After an unknown period since the creation of the tower...
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"Rael, help us."
*beep-beep*
"I always knew you were a useless son."
*beep-beep*
"It would have been better if you hadn't existed."
*beep-beep*
"No, no, no. I'll save you, please don't abandon me-"
"Aaahhh!" *Heavy breathing*
*beep-beep*
With the continuous sound of the alarm clock, a young boy suddenly woke up from his turbulent sleep. He was sweating so much that the bed was already soaked, and a tear trickled down from his trembling eyes.
"Another nightmare..."
[POV FIRST PERSON]
I got out of bed, my body covered in sweat. I must shower immediately and get to school, or I might be late. After leaving my room, I entered the bathroom and saw my face in the half-broken mirror. My black hair was disheveled, and I stank.
"Ah, I'd better hurry."
I got into the shower, bathed, put on my clothes, and prepared to leave.
My name is Rael. Rael Kazehiro. I'm 18 years old, and I'm just finishing high school. My life is that of an ordinary young man; I don't have any striking features...but it wasn't always like this.
As I passed by my room again, I glanced briefly at the picture next to my bed, which showed a grown man and a woman hugging a child.
'I wonder... am I really worthy to bear your name?' I closed my eyes as I thought.
"Rael, finish getting ready quickly, or you'll be late."
Suddenly, an elderly voice snapped me out of my reverie.
"I'm coming, Obāchan."
I quickly went downstairs and saw the voice's owner knitting a sweater. That's my grandmother, my only family.
"My dear, I've prepared your lunch. Take it and leave quickly."
I took the lunchbox from the table, hugged my grandmother, and quickly left on my bike.
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After arriving at school, I said hello to some of my classmates. I didn't have any friends here, but I didn't have any enemies either. Only superficial relationships, the person closest to me being Kirishima.
Kirishima was a shy nerd who spent most of his time reading books and playing puzzle games, which didn't sound much fun.
"Morning, Rael-San," Kirishima greeted, adjusting his glasses.
"Ah, morning..." I mumbled, still a little distracted.
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*brrring*
"Okay, class, that's it for today. Don't forget to do your homework." The teacher signaled.
'Ah, boring as always.'
Studying sucked, but there's nothing I can do about it. If I don't finish my studies, I won't get a good job, and I need that. I currently work part-time in a convenience store, but when I grow up, I intend to follow my parents' path and start a business!
"Rael-san, you look tired. Don't you think you're trying too hard?" Kirishima asked. "You should take a vacation."
"Kirishima, if I were as talented and intelligent as you, I wouldn't have to work so hard." *sigh*
Kirishima looked at me with a complicated expression.
'Hm, I wonder what's on his mind.'
"Anyway, don't work so hard; they say people like that age very quickly (stress)."
Kirishima quickly changed his expression and took his cell phone out of his pocket, inviting me to play a game.
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After the end of class, I headed for the store where I work. The location wasn't great, and the place was too dangerous, but I had no choice. I urgently needed a job, as the money my parents had left me was running out.
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"Thank you, and come again," I answered the customer and looked at my watch.
'It's time for me to go. I called it a day because I'd worked 30 minutes overtime. I changed in the staff room and got on my bike.
'I'd better not be too long; Obāchan might worry.'
I decided to speed up the bike. These streets also get pretty dangerous at night, so I'll get back quickly.
...However, as I was coming back.
"You little shit, you think you can fool me?!"
"I swear it wasn't me! It was o-"
*Bam*
What the hell is that? And that voice...Kirishima?!"
When I turned around, I saw two men holding Kirishima down. They looked twice his size. They punched Kirishima in the face, causing his nose to bleed.
"Please, I told you it wasn't me. Don't hurt me!"
"And you think I believe you?"
I looked at the situation, my heart pounding. I'm not close enough to Kirishima to risk myself for him, but this situation... doesn't bring back good memories. Isn't that why I lost everything I had? Was it because I was a coward? Am I always going to remain silent or run away?
Kirishima was the only person who treated me like a friend/colleague. Shouldn't I at least help him? But what if I get hurt? Will it be worth it?
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The scene before Rael seemed like a 'movie scene'. Two men held Kirishima, uttering grotesque threats.
"You little shit, I'm going to cut off every finger of yours for trying to trick me."
"Please, I told you, it wasn't me-"
As another punch was about to be thrown at Kirishima
"HEY! Let him go!" A loud voice echoes through the alleyway.
"Huh? Who are you? Kid, get lost, don't get involved in things that are none of your business." The man spoke with a disdainful expression.
"Rael-San!"
Rael sighed deeply and reached for his cell phone.
"Let him go, or I'll call the police."
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...
"HAHAHAHA!" The man burst into laughter.
"Kid, do you know where you are? This is a place where the police don't give a shit about you! We're forgotten by this fucking society. Do you think you can threaten me with that? Good." The man ordered his companion to go and hold Rael.
"Rael-San, get out of here!" Kirishima shouted as one of the men charged at Rael.
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[1°]
Without thinking, I grabbed a hidden stone and tried to strike him, but perhaps because of my fear and weakness, it didn't turn out to be a powerful blow.
"You son of a bitch!" The man cursed as he felt a slight pain in his forehead.
I tried to fight back but was caught by the man and taken close to Kirishima. The difference in strength was too significant.
'Shit!' I tried to use my brain at 200% to think of a way to counterattack.
"Now, let's teach him a lesson-" Just as the man was about to strike my face, a crimson light erupted from an unknown place. My eyes closed unconsciously.
*BOMMMM*
A deafening roar tore through the air. A crimson beam of light exploded, reducing the nearby buildings to rubble. The ground trembled beneath my feet as dust and fragments of wood flew everywhere.
'Huh?!' I breathed heavily, and when I opened my eyes, I saw something horrible. The light completely destroyed the man's body, obliterating his entire upper body.
'W-What-' Suddenly, the lower part of the man's body fell on me, his organs spilling over my body.
"Aahhhh!!!" I screamed in despair, not understanding what had just happened.
Kirishima and the other man looked towards the hole that had opened in the wall where the crimson beam had come from.
"What the hell-"
"Hahaha, did they really think they could kill me by just sending you here?" An unknown male voice spoke in a disdainful tone.
"You... Don't be so cocky!" Another voice.
I looked around and saw two men staring at each other; they ignored us completely as if we were mere insects.
Then, a red energy was emitted from one of the men, covering his entire body. The energy condensed into a red blade.
"What the fuck?!"
My eyes twitched, but it wasn't just out of fear this time. This scene... was familiar. I remember it! I remember the day everything was taken from me; that energy was there, too!
When I was a child, I didn't understand. And when I grew up, I thought it was some kind of hallucination due to the trauma, but now...
The scenes from the past came briefly to mind: the cries for help, the wails, and tears of despair.
My parents, my family...
*BOOMMMM*
Another explosion. This time, the other man was cut in half by the residual energy of something that looked like a cut. My senses began to function again, and fear overtook me.
"KIRISHIMA, GET OUT OF HERE NOW! GET OUT!"
I ran to Kirishima as fast as I could through the wreckage.
"R-Rael-San, You..."
"Don't worry about me, go!" I shouted to Kirishima, who seemed paralyzed with fear.
He stared at me with a complicated look for a moment, then grabbed the bike of one of the dead men and pedaled away as fast as he could.
I turned my gaze to the two unknown men.
"You and the association overestimate yourself if you can deal with me like this. Or did they send you as a cannon fodder to test the waters? Hahaha." The man who was emitting the Crimson energy spoke with a laugh.
I wanted to run away, but for some reason, I can't. My past, which I always believed was just a tragedy, was actually something contrived.
After the men stared at each other momentarily, they suddenly turned and looked at me.
"Oh, it looks like we have a spectator." The man said as he turned to me. He smiled, and suddenly - I felt a shiver run down my spine.
*Whoosh!* *BAM*
"Tch. Damn it, kid! Get out of here, now!" The other man intercepted the attack that was coming towards me.
I snapped out of my numb state, grabbed my bike, and ran away as fast as I could. In the background, I heard a macabre laugh and screams of agony.
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[POV THIRD PERSON]
The man in black smiled as he crushed a heart that was still beating, and then he looked at the dead body next to him.
"Next time, I hope they send someone more qualified." He said with a neutral expression.
'But now... I still have a toy I need to break. It's okay if it's just one, right?" he thought as he remembered Rael.
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*Heavy breathing*
Rael entered his house after a few minutes of pedaling. He saw that his grandmother was already asleep.
'What a creepy feeling'. He thought.
'For some reason, I feel like I'm not safe here...'
'Wait...Obāchan!' If that man were following him, he would also be putting his grandmother in danger!
*BOOMM*
A dry noise echoed before the wall of his room gave way, revealing a gaping hole. The man emerged from the shadows, his eyes gleaming with malice.
"There you are," he said, with a smile.
'Shit!'
Rael immediately tried to run away with his grandmother and call for help, but for some reason, his body seemed paralyzed. He couldn't even open his mouth.
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Under the moonlight's silver glow, a Young man hovered in the sky. His eyes shone like twin stars as he gazed down at the chaotic scene below.
"Let's see who my golden star is," he murmured, an enigmatic smile curving his lips.