Good and evil are a balance that shapes the universe. Light cannot exist without shadow, and vice versa. There are good people, just as there are bad people. These two fundamental elements of the universe, so opposite in every way, are in reality two sides of the same coin. In this chaos, a being that first appeared hundreds of years ago has the role of maintaining this balance between these two worlds. A supreme being capable of bringing peace to the universe, he called himself the Elemental Master.
Unfortunately, a century passed without the Elemental Master making an appearance. During this period, the balance was destroyed and chaos reigned over the universe. Heroes emerged and became legends. They took on the responsibility of the Elemental Master. The universe found a way to function based on a policy between planets and the duty of heroes.
Among these heroes, one couple stood out for their power, but above all for their actions. One day, in a tragedy, they lost their lives for the sake of their children. Their five children were separated from their parents and sent to a planet where they would be safe. Was that the moment I made my choice? I don't know, but my destiny began at that precise moment when I was three years old, where my parents' destiny ended.
In the universe, in the Laniakea supercluster, more precisely in the Virgo cluster, located in the Local Group, Milky Way galaxy, solar system. The third planet from the parent star called the Sun is a terrestrial planet nicknamed the blue planet, better known as Earth. Earth, a planet inhabited by a population that has never known the consequences of war in the universe. A peaceful and ideal place for orphaned children. It was on this planet that I grew up for 10 years in innocence before obtaining my powers.
During the final of an extracurricular basketball game, with only five minutes left to play and the score at 48:53, we were losing and exhausted, but there was still time to achieve the impossible. "Pass the ball," I said, then threw a pass into the air that was intercepted by a teammate who only had to score.
"Come on, 50-53, we can do it," was enough to ignite everyone's fighting spirit.
I remained calm, observing all the players and their attitudes. The opposing team kicked off and launched their attack. We played tight man-to-man defense, preventing any combination plays by the opponent. Under pressure, he made a pass that I immediately intercepted and launched a lightning counterattack without hesitation.
Neither team is giving an inch. Whoever scores the basket will be the winner. I receive the pass and advance toward the basket, drawing a player toward me. With a total of eight players in the area, I make a backward pass that surprises everyone. A fast and accurate straight pass landed in the hands of an unmarked teammate outside the area. He shot immediately, taking control of the game. The room was silent for a microsecond as the ball fell into the net, but for the players, that microsecond felt like several seconds.
With a devastating cry of "Equalizer! Ahhh!" adrenaline surged through everyone, spectators and players alike, as the game reached its climax. There was only one minute left, but the cries echoed through the hall like echoes in a cave, despite the fact that each player remained extremely focused.
The last minutes of the game began and the opposing team's ace rushed straight at me, the weakest player. If he eliminated me, he would be able to shoot. It was the most rational solution, but unfortunately for him, the end of the game was in my hands.
I took a breath to be as rational as possible in my movements. I deliberately let him eliminate me on the left, where a teammate would be waiting to take the ball. It landed in the hands of an opponent, but he was blocked when he tried to dunk. The ball then went out of bounds.
"Nah, not if I'm here." I appeared out of nowhere before the ball went out. In everyone's eyes, I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time, but for me it was the result of long thought and analysis. I sent the ball to the other end of the court as the players looked on in amazement.
"Your turn to shine," I said to our ace player on the other side, who was completely unmarked. With a giant leap, he dunked the ball, ending the game, and everyone was left speechless by this final surprise move.
"Ahhh! 55:53!" echoed throughout the hall.
With this victory, the whole team was in a joyful mood and celebrated with a dinner together. "Hey, aren't you coming?" said the coach.
"I'm sorry, I already have plans," I said, and then I left, hurrying home.
Basketball is just a hobby for me, I have no intention of turning pro, and besides, I'm not good enough. I chose basketball at first because it was mandatory to choose a club. Given my skill level and physique, I didn't belong in this club, where height, technique, and strength are paramount. However, I adapted. I analyze the game, the movements and shifts across the court, which allows me to exploit my opponents' weaknesses and enhance my team's strengths.
I am the shadow and my teammates are the light. While I do the work, they shine. Some would say that I have a job that no one would want, but this job is necessary and indispensable; it allows for balance within the team. It's in my nature to stay in the background; I prefer to let others shine. So I accept being the shadow if my teammates need me and my skills. That's who I am, Nozomi Yōko.
It was getting very late, but when I got home, I prepared dinner with my mother. She is in poor health, but despite this, she and my father work hard for me. I must not disappoint them, so until I make them proud, I help them at home to relieve them as best I can. After dinner, I went to my room, did my homework, and went to sleep.
In my sleep, I saw images of people I didn't know, and I heard a mixture of voices from people I felt I knew and others I didn't. Everything was blurring around me, the surroundings were getting darker and darker, and I was overcome with anxiety until a light eliminated all the darkness around me. Before I knew it, it was already 7 a.m.
"That dream again?" For several years now, I have been having the same dream. No matter how hard I think about it, I can't figure out what it means. I haven't told anyone about it, not my friends or my parents, for some reason I don't know. I feel like if I tell them about these visions, I'll regret it later. Eventually, I started to stop paying attention to these dreams; to me, they're just a figment of my imagination.
Despite these dreams, I force myself to carry on with my life as normal. Every time I feel tired, the lack of sleep takes its toll. After breakfast, I set off for school. The day passed as usual until math class. The lack of sleep was taking its toll and, without realizing it, I fell asleep at my desk during class.
Those images and voices resurfaced. "Huh, again? Is anyone there? Where am I?" For the first time, I had the same dream twice in a row. Finally, there was something different. I had the impression that this time the voice wanted me to follow it. I walked where the voice wanted me to go.
"A cabin, wait for that cabin." I saw a clear image that corresponded to a real place. This cabin is located in the neighboring village, known for its legend. But at that moment, multiple questions popped into my mind. For the first time in years, a clear image appeared in my dream, whereas until now there had only been very blurry visions and multiple voices mixing together. "Why this cabin?" Legend has it that no one lives in this cabin and no one knows who built it, let alone how it appeared. Of course, research and exploration have been carried out, but apparently no one has been able to enter the cabin and it has never been destroyed. This has given it the name "Locked Cabin." Access to this land has been prohibited and no one has entered this place since.
"If my dream shows me this place, will I finally have an answer to this phenomenon?" Fear obviously overwhelmed me, but on the other hand, curiosity pushed me to go ahead.
A few days later, during the weekend, I bought a bus ticket to the neighboring village. Once I arrived, I had to wait until nightfall so that I could sneak into the forbidden area without anyone seeing me. I lied to my parents and told them I was sleeping at a friend's house. Even though it broke my heart, I didn't want them to worry about me if they knew the truth.
At night, there were the sounds of branches, the wind blowing on our skin, and the darkness surrounding us. I only had my flashlight to light my way, and moving through the forest was harder than I had imagined. The longer I stayed in the forest, the more the sounds of the branches reached my ears, the wind rubbed against my skin, and the feeling of being watched filled me with extreme fear and anxiety.
At that moment, I wanted only one thing: to go home. But that's when I saw it.
"There it is!" I felt relieved to finally see the cabin, but a new feeling overwhelmed me, a feeling that settled inside me, a coldness that I find hard to explain. But I gathered my courage and walked towards the cabin door.
Normally, the door is locked and impossible to open, but when I put my hand on it to examine it, I heard the sound of a key turning and it suddenly opened, causing me to fall violently to the floor. I was completely surprised when I discovered a futuristic interior like something out of a movie. This cabin, which looked like an old abandoned hut from the outside, looked like a spaceship on the inside. I didn't even have time to understand what was happening before the door behind me closed, trapping me inside.
"No! Help, please open up," I shouted with all my soul. What was happening to me was anything but normal, and I understood the irrational and dangerous actions I was taking.
"DNA analysis in progress," said a mysterious voice from an AI hologram that had appeared in front of me. It sounded like a robot, but it was benevolent and calmed the tense atmosphere I had created. For some reason, I recognized that voice; it was the one that sometimes called me in my dreams. I stood motionless, speechless, gaping at the unimaginable vision unfolding before me. At that moment, I didn't know it yet, but my life was taking a turn toward a wider, crueler world, but one with such a warm light. This is my story, one I wrote with my choices and my will.
"DNA analysis of the intruder complete. Appearance recognized in database. Energy sensor, bodily mana compatible. Analysis complete. Hello, Nozomi Yuutaka."