Rain clung to the windows like a second skin, each droplet reflecting the neon scars of Tokyo's skyline. Inside the nearly empty 10:37 PM train, Yuuji Sakamoto sat hunched in his seat, earbuds in but no music playing. The low hum of the train melded with the rhythmic drum of raindrops—a lullaby for the lonely.
He was twenty-two. A university student by enrollment, though more out of obligation than desire. By night, he manned the register at a 24-hour convenience store, a job he never listed on resumes. And by habit, he haunted the last train home. Not because he enjoyed it—but because it was the only time the world felt still enough for him to hear his own thoughts.
Yuuji brushed his hand against the frayed hem of his jacket, sighing. The subway car was silent except for a soft flickering of the overhead lights. The train conductor had announced a delay at Shin-Kiba, but that had been fifteen minutes ago. Now, they were well past the outskirts—he could barely see anything beyond the window.
Only darkness.
And then, it was gone.
The overhead lights blinked out, plunging the car into complete darkness. For a moment, Yuuji thought it was just a blackout. He reached for his phone.
No signal. Not even a clock.
Then the hum died. Not just the train—but everything. The subtle vibrations, the electrical buzz, even the rain outside—it was as if the world had been muted.
Yuuji stood slowly. "Hello?" he called, voice unsure.
No answer. Not from the conductor, not from the intercom—nothing.
He walked toward the front of the car. The doors to the next compartment wouldn't budge. The emergency button didn't respond. Panic began to seep into the edges of his thoughts, but just before it could take root, the doors behind him slid open with a hiss.
But what lay beyond wasn't the station.
It was a forest.
Dense. Ethereal. Trees with bark like obsidian and silver leaves glowing under a pale lavender sky. Twin moons hung above the canopy, casting a ghostly light over a moss-covered path.
"What the hell…?"
The air smelled of moss and rain, but fresher, crisper, like it had never been touched by pollution. He turned around—
The train was gone.
Not just vanished—there were no tracks, no station, nothing. Just forest.
And then, the voice came.
"Soul recognized. Binding process initiated."
Yuuji spun around. No one there.
"Welcome, Yuuji Sakamoto, to the realm of Vesvara. You have been chosen."
The voice wasn't heard—it was felt, like words were being etched into his bones. His knees buckled slightly under the weight of it.
A screen appeared in front of him—floating, translucent, like a hologram ripped from a sci-fi film.
[SYSTEM INITIALIZED]
Performing Soul Analysis…
…
…
Soul Type: Fragmented
Emotional Core: Disconnected
Cognitive Trait: Hyperadaptive
Magical Affinity: Shadow / Echo
Class Assigned: Voidbound Whisperer
Warning: This class is classified as "Forbidden." Unique path initiated.
Yuuji stared at the screen, numb.
"Voidbound Whisperer? What is this, a video game?"
As if in response, another prompt popped up.
[Skill Unlocked: Echo Blink]
Teleport up to 5 meters to a shadowed location. Cooldown: 10 seconds.
[Skill Unlocked: Whisper Veil]
Dampen all sound within a 3-meter radius. Duration: 15 seconds.
"What the actual hell is going on?"
A low growl broke the silence.
Yuuji turned, and his breath caught in his throat.
Something was watching him from the shadows—eyes glowing like green fire, a body that shifted like smoke. Four legs, spines down its back, and teeth like needles.
The creature stepped into view. Its body shimmered with shadow, like it wasn't entirely there.
It growled again—low, guttural.
Yuuji froze. His brain screamed at him to run, but his legs refused. Then—
The creature leapt.
[To be continued in Segment 2 – coming next message…]
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