The scene shifted once again, this time to the quiet road leading from Aghorik's school toward his home. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows on the pavement, its warmth brushing against his skin as he walked with a steady, unhurried pace. His thoughts, however, were restless. The narration he had left hanging earlier continued in his mind, flowing like a story only he could hear.
As MafiaLandia rose, the balance of the world shifted, he reflected. The United Earth answered, pushing forward its own development. When the nations dissolved and borders ceased to exist, the government created something new. Not countries, not divisions—one single global system. Among its most decisive choices was the creation of a unified schooling model, a single education system replicated in branches all across the world.
He frowned slightly, adjusting the strap of his bag as he walked. Was it good? Was it bad? I can't even decide… but one truth remains—Cipher-X's opinion shaped the decision, and when Cipher-X speaks, the world listens.
The narration in his mind grew darker, heavier. This wasn't just about schools. It was about control. By dismantling cultural geography—not religion, not heritage, but the very way people think and live—the government reshaped humanity itself. With the one-school system, they took hold of every teenager, molding them into uniform minds. Adults were influenced too, subtly bent by the waves of change. Entire ways of life collapsed, and in their place stood a modernized unity. But was it unity… or uniformity?
Aghorik's steps slowed as his home came into view. The sun dipped behind the rooftops, leaving a faint orange glow in the sky. He pushed the door open, slipped inside, and the hum of the outside world dimmed instantly. Silence greeted him. He crossed the small living space and set his bag down before his eyes fell on the calendar pinned to the wall.
August 10, 2050.
He stood there for a long moment, the numbers anchoring his thoughts.
"It's been twenty-five years since the wars began," he murmured. His voice was quiet, nearly lost to the empty room. "Then the epidemic struck… then Cipher-X rose… then MafiaLandia took root. And after that came Julien Baudelaire, who founded the Detective Organization. So much has happened, all of it twisting the mindset of the world."
He exhaled, shaking his head. "And there are things I can't even bring myself to remember right now. Too much is happening. My backstory…" He clenched his fists slightly, then released them. "I don't want to imagine it. Why waste my time digging into the past?"
His words dissolved into the silence as he moved toward his bed. He sat down heavily on the corner, the mattress sinking beneath his weight. For a moment, he allowed himself to breathe, to rest, raising his phone in front of him with the intention of distraction.
But before he could scroll, the device vibrated. A single sharp notification echoed through the room. Then another. And another. His brow furrowed as he unlocked the screen.
At that same moment, across the globe, every phone, every device, every connected screen displayed the same urgent message from the Detective Organization.
WORLDWIDE ANNOUNCEMENT:On August 12, two of the most powerful figures alive—Cipher-X and the current leader of the Detective Organization, Andre Cavell—will hold a live online meeting. Their agenda: addressing the potential global danger known as "Obliviscythe."
The words glowed across his screen, undeniable, inescapable. His heart skipped once, then pounded harder in his chest.
Aghorik stared at the notification, his expression unreadable, though his eyes sharpened with a sudden edge of tension. His lips parted, and in the stillness of his room, he whispered just loud enough for himself to hear—
"…What the hell?"