The headquarters was a marvel of technology, a stark contrast to the ruined world outside. Massive screens lined the walls, displaying real-time data and surveillance feeds of the city. Monitors tracked the movements of the infected, their glowing red dots swarming like ants across the digital maps. Haruto stared in awe, his mind struggling to process the sheer scale of it all.
"What… what happened?" Haruto asked, his voice trembling. "I just woke up, and everything's gone. The world… it's destroyed. How?"
Doctor Ashita, the scientist leading the facility, stepped forward. His lab coat was pristine, his demeanor calm but grave. "Show him the footage," he said to one of the technicians.
A screen flickered to life, displaying a timeline of events. Haruto's eyes widened as he watched the world he knew crumble in a matter of months. Cities fell, governments collapsed, and humanity was brought to its knees. The footage ended with a chilling statistic: 80% of the global population infected.
"It's been a year, Haruto," Doctor Ashita explained. "You were in a coma. While you were unconscious, the world changed."
Haruto's heart sank. "A year? I've been asleep for a year?"
Doctor Ashita nodded. "During that time, a parasite emerged. We don't know where it came from—whether it was man-made, extraterrestrial, or something else entirely. What we do know is that it spreads through contact. Once it infects a host, it takes control of their body, turning them into… well, what you saw outside."
Haruto's mind flashed back to the grotesque figures with purple slime oozing from their faces. "Those… things. They were people?"
"They were people," Doctor Ashita corrected. "Now, they're nothing more than vessels for the parasite. Lifeless, yet driven by a single purpose: to spread the infection."
Haruto clenched his fists, his voice rising. "And no one could stop it? No cure? No way to fight back?"
Doctor Ashita sighed. "Nations tried. They came together, pooled their resources, built shelters, and searched for a cure. But the parasite was too fast, too adaptable. Within a month, it had spread across the globe. Those who weren't infected went into hiding, but their numbers dwindled by the day."
Haruto's chest tightened. "And my mom? What happened to her?"
The room fell silent. Doctor Ashita's expression softened. "By now… it's likely she's been infected. I'm sorry, Haruto."
Haruto's legs felt weak, and he leaned against a nearby console for support. His mother's face flashed in his mind—her kind eyes, her weary smile. The last time he saw her, she had told him to stay strong. And now… she was gone.
"There's… there's no hope?" Haruto whispered.
"Not for the infected," Doctor Ashita said. "But for people like you… there is."
Haruto looked up, confusion etched on his face. "People like me?"
Doctor Ashita gestured to the others in the room—soldiers clad in sleek, futuristic armor. "Your disease, Erythros Syndrome, makes you immune to the parasite. It can't take control of your body. That's why you're still here, Haruto. That's why we've been tracking you."
Haruto's eyes widened. "Tracking me?"
"Yes," Doctor Ashita said. "People with Erythros Syndrome are rare, which makes you easy to locate. We've been monitoring you since the outbreak began. The hospital where you were kept—we ensured it remained operational, with a steady supply of electricity and medication. When you woke up, we were notified immediately."
Haruto's mind raced. "So… you saved me?"
"In a sense," Doctor Ashita said. "But now, you have a role to play. The world needs people like you, Haruto. People who can fight back."
Haruto shook his head. "Fight back? I can barely walk without feeling like my heart's going to give out. How am I supposed to fight?"
One of the soldiers stepped forward, removing their helmet to reveal a young woman with sharp features and piercing eyes. "The suits," she said, tapping the armor she wore. "They're designed to enhance our abilities. The medication you need flows through the suit, keeping you stable. But it does more than that—it makes you stronger. Faster. Stronger than a normal human."
Haruto stared at the suit, his skepticism evident. "Stronger than a normal human? What, can you walk on walls or something?"
The woman smirked. "Among other things."
Doctor Ashita stepped in. "The suits are our greatest weapon against the parasites. They allow us to go into the field, rescue survivors, and eliminate the infected. But we need more people like you, Haruto. People who can't be controlled by the parasite."
Haruto's stomach churned. "You're saying I have to… kill people? The infected?"
"They're not people anymore," the woman said bluntly. "They're hosts. And if we don't stop them, they'll wipe out what's left of humanity."
Haruto looked away, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. "I… I can't do that. I'm not a killer."
Doctor Ashita placed a hand on his shoulder. "Everyone says that at first. But when you see what's out there… when you see what the parasite has done… you'll understand. This isn't about killing. It's about survival."
Haruto didn't respond. He couldn't. The weight of it all was too much.
Later, Haruto was taken to the armory, where a suit was prepared for him. The sleek, black armor gleamed under the fluorescent lights, its design both intimidating and awe-inspiring. The woman from earlier—her name was Sakura—helped him into the suit, explaining how it worked.
"The medication flows through these tubes," she said, pointing to the intricate network of lines running through the armor. "It keeps you stable and enhances your physical abilities. You'll feel stronger, faster, more alert. But it takes some getting used to."
Haruto nodded numbly, still processing everything. As the suit powered on, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. His fatigue vanished, replaced by a strange, almost unnatural vitality.
"How do you feel?" Sakura asked.
"Different," Haruto admitted. "Stronger. But… I don't know if I'm ready for this."
"You don't have a choice," Sakura said. "The world doesn't wait for anyone to be ready."
Haruto hesitated, then asked, "Do you… do you have Erythros Syndrome too?"
Sakura nodded. "Everyone here does. Except for Doctor Ashita. He's the only one without it."
Haruto's eyes widened. "Wait, so you're all like me? You all have the same disease?"
"That's right," Sakura said. "It's what makes us immune to the parasite. It's also what makes us strong enough to fight. We're the only ones who can."
Haruto looked around the room, taking in the faces of the other soldiers. For the first time, he didn't feel alone. These people understood his struggle, his pain. They were like him.
As Haruto adjusted to the suit, his eyes drifted to one of the monitors. The screen showed a live feed of a battlefield—a lone figure, clad in a suit similar to his, fighting off a horde of infected with incredible speed and precision. The figure moved like a blur, their movements almost superhuman.
Haruto's eyes widened. "Who… who is that?"