The cold wind bit into Eren's face as he stepped outside his apartment, clutching a list of groceries in his hand. The streets of New Dawn City bustled with life, despite the ever-present backdrop of Rifts and their dangers. Hover cars zipped overhead, neon advertisements flickered on skyscrapers, and people moved with purpose, their heads buried in their personal devices or conversations.
Eren adjusted his hood against the chill and muttered, "I wonder what happened to the Rift yesterday. Did they clear it already?"
The streets of District 214 were like any other—crammed with vendors hawking wares, the occasional drone flying by with deliveries, and tiny service robots navigating between pedestrians. The familiar hum of life brought Eren a strange kind of comfort.
He stepped into the small grocery shop at the corner.
"Welcome to 214 Grocery Shop, customer," chirped a tiny spherical robot behind the counter. Its synthetic voice crackled slightly, likely from years of neglect.
Eren smirked. "What a peaceful day," he said under his breath, reaching for a basket.
Before he could take another step, the air filled with a sharp click and a mechanical voice echoed through the shop:
"A Rift has appeared in District 214. Please find shelter and do not go outside. This is not a drill."
The robotic greeter fell silent, its single blinking eye dimming momentarily. Eren's stomach sank as murmurs spread through the few customers in the store. Some froze in fear, while others bolted for the exits.
"Ah, shit," Eren muttered, his hands tightening around the basket handle. "This cursed tongue of mine."
The shopkeeper, a middle-aged woman with graying hair, glanced nervously toward the street before quickly locking the front door. "Sorry, kid," she said, her voice trembling. "Store's closed. You'd better head home."
Eren barely heard her. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out and saw a string of frantic messages from Theo.
> Theo: "Bro, stay safe."
Theo: "A Rift just appeared in front of my house."
Theo: "In case I die, thank you for everything."
Eren's breath caught in his throat.
> Eren: "Get the hell out of there. Don't die yet. Die after you've paid back my money, you little shit. I'm coming there."
He sent the text and immediately dialed Theo's number. His heart pounded as the ringing seemed to drag on forever.
Finally, Theo's voice crackled through the line. "Eren… you idiot. Don't come here."
"Theo, listen to me. Get the hell out of there right now!"
"I can't!" Theo's voice was shaking. "They're all over outside the house. And I'm glad you care, but don't come alone. You're not awakened yet. You'll just get yourself killed."
"I don't care about that!" Eren snapped. "Stay alive, damn it. No matter what!"
[A/N - This Dumb MC. What can you do, You unawakened peace of shit]
There was a brief pause, followed by the faint sound of something crashing.
Theo's voice came back, weaker this time. "I'll try—"
The call cut off abruptly with a loud boom.
"Theo? Theo!" Eren shouted into the phone. But there was no response, only static.
His grip tightened on the device, his knuckles white. Fear and anger surged through him, clouding his thoughts.
He ran.
---
The streets were chaos. Alarms blared in the distance, and the air was filled with screams and the roar of monsters. Eren pushed past people running in the opposite direction, his feet pounding against the pavement as he sprinted toward Theo's house.
"Move!" he shouted, shoving a panicked man out of the way.
Hover cars screeched to a halt above him, some crashing into one another as their drivers abandoned them to flee. The sound of sirens grew louder, but Eren didn't stop.
His lungs burned, and his legs ached, but he forced himself onward. He couldn't think about the danger, couldn't think about the fact that he was unarmed and unawakened. All that mattered was getting to Theo.
When he turned the corner onto Theo's street, his stomach dropped.
---
The Rift hovered in the air several meters above the ground, a jagged tear in reality that shimmered with a sickly, otherworldly light. It pulsed like a living thing, its edges crackling with energy.
From the Rift poured small, green-skinned creatures. Goblins.
They moved with unnatural speed, their shrill laughter filling the air as they swarmed the district. Armed with crude weapons—daggers, clubs, and shards of broken glass—they smashed through windows and doors, dragging screaming victims out into the streets.
Eren's heart hammered in his chest. "No, no, no…"
He sprinted toward Theo's house, his fear momentarily forgotten.
---
The front door was ajar, hanging off its hinges. The walls were marked with deep gashes, and the faint sound of shattering glass came from inside.
"Theo!" Eren shouted, stepping cautiously into the house.
The living room was in shambles. Furniture lay overturned, and the air reeked of blood and sweat. A goblin lay sprawled in the corner, its body pierced by several crude arrows.
Eren grabbed a broken chair leg from the floor, gripping it tightly as he moved deeper into the house.
"Theo!"
A faint groan came from upstairs.
Eren bolted up the stairs two at a time, his makeshift weapon held ready.
When he reached Theo's bedroom, he froze.
---
Theo was slumped against the far wall, blood seeping from a deep wound in his side. His shirt was torn, and his breathing was shallow. A broken chair lay next to him, its jagged leg still clutched in his hand.
"Theo!" Eren dropped to his knees beside him, his hands trembling.
Theo's eyes fluttered open, and he managed a weak smile. "E-Eren… I told you… not to come."
Eren ignored him, his hands fumbling to press against the wound.
"I'll get you out of here. Just hang on, okay? You're going to be fine."
Theo chuckled weakly, wincing at the pain. "Always… the optimist… huh?"
Suddenly, a guttural shriek pierced the air. Eren whipped around to see three goblins standing in the doorway, their yellow eyes gleaming with malice.
Eren's heart raced. He couldn't fight all three of them.
"Theo," he whispered. "Can you stand?"
Theo shook his head. His breathing was shallow. "Don't be… stupid… Eren. You can't save me."
"Shut up!" Eren hissed, his voice breaking. "I'm not leaving you!"
The goblins moved closer, their laughter filling the room.
Theo reached out and grabbed Eren's hand, his grip surprisingly strong.
"Listen to me," he said, his voice strained. "You… have to run. If you stay… you'll die too."
"No."
"Eren—"
"I said no!" Eren shouted, tears streaming down his face.
The first goblin lunged.
Eren grabbed the chair leg from Theo's hand and swung wildly. The goblin dodged, slashing at Eren's arm. Pain shot through him, but he gritted his teeth and swung again, this time catching the goblin in the neck.
It fell, gurgling and clutching at the wound, but the other two goblins were already closing in.
Theo struggled to sit up, his voice weak. "Eren… go…"
Eren didn't respond.
Another goblin lunged. Eren managed to deflect its blade but stumbled, losing his balance.
The last thing he saw was Theo lunging forward, using the last of his strength to tackle one of the goblins.
...
When Eren regained consciousness, the room was eerily quiet.
He blinked, his vision blurry. The goblins were gone, their bodies lying in heaps on the floor.
And Theo…
Eren crawled toward his friend, his hands trembling.
Theo lay motionless, his eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Theo," Eren whispered, shaking him. "Theo, wake up. Please…"
But Theo didn't respond.
Eren's vision blurred again, but this time it wasn't from blood loss. Hot tears streamed down his face as he clutched Theo's lifeless body.
The faint buzzing he had felt earlier in the day returned, growing louder and louder until it became a deafening roar in his mind. A screen appeared in front of him
[That's a pathetic state indeed. Watching your close on-]
"Who is that?" Interrupted Eren
-----
....
..
Eren: "This Stupid Author forgot to tell Theo was the only family or closed i had and that i was an orphan"
A/N: "Oh shit yeahh I forgot after all i was the one who made you like that"
Eren: "Same cliche different story arent you tired? If I could I would already have escaped to some other good novel"
Eren: "Hey, Readers. This Stupid Author is a new one. He always tends to make mistakes, please do forgive him on my behalf"
Eren: " And if you want to talk to me directly, Comment with
A/N: "You are too harsh"