Prologue 2: Where
So then — what do you think is there?
"Where…?"
"I don't know."
The flow of consciousness unlocked its potential, and Kyo's brain began working several times faster. All his questions dropped to zero. (Whether those answers matter to you or not.)
He opened his eyes and found himself in a dim place where the only visible color was red. Red, as if tons of buckets of paint had been poured across the floor. But it was slightly sticky — darker, closer to burgundy, and deeply unpleasant to the touch.
— What is this? — Kyo said in confusion.
He tensed his arms and legs and stood up. Something rattled in his right and left pockets and fell out — a dagger and a cold pouch. On it was written:
FOOD
— Food? — Kyo muttered.
At that moment, he heard loud footsteps rushing toward him.
"Behind you!"
Kyo turned and saw a feral-looking man, around twenty-nine years old. He was screaming about food and about killing him.
"So that's how it is…"
Kyo panicked, grabbed the dagger, glanced at the red floor, and picked up the pouch. He opened it and saw… something strange.
A piece of ice that did not melt, deeply tinted red.
"This is food?"
"I'm not eating that."
Kyo held the knife in front of him, preparing for a fight. He had never used a knife this way before, hoping it would end either in negotiation — or at least not in death.
The man stopped. Kyo thought he saw a grin.
The man raised his knife and charged at him, holding it with practiced skill.
Kyo was afraid.
Suddenly, Kyo twisted his torso to the left, tossed the knife with his right hand, straightened, and caught it with his left.
He surprised himself.
"Calm."
"Learning."
A plan formed in Kyo's mind. Less than five seconds remained before the beast lunged at him over that piece of ice.
Kyo rotated his left hand so the blade pointed toward the man. He tossed it upward, spun sharply to the right, and hurled the knife.
— Victory! — Kyo shouted, rubbing his eyes, already convinced he had won.
But when he opened them, the man stood unharmed, laughing stupidly.
— Mercy, mercy… hahahahaha! — Only then did Kyo realize the knife hadn't just failed to wound him — it hadn't even reached him. Worse, he hadn't struck the blade properly during the spin, and it had simply fallen. — Wow. My respects, sir…
The man snapped out of his laughter and seized Kyo's knife. He was ready to cut him down.
"Like Aika…?"
⸻