The silence of the ruined city pressed in like a weight. Takumi Masayama stood in the middle of the street, frozen, surrounded by a Tokyo that no longer lived.
Power lines hung like limp threads between leaning poles. Cars sat rusting beneath layers of dirt and leaves, some overturned, some burned out. Buildings rose like skeletons of the old world—windows shattered, walls cracked, ivy crawling through their wounds. And yet… everything was eerily familiar.
He recognized the 24-hour FamilyMart on the corner, the same one he used to grab lunch from. The ramen shop he liked stood further down, its red lantern still hanging, dim and dusty. This wasn't a fantasy world or another planet. It was Japan. His Japan. Just… collapsed.
And the sky…
It looked like dusk, but there was no sun. The sky hung in a perpetual orange-gray, as though sunset had been paused forever.
Takumi clutched his arm, eyes drifting to the strange metal bracelet clamped tightly to his wrist. It didn't hurt, but it pulsed faintly—alive, somehow.
> User: Takumi Masayama
Skill Equipped: Fire Ball
That strange glowing message had appeared before, and he hadn't imagined it. This thing—whatever it was—had fused with his body.
He took a deep breath. His throat felt dry, and his stomach growled loudly.
"I need food. And water," he muttered, trying to focus on basic needs. "Let's think this through."
He made his way toward the convenience store.
The front door had collapsed inward. He stepped over the broken glass and ducked inside. The familiar chime that used to greet customers was silent. Inside, the air was stale, but surprisingly not rotten. Shelves were dusty, but many items still remained sealed.
He searched the back first, hoping to find something drinkable. In the corner, a solar-powered vending machine sat crookedly against the wall. Its glass was cracked, but not broken.
To his surprise, it still blinked faintly.
He pressed the button for water. A slow mechanical groan responded—and a warm plastic bottle dropped into the tray.
He grabbed it, twisted off the cap, and drank like he hadn't had water in days.
"Thank god," he gasped.
Next came food—some vacuum-packed rice balls, energy bars, and canned curry. He stuffed what he could into a shoulder bag behind the counter and tore into a protein bar, chewing slowly while keeping an eye on the street outside.
That's when he saw it.
A body.
Slumped beside the wall, just outside the store, half-covered in ash and dust. Skin like parchment, dried tight over bone. But what drew his eye most was the metal wrapped around the corpse's wrist—identical to the one he wore.
Takumi swallowed hard.
"Another… bracelet user?" he whispered. "Did he die like me…?"
He didn't get long to think.
A low growl echoed from behind a nearby truck.
Takumi turned slowly.
A goblin crept into view—short, greenish skin, spindly limbs, dagger-like claws. Its yellow eyes locked onto him with hungry intent. It let out a gurgling hiss and began to move.
Takumi stepped back instinctively, heart thudding.
His bracelet flared.
> Monster detected. Skill: Fire Ball — Ready.
Gesture to activate.
He raised his hand, pointing shakily. "F-Fire Ball!"
A sphere of flame burst into existence—too high, too wild. It slammed harmlessly into a crumbled wall and fizzled out in a puff of smoke.
The goblin shrieked and lunged.
Takumi barely rolled aside. The creature slashed, catching his jacket, ripping through the fabric. He fell hard, pain shooting up his side. Scrambling, he kicked at the goblin's chest and scrambled to his feet.
"Fire Ball!" he shouted again.
This time, the fire ignited right in front of him—hot and direct. It flew forward and struck the goblin square in the torso.
The creature screamed, engulfed in flames, stumbling back before collapsing into a pile of ash.
Takumi panted heavily, staring at the smoldering spot. His legs trembled beneath him.
From the ashes, something floated upward—a glowing green orb, smooth and pulsing with light.
He hesitated… then stepped forward and picked it up.
Warm. Light. Almost… alive.
> Skill Orb Detected: Agility 2x
Tap to Bracelet to Absorb Skill?
YES / NO
"Agility… two times?"
He blinked. "So that goblin had this skill?"
He looked at his bracelet. Fire Ball already sat locked in. He didn't want to risk anything yet—not until he understood more. He tapped "NO," and carefully slipped the orb into his bag.
Above him, the sky rumbled.
Far in the distance, something… moved.
A mountain-like shadow, slow and massive, shifted along the horizon. It didn't walk. It simply… shifted, as though breathing. The shape was colossal—larger than anything he had ever imagined.
His mouth went dry.
"What… is that…?"
The ground beneath his feet vibrated for just a second. Then silence.
He turned and ran.
---
Later, Takumi found an abandoned office building and barricaded himself inside a second-floor room. He sat on a dusty couch, chewing another bar and staring at the bracelet on his wrist. The glowing blue lines pulsed softly, casting faint light onto his tired face.
> Skill Equipped: Fire Ball
Stored Skill Orbs: 1
"This isn't a game," he murmured. "And I'm not a hero."
Outside, another distant roar pierced the sky.
"But if I want to live… I'll have to learn fast."
He tightened the strap on his bag and stared out the broken window, toward the distant shape in the horizon.
The nightmare had only just begun.