A week had now passed since the first gate appeared in central Tokyo. In that short time, hundreds of gates had materialized around the world. In response, governments quickly organized military forces to secure and study them.
Many feared what lay beyond the mysterious gates. Unsure if the words of this 'Prophet' were to be trusted.
Whilst others waited on the 'Prophet' as he was currently touring around the country. Ready to hear the message straight from the horse's mouth. Rumour has it that he was giving out superpowers for free.
On a small university campus in the middle of Tokyo, Endo Toyotomi stood at a podium before a crowd of students. He spoke with a passionate voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness a monumental moment in human history; today, humanity will embark on a great journey, exploring the unknown, conquering our fears, and ushering in a new era of prosperity."
As he spoke, the entire campus listened in silence. Endo continued, "Today, I come bearing gifts." The crowd started murmuring.
Agent Mori leaned closer, whispering, "Prophet, are you certain we should be giving out the gift so freely?"
Endo gave a confident nod, "This gift belongs to all, who are we to withhold these great powers? Trust me, Agent Mori."
Endo addresses the crowd once more, "Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please! My gift is not one for the faint of heart; to receive this gift, you must be courageous and strong of will." He paused for a moment before continuing, "And if you do not wish to receive my gift, there is no shame in walking away now. It shall remain, waiting for you when you are ready." Endo beckoned forth a large white orb, covered by a thin veil of red.
"This orb contains the gift. Those who wish to accept the gift line up to the front, those still unsure are welcome to leave. Your new future will always be waiting," Endo finished his speech as hundreds of students and faculty flood the front.
The faculty stood at the back, whispering amongst themselves.
"Is it true? Is the 'Prophet' offering us superpowers?" One asks. Another responded, "I don't know. It's all so sudden; I don't know if I should trust him." A third spoke, "He seems to know what he's talking about. If it is true, we could use that power to help people."
Endo stood next to the ball and motions for people to come up and touch it. The first person in the line walked forward. A small woman, petite and frail, her messy black hair covering half of her face. Timidly, she reached out her hand, touching the orb. Suddenly, a bright light flashes illuminating everyone behind her; as quick as the light appeared, it dissipated.
Endo approached the young woman, "Congratulations, my child, you've received the gift of fire, an A-Rank Pyromancer." Endo spoke gently as if talking to a child.
The girl stared at her hands in confusion. "I feel no different." Endo nodded, "Don't worry, my child; your powers will reveal themselves in time." He smiled reassuringly. "Now move to the table and speak to the officials. We have many people to get through."
"But-"
Ota stepped in and moved her along, "Please, miss, you're holding up the line." The girl looked at him in shock before bowing and moving along.
"Next!"
---
Eren Heart waited patiently in the line for this so-called gift; his friends and fellow university students, Haruto, Kyo, and Rika, are next to him.
The four of them stand in line, watching as the orb provides powers to the students before them. "You think it's legit?" Haruto whispered to Eren. Eren shrugs, "I don't know, but if Endo is offering free powers, we might as well try it out."
Rika turned towards the two, "The news has been reporting portals appearing and weird things happening in America and Russia. If what Endo is saying is true, this could be our chance to become super-powered badasses!" She beamed with excitement.
Kyo frowned, "I don't know, Rika; Maybe this gift bullshit is a scam, and they're trying to get people to do some dodgy shit for them. If it's the start of some cult, I swear." He crosses his arms.
"You guys are idiots; it's obviously a government plot to control us," Haruto added mocking his best friend's concern about the cult like behaviour that has been reported about.
Eren, a young man, only having turned 20 a few months ago. With raven black hair that reached the nape of his neck, usually tied back in a ponytail and striking amber eyes that belong on a delinquent. His friends always tell him he has sharp and defined features. Other people tell him he looks like a thug or someone with a shady past.
"Have you heard how they're doing it." Kyo asked. Eren and Haruto shook their heads.
"It's a ranking system. It starts at F-rank which is human and goes all the way up to SSS+ rank." Kyo added.
Eren frowned, "Wait, like a manga or manhwa? that's fucking stupid."
Kyo shrugged, "Apparently, it's been made into a ranking, so it's easier to interpret. Also, rumour has it that Endo was some big nerd before becoming all mystical and wise."
"Yeah, but SSS+ sounds stupid as hell; what does that even mean? You're a god. And who decides what the ranks mean? What determines it? Another thing-"
"Babe, don't worry about it." Rika interrupted, hugging Eren's arm tightly.
"We can figure it out when we get our powers. You can be my knight in shining armour." She smiled sweetly.
Eren looked down and saw Rika's low-cut top. Her chest pressed against his arm, "Uh yeah, maybe," Eren said, blushing, averting his eyes from the low-cut top.
Haruto elbowed Kyo, "That was smooth as hell." He chuckled. "Man, what's her secret? I can never get him to shut up once he gets going on something he hates." Kyo whispered.
"Try two big fun bags currently squished against him."
Rika looked at the boys with a contemptuous side-eye, "Are you two idiots whispering about my breasts?" Haruto and Kyo looked at each other with a smirk before turning back to Rika, "Maybe they will have a special DD rank for Rika." They both chuckled.
Eren scoffed, "DD my ass, you barely B-rank." He added.
"Oi! If you keep talking shit, I'll tell your mum you were staring at my tits." She glared. Eren went silent and stared back to the front as if nothing had happened.
Eventually, the line dwindled and the group reached the front of the line, standing before Endo and the giant white orb. Endo gave his empty smile, "Greetings, students; are you ready to receive my gift?"
"Yes, please!" Rika said excitedly, stepping forward. The ball illuminated a bright white accompanied by a soft humming sound. It enveloped Rika's body before dissipating. Rika stood in awe, her eyes glistening with excitement.
Endo spoke, "Congratulations water-kin, you have received a B-rank. A water Elementalist." Endo stated. Rika smiled, jumping up and down in excitement, "I can't believe it! This is so cool!" She turned towards Eren and the others,
"Guys, I have superpowers!" She jumped up and down with vigour. Trying to use her powers, but nothing happened.
Kyo chuckled, "Yeah, I can see that." He gestured to her chest. "Fucking hell Kyo, you're going to get me in trouble." Eren sighed.
Haruto and Kyo stood next in line. "Go ahead, you go first," Haruto said to Kyo. Kyo shook his head, "No, you go first." The two continued arguing until Agent Ota intervened,
"That's enough! One of you go, now!"
Kyo stepped forward, gingerly reaching out towards the orb. It illuminated a bright white accompanied by a soft humming sound. "Congratulations, C-Rank, warrior." Endo said, smiling.
Kyo nodded "Thank you."
Next up was Eren, looking at the ball intently. Cautiously, moving towards the orb; his mind raced from excitement, fear, and doubt. Finally, his hand touched the orb. Nothing happened.
"Come on, man, don't break it," Haruto chuckled.
Endo frowned at the inoperative orb, touching the ball again, still nothing.
"I guess I'm not meant to be a hero." He joked. Endo inspected the orb, "Odd, it should've worked." Endo touched the ball again. "Ah, I see. It needs more time to read you. Try again my child."
Eren touched the ball once more. After a brief pause, the white orb turned a pitch black and a loud ringing spread through the courtyard.
Time seemed to have stopped, and everyone stood frozen in place, the once-white light became a sinister black as it illuminated Eren's face.
Through the orb, a robbed figure approached Eren, its eyeless hood stared into Eren's soul. A black skeletal hand reached out towards him; face veiled in shadow. Then suddenly, the figure disappears, and time resumed.
Endo paused for a moment. "Um..."
Endo paused again, at a loss for words. "B-Rank, Crusader," Endo said tersely, pushing himself away. The others appeared unaffected by what had transpired.
"Move along." Agent Mori gestured. As Eren moved over to the bench, he glanced back and saw Endo staring daggers into him. It made his skin crawl; those empty eyes with a hidden agenda behind them.
At the table, two women with lists spread out all over the table, One woman with long flowing red hair and the other a short brunette. The redhead spoke first, "Rank and class, please."
"Crusader class, B-Rank," Eren replied, his barely above a whisper.
The woman checked her list, "Crusader; your power comes from your sense of justice, the strength of your convictions. It is not just about upholding moral values but embodying them in every aspect of your life." The redhead finished.
"Um... Cool," Eren responded blankly, not really a concise explanation on anything really.
"And my powers? "You will have abilities suited towards melee combat, Sword skills, and weapon enhancements." Eren nodded, "Got it, I guess."
"Your skills and abilities will be unlocked in due time; now, download 'The Gates' into your phone. It will allow you to see your status page and gain access to the store pages." Eren reached into his pocket slowly and took out his phone, sceptical of this new app. He Snapped out of his daze; annoyance rises to the surface.
"Do I really have to get an app for this? It feels like I'm downloading malware." Eren muttered to himself, adding it to his phone.
The app opened, revealing a black screen with the title "Gates". A simple UI showing his name at the top left corner, rank, class, level, and basic stats such as health and status.
Taken straight from an RPG. Impressive it had been made in only a couple days.
"Welcome, Crusader Eren Heart." A robotic voice rang out from his phone, a series of text appeared that the voice read from.
Eren sighed with exasperation. "I've already had enough of this." Eren grumbled to himself.
The brunette who had been quietly observing spoke up, "Now, young man." Her pure white eyes watching Eren intensely. "Would you like to join the-"
"No." Eren interjected.
The brunette frowned, "I haven't even finished asking my question yet." Eren turned and walked away, "Excuse me!" The brunette called out, but Eren didn't turn around; his instincts told him something is up with that lady, and he wanted no part of it. The brunette's white eyes pierced through his back as he left.
Reuniting with his friends, Rika hugged Eren tightly, "I can't believe we have superpowers! This is so cool!" Eren patted her back awkwardly. "Yeah, cool..." Rika looked up at Eren, concerned. "Are you okay? You don't seem excited about this."
Eren smiled, trying to hide his confusion and frustration. "It's fine, I'm just a little overwhelmed." Their conversations were interrupted with the line muttering loudly. Something of interest was going on. They approached the line to see what was happening.
Haruto stood with Endo, shaking his hand with excitement.
Looking over at his friends. "You guys, you guys. I got and S-Rank. I'm a healer! I'm a healer!" He exclaimed, the pride in his achievement lighting up his face with a glow that rivals the luminescence of the mysterious orb.
"Congratulations!" Eren calls out, raising a hand. Rika beams with excitement, rushing forward to hug Haruto, "I knew you would get something amazing! That's so cool! We can be a badass super team together."
Eren looked over to Endo, and for a fleeting moment, their gazes locked. The chagrin in Endo's eyes was unmistakable; he knew something, but what? Endo turned away, moving on to the next student.
Kyo high-fives him, "Nice bro, you can heal our asses after we kick asses." Kyo smirked. Haruto chuckled, "Well, I guess we're a team now. We'll need to learn how to use our powers if we want to go through those gates. Who knows what kind of dangerous stuff is inside."
Rika nodded enthusiastically, "That sounds like fun! It'll be an adventure!" Eren remained silent, watching Endo continue to work his way down the line, only a few students remained.
Ota stepped forward, clearing his throat. "If you have downloaded the gates please leave. We thank you for your time." The group exited the courtyard, heading down the street.
Haruto spoke first, "Can you believe this shit? I'm going home to tell my parents." Kyo agreed, "Same bro, I'm going home now to tell them." His excitement barely contained as he rushed off, a spring in his step.
Haruto walked off waving, "I'll catch up with you tomorrow."
Rika turned to Eren, "I'm so happy; it feels like a dream." Eren patted her head, "How about we go back to your place? You can show me how you uphold justice and moral values." She said, biting her lip.
Eren nodded, ignoring her flirting, as usual.
---
Arriving back at Eren's house, his parents were yet to return home from work. The interior dimly lit by the pale orange light of the setting sun.
A modest apartment, sufficient for a family of four with a small kitchen, dining area, and living room. A short staircase leading to three bedrooms and a bathroom. Despite its compact nature, it seemed bigger than it let on, well-kept too, giving off an air of tranquillity. It was home.
"No one is home yet," Eren mumbled.
Rika gave a predatory smile, "Well that just means we have the place to ourselves." She licked her lips, walking towards Eren.
Eren flicked the light on, breaking the intimate atmosphere. "Let's just relax for a bit first," Eren replied, moving into the living room, and plopping down onto the couch. Rika followed him, sitting beside him. Snuggling up close, she leaned her head against his shoulder.
"What's wrong," Rika asked softly, noticing the look of discomfort and lack of colour on his face.
Eren paused, contemplating whether to tell her what had happened. "I'm just... Confused. It doesn't make any sense." He finally admitted.
"Thinking?" "About what?" She asked, playing with his hair absentmindedly.
"Nothing much, just thinking about what's next." Rika watched him closely, frowning slightly.
"Eren Heart, I have known you since high school, you have the lying capability of a rock. What is bothering you?" Eren smiled weakly.
"Honestly, its nothing. I am just thinking about this power ranking system and how everything will change now." Eren answered vaguely. Rika remained unconvinced, but she decided not to push any further.
"How about I do that thing that you like?" She said seductively, wrapping her arms around his neck. Eren blushed, "Oh, uh... I guess..." He trailed off as she climbed onto his lap, straddling him.
"Is my Eren a good boy?" Rika whispered, nibbling on his earlobe. Eren blushed even more, averting his eyes away from hers. Rika chuckled, kissing his ear gently. "You're so cute when you're embarrassed."
"Good boys get rewarded." She purred, trailing her lips along his ear, gently biting and licking the ear lobe. "You're the worst." Eren grumbled. His ears had always been a weakness of his. Rika knew exactly what buttons to push.
"Are you ready?" She asked teasingly, pressing herself against him. Eren could feel his heart racing. He nodded slowly. Rika smiled and leaned forward, however, just as their lips were about to touch, the front door began to open. Rika quickly climbed off his lap and moved away with inhuman haste, as if nothing had happened.
Eren's mother entered through the front door with bags of groceries in her arms, followed by Eren's younger sister, Emi.
"Oh, Eren, you're home early." Eren's mother smiled at them, setting the bags down on the counter.
Mrs. Heart; a beautiful woman in her late thirty's, with long brown hair and her trouble-maker blue eyes. Eren had inherited his delinquent features from her, and based on what Mr. Heart would say about past her, she had the attitude of one too.
"Oh, hello, Rika. I didn't know you were coming over today." Mrs. Heart greeted her, her gaze shifting to the two of them sitting together on the couch. She knew what they were up too.
"Hi, Mrs. Heart; sorry it was a last-minute decision."
"Onii-chan!" Emi shouted as she jumped into his lap. "Hi Emi, how was school?" Eren asked as she giggled, climbing all over him.
"Great! I got an A on my spelling test!" She beamed proudly. Eren chuckled, patting her head. "That's awesome, little sister. You're getting so smart." Emi smiled widely, showing the missing teeth in her smile. "I know!" She chirped happily.
Emi was incredible smart for a 7-year-old. She a cute kid with short raven black hair and blue eyes, so she never had trouble making friends either. Inheriting most of her features from Mr. Heart except for her cunning and mischievous nature, which she got from their mother.
Rika looked on with envy, she always loved how close the siblings were. When it didn't detract from her and Eren's relationship. Rika wanted to be part of that, even if it was just a little bit.
"Eren, TV." Emi ordered. "You watch too much TV." Eren ruffled her hair before grabbing the remote and switching it on. Emi quickly made herself comfortable, leaning against him as they watched anime together.
Emi looked at Rika, curiously painting her face. "Rika-nee-Chan, why are you so red?" Eren's eyes shifted to Rika. Who in turned covered her face with a pillow; Mrs. Heart looked on concerned, "Rika, are you ok? Do you have a fever?" Although she already knew the answer.
"Oh, no, I'm fine, Mrs. Heart. Just a bit tired, that's all." Rika replied sheepishly, avoiding eye contact. Eren winked at Rika. She sent a death glare back.
"That's good then. How was your day? Did you get to see that man?" Mrs. Heart asked curiously.
Rika nodded, "Yeah, we got our ranks and stuff. I got Rank B, Water Elementalist."
Mrs. Heart clapped her hands together, "Wonderful, You two are growing up so fast." Mrs. Heart entered the kitchen and started to prepare dinner.
Emi Looked up to her brother. "Onii-chan, what's your super power?" Eren smiled softly, "A crusader, I seek Justice and uphold morals." The explanation is lost on the girl, staring blankly back at him.
"Or um... I'm going to be super strong." Emi jumped up and down with glee, "Stronger than Daddy?" Eren chuckled, "Strong enough, so you can't escape my... tickle attacks!" Eren exclaimed as he began tickling her stomach.
Emi fell into a fit of giggles as she tried to escape his grasp. "Mommy save meeee! Mommyyyy" Mrs. Heart shook her head, smiling at the two of them playfully wrestling on the couch.
Eventually the 7-year escaped her brother's clutches and ran away, on his hands and feet, Eren chased after her, around and around the couch until the door opens.
Mr. Heart walked through the front door, setting down his briefcase and taking off his shoes. "I'm home." He announced tiredly.
"Daddy!" Emi jumped up from behind the couch, wrapping her arms around her father's leg., "Daddy, tickle monster Onii-chan, chase me." Hugging her farther from behind.
Mr. Heart, a tall man with a stern expression and piercing amber eyes, a dominant and commanding presence behind him, yet there was a warmth to his voice.
Eren stands and greets his father. "Hey dad." Mr. Heart ruffled his hair, "Congratulations my son." Rika waves to him from the couch, "Hello, Mr. Heart."
"Rika, Hello, you staying for dinner?" Mr. Heart asked. Rika nodded, "Yes, if that's alright." Mr. Heart nodded, "Sure, of course. What rank did you get?"
"A B-Rank, Water Elementalist," Rika replied proudly. Mr. Heart smiled, "That's good, glad to see my daughter-in-law got a respectable rank."
Eren blushed and coughed loudly, glaring at his father. Mr. Heart chuckles as Rika frowns, muttering under her breath, "And you Eren? What rank did you get?"
Eren rubbed the back of his neck, looking away from everyone. "Um... I'm a B-Rank crusader..." Eren trailed off, sounding unsure of himself.
Mr. Heart slumped his blazer next to the door, returning his gaze to Emi. "Now," He paused for dramatic effect.
"Emi, your dad and brother didn't come home today." Emi smiled, looking up at her father innocently. "Where is Daddy and Onii-chan? "Mr. Heart chuckles; he leans in and whispers, "Only the tickle monsters have come home." Emi screamed with delight, running away as Mr. Heart chased after her.
Eren joins back in and chases after his sister with his father. Emi is trapped in a corner by the two men, and she pleads with them, "No tickle monster, no! Pleaseeee." She begged, trying to escape their clutches. However, it was too late; Eren and Mr. Heart descended upon her, tickling her mercilessly until she couldn't breathe from laughing so hard.
*Pop*
"Ow!" Mr. Heart yelped, standing back up and grabbing his lower back. Mrs. Heart rushed towards her husband, "Dear, are you alright? What happened?"
Mr. Heart winced, rubbing his lower back. "I'm fine dear; Just my body getting older." Mr. Heart complained.
Mrs. Heart glared at him with a disgruntled expression, "Hmph, if you would just do the exercises I told you too, you wouldn't have this problem. Come sit dinner will be ready soon."
Leading her husband to the table; Mrs. Heart continued to prepare a delicious meal of salmon, rice, and vegetables.
[Later that night]
Long after everyone had gone to bed, Eren lay awake, staring at the ceiling. His mind replaying what happened earlier today. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Endo's eyes haunted him; those white orbs, full of malice, hatred, and contempt.
Glancing down at Rika sleeping next to him. She looked so peaceful, her breaths even, starkly contrasting Eren's current mental state.
At that moment, with her lying so close, he found a semblance of peace. He closed his eyes, letting her presence anchor him to the present, away from the shadows of uncertainty.