The clock struck twelve in a small, run-down house in the slums.
Sho lay on his bed, staring blankly at the cracked ceiling. Beside him sat his friend, Kurame — legs crossed, fiddling with an old wristband.
Silence filled the room, broken only by the distant barking of stray dogs.
Sho's thoughts drifted back — to the moments he had faced pain, ridicule, and struggle.
A flash of memory hit him.
He saw his classmates laughing at him, mocking him for not being able to afford a jersey for the sports festival.
He remembered standing at the back of the line, alone, while everyone else fit in.
The laughter echoed in his head — sharp, cruel, unforgettable.
Back in the present, Sho whispered,
"How cruel this world is… Why do the weakest always have to suffer?"
Kurame sighed.
"You're still thinking about that, huh? Beat it, man. It's not like you can change it."
Sho sat up slowly.
"I know… but I still can't stop thinking about what my father used to say."
Kurame glanced at him.
"You mean about that 'System Z' thing?"
Sho nodded faintly.
"Yeah. He said it could change everything — fix things that were wrong with this world. But before he could show me what it was, he… disappeared."
A moment of silence filled the room. Neither of them spoke.
Then Sho's mother called from the other room:
"Sho! Kurame! Lunch is ready!"
Kurame forced a smile.
"Guess that's our cue."
He had been living alone lately, so he often came to Sho's house to eat with them — the only place that still felt like home.
They sat around a small wooden table. The food was simple, but warm — rice, curry, and a few pickled vegetables. For a brief moment, everything felt peaceful.
Then, the television buzzed to life.
"Breaking News!"
"A failed experiment by the United Nations Alliance has resulted in a dangerous virus outbreak. The infection is spreading rapidly. Citizens are advised to stay indoors until further notice."
The spoon slipped from Sho's hand.
His mother gasped. Kurame froze mid-bite.
But Sho just stared at the screen, his heartbeat steady, his mind racing.
"A failed experiment… Could this be related to System Z?" he thought.
"If humans survive this catastrophe… will the truth behind my father's disappearance finally come to light?"
Outside, sirens began to echo through the slums.
And for the first time in years, Sho felt something burning deep within him — not fear, but purpose.