The Perfect Rose. A syndicate of high-ranking scientists. It is said that that group was the sole reason for how humans as a species survived this long. A prophecy was made with their hands that with the steady pace of technological advancements, a device would be made.
It's an intricate device that can connect dimensions together like a thin thread of cloth, although none of them knew the state of calamity it would bring to the world.
Ruri was pleased.
She had just finished her magnum opus with her colleague; Dorei was a graduate of cyber-engineering, a top student, although he had his flaws. A superiority complex. Believing that every human who wasn't cyberized was a burden on the progress of humanity.
More work could be done. Memories would be mechanized and stored.
It would be an infinite source of knowledge if every human were cyberized.
As the clock ticks down until midnight and the whole world stands on a new era,
Dorei, along with the device, disappeared without a trace. Maybe it was fate that led to this decision of Dorei's; every individual action would lead to a response. Be it good or bad, he knew what he was doing. It was for the betterment of humanity after all, or so he thought.
Ruri, a pure human, is a rare form of life; during these years nearly every human is cyberized. be it ocular implants or bionic arms. The device she had worked on with Dorei was gone—her own work stolen, a device that could change the world in a single night.
"Why would he do this?" "What's his motive?" Those are all questions that rang inside her head. Yet the answer never resonated within her mind.
A year has passed since that day, Ruri has decided to retain her device aptly named "The Full Circle" from Dorei. It's as if it was the only thing she knew during that time.
---
August 16th, 2756. A revolver shot can be heard across Tokyo's street as screams echo throughout the area. The thud of a body hitting the ground echoes as the crowd scatters in all directions.
"A-Ah, you bastard! You shot me!"
The man's words echoes down the street until another bullet cuts him off. The air is filled with the sounds of people running away in all directions. In the midst of the chaos, at the center of the attention, stands a man. He holds a revolver in one hand and tightly grips an object in the other.
The man notices Ruri.
"Move out of the way, you crazy woman!" A look of disgust appears on his face as he runs toward her.
The man readies his aim at Ruri, his hand rising with a click echoing in the air.
Ruri immediately sprang into action to disarm him. Ruri slapped his wrist, but he maintained a firm grip on his revolver.
The man retaliates with a jab. THUD! It strikes against her side guard.
"I'll have to hit his sensitive spots."
The man swings his revolver. WOOSH! Ruri swiftly dodges and counters with a punch to his liver.
THUD.
Ruri regains her composure while he remains unfazed by her strike.
"Felt like I hit metal; I think it's time to run."
Ruri twists and turns, preparing to sprint away from the man. As she bolts, he chases after her, she instantly regrets her decision to confront him.
The man laughs. "What world do you live in? You really thought I'd go around shooting people while still organic, you fucking bitch?!"
Ruri looks around quickly, looking for a way out. She sees an alleyway and hurriedly goes inside. Then she starts to climb the scaffolding. Just as the man steps into the alley, Ruri pushes a crate off the edge, and it strikes him in the head.
*THUD*
Ruri sighs, feeling fortunate about the crate's placement and the alleyway itself. She approaches the man to search for any valuables he may have. As she rummages through his belongings, he begins to speak.
"You're pretty bold for a woman..." The man says in an injured, almost silent voice
As Ruri turns to leave, a sharp *ZIIIIIIP* sound cuts through the silence around her. Ruri turns around to see a tear in the air; it resembles a portal of some sort. As she approaches, a knife suddenly flies out of the portal, impaling her in the stomach and ripping through her flesh.
Ruri falls onto the ground a sharp pain coming from her stomach.
As she frantically tries to evade the portal, more knives begin shooting out as Ruri moves out of view
A hooded man steps out of the portal. As he approaches Ruri, he snatches the item that the revolver-wielding man had been holding.
He says,
"You are all just feeble creatures who don't even live a century. You repeat the same tragedies, lamenting conflict, yet no era is free from war. History proves that humanity never learns. Yet, lacking any true strengths, you are too fragile to survive as a species. You needed to show your charm and act like a harmless pet, yet you still created that device, didn't you? That's why I'll kill all of you. Thanks to you, I have finally achieved what I desired. The human race and its zealous assertion of dominance end here. Happy birthday, Ruri."
He snatches the knife out of Ruri's stomach, making her bleed profusely. As he walks back into the portal, in a matter of seconds Ruri's consciousness begins fading.
(...)