There's a boy who lives in this house with his family.
He's just coming home from school.
Loma sighs heavily, his voice carrying the weight of defeat.
Loma (thinking): Why do I have to go to school… just to get bullied? I can't help it—I'm not strong enough. Maybe I should just drop out…
He pushes open the door.
Loma: I'm home…
His mom: Oh, you're hereee!
Loma doesn't reply. He ignores her, walking straight to his room. He isn't on good terms with his family. Changing his clothes, he spends the rest of the evening on his phone. Dinner comes and goes—he eats in silence, then slips away to sleep.
The Next Morning
Loma: I'm awake… let's go to school.
He dresses quietly, then heads down to breakfast.
His father (mocking): Well, look who's here! A dead man who never leaves his room. Are you even alive, boy?
Loma freezes, frustration simmering. His jaw tightens, but he says nothing. He leaves the table without eating and heads to school.
On the way, he mutters under his breath:
Loma (thinking): I wish I could just… die peacefully. Why do I have to live like this?
At School
Before he can settle in, a voice shouts:
Kazo: Oiii, Lomaaa!
Kazo, one of his bullies, slaps him hard on the back.
Loma: What was that for, bastard?
Kazo (mocking): Huh? What are you talking about?
Kazo leans in, staring, trying to intimidate him.
Kazo: Say what?
Loma (stammering): Uh—Nothing. Nevermind.
He heads to class. Suddenly—thud—a ball smacks against him.
Loma: What the hell!?
It's another bully, Sota. He's overweight, heavier than most at his age—15 years old, 63 kilos—and he uses his size to dominate others.
Sota: Oi, oi! Gimme the ball.
Loma: Don't hit me again.
Sota leans in, his shadow swallowing Loma's smaller frame.
Sota: Oh? And what the hell are you gonna do about it?
Loma freezes, intimidated.
Loma: Just… don't do it again.
Sota's grin widens as he pushes even closer.
Sota: I see, I see… then I'll teach you a lesson. Never dare talk back to me.
He shoves Loma hard. Loma stumbles and falls to the floor.
Teacher (shouting): Stop! Enough! Back to your seats!
Sota (mock smile): Oh, sorry, sorry.
As he passes Loma, he whispers:
Sota: Meet me at break time.
Break Time
Loma tries to hide, but Sota finds him easily.
Sota: Where you hiding, huh? Come with me, scaredy cat.
He grabs Loma by the collar, dragging him into the washroom. He releases his grip, smirking.
Sota: Fight me. Right here, right now. Unless you'd rather I beat the hell out of you first.
Loma's hands tremble. His heart pounds like a war drum. His breath catches in his throat—then—
Sota swings first. A brutal punch connects.
Loma staggers. His vision blurs. His mind begins to black out. But then—
Something inside him snaps.
Anger swells. Pain disappears. Adrenaline floods his veins. His thoughts vanish—only rage remains.
Congratulations. Loma has awakened his hidden state: Berserker.
A primal force takes over. His consciousness fades into a storm of aggression. His body moves on pure instinct. He cannot feel pain—only fury. His stamina, however, drains at a terrifying pace.
Loma's eyes burn red.
Sota stiffens, fear trickling down his spine.
Sota: Wh-What is this?
Loma steps forward and unleashes two lightning-fast punches. Thud! Thud!
Sota is forced onto the defensive.
He tries to grab Loma, lifting him by the waist—but Loma, in his frenzy, hammers three brutal back-elbows into Sota's face. Crack! Crack! Crack! Blood gushes from Sota's nose.
Sota (thinking): What's happening to this weakling!? How can he be this strong!?
He releases Loma, stumbling back. Loma surges forward, throwing another barrage of punches.
Sota takes two more straight shots to the face. He pushes Loma back, desperate.
Sota (thinking, panicked): What the hell!? I wanna go home! He's too dangerous. I'm not strong enough! Who would've thought this weakling… could be a monster?
Aftermath
Suddenly, Loma collapses to his knees, gasping for air. His vision spins. His body screams with pain.
Loma: What… was that? My head hurts… my whole body hurts… I can barely stand.
He looks up at Sota, confused.
Loma: I remember… he was beating me… but why is his nose bleeding?
Sota, shaken, wipes the blood from his face.
Sota: …You're strong.
With that, he turns and leaves, fear written all over him.
Loma remains, clutching his chest, struggling to breathe. He stays there for five minutes, regaining enough strength to stand. Too drained to face his classmates again, he skips the rest of the day and heads home.
But Loma doesn't yet realize the truth—he has awakened the Berserker State, a condition of unstoppable aggression that comes at the cost of body and mind.
Chapter 1: The Introduction — End