Kaien Mori dragged his feet across the barren field, every step a battle. His clothes hung in tatters, his arm bandaged poorly with strips of cloth torn from his uniform. His body screamed in pain, but worse than the wounds was the weight of loneliness.
He hadn't seen another human since his sudden arrival in this cursed world. Only creatures. Always creatures. Shadows that moved too fast, whispered too softly, and dissolved into mist when struck down.
But today…
A voice echoed across the field.
"—Hey! Someone's there!"
Kaien froze. His heart pounded. For a moment he thought it might be another hallucination, just another cruel trick of exhaustion.
Then, he saw them—two figures, human.
---
The taller one stood with casual confidence, his school uniform torn but his posture calm. Black hair fell loosely around his sharp eyes, which carried a strange glint—half warmth, half calculation.
The other was shorter but sturdier, with sandy-brown hair and bright eyes that carried a strange resilience. His stance was firm, as though he'd already accepted the rules of this world.
Kaien blinked. "Y-you're… human?"
The taller boy smirked. "Last I checked." He stepped closer, studying Kaien carefully. "You look like hell."
Kaien laughed weakly. "Thanks for noticing."
The shorter one jogged forward, offering an arm. "You're from our school, right? First-year? Kaien… Mori, was it?"
Kaien hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah… That's me."
The boy smiled warmly. "Kaida Ren. We've met before—class 1-B. Though you probably never noticed."
Kaien shook his hand, relief flooding through him. "I… I thought I was the only one here."
"You're not," the taller boy cut in, his tone calm but firm. "Some of us ended up here. Scattered, mostly. Guessing more of our classmates are wandering around too."
Kaien looked at him closely. "And you are…?"
The boy smirked faintly. "Takuro. Takuro Hoshigami."
The name stirred something in Kaien's memory—a classmate with a reputation for being quiet but intelligent. Someone people respected from a distance, though he rarely spoke up.
---
They sat together under the shade of a warped tree, catching their breath. For the first time in days, Kaien felt something close to safety.
Ren glanced at Mori's wounds. "You've been fighting alone, haven't you?"
Kaien nodded, staring at the ground. "Yeah. Barely surviving."
Takuro tilted his head. "How many have you killed?"
Kaien hesitated. "Three. Maybe four. Small ones."
"Impressive for someone like you," Takuro said casually, though the words carried a faint sting.
Kaien bristled. "Someone like me?"
Takuro smiled faintly, eyes glinting. "Weak. Ordinary. You're not exactly built for this world, are you?"
Ren shot him a look. "Takuro, that's not fair."
But Kaien only clenched his fists, silent. Because Takuro wasn't wrong.
---
As night approached, they shared stories of their first days.
Ren had been attacked immediately after arriving but had somehow awakened a strange surge of strength. "They called it… a rank system," he explained. "Something in this world assigns us levels. I'm B-Rank."
Kaien stared in disbelief. "B-Rank? Already?"
Ren scratched his head. "Honestly, I don't understand it either. But the power… it's real. I can feel it."
He demonstrated, gripping a jagged boulder and lifting it with ease before setting it back down. Kaien's eyes widened.
"That's insane…"
Ren smiled sheepishly. "Don't worry. I'll have your back."
Takuro leaned back against the tree, watching. "I'm only E-Rank," he said smoothly. "Not much better than you."
Kaien's shoulders eased a little at that. "So I'm not the only weak one."
Takuro chuckled softly. "Guess not."
But behind his faint smile, his eyes flickered with something else. Something darker.
---
The three of them made camp, gathering strange glowing fragments of crystal for light.
Kaien, finally relaxing for the first time in days, found himself speaking more freely. "I thought I was going to die out there. Honestly… I don't even know how I survived this long."
Ren patted his shoulder. "Because you didn't give up. That counts for more than you think."
Takuro's voice cut through the warmth. "Survival isn't about not giving up. It's about being strong enough to crush whatever stands in your way. If you're not strong, you're dead. Simple."
Kaien frowned. "That's… cold."
Takuro shrugged. "It's the truth."
Ren crossed his arms. "Even if that's true, there's more to survival than strength. Trust. Friendship. We're stronger together."
Takuro's smirk lingered, but he didn't argue further.
---
That night, Kaien couldn't sleep. He sat alone, staring into the mist beyond the crystals' glow.
Ren's words gave him hope, but Takuro's lingered too. "If you're not strong, you're dead."
Was that his fate?
He clenched his fists. "No… I won't die. Not here."
A quiet voice broke his thoughts.
"You really believe that?"
Kaien jumped, turning to see Takuro leaning against the tree. His face was calm, his tone casual, but his eyes glimmered strangely.
"I… I have to," Kaien said firmly.
Takuro studied him for a long moment, then smirked faintly. "Good. Keep believing that."
And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Kaien with a chill running down his spine.
---
The next morning, they began to move together. Ren scouted ahead, his B-Rank strength cutting through the weaker shadow creatures with ease. Kaien followed closely, trying to learn from him. Takuro moved at the rear, silent, watchful.
For the first time since his arrival, Kaien wasn't alone.
Yet something told him this was only the beginning—of both hope, and danger.
---