After three months of training with Edenfall, Takumi returned to a world that felt unfamiliar. The college students mostly had switched to online learning, leaving only a handful still attending in person. The once lively campus now felt like a ghost town, and the city at night carried an air of danger he had never noticed before.
As he browsed the internet, the extent of the world's collapse became clear. Crime was at an all-time high. Protests had escalated into riots, and in some countries, governments had fallen to military coups. The economy was in freefall, inflation had rendered money almost worthless, and the wealthy had become prime targets for desperate masses.
Three months. That was all it took for everything to change.
The world Takumi once lived in was gone. And what remained was something unrecognizable.
Crime rates had skyrocketed worldwide—murders, robberies, and assaults plagued every country, turning once-safe cities into danger zones. Mass protests erupted across the globe, as people demanded answers from their governments, exposing corruption and hidden agendas.
The Antarctic incident only fueled the unrest. With the research team either dead or missing, and the media silenced, suspicion grew. The internet was flooded with questions, theories, and outrage.
And for the first time, the masses began to see the truth—there were those in power who played god, treating the rest of humanity like mere livestock.
The chaos only deepened as inflation spiraled out of control. Money lost its value at an alarming rate, and for most people, even basic necessities became unbearably expensive. Survival was no longer just a struggle—it was a desperate fight against a collapsing system.
With crime surging, trust in the government crumbling, and desperation gripping the masses, the world teetered on the edge of complete anarchy.
Seeing current world situations, His first thought was of Yuki. Worried about her in this chaotic world, he checked her Instagram. Her last post was from three days ago—In the photo, she smiled as she showed off an expensive necklace, a gift from her boyfriend. Beside her, he stood close, their happiness captured in a single frame.
Takumi's worry faded, replaced by a quiet sadness.
Still, he bought her a birthday present—a small cat keychain. It was nothing compared to what she had received, but it was from him. That was all that mattered.
Hoping to see Yuki, he attended offline classes, scanning the faces around him each day.
A week passed before he finally spotted her. She was only on campus to submit paperwork.
"Yuki-chan!" He waved from a distance.
She turned, eyes widening in surprise. "Takumi-chan! It's been a long time!"
"Yeah, I just got back from my student leave." He didn't mention his training, but it had changed him—he stood taller now, his posture straighter, his frame slightly more muscular.
"You look different," she said, reaching up to compare their heights. "You finally walk straight make you look taller"
"Maybe just a little," he chuckled.
He saw her holding paperwork in her hands.
"Hey, do you have some time after campus? I just want to talk for a bit."
"About what?"
"I saw your birthday post a few days ago, so I wanted to give you something… Sorry it's late."
She smiled. "A present is always nice. But I don't have much time. Ari-chan and I are having dinner tonight—he said it's another birthday surprise." She chuckled lightly, unaware of the sting her words left behind.
Takumi forced a smile. "I understand. See you later, then."
After class, near the campus lobby exit,
"Yuki-chan, here. you said you like cats… do you like it?" Takumi held out the cat keychain.
Her eyes lit up. "Waaah! It's so cute!"
"You can put it on your bag too. Do you like it?" He smiled, though sadness lingered in his eyes.
"I love it. Thank you, Takumi-chan," she replied with a smile.
He nodded. "That's it. I won't keep you long. Thanks for meeting me, Yuki-chan."
"Thank you too, for this. I really like it."
She waved at Takumi with a smile before turning away, walking toward Arisuke, who was already waiting to pick her up.
At that moment, Takumi felt like his gift meant nothing.
She seemed happy, but it was fleeting—just a polite response. Deep down, he knew it couldn't compare. Her boyfriend had something bigger planned for tonight, something grand, something expensive.
Compared to that… compared to him… he was nothing.
But given the state of the world—and the possibility of being hunted by the government—at least he had give something to be remembered by the one he loved.
Something she might use every day.
Unbeknownst to him, Mira observes, silently keeping an eye on him.
Two days after later, Yuki never returned to campus. She had switched back to online classes.
Meanwhile, Takumi continued attending offline courses every day, still holding onto a faint hope that he might see her again by chance.
Then, Mira approached him.
"Takumi-kun," she greeted.
"Mira-san? You're here?"
"Kurasaki-dono still has me keeping an eye on you," she said.
Then, her tone softened. "Takumi-kun… let's talk."
"Alright," he replied.
They sat on a bench in the campus hallway.
"First, let's talk about your mental state," Mira said bluntly. "I think you should give up on her."
Takumi stiffened. "What?"
"Yuki Hanazawa. You love her, don't you?"
"That's…" He hesitated.
"Forget her. It's only causing you pain. She has a boyfriend, Takumi."
"I know…" He exhaled, tilting his head back to stare at the sky.
"My world has always been monotone… gray. But when she talked to me, everything changed. It was like color finally seeped into my life. Just hearing her laugh, having a conversation with her… it was enough." He smiled, but his eyes carried an unmistakable sadness.
Mira sighed. "That sounds so stupid."
"Yeah… maybe. But that day, I realized something—she's trapped, Mira."
Mira stayed silent, listening.
"Arisuke Kirishima… he can give her everything, but he's overprotective. Controlling. He keeps her trapped," Takumi explained, his voice carrying a heavy sadness. "She told her parents, hoping they'd help, but they insisted she stay with him. And then… she asked me." He paused, his eyes distant, as though imagining Yuki's cheerful smile hiding the stress she must have been feeling.
"Back then, I gave her the same response as everyone else. I didn't understand. I couldn't see that what she really needed was someone who would support her… someone who could help her break free."
As Takumi spoke, there was a deep sorrow in his words, as if he could already hear Yuki's laughter masking the weight of her hidden struggle.
Mira studied his face, her usual teasing demeanor absent.
"I'm going to save her… someday," Takumi said, his voice steady. "That's my promise."
Mira looked away, her expression unreadable. "Too bad your pure heart is anchored to the wrong person."
"So, you want them to break up?" Mira asked, her tone cautious.
"I don't know" Takumi replied, his voice distant, a faint smile on his lips while his eyes remained unfocused. "but... I'm going to take her from the one who's stolen her smile."
Mira's gaze softened. "But that... waiting for them to break is something you can't change."
Takumi let out a soft chuckle. "Maybe"
A promise he made for her
As Takumi and Mira talked about his feelings for Yuki, Mira's concern grew, afraid it was weighing heavily on his mind.
"You can't do anything about them, so don't stress over it too much," Mira said gently. "Try not to think about her too much."
"Yeah, I understand, Mira-san," Takumi replied.
"I told you before, if there's an update from Edenfall, I'd come to you. And now, here I am."
"What is it?" Takumi asked, curiosity in his voice.
"Three days from now, we'll carry out our plan—the worldwide broadcast. It could make the world situation even worse. I want you to be aware and focused on that," Mira explained. "But when I saw you, you seemed so sad. So I want you to stop thinking about Yuki Hanazawa."
"Worldwide... broadcast?" Takumi echoed, confusion crossing his face.
Mira leaned in close to Takumi, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"Don't ask or say anything about it. We're in public. I can't say much, but just wait for it to happen and be ready for how the public will react."
"I understand, Mira-san."
"If things go badly, I'll find you," she added, her tone softening.
"Thank you, Mira-san... for caring about me."
Mira blushed, looking flustered. "That... that's my mission, don't get me wrong!"
"But I still thank you," Takumi said, offering a small, sincere smile.
"You're welcome. Now, I need to go. I have to get home and prepare. And promise me, don't think about her too much, okay?"
"I'll try, Mira-san."
Mira gave a nod before walking away, leaving Takumi sitting alone on the campus bench, lost in thought as the world around him seemed to keep moving forward.
Edenfall makes its move.