Under the moonlight, on the outskirts of the slums, sat a boy. He looked about 17, with long black hair, a thin body, and eyes covered with a black cloth.
His name was David.
The boy stood up and walked out of the slums. The bright moonlight lit his path. Leaving the slums, he saw the civilized world, where boys and girls walked hand in hand, their faces glowing with happiness. They carried no burdens, no fear of tomorrow. Living in the moment, they didn't worry about the future.
David, on the other hand, survived in the harsh life of the slums, eating whatever he could find, expecting nothing from tomorrow. He thought that tomorrow he might not wake up, and all he cared about was surviving the day. Tomorrow didn't matter to him.
Sitting down on a bench, David thought to himself:
*"I've always lived such a worthless life. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I persisted, no matter how much I suffered — I still came to this day.
The day that will forever change me. The realization that after this day, it could be my last…
Fate…"* — with an emotionless smile, he said. — "Fate, the one that chose me… Whether I die the day after tomorrow or not — I don't care."
"I didn't want this… but what's done can't be undone," — standing up from the bench, David headed to the police station. As he walked, people stared at him. Some moved out of his way, while others couldn't even bear to look at him.
Finally, reaching the police station, David entered. Looking around, he said:
"So this is what a station looks like…"
Although David couldn't see like ordinary people, all his senses were heightened to the maximum. And ever since the appearance of Fate, energy filled the world, allowing him to sense and "see" everything in his own way.
Approaching the front desk, a bored-looking man sat behind it. Seeing David walk up, he said:
"What do you want?"
David replied:
"I've been chosen."
Hearing this, the policeman became serious, his eyes filled with wariness toward David.
"Are you sure about that?" he asked.
"Yes."
The policeman pressed a button under the desk. Suddenly, the police station was bathed in red light, and a voice echoed through the building:
"Code Black! Code Black!" — repeating the words over and over.
Four people in black robes emerged and approached David.
The first of them said:
"Follow us."
Turning around, they began to walk away.
Hearing this, David followed them. Reaching the elevator, they stepped inside. The same man pressed the button marked "-E."
They began to descend. Once they reached the bottom, they all exited into a white zone.
David, looking around, felt several gazes directed at him. Those who were watching him were behind bulletproof glass.
In the white zone, there was only one thing.
In the center stood a chair.
The first man began to speak:
"Your first trial of Fate — it's not even a trial, but a prologue. You'll either die there, or survive and gain power. My advice to you, boy: trust no one in this prologue, for everyone will try to kill you."
Listening to him from start to finish, David replied:
"Trust? I don't even trust myself."
The man smirked with a sly grin:
"Fine."
Suddenly, a man approached David. He was dressed in white, holding patient files in his hands. Coming closer to David, he said:
"Hello, my name is Dmitry, I'm your examining doctor."
"David. Nice to meet you."
"David… What a beautiful name. Are you from America?"
"I don't know."
"What a pity… I'm from Russia, myself."
David nodded.
"You're not very talkative, are you? Well, no matter. I'll explain what awaits you in the prologue," — leaning slightly closer with a cunning smile, he added: — "Once you sit in the chair, two things will happen: first, you'll fall into your subconscious, and Fate will give you a number and an attribute of power to help you survive in the prologue. Second — once you enter the prologue, you'll see the battlefield and the demon that dwells there."
Hearing everything, David said:
"I understand."
"Haha, good, then let's begin."
David sat in the chair, and they strapped him in.
"Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention: if you fail and die, the demon that kills you will take your body. So, I suggest you don't die. Otherwise, we'll have to deal with it ourselves. Good luck."
After saying this, David began to sink into his subconscious.
When he regained awareness, David felt nothing — only emptiness.
Thinking to himself:
"Where am I?"
Suddenly, a voice was heard:
"Human number 003 has appeared and must pass the prologue. The power granted to number 003 is the Sense of Darkness and Affinity with Darkness."
Hearing this, David thought to himself:
*"So that's what Dmitry was talking about. Number 003 — everyone receives this number when passing the prologue, but there are chosen ones who receive a title. These people have unbelievable power. A single titled one can destroy a high-ranking demon, and a high-ranking demon can wipe out the southern colony.
That's something I can only dream of… Maybe I won't even pass this damned prologue."*
While he was thinking, the voice of Fate added:
"All powers of number 003 have been received. He will now be sent to the prologue."
Feeling a shift, David sensed cold, and behind him stood a demon three meters tall. Turning around, David's expression was consumed with horror.
"Th… this…"