Haruto stared out the hospital window, his breath fogging the glass as he tried to make sense of the chaos below. The streets were a wasteland—buildings reduced to rubble, cars overturned and abandoned, and people wandering aimlessly, their movements slow and lifeless. It was as if the world had been drained of all its vitality, leaving behind a hollow shell.
"What… what happened?" Haruto whispered to himself, his voice trembling. He pressed his hand against the glass, as if trying to reach out to the strange figures below. "Do they know? Do they know why everything's like this?"
The silence of the hospital was unnerving. Haruto turned away from the window and stepped into the hallway, his footsteps echoing in the empty corridor. The fluorescent lights flickered overhead, casting eerie shadows on the walls. He moved from room to room, each one as deserted as the last. Beds were unmade, medical equipment abandoned mid-use, and not a single soul in sight.
"Hello?" Haruto called out, his voice bouncing off the walls. "Is anyone here?"
No response. Only the hum of the air conditioning and the faint beep of a distant machine answered him. He clenched his fists, frustration and fear bubbling up inside him. "This is too creepy," he muttered. "How can I be the only one in a hospital this big?"
He made his way to the stairwell and descended to the ground floor, his heart pounding with every step. The lobby was just as empty, the reception desk abandoned, papers scattered across the floor. Haruto's unease grew as he approached the hospital's main entrance. He pushed the doors open and stepped outside, the cold air hitting him like a slap.
And then he saw them.
A line of people stood motionless in the street, their backs turned to him. They were eerily silent, their postures stiff and unnatural. Haruto hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to turn back, but curiosity got the better of him. He approached the nearest figure, his footsteps cautious.
"Hey," Haruto said, his voice shaky. "What's going on? Can you tell me what happened?"
He reached out and touched the person's shoulder. The figure turned slowly, and Haruto's breath caught in his throat.
The face that greeted him was grotesque. Purple slime oozed from the person's eyes, nose, and mouth, covering their features in a sickly, glistening film. Their eyes were blank, devoid of any life or recognition. Haruto stumbled back, his heart racing.
"W-What the hell?" he stammered.
As if triggered by his touch, the rest of the figures in the line began to turn, one by one. Each face was the same—distorted by the purple slime, lifeless yet somehow aware. They stared at him, their heads tilting unnaturally, and then one of them let out a guttural scream.
The sound was like a signal. The entire group erupted into chaos, their screams echoing through the empty streets. Haruto didn't wait to see what would happen next. He turned and ran, his legs pumping as fast as they could carry him.
"Help! Someone, help!" he shouted, his voice cracking with desperation.
But no one came. The streets were empty, the world silent except for the pounding of his footsteps and the growing cacophony behind him. His chest burned, his lungs screaming for air. The sickness—Erythros Syndrome—was catching up to him. He couldn't run for much longer.
Haruto's legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the pavement, his vision blurring. The figures were closing in, their screams growing louder, their movements jerky and unnatural. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the inevitable.
And then he heard it—a sound unlike anything he had ever heard before. It was mechanical, futuristic, like the hum of advanced technology. Haruto's eyes snapped open just as a figure appeared in front of him.
It was a girl, clad in sleek, futuristic armor, a rifle slung over her shoulder. She moved with precision, her movements almost robotic. Without a word, she raised her weapon and fired, the shots ringing out in rapid succession. The figures chasing Haruto fell to the ground, their bodies lifeless.
Haruto stared in shock, his mind struggling to process what was happening. "Did you… did you just kill them?" he gasped.
The girl didn't answer. Instead, she reached into a pouch on her belt and pulled out a small injector. Before Haruto could protest, she pressed it against his arm and injected him with a clear liquid. Almost immediately, the burning in his chest subsided, and his strength began to return.
"Get up," the girl said, her voice calm but firm. "We don't have time for this."
A truck screeched to a halt beside them, the driver leaning out of the window. "Get in! Now!"
Haruto didn't argue. He scrambled to his feet and climbed into the truck, the girl following close behind. As the vehicle sped away, Haruto turned to the driver, his mind racing with questions.
"What's going on? Why are those people chasing us? And who the hell are you?" he demanded.
The driver, a man with a rugged face and a grim expression, glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "Not now, kid. We'll explain later. Right now, we need to get out of here."
Haruto looked out the window and saw a horde of the slime-covered figures chasing after them, their movements unnervingly fast. The girl in the armor hit a button inside the truck, and a section of the roof slid open, revealing a mounted machine gun. She climbed into position and began firing, the sound deafening.
"What the hell is this?" Haruto shouted, his voice barely audible over the gunfire. "Am I alive? Am I dead? Is this some kind of video game?"
The driver chuckled darkly. "Don't worry, kid. You're alive. But if you want to stay that way, you'd better hold on tight."
The truck swerved through the ruined streets, dodging debris and abandoned vehicles. Haruto clung to his seat, his mind spinning. He had no idea what was happening, but one thing was clear—his life would never be the same.
After what felt like an eternity, they finally lost the horde. The truck slowed as they approached a hidden entrance to an underground facility. The driver punched in a code, and the doors slid open, revealing a massive underground complex.
"Welcome to headquarters," the driver said as they drove inside.
Haruto stared in awe at the high-tech surroundings. Soldiers in armor moved about with purpose, and screens displayed maps and data he couldn't begin to understand. The truck came to a stop, and the girl hopped out, gesturing for Haruto to follow.
"Come on," she said. "There's someone you need to meet."
Haruto followed her through the facility, his mind still reeling. They entered a dimly lit room, and a figure emerged from the shadows—a tall man with an air of authority, his lab coat pristine despite the chaos outside.
"Haruto," the man said, his voice calm and measured. "It's good to finally meet you. My name is Doctor Ashita. And you… have a lot to learn about the new world you are in"