"I have work to attend to."
Tokuda's younger self had heard this whole ordeal since the walls weren't soundproof. He had also started crying as well at the fact that his parents were divorcing at that moment. Though young, he knew things most kids didn't. He was smarter than others in his grade.
Tokuda was silent. He hated that he had to watch this very moment again. A memory that he had much hatred for, a memory that he wished he could abandon forever.
"Tokuda."
His child self looked up to see his father calling his name in front of him.
"W-What..."
He tries to hide the tears that were previously coming out while trying to talk.
"Take care of your mother. I know someday we'll see each other again. And it'll be for a good reason."
He didn't know what the words his father spoke meant other than to take care of his mother.
Then, his father took his farewell and left the house. He, his mother, and his sister never saw him again.
***
Ding… Ding… Ding!
A bell was heard from far away.
Where the hell am I now?
Tokuda observed his surroundings, he had been inside a train station.
"Why am I here?"
Muttering from his earbuds were blasting out while music was playing via his MP3 Player.
"What time is it?"
He looks over to the small screen on the MP3 Player and trys to figure out the time and date. But…
[ Tokuda… Next… To… You… ]
Next to me?
Tokuda glances over to a person he has never seen before…
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