A deafening roar filled the air.
For a brief second, Haruto Minami saw nothing but blinding white—a light so intense it felt like the universe itself was splitting apart. The lab around him vanished. His body felt weightless, like he was floating in a vast void.
The ringing in his ears grew unbearable. His skin burned, but there were no flames.
And then… a whisper.
"I've been waiting for you."
A voice, deep and familiar, yet distant. Before Haruto could process it, the world collapsed around him.
Hours Before the Incident
Rain drummed against the windows of a small Tokyo apartment. The city outside was alive with the hum of cars and the glow of neon billboards reflecting on the wet streets.
Haruto sat at the dining table, his fingers tracing the rim of his coffee mug as he stared at the newspaper. The headline read:
"Experimental Scientist Disappears – Presumed Dead After Failed Time Experiment."
A cold shiver ran down his spine.
"Haruto…"
A soft voice pulled him from his thoughts. His wife, Ayane, stood in the kitchen, pouring tea into two ceramic cups. She looked at him with tired but warm eyes. "You're reading that article again."
Haruto exhaled sharply. "It's just strange. No body, no remains—he just vanished."
Ayane set the tea on the table and sighed. "That's exactly why I don't want you working there anymore. It's dangerous. Haruto, you have nothing left to prove. You're already a brilliant scientist. Why not find a safer job?"
Haruto looked at her, taking in the concern in her gaze. He reached for her hand. "Ayane… I love science. If I quit, it should be after I achieve something that changes the world."
She squeezed his fingers but said nothing. Because she knew she couldn't change his mind.
The rain outside grew heavier. Thunder rumbled in the distance.
And Haruto had no idea that this would be the last morning he ever spent in this world.
The Experiment That Shattered Reality
The research facility was eerily silent when Haruto arrived.
Inside the lab, scientists in white coats were gathered around a massive circular machine embedded in the floor—a cutting-edge particle accelerator designed to test theories on time displacement.
"Everything's ready," one of his colleagues muttered, adjusting controls on a screen.
Haruto nodded, stepping closer. The machine whirred to life. Lights pulsed along its metallic surface, and a low hum filled the air.
Then—something went wrong.
A sudden surge of energy erupted from the core. The hum became a deafening shriek. Haruto's eyes widened as the numbers on the monitor glitched—the system was accelerating too fast.
"Shut it down!" he yelled.
But before anyone could react, a beam of golden-white light burst from the machine, engulfing Haruto.
Everything froze.
A force like a hurricane tore him from reality. He felt himself being dragged, stretched, pulled apart and reassembled all at once.
And then—darkness.
A sharp gasp escaped his lips as he jolted awake. Cold air nipped at his skin. His heart pounded violently against his ribs as he scrambled to his feet, his breath shallow and erratic.
"What... the hell?"
The street before him was nothing like the Tokyo he knew. Towering skyscrapers loomed overhead, their glass facades shimmering with neon lights. Massive holographic billboards projected advertisements for advanced technology he had never seen before. The air was filled with the hum of flying vehicles that zipped through the sky, their sleek metal bodies reflecting the artificial glow of the city.
His hands trembled. His lab coat was still on him, the faint smell of burnt circuits lingering in the fabric. But this… this wasn't his world.
A cold sweat formed at the back of his neck. Did the experiment… actually work?
He staggered forward, his mind racing. His memories were intact, but the world had changed beyond recognition. He reached for his pocket instinctively, searching for his phone—but the screen was cracked, and there was no signal.
His stomach twisted.
Was he the only one?
Suddenly, a loud whirring noise filled the air. Haruto spun around, his heart slamming against his chest. A dome-shaped drone hovered above him, scanning him with an eerie red light.
"Unregistered citizen detected. State your identification."
The voice was monotone, synthetic. Cold.
Haruto's mind reeled. What the hell was this? He took an instinctive step back.
"I... I don't understand—"
The drone beeped in response. "Alert: Suspicious individual. Deploying security unit."
Panic set in. His breathing became ragged as he turned to run, but something caught his wrist.
A strong grip. Firm, yet strangely warm.
"Don't move."
The voice was deep, quiet, but commanding.
Haruto froze. His body stiffened as he slowly turned his head.
A man stood beside him, clad in black combat gear. His uniform bore a red insignia, the emblem of a wolf's head. His sharp crimson eyes locked onto Haruto's with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine.
And then—a flicker of recognition.
Not from Haruto, but from him.
The man's grip on his wrist tightened slightly, as if trying to confirm something. Then, his lips parted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Haruto Minami…? Is it really you?"
Haruto's eyes widened. His pulse hammered in his ears.
This stranger
—this soldier from the future—knew his name.
But how?