Chapter 1: The Awakening

Ryo Takashi's life was as ordinary as they came. In the vast sprawl of Tokyo, he was just another face in the crowd, moving along with the endless river of people who filled the city's streets. In his early twenties, Ryo worked a desk job at a local government office. Every morning, he joined the hordes of commuters on the subway, packed shoulder to shoulder, the silence occasionally broken by the sound of a phone's notification or the rustle of a newspaper. In a city brimming with life and energy, Ryo found himself almost invisible, a single drop in an ocean of faces.

His routine was predictable: wake up, go to work, sit through hours of tedious paperwork, and then clock out. After work, he'd walk through the streets of Shibuya, sometimes stopping at a small convenience store for his favorite canned coffee, a cheap meal, or a box of instant noodles. The store owner, a grumpy older man who never failed to remind Ryo to stop slouching, was perhaps the closest thing he had to a friend outside of work. Their conversations rarely went beyond casual greetings, but Ryo liked the familiarity.

Tokyo was a city of lights and energy, but Ryo's life felt like a dim corner in a lively party. He'd often find himself wandering the bustling streets aimlessly, letting the noise and chatter drown out his own thoughts. He had once dreamed of doing something exciting, but over time, that desire faded, replaced by a quiet acceptance of his routine. Even so, a strange sense of longing lingered—a feeling that there was more to life, something just beyond his reach.

What kept him going, what kept him inspired, were his nightly rituals. After his quiet walk home and a quick dinner, he would settle into his small apartment and escape into the world of games. His living room was filled with consoles, cables, and stacks of games, many of them depicting epic worlds and long-lost civilizations. He would dive into these realms night after night, losing himself in battles, quests, and mysteries. His favorite games involved ancient ruins and mythical lore, feeding his fascination with history and the unexplained.

It wasn't just a pastime—it was his passion. His bookshelves were stacked with history books, many dog-eared and full of notes in the margins. Ryo loved to read about Atlantis, the pyramids, Stonehenge—anything with an aura of mystery. He liked to imagine those civilizations, their gods and artifacts, the relics of a world long gone. Sometimes, he thought about what it would be like to step into those ancient worlds, to walk among ruins that held secrets older than humanity itself.

One Saturday evening, Ryo wandered out to buy groceries. He had been too absorbed in his latest gaming marathon to notice that his fridge was practically empty. The bustling city streets were as familiar as ever, bright neon lights casting a colorful glow over the sidewalk. He strolled past clusters of people laughing, groups chatting as they waited in line for ramen, and a group of tourists snapping photos of Tokyo Tower in the distance.

He stopped by a small grocery store on a quiet street corner, its fluorescent lights flickering as he browsed the aisles. He picked up his usual essentials—rice, some miso soup packets, a carton of eggs, and his favorite instant coffee. Ryo found himself lingering near the shelf that displayed cheap novels and magazines, where he spotted a well-worn paperback about the mysteries of the ancient world. The cover, depicting an underwater city with tall, crumbling spires, caught his eye. Without a second thought, he added it to his basket, feeling a little thrill. Tonight, he'd have something new to read alongside his gaming session.

As he headed home, he looked up at the night sky, barely visible behind the city's glow. It was an unusually clear night, and a handful of stars twinkled faintly above the rooftops. For a moment, he stood there, looking up, feeling a strange, wistful longing—a sense that maybe, just maybe, there was something more waiting for him somewhere out there. He shook his head, laughing at himself. It was silly, he thought. He was a young man in Tokyo, not an adventurer or a hero from one of his games.

When he returned to his apartment, he prepared a simple meal, then settled into his gaming chair. Hours slipped by as he immersed himself in the latest historical RPG. The game world was a vast, forgotten desert city, with winding corridors, ancient temples, and secrets hidden in every corner. As he guided his character through the game's mysterious landscape, he felt a rush, a thrill he hadn't felt in days.

When he finally powered down his console, the room was dark, save for the faint glow of his computer screen. He glanced over at the new paperback he had bought, the image of the underwater city still vivid in his mind. Tossing himself onto his bed, he opened the book, its pages crackling slightly with age.

As he read, he felt the weight of his eyelids grow heavy, the words blurring together as he sank into sleep. His mind drifted, lingering on images of ancient ruins submerged beneath oceans, of treasures lost in time, waiting to be uncovered. His heartbeat slowed, and his breathing deepened as he fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.

Somewhere in the middle of the night, a strange sensation crept over him. Ryo's sleep became restless, a prickling discomfort spreading through his body. He felt as though he was floating, weightless, suspended in an endless darkness. His skin tingled, his pulse thundering in his ears as an invisible force seemed to pull at him, dragging him deeper into the blackness.

In his sleep, he tried to resist, but the pull grew stronger, more insistent. He felt his body twist, his senses stretch, as though he were being pulled through a narrow, twisting tunnel. Panic rose in his chest, but he was helpless to stop it.

And then, as suddenly as it had started, the sensation stopped. His body fell still, suspended in silence. He opened his eyes, expecting to see his familiar bedroom, the stacks of games and books, his empty coffee cup by the bedside.

But it was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, he found himself surrounded by darkness, thick and heavy, pressing against him from all sides. He reached out instinctively, feeling an unfamiliar resistance—water. He was underwater.

At first, panic surged through him. He tried to scream, his lungs tightening in terror. But then, something unexpected happened: he could breathe. The air—if it was even air—filled his lungs easily, cool and refreshing. Slowly, he calmed, taking in his surroundings.

Strange lights floated past, illuminating his surroundings with an eerie, soft glow. Plants and creatures drifted by, their bodies illuminated in hues of green, blue, and violet. Shadows moved in the distance, vast and ominous, their shapes both beautiful and terrifying.

Ryo's mind reeled as he struggled to comprehend this impossible reality. He was not just underwater—he was in another world, a world that felt ancient and unearthly. His heart raced, but he couldn't deny the thrill that mingled with his fear. This was like something out of his games, a hidden world beneath the waves, where bioluminescent plants glowed, and creatures moved through the water with graceful, haunting precision.

In his mind, a single word surfaced, unbidden: The Depths.

And in that moment, he understood. He had been transported, somehow pulled into a place far from the Tokyo streets he knew, a place that had existed perhaps even before the dawn of time. This wasn't just a dream or a figment of his imagination. It was real.

His last coherent thought was that his ordinary life had just ended. He didn't know where he was, why he was here, or what he would face next. But one thing was certain: he would never see Tokyo, his apartment, or his simple routines the same way again.

The Depths had claimed him. And whatever lay within them waited, as mysterious and ancient as the secrets he had once only dreamed about.