A beautiful morning as always.

Kuuya stares out of the window in a daze, unaware of approaching footsteps.

“Hey Kuuya!”

His attention was taken by someone slamming his hands to the side of his desk.

“Oh, it’s just Tamagin huh.”

“What do you mean just Tamagin?! You… hmm?”

The freckle-face completely lost his momentum on what he was about to say as he looked at Kuuya. A bald boy followed closely behind him and shoved his way into the conversation. 

“Yo, Kuuya. You got home safely yesterday?”

“Well yeah. Sorry for ditching you guys.”

“Drop that man. We’re gonna hang out later today anyway, right?”

“Of course.”

Together with Kuuya, the three associating together had already become somewhat of a familiar scene in the classroom.

Tamagin suddenly leaned in closer with a weirded out look.

“Hey Kuuya… Did something about you change?”

“... …Eh… be more specific?”

“It feels a little… cold around you? Are you sick or something?” 

“... ….Dude, what. I’m fine.” Kuuya chuckles as he gets up from his seat and taps his feet on the floor.

“Class is over, let’s grab lunch.”

“Tamagin you okay?”

“...Maybe I’m just imagining it… —Eh! What was that?” Tamagin yells out in surprise as he points at the floor of where Kuuya had just passed. 

“What are you talking about? What’s on the floor?”

“... …I could’ve sworn I saw something pink.”

“Sigh. There’s nothing in your head but pink.”

“Hey what, fuck you! I was being serious…”

“Pinkman, Kuuya’s leaving us behind. Let’s go.”

“...”

As the two exited the classroom, Tamagin turned back to that spot for the last time. When he saw nothing, the boy shook his head tiredly and left.

“...Must be my imagination.”

 

---

 

The bell chimes a familiar tune across school grounds. Students began to swim their way out of their classrooms, making plans cheerfully in the hallways.

<Don’t be late today as well>

<Alright alright>

After sending a routine message to Mei, Kuuya decides to head to the arcade today with Tamagin and Tomo again.

“Today won’t be the same. I came prepared.”

“Is that right? So double or nothing?” Kuuya smiles.

“Heh. You’re on.”

“Tamagin, are you sure you have enough pocket money for this week after today?”

The freckle-cheeked teenager laughs haughtily. 

“Yeah, yeah. Say your piece now, hairless monk. I don’t want to hear all that when I win. I’ve memorized all the curves on that map like a woman’s three sizes!”

“I can’t believe you said that with a straight face. Incredibly cringe.”

“Speaking of a woman’s three sizes, check her out.”

“Oh… she’s not bad lookin’. Wait, that suit… is that the JSCF? What’s an Enforcer doing here?”

Kuuya, who'd been listening in passing, immediately turned towards the woman his friends were talking about. The term “JSCF” caught his attention.

Japanese Supernatural-ability-user Control Force, was its official name.

“...It’s another one.”

“What was that?” Tomo paused his steps and turned to Kuuya at his back.

“I counted six Enforcers on our way to the mall. That woman makes seven.”

The trio stopped for a while, as they began to notice sirens coming about the streets. They noticed another Enforcer crossing the busy roads with an urgent expression.

“I wonder what’s going on. Was there a fire close by?” Tamagin tightened the strap on his bag, and continued walking. 

“Dude, the JSCF wouldn’t be deployed if it was something as simple as that. And damn… they’re really coming in droves now.” Tomo remarked.

“They’ve been running out of odd jobs to do since last year. There’s no ability users anymore out there, so those guys are just sitting around in their offices drinking coffee. Heh, maybe they finally got a call to action so they could earn their keep.”

“Whatever it is, since they’re involved, I’m sure they’re gonna keep the situation under control.” Tomo seemed to have the same sentiment, as they continued on the short walk to the mall.

 

“...JSCF.”

Kuuya, feeling a strange sense of foreboding, sent a quick message on his phone.

<Come back home early today, got it?>

The message wasn’t read.

“Hey Kuuya, you comin’ or what?”

Kuuya waited for a response, but the message to his sister remained unread.

“...Yeah, I’m coming. I’m gonna just make a quick c—” 

 

Before he could finish those words, it happened.

A building near them exploded into flames, releasing a powerful impact around its surroundings. There was a bright flash, as Kuuya’s vision turned white. 

Ringing in the ears, and the faint sounds of sirens in the distance.

Kuuya felt as if someone had fired a gun near his ears.

 

…It’s the same… as that day.

The day humanity saw hell on earth. The day of reckoning.

It was—

—Wake up.

The voice of a little girl resounded clearly in his head.

“...!”

His eyes opened abruptly, and his vision began to clear up.

Kuuya soon realized he was lying on the ground, covered in blood.

Something pushed him up from his back, and soon he got into a sitting position. His shadow slithered to his front and slowly came out of the pavement.

A familiar girl in black babydoll with pink hair was crouching and staring at his face.

“...Norn.” He spoke to her, a Death Sprite.

The little girl nodded, “Serval was in trouble.”

“... …What's going on...”

It was hard to see through smoke and flames. Cars were on fire, and buildings were crushed into debris. 

“Ugh… …Oi! Tamagin! Tomo! Are you both okay?! Where are you!”

Kuuya looked around uneasily, and realized his two friends were nowhere to be found. 

“H-Help!” Someone cried out nearby. That voice sounded like Tomo.

It was followed by even more screams. 

“!!!” A gunshot resounded in the distance.

Kuuya, having regained his senses, turned towards the little girl Norn.

“Un. I understand.” As if reading his thoughts, the little girl melded into his shadow soon after. Kuuya, while still not used to that act, decided to quickly head towards his friend.

Or what was… supposed to be his friend. 

It was Tomo. But… one of his limbs was already severed.

“It HURTSSS!! AHHHH SOMEONE- SOMEONE PLEASEEE!”

A swarm of green-skinned humanoids was tackling Tomo to the ground. They held small carving knives, clubs and an assortment of small weapons, all used to lay a beatdown on the human before them.

Tomo soon locked eyes with him, and his voice became even more desperate.

“K-Kuuya?! H-Help me… He—”

His words were interrupted by a dagger which pierced through his forehead, killing him instantly.

His flailing limbs stopped moving, and the creatures began to chew on his flesh.

That grotesque sight made his stomach churn. 

Kuuya’s blood ran cold, as the realization hit him.

These creatures, he would never mistake them for anything else.

Kuuya's vision was filled with a horde of man-eating goblins.

A few had noticed him, and had turned their way towards him.

Anger. Hate. Fear. Despair. Anguish. Sorrow.

A mixture of emotions made his body tremble uncontrollably.

At an opportune timing, a familiar tune came from his phone. It shouldn’t be possible.

 

>Welcome back, Climber!

>Emergency Quest has started!

>Due to a long period of neglect, Tower of Stone is now experiencing an Outbreak!

>Condition: Eliminate all monsters during the Outbreak.

>Remaining monsters: 150/150

 

It only took him a few seconds to register what had transpired.

And that understanding too, came with a sudden clarity. 

Kuuya's body stopped shaking. His fists were clenched tightly, and his eyes turned sharp.

The familiar sensations from a year ago enveloped his body.

A gel-like movement fluctuated, starting from his chest.

An arm stretched out.

Then the other.

Legs planted onto the ground.

—〖You have created a clone!〗

 

It is the year 2025. The world was no longer peaceful.