Prologue 1: Within a breaking dreamShe could still recall that dream of the past. It was a very distant past.
“Do you understand? Grab my hand and don’t let go of it!” The dream with that boy’s loud shout…
At that moment, the girl only—could only—stand there, in a blank daze.
“…”
Dead.
Everyone, everyone was dead.
This place was filled with death.
Storm, thunder, fire had burned everyone…
Laughing adults.
Fleeing children.
Those who cried, shouted, begged for mercy, weak—all would be killed.
The girl only—could only—cry sluggishly.
“This kind of thing… already…”
Hate, exhaustion. It was repeated every day, this ma.s.s-slaughter that was called training. Only those who survived the ma.s.s-slaughter were allowed to continue living in the orphanage.
“No… This kind of thing, I hate…”
The friends she had talked with the day before now collapsed before her eyes, already dead. Incessantly, not stopping, her friends—no, her kin who lived in the same orphanage with her were killed. With the scene repeatedly unfolding in front of her eyes, she had no choice but to continue running. For the sake of protecting this life that may be ended the next day, she had no choice but to continue escaping…
But she had enough of this.
“It doesn’t matter anymore.”
She stopped moving when she thought that. She stopped thinking.
The adults in front of her only watched on, laughing and smiling…
“Those who have given up shall die.”
A sword was unsheathed and raised up in the air.
She still didn’t move. If she didn’t do anything now, she would die. She was very clear about that, but she didn’t move. Because…
Death was certainly better than living…
This way, she wouldn’t need to watch her friends die. This way, she would not fear the long, sleepless nights caused by her fear of death. She could relax now… But…
“Idiot! What are you doing!?”
“Ah?”
Suddenly, she was kicked by someone from behind her.
At that moment, her body was flung far away… The sword swung down sharply, but it pa.s.sed through thin air. She turned her head back immediately. A black-haired boy was standing there. He was beaten down by the training officer who glared at him.
“What are you doing? Do you still have the strength to not die in this place?” He said.
The girl recognized the boy. In the Roland #307 Special Training Facilities, he was a famous youngster. Black hair and black eyes; a fit and lightweight body, and a pretty face that held a sense of righteousness.
Ryner Lute.
Excellent results and a clear mind. Abnormally high combative abilities and magical knowledge. And an outstanding ability to survive.
He had always been the perfect exemplary model in this orphanage. Everyone always said that they aspired to become an existence like him.
He was different.
He received special treatment from the orphanage.
A perfect fighting machine.
No troubles.
No fears.
No mayhem.
She had always thought to become an existence like his. Even if she faced someone who was dying, she would not feel sad. Regarding her own death, she would not feel fear. If it were that easy…
But this boy looked at her. “Look out, you might go flying if I hit you. You could have avoided dying, so don’t go seeking death!”
“…Ah?”
She didn’t understand what he was talking about.
He seemed angry…
But that Ryner Lute could never lose his temper…
Yes, they had been taught this way.
But he still—
“What are you talking about…”
Upon hearing this, he became agitated. “What do you mean ‘what am I talking about’? According to your results, aren’t you still going to die here? Even so, live on! Continue living, don’t think about dying, even though there are many people who will continue dying, don’t be so flighty!”
What is he telling me…
Why do my tears flow down my face…
“…Fli-flighty…? But I don’t want to see everyone dying…”
But she stopped half-way. The boy’s face held a sad expression.
He whispered, almost moaning, “…I also don’t…wish to see this. So…”
At the same time he said this, the dead people surrounding them continued to increase.
People were dying.
People were dead.
Ryner closed his eyes after seeing this. The supposedly emotionless battle machine, Ryner Lute held a grieving expression within his eyes… Looking at him, she couldn’t help herself but stop breathing momentarily.
He, too, was human.
He would mourn for his comrades’ deaths. He would mourn for the deaths of humans. He would feel depressed because of his inability to save them. He would feel depressed because he survived.
‘He’s like me…’ She thought. He was exactly like her. Both feeling the same pain and grief.
But he still wished to continue living.
As long as they had the energy to continue living, he would wish that they not die. If it was not like that… he would be unable to bear the guilty feelings he felt, knowing that he alone had survived… He had been an existence worshipped by the staff of the orphanage. She had thought that if she became like him, then she would have trouble-free and admirable life. But the him that fit this scenario did not exist. The real him did not seem to be strong…
When she realized this, she was disappointed. In the end, there was no such thing as a trouble-free, perfect existence. Every day would be spent in agony—extreme agony—so she had wanted to become like him. But even he had similar troubles…
“But…” she whispered.
Ryner opened his eyes that had contained his sadness, turned around and stepped to his side. Lightning struck the exact position that he had been standing in just a moment ago…
An incredible action.
He had actually dodged the lightning magic. It was as if his eyes could see it. He could even accomplish such an incredible matter.
If someone could truly accomplish this, they would have to have something like the ability to predict the future… Or something that could see magic…
At that moment, she realized it.
In his black eyes, there was a red five-pointed star…
Five-pointed star… A special pair of eyes whereby a red five-pointed star appeared.
She knew what that kind of eyes was.
It was called ‘Alpha Stigma’. The people who had these were often cursed by others; they were called monsters. Everyone felt fear and hatred towards the Alpha Stigma bearers and called them monsters.
He used that five-pointed star to scan their surroundings, then he turned his head back to her… He noticed where she was looking. She was staring at his eyes. In that moment, he covered his eyes as if he wanted to hide everything.
“Ah… Urgh…” A small moan. That was the sound of fear. The sound of fearing others knowing.
But… She smiled at him. She already understood everything. He was not perfect. He, like her, carried their own troubles… This was not the time to be yearning for something she would never have...
He was fragile, and he was begging me for help.
She slowly reached out her hand.
He widened his eyes in surprise.
“…”
Then he reached forward and pulled her to her feet.
People were dying.
People continued dying.
He looked around again, this battleground—
He said, “Do you understand? Grab onto my hand and don’t let go of it!”
Because of what he said, she swore not to let go of his hand.
For fear of him being called a monster by others.
For fear of him falling apart.