-----POV Sword Hero Akagi Chiharu-----

"Ugh..."

I got up gradually and slowly opened my eyes to look around. Seeing a completely white room with nothing but a door.

'Where am I? What happened...?'

Holding my head and sitting there for a few a second. I slowly recall what happened. 

'SACHIKO!'

I shot up from the floor looking around nervously and carefully. Then I looked at myself relieved that my armor and weapons are still there. 

Looking around again while trying to see if I could find any indications that either Teruko or Sachiko have been here, only to be met with nothing.

'Sachiko might still be affected by a strange spell from the Blood Emperor. Meaning I have to find Teruko first to find a way to undo the spell or subdue Sachiko.'

Grimacing I slowly turned my head to the door looking at it almost as if it is tempting me. I grip my sword tightly and prepare myself to attack at any given moment. Standing there in silence, after a few minutes of calming my nerves, I slowly walked toward the door.

'Wait for me Teruko, Sachiko I'll bring both of you back.'

Determined to bring my friends back my eyes burned with motivation. Holding the doorknob I gradually opened it to hopefully find my friends on the other side.

But when the door was fully open, shock slowly filled my mind. What I thought was a room where my friends are at. It's actually an area I'm quite familiar with. An alleyway shrouded in the darkness of the darkest night while also being surrounded and covered by the surrounding buildings with its light source being the moon.

A great sense of familiarity hit me. Seeing such a view I was filled with disbelief and skepticism.

"Huh?"

Questions appear rapidly in my mind wondering if this place really is where I think it's. While still confused I slowly brought my hand over to the door reaching out of it to see if the view that I'm seeing is fake or not. With my hand which is now on the other side of the door. I gradually swing my hand back and forth while clenching continuously. After doing this and feeling no resistance whatsoever I slowly poke my head out of the door to look at the sky to verify if this place is home or not.

"Ah..."

Perking up I saw the moon I'd lived under all my life and confirmed my guess.

'But...how?'

Even though it was dark with nobody around I could tell this place was home. I felt so happy to finally be back almost to the point of tearing up.

But as if fate was playing a cruel trick I could tell something was slightly wrong.

'This place...japan? No, it's not. The feeling and building of this place feel slightly different. It feels old...as if it was an older version of Japan.' 

Though confused my body slowly stepped out of the door to the dark alleyway with its only light coming from the moonlight above. 

Letting my eyes wander around the shady alleys of Japan. It was strangely quiet and serene as if this place had been vacated for quite some time.

"Creek."

Hearing something behind I quickly turn around only to see the door suddenly slams shut and disappeared in front of my eyes.

'...'

"What should I do now?"

'For now, let's find people living here. I need to know if this place is truly earth and not somewhere else.'

After making up my mind. I started wandering around trying to find a way out to the main street.

"This is weird..."

Eventually, walking out of the alleyway to the main road. Seeing the place completely devoid of any living beings even though there are a few places that are lit up. And after walking a good distance from the alleyway I came out. I can confirm a few things about this place.

"First of all, there are no living beings here even though some of the houses are lit I can sense that there are no living beings present here. Second, the moon and clouds aren't moving at all as if time has stopped. Third, my body seems to be in an intangible form that can't affect this place. And finally, even though this place seems to be similar to Japan I could tell it is not. As I'm quite familiar with my country because of how much I travel traveled there are a few places and areas I have never been to, seen, or even heard anyone talk about it."

Talking to myself about the weird situation. I fall into a state of deep thought.

'This place should be Japan but it's an undeveloped version of it...'

'And the with old styles of the building. The time zone should be around the 90th.'

"HELP!"

That's when a cry for help rang out near me. Taken out of my thoughts, my body quickly reacted to the yell as I hastily ran in the direction of it. 

Arriving to see a group consisting of four people who are covered in black clothing. Two of them holding what seems to be an old version of the tranquilizer gun with the third one holding some kind of cuffs while the fourth one was grabbing an unconscious young woman. 

"Let go of her!"

I shouted at those people and immediately ran to them intending to knock them out with my fists and rescued the woman. However, my fists just seem to go straight through them with no resistance as if I was hitting air.

"What?"

Shocked at what just happened I stood there while they then moved with the unconscious woman ignoring me as if they can't see me. While cuffing her limbs and binding her to a stretcher that was taken out of a black van that was pulled up in front of them. They then board the van with the unconscious woman and drive away while I quickly and stealthily follow behind them.

After tailing the van for quite some time they finally reached their destination and stop at a pretty normal-looking house. While I tilt my head and stared curiously at the ordinary house.

'This house looks pretty ordinary.'

Wondering what could ever transpire at a place like this. Something bizarre begins to happen to the house in front of me.

The house started shaking and rumblings were heard. It rose from the ground up to reveal what seemed to be a dark tunnel diving deep into the ground. 

"What on earth is happening?!"

Eyes wide looking at what has just occurred. The van slowly drives into the dark tunnel and disappeared into the darkness while I just stand there still in shock at what just happened. And when the house began to shake and the rumblings appear again I immediately ran into the dark tunnel. Soon afterward, the shaking and rumblings ended, with the tunnel being concealed again. The house, now back to where it was before like nothing has ever happened.

"Ugh, I can't see anything."

While inside the tunnel, I was shocked beyond my core. To think that I was struggling to see even with my body that should have been strengthened by the mana and training I have in the other world allowing me to do superhuman feats.

"What is wrong with this place...I actually can't see anything."

I should have been able to at least sense the path or see it to some extent but this place is unusually dark. It was almost as if I'm being swallowed by the darkness itself. Losing complete control of all of my senses is not something I liked to experience.

'This is the second time I've experienced losing my five senses. And since Sachiko isn't here, I can't rely on her to help me recover from them either. So my choices are to either rely on my sixth sense or to go back out and regrouped with my friends...'

Deciding to move onwards I soon come to regret my decision.

With nothing but my thoughts, will, and determination to keep me sane, I can only continue moving forward for what seems to have been an eternity. My mind went blank and I almost lost my mind a few times. Combine with the hallucination I had, I could feel myself slowly getting more insane. However, I continued going onward.

'How long has it been?'

'...why did I come here...'

'...'

'If only I'm stronger we wouldn't have gotten into this situation.'

'If only I choose to wait and regroup I wouldn't have to be here.'

'If only...'

Falling deeper into denial while also gradually losing my sense of self. I started cursing and blaming everything that resulted in me being in this hell.

'If not because of slut I wouldn't have been here!!!'

'I swear to God if there even is one. I will find the person who brought this on me. I will rip you apart and give you pain worse than death.'

After cursing endlessly I stopped. Then I began begging for someone to save me, a hero.

'...please, I don't want to be here anymore...'

'...someone please save me...'

'...please...'

Eventually, I gave up. Realizing that no one will come to save me and that I will be trapped here forever. Everything was quiet and calm. Endlessly drifting in this never-ending nightmare.

It wasn't until when I started feeling back my senses albeit insignificant that I regained hope. As my five senses are slowly coming back to me. I felt an immense amount of relief and joy. 

As I slowly opened my eyes for the first time in what seemed to be forever. My mouth widened into the biggest grin I ever had. Accepting the madness as now a part of me. I started letting out a nonstop laugh as if to show the insanity I just experienced, gone through, and survived.

"HAHAHAHA...!!!"

After laughing for quite some time. I collapsed on the ground. After walking up, finally relaxed and calmed down with the madness conceal away. Ultimately, taking a good look at the place I collapsed. I saw a massive hallway leading to the light while looking behind me. I saw the darkness which appears to be separated from the hallway.

I slowly got back up and walked toward the end of the massive hallway glad to be out of that nightmare. Seemingly never having to endure that hell again.