Chapter 1: Tunnel of Spirits
Ryo couldn't see anything—the world around him was cloaked in an overwhelming void of "empty" and "lonely" darkness. As he stumbled through the abyss, searching for a way out, a cacophony of screams erupted, pleading voices crying out, "Help!" The sound was so deafening that it felt as if his eardrums were splitting apart. Blood streamed from his ears, and he fell to his knees, disoriented.
"One day earlier."
Ryo Asakura, a first-year high schooler at Sakura High, was known for his aloof demeanor. Burdened by a "disturbing past," he avoided social interactions, and as a result, he had very few friends. He lived with his uncle, the only family he had left, who had taken him in when he was just ten years old.
One afternoon, Ryo returned from school to find his uncle lying in bed, pale and frail from illness. The sight of him coughing up blood sent a jolt of panic through Ryo.
"Are you okay, Uncle?" he asked, his voice trembling.
His uncle looked at him with weary eyes and said, "Ryo, I don't think I have much time left. I've been diagnosed with late-stage cancer. I didn't want to burden you with this, but there are things you need to know before I go.
"You'll have to live on your own after my passing. However, a colleague of mine will check on you every month. Most importantly, Ryo, you must make friends. Don't isolate yourself anymore. I know you're a good boy. Forget your 'dark past' and move on. Life has so much waiting for you."
Ryo clenched his fists and nodded. "I'll try my best," he whispered.
The next morning, his uncle passed away in his sleep. At the funeral, Ryo's eyes were filled with sorrow and loneliness, but no tears fell. He had become numb to loss—it was not a new experience for him.
Walking home that evening, his thoughts spiraled. Do I even deserve to live? So many people have suffered because of me…
As he wandered down the dimly lit streets, he heard a girl crying. The sound was faint but distinct. He followed it to its source—a tunnel. Steeling himself, he entered to investigate, but there was no one inside.
"And now, in the present."
Ryo stood frozen in the pitch-black tunnel, his heart pounding. He wanted to run, but an invisible force held him in place. The screams grew louder, piercing his mind. Desperate, he clamped his hands over his ears and closed his eyes.
Is this it? Is this my punishment? he thought. I've caused so much pain… Maybe I should just let this entity take me.
Just as despair began to consume him, he felt a sudden warmth envelop his body. Opening his eyes, he found himself in a breathtaking garden, a vast green field stretching endlessly under a soft breeze.
Before him stood a girl with shining eyes, as radiant as diamonds. Ryo stared in awe, confused by the sudden change in his surroundings.
The girl extended her hand toward him and asked softly, "Can you hold my hand?"
For a moment, Ryo forgot everything—his pain, his guilt, his fear. He reached out to take her hand, but before their fingers could touch, someone shoved him aside.
A flash of steel sliced through the air, severing the girl's hand. The stranger, wielding a katana, growled, "Caught you."
Ryo looked on in horror as the girl transformed into a grotesque monster, her radiant beauty replaced by a menacing form. The garden and the green field vanished in an instant. He was back in the tunnel.
The figure who had saved him stood shrouded in darkness. Before Ryo could ask anything, he was struck by something heavy and lost consciousness.
When he came to, fragmented images haunted his mind—a burning orphanage, children screaming for help, bloodstains on his clothes. The visions faded as he opened his eyes, finding himself in an unfamiliar room. His ear, once bleeding, was now completely healed.
The door creaked open, and a girl stepped inside.
"Oh, you're awake," she said with a soft smile.
Ryo sat up cautiously. "Where am I? Who are you?"
"My name is Mikoto Nakamura," she replied. "You're in the Cursed Town."
Confusion clouded Ryo's mind. He tried to ask more questions, but Mikoto cut him off.
"You should rest," she said firmly. "I'll explain everything later."
Before he could protest, Mikoto pressed a point on his neck, and darkness claimed him once more.