I woke up from a rather strange dream. In it, I was trapped in a dark place, a kind of hallway where I could only walk forward.
"…Damn."
I'm not entirely sure, but I think I was looking for something in there, and just before I found it, I woke up.
"That damn light…"
The sunlight filtered through the curtains of my window. Still exhausted, I tried to get up, but it was difficult.
"...Ee... heeeg…"
My body felt heavy, even heavier than yesterday. It was as if I were wearing a suit with weights attached to every part of my body, and each day someone added even more weight.
"Aaggh!"
Actually, I'm pretty lucky. Not long ago, I read that some people with my condition died only a few days after contracting Gravism. Their organs collapsed under the accumulated pressure, or their necks snapped because their bones could no longer withstand the strain. In my case, the worst thing that's happened to me was the sprained arm I got the other day when I tried to reach a cup of tea from the cupboard. It still hurts.
That's how I've spent the last few weeks. I'm slowly dying, and every day I get worse.
Vrrrrrr.
A vibration echoed through the room. It was my phone, lying on the desk beside my bed. I stretched out my arm to reach it, but the task was surprisingly difficult. I'm not exaggerating when I say I had to give it everything I had.
"Haaa…."
I managed to grab the phone and bring it close to my face. Those two simple actions left me completely exhausted, to the point where I had to struggle just to breathe.
"...!"
But the moment I looked at the screen, all that exhaustion vanished as my entire body froze.
It was a call.
My father was calling me.
It's understandable. We haven't spoken in days. He's probably worried.
"…."
He always used to say that if anything ever happened to me or I got myself into trouble, I should never hesitate to ask for his help. He'd move heaven and earth for any of his children, and since he was my father, I had no doubt he really would.
Vrrrrrr.
The phone kept ringing.
I didn't answer.
I just stared at the screen, where the word "Dad" took up almost all of it.
Vrrrrrrr.
"...…"
Vrrrrrrr.
"M... m... SHIT!"
I couldn't stand the noise anymore, so, in a fit of anger, I threw the phone as far away from me as I could.
Crack!
From putting so much force into the throw, my arm cracked.
"Ack..!"
I probably gave myself a couple of microfractures because of that throw.
Tac.
Meanwhile, the phone slammed into the wall so hard that its screen shattered on impact.
"Aaaaa… huaaa… huuaaaaaag!"
"…."
Sniff, sniff.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I couldn't endure the pain.
First I started sobbing, and then I broke down crying.
"This... isn't... f... fair."
***
It's been almost a month now. Three weeks, three days, two hours, and... uhh...
"It's around four in the afternoon, so... twenty-four minutes and seven seconds since I received the news."
I'm dying...
Actually, I think there's a very good chance I'll die today.
Cough... cough...
Right now, I'm sitting on the couch in my apartment, watching cheap comedy shows with terrible jokes and wasting my time...
Oh, wait.
Now that I think about it, I'm not doing anything different from what I've been doing my whole life.
*Sigh.*
I just wanted to think about something other than my inevitable death or the agonizing pain spreading throughout my body, and maybe laugh a little at some stupid jokes. But after spending hours doing nothing but watching TV, I only ended up feeling even more depressed.
Then, out of nowhere, a crazy thought echoed through my mind.
"I want to go outside."
For someone with my condition, the simple idea of leaving a purified-air environment could be considered suicide... or insanity.
Even so, I was going to do it.
The reason?
I want to see the sky.
I got up from the couch and walked over to the shelf by the entrance. Resting on top of it was a large mask made of metallic materials that gave it a very sturdy appearance. It's thanks to this device that fragile humans like me are able to go outside and explore the world beyond.
"Ack...!"
Just trying to lift it took more effort than I could spare, and once I had it in my hands, it felt like carrying a weight of over fifty kilograms.
"Come on…"
Even so, I pushed forward and somehow managed to put the mask on.
Click.
This mask was specifically designed to purify air contaminated by Gravisoma particles. That's why, no matter how uncomfortable it felt, it had to fit extremely tightly. But in my current condition, if it didn't break my neck, I'd definitely be in a lot of pain tonight.
"Whatever…."
I'm going to die anyway.
Pain isn't really important anymore.
I put on a gray coat and a pair of blue jeans, then adjusted the mask one last time.
Dressed in my gray coat and blue jeans, I headed toward the door of my apartment.
BEEEEEEP.
[The door is opening.]
The whole process of opening a single door is rather tedious, but thanks to the AI systems built into building entrances, thousands of human lives are saved every day.
Click.
The sky was cloudy.
-Mmm...
If only I'd come out a little earlier, I could've enjoyed the midday sun.
-To hell with it...
I wanted to see the sun, and to do that I'd have to make a long trip to the other side of the city, a journey with a very real chance that I might die before reaching my destination.
-What's the worst that could happen? Die?
I laughed at that thought.
After all, I was going to die anyway.
With that thought in mind, I started walking, despite the pain that came with every single step.
***
After a while, I left the building and ventured into the city streets.
I was surrounded by enormous buildings that brushed against the clouds. Regulus City was known for its large number of structures reaching heights of up to nine hundred meters.
"Mmm…"
But... seeing these structures in person was still something I couldn't get used to.
The streets were filled with people. Every one of them wore masks almost identical to mine, because everyone here was human, just like me.
The reason there were so many humans in this area was because of the district division. The city of Regulus has protected sectors where humans can live without fearing monster attacks. Houses, apartment buildings, and schools were all built there. Everything was developed within one specific area of the city. That place is known as the Human District. It was the only area inhabited exclusively by humans. In fact, the tallest buildings in the entire city are located here. A single skyscraper nearly one kilometer tall can house hundreds of thousands of people, each with plenty of living space... of course, only if they can afford it. Those who can't end up setting up camps in the alleys.
"...!"
While I was lost in my own thoughts, someone tapped me on the shoulder. When I turned around to see who it was, I was surprised. It was an old man, around eighty years old. He wore filthy rags that barely covered his fat belly, and an old mask that failed to hide his white beard. However, his most distinctive feature was a red hat, the only piece of clothing without a single stain.
[Hello, kid.]
I knew this old man. His name was Klaus, a homeless man whom I had once given money so he could buy me beer.
[How are you feeling? Still dying?]
He's not a rude person, just ignorant and a little innocent.
[I'm... fine. And yes, I'm still dying.]
By the way, these masks don't just prevent air from entering, they also prevent it from escaping. The internal filters are so powerful that they purify every breath you exhale, which means that if I tried to speak, the filters would distort my voice until it sounded like nothing more than a whistle. That's why these masks come equipped with a voice generation system, one that rarely sounds like the user's real voice.
[Oh... that's a shame.]
[Do you want me to get you more alcohol?]
I tensed up a little. I'm still underage, and if someone overheard what the old man had just said, we could both get into serious trouble.
[Uhh... no. I'm fine for now. Thanks.]
Maybe another time, when I feel even worse.
[Oh? Then how about I get you something else? Something stronger.]
[...!]
Please... don't say what I think you're about to say.
[How about I get you some dru—]
I waved my less injured arm in front of him, trying to make him shut up, because if he finished that word in public, we could easily earn ourselves a year in prison. The laws regarding illegal substances in this city are extremely strict. If they catch me trying to buy something like that, they'll arrest me... and they'll probably break my legs.
[No, thanks, Klaus. I'm... I feel fine for now.]
There was a brief silence between us.
[...I'm glad.]
I couldn't see his mouth, but I'd bet he was smiling.
I met this old man not long ago, but he's shown genuine concern for me. He didn't even accept my money when I asked him to buy those beers for me. He simply told me, "Drink carefully, and enjoy every sip." He's a good person. He's always willing to help me whenever we run into each other. It's been ten years since I last met someone like that.
[…]
Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve his compassion.
[What are you doing here? Your next exam for that prestigious academy doesn't start for another two weeks. Are you going to watch one of those movies with cheap jokes?]
He's also very good at listening.
[No.]
[Then where are you going?]
When Klaus asked me that, I didn't know how to answer. I just wanted to see a blue sky, but there were too many clouds over this part of the city, and the enormous buildings in this district didn't help. I knew exactly where I had to go if I wanted to accomplish my goal. However, that place was dangerous for someone like me. Even so, I no longer cared what might happen to me. After all, my body was already badly damaged.
[I'm leaving the district. I'm going to the superhuman sectors.]
The atmosphere around us changed instantly. Not only for us, but also for the people around us who seemed to have accidentally overheard those last words.
[I see....]
Even Klaus sounded worried.
[Be careful.]
With those words of encouragement, I continued my journey.
***
I kept walking for nearly another half kilometer until I arrived in front of a portal station. The name speaks for itself.
I entered the gigantic building. Once inside, I couldn't help but marvel at the technology they used here.
"Wow…"
Sometimes I still can't believe things like this exist. If I hadn't seen them with my own eyes, I would never have believed it.
I went through reception to pay the portal fee, and then several attendants wearing blue uniforms guided me into a room full of people. Every one of them, just like me, was patiently waiting for the next portal to open.
Beep.
[Thank you for your patience. The portal to Elarion Station will now open.]
A robotic voice echoed throughout the room. Then everyone formed a line behind a yellow stripe marked with the word "Caution." Beyond that line, a quantum energy reactor collapsed specific regions of space, creating a distortion that connected to the distant Elarion Station.
…
In simple terms, there was a flash, and then a three-meter-tall blue oval appeared. It was, basically, a portal leading somewhere else.
***
After crossing to the other station, I immediately headed outside.
"Wow…."
And then, I finally saw it.
I could see the sky.
It looked so clear with its light blue glow, and instead of hiding it, the clouds only made it even more beautiful. It was a sight that delighted my eyes.
"...It was worth it."
It's strange. For a brief moment, I felt as though the pain that had been tormenting my body had disappeared.
-Is this what it felt like before... before Gravism?
There are many words I could use to describe how I felt at that moment, but "happy" would be the most fitting.
[It feels so nice...]
It had been a long time since my skin had felt the sun's rays directly.
-It would be nice if I could breathe without this mask.
I thought to myself.
-What if...?
FWWUUUUOOOOOSSSSSHHHH!
Suddenly, the wind around me roared with such force that, for a couple of seconds, my feet left the ground as my body was lifted into the air, only to be swept away by the violent gust that had just struck the area.
[Wh-... What's happening?!]
I shouted just before hitting the ground.
Bang!
[Aaagh!]
I broke something. I'm not sure what it was, but it hurts too much.
[What the hell is happening now?!]
I shouted in complete confusion, and I wasn't the only one.
"What was that?!"
People all around the area, none of them wearing masks, began shouting in confusion just like I was.
"Was that a tornado?!"
"I heard an explosion!"
They were all superhumans, residents of this part of the city.
"What the hell is happening now?!"
That guy copied me, by the way.
"...."
[Mmm?]
As I struggled to regain my sense of direction, I noticed, through my hearing, that the countless superhumans who had been shouting in alarm just moments ago suddenly fell silent, giving me the same feeling you get when someone abruptly mutes a movie at the worst possible moment.
[What's going on..?]
Tap...
Suddenly, a slow, almost rhythmic sound reached my ears. I quickly realized it was the sound of footsteps. Someone was walking toward me.
[...!]
Tap... Tap... Tap...
It's funny. I've never been interested in insects, so I have no idea whether they have emotions or anything like that. But if they had them...I think I can relate to them.
Tap...
Because...
Tap...
Right now...
Tap...
I feel exactly like an ant...
Tap...
...that's about to be crushed beneath a mountain.
Tap...
-What do I do?! I want to run, but I can't. My legs won't stop shaking.
"AAAAAAGGGH!!"
A deafening roar exploded behind me, so powerful that just hearing it made my entire body tremble.
"You fucking bitch! I'LL KILL YOU!"
[Eh?! W-Wait... that was a scream.]
There was no doubt about it. That terrifying roar had come from a person.
Through the thick cloud of dust, I could finally make him out.
The superhuman who had just shouted was lying on the ground, half-buried at the bottom of an enormous crater.
"I'LL TEAR YOU APART!!"
If I had been any closer, my eardrums would've burst from the sheer volume of his voice.
And if I had been even closer than that...
I'd rather not think about what would've happened.
Tap.
[...!]
The mountain is getting closer.
Behind me stands someone who could kill me with nothing but the force of his voice, and yet...
I'm even more terrified of the person calmly walking toward me.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
As those rhythmic footsteps continued, the cloud of dust slowly dispersed around the approaching figure, almost as if the dust itself were afraid of getting too close.
Fiiiuussshhhh.
The wind gently swayed her crimson hair, while her eyes, as blue as the sky, remained fixed on her target as she continued walking toward him.
The mountain I had feared so much finally revealed itself.
It was the form of a beautiful red-haired girl dressed in elegant, expensive clothes.
Tap... Tap... Tap... Tap...
"Call me that one more time... and I swear you'll pray for me to kill you."
[…Mmgg!]
Seriously...
I think I'm about to piss myself.
"Y-You..."
As the other superhuman struggled to get back on his feet, I realized that, besides me, no one else seemed to understand the danger that would be unleashed if this fight continued.
So, inside my head, I screamed:
-PLEASE DON'T GET UP! PLEASE DON'T GET UP! PLEASE DON'T GET UP! PLEASE DON'T GET UP! PLEASE DON'T GET UP! PLEASE DON'T GET UP!
"You...! You fucking bitch!"
The superhuman shouted as he forced himself back to his feet.
-Nooooo!
"...Haaa... You know, I could tolerate you making fun of my hair and my family name."
"It's unbecoming of a noble lady to dirty her hands over a superhuman beneath her... but you... you... you... you..."
Crack... CRACK!
The ground beneath the red-haired girl's feet began to shatter as she trembled violently without moving an inch.
"You... Half-breed."
The red-haired girl's voice sounded far more terrifying when she uttered those last words.
"I swear I'll break every—"
"Leilis!"
Before the red-haired girl could finish speaking, a voice from across the street caught her attention.
"Huh?! What do you want?! I'm busy!"
"Yes... I can see that."
The speaker was another beautiful girl with long, straight black hair. She was sitting outside a café on the opposite side of the street, her legs elegantly crossed as she watched the entire spectacle with an expression that was as calm as it was arrogant.
"Just remember not to go too far. We're guests in this city."
"...Mmph."
After hearing those words, the red-haired girl merely looked away and resumed walking toward the other superhuman.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
She suddenly stopped.
[....Oh.]
Someone with poor eyesight watching from afar might ask, "Why did that crazy girl stop?" The answer was simple.
She had just run into something that was blocking her path.
The problem was...
That something...was me.
"...."
-Why isn't she saying anything?! What the hell is she thinking?!
It's kind of embarrassing. This girl could easily be my age, or maybe even a year younger than me, and yet...I'm on the verge of dropping to my knees and begging her to let me live.
"Do I have something on my face?"
-Answer her, say something!
[Uh...]
-No, wait! Don't speak! Don't say anything!
My mind was falling apart because I had no idea what I should do.
If I said or did something that offended her, things could end very badly for me.
She said she was a noble lady.
That meant that no matter what she did to me, whether she broke one of my arms or split my body in half, she'd get away with it.
-Damn it!
No matter how much I thought about it, both taking action and doing absolutely nothing could easily end in a death sentence for me.
[...!]
"...Move."
She said it without a trace of contempt in either her voice or her eyes.
There was only complete indifference toward my existence.
Tap. Tap.
With just two steps, I moved out of her way, and she continued walking forward.
I'm not entirely sure what the spectators were thinking, but I didn't care anymore.
Tap... Tap... Tap...
I left.
I didn't try to run, but I had no intention of walking slowly either.
-Why am I still afraid?
That was the question I kept asking myself as I walked.
-I'm supposed to die anyway, so... shouldn't I be doing something more important? Something like... not being afraid...
BOOM!
[...Whoa.]
I just heard an explosion behind me.
I guess the fight between those superhumans is still going on.
CRASH!
BOOM!
I didn't even dare look back.
I just kept walking, trying to ignore the deafening explosions that continued one after another with no sign of stopping.
-...I can't even look them in the eye...
[...Mmm.]
I raised my eyes toward the sky.
It still looked just as incredible.
[...Great.]
-At least no one can take this view away from me.
....
....
…
Makratiz.
[....?!]
-What was that?
Out of nowhere, a powerful chill ran through my body, as if it had instinctively reacted to something extremely dangerous. I quickly turned my head in every possible direction, searching for the danger my body was warning me about, but I couldn't find anything unusual around me.
That left only one place to look.
FFFIIIUUUSSSSSHH!
The sky...
When I looked up again, all I could see was a line splitting the sky in half as it stretched toward the horizon.
BOOOOOOM!!!
Suddenly, a violent earthquake shook the entire area.
"AAAAAH!"
"An earthquake?!"
"Not again, please!"
In an instant, loud screams erupted throughout the street, but these weren't cries of confusion.
They were cries of fear.
[Oh no... why... why today of all days?]
People immediately began moving toward safe places. Some ran, while others walked at what would be considered a light pace for them, but aside from that, every single citizen looked nervous, as if they already knew what was about to happen.
[Calm down, Robert... Calm down.]
I told myself, because just like them, I also had a slight idea of what could, or could not, happen in this district.
[Maybe... maybe it's nothing serious... right?]
BEEEEEEP.
The moment I finished saying that, an alarm coming from my phone—and apparently from every communication device carried by the citizens on this street—began to ring.
[…]
I didn't even need to check it to know what it was.
The moment I begin to feel even the slightest bit of relief, fate always appears to remind me of my place in this world.
***
[URGENT ALERT]
[A metallic dome measuring 57 meters in diameter has impacted the residential area of the Superhuman Sector, 12 kilometers north of Elarion Station. The object is composed of Vultranium, an alien metal registered as a weapon used by the Vultrack species.
[17:58] Impact confirmed.
[18:18] The dome has opened.
Reptilian monster released.
Attribute: Unknown.
Status: ACTIVE THREAT.]
SSSHHHRRAAAAKKKHHH!!!
The streets of Regulus trembled beneath the weight of an indescribable terror.
Before them stood a monstrous serpent-like creature nearly sixty meters long and seven meters wide. It wasn't a natural creature, but a biological weapon created by the Vultrack, designed with a single purpose:
To exterminate superhumans.
BOOOM!
CRASH!
The city immediately began to suffer the consequences. Explosions, collapsing buildings, smoke, and screams blended together as the colossal serpent advanced without stopping. As it slithered through the streets, it generated seismic waves, as though the ground itself could no longer bear its weight or its speed.
Many superhumans immediately ran toward the underground shelters, but others...
"You damn lizard!!!"
...were foolish enough to stay and fight.
A group of brave superhumans stepped directly into the monster's path, shouting at it, insulting it, and trying to draw its attention. They were people who had fought monsters before... and believed this one would be no different. Even when it stood right before them, they showed no fear. On the contrary, they provoked it even more.
"Take this, you filthy monster!"
One of them, displaying unbelievable strength, lifted an enormous truck weighing more than forty tons and, without the slightest hesitation, hurled it as if it were nothing more than a baseball.
The vehicle flew through the air at incredible speed, heading straight for the creature's head.
CRASH!!!
It struck its target perfectly, shattering into pieces and exploding upon impact.
"...!"
Contrary to what everyone had expected, the serpent not only remained completely unharmed by the sudden attack...
It didn't even seem bothered.
It simply stared at them calmly...
Until, all of a sudden...
SSSK!
FUUUOOOOSHH
In less than a second, the monster swung its enormous tail with such overwhelming force that everything standing before it—cars, buildings, and even superhumans—was obliterated by the shockwave created by that single strike.
As if an invisible bomb had exploded, the serpent's attack annihilated everything in its path for more than two kilometers.
BOOM!
Entire streets were wiped away.
CRASH!
Buildings collapsed into piles of rubble.
CRACK!
And lifeless bodies were buried beneath the concrete.
From one moment to the next, the city of Regulus seemed to have turned into a war zone. Only then did each and every one of its citizens realize that this was no longer a simple attack they could deal with. This was a threat that endangered humans and superhumans alike.
At that moment, no one in Regulus City was safe.