They said the age of myths had ended. They were wrong.
It began with meteors—dozens of them—tearing through the sky like spears of flame. When they struck the earth, they didn't just bring destruction. They brought something else. Something ancient. Something monstrous.
All over the world, chaos erupted. But Japan… Japan was drowning in it.
Trains stopped mid-track. Cities burned. Screams echoed through the streets. People ran, desperate, clinging to life as towering beasts emerged from the smoke—creatures with fangs like blades and eyes that glowed with hunger.
Among the panic, one boy tripped beside a broken train line, his legs refusing to move any further. Blood ran down his arm. His breath came in sharp gasps. His eyes, wide with terror, stared at the creature slithering toward him.
The boy was wearing a black Hoodie and a nebi blue pant
A massive serpent—black-scaled, dripping with venom—towered above him, its jaws unhinging like a nightmare.
"P-please," the boy whimpered. "Don't kill me…" His heart pounded like it was trying to escape his chest. Tears streamed down his cheeks. He blinked—
And then the creature hissed. Steam rose from its body. Its flesh bubbled. It let out a shriek of agony—then melted into a pool of blackened sludge.
The boy stared in shock, unable to process what just happened.
A shadow stepped up behind him.
"You okay, kid?" a calm voice asked.
The boy turned. A man stood there, cloaked in a black coat, his eyes glowing faintly green, a strange mist drifting off his hand.
"T-thank you…" the boy stammered.
The man chuckled, casual like this was just another Tuesday.
"It's okay," he said. "You're lucky I was nearby."
Perfect! Your ideas are strong and full of personality—it really gives manga/anime vibes. I'll now rewrite and polish that part to flow smoothly as a continuation of Chapter 1, while keeping the cool tone, natural dialogue, and adding just a bit of flair:
---
The boy's breathing slowed, but his body still trembled.
"W-Who are you?" he asked, his voice barely audible.
The man gave a small smile. "I'm a Toximancer. Name's Kanji Mitsuragi—but you can just call me Mitsuragi."
The name echoed in Ken's mind. It sounded like something out of an anime. Cool. Dangerous.
"M-Mister Mitsuragi… why did you save me?" he asked, his voice shaky. "And what even is a Toximancer?"
Kanji chuckled, wiping the black mist off his hand. "Toximancers are like hunters. We track and eliminate these mutated creatures that've been showing up since the meteor strikes. You see weird monsters—you'll find a Toximancer nearby."
He looked toward the dissolving remains of the serpent, the ground still sizzling with acid.
"It's an international thing now. Organized, funded, even monitored. You get paid for each kill. A job with hazard pay."
Ken blinked. "You mean... anyone with poison powers can become one?"
"More or less," Kanji said. "If you're lucky—or unlucky—enough to have venom in your blood, you qualify. Welcome to the new world, kid."
Then, he pulled out his phone
"Cleanup team. Got a corpse," he said.
A voice crackled back. "Location?"
"Tokyo Station. Marunouchi side."
"Roger that. Team en route."
Kanji slid the phone back into his coat and turned to Ken. "Alright, kid. What's your name?"
"K-Ken. Ken Furuhashi," he replied, still catching his breath.
"Okay, Ken." Kanji gave a nod. "You're safe now. You should be able to walk home from here. Try not to get eaten."
Ken climbed out of the broken train wreckage, the city skyline flickering with smoke and distant roars. He stepped onto the cracked pavement, took a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.
"That was... a horrible experience," he muttered.
Scene Change
Ken pushed open the creaky door of his apartment, the weight of the day still clinging to his shoulders like a second skin.
He tossed his bag on the floor and muttered, "I'm so tired of this life…"
The apartment was small—barely big enough for a bed, a desk, and a kitchen counter. He walked in and flicked on the dim lights.
"My parents are gone… and so is my dream."
He dropped into a chair and stared blankly at the ceiling.
"I wanted to be an animator. Draw stories, build worlds…" He trailed off, his voice shaking slightly. "But after they died, I had to take that stupid part-time job at the corner shop just to pay rent."
His stomach growled, dragging him back to reality. Ken grabbed a cup of instant ramen from the counter, poured in hot water, and waited. When it was ready, he slurped it down slowly, the warmth helping to push back the chill in his chest.
He reached for the remote and turned on the TV. Static flickered for a moment before the screen settled on a news broadcast.
In the bodcast a man is saying and thanks to the efforts of the Toximancer squads, Tokyo Station's Marunouchi district is now secured. No civilian casualties reported.
Citizens are urged to call the emergency line immediately if they spot any unusual monsters."
Ken paused mid-bite.
The news reporter saying "Toximancers will be dispatched as quickly as possible. Once again, if you see any cracks forming in walls, ground, or buildings—report them.
The creatures are appearing through those cracks."
Ken looked at his ramen, then at the screen.
"So… someone must've called Mister Mitsuragi right when that serpent showed up."
Ken finished the last bite of his ramen, the warmth fading faster than he liked. The TV still played in the background, the news anchor continuing with updates.
> "—And one last reminder. If anyone feels unusual symptoms or suspects they have poison-related abilities, please report it to the Poison Association.
You can reach them through the emergency number displayed on the screen."
Ken raised an eyebrow, glancing at the number flashing across the corner.
"How do you even feel like you have poison powers…?" he muttered, half amused.
He looked down at his hand, turning it slowly under the light.
"…Yeah, right. Like I'd ever get powers," he said with a faint smirk.
With a sigh, he switched off the TV, shut off the lights, and crawled into his bed.
The room fell into quiet darkness.
He closed his eyes, and soon, the gentle rhythm of sleep took over.
---
Scene Change – The Next Morning
Sunlight filtered through the window blinds.
Ken was at work, wearing a dull apron and helping an elderly woman at a corner shelf.
"Thank you, dear," she said sweetly as he handed her a jar.
"No problem, ma'am," Ken replied with a polite smile.
Later, while he was restocking shelves, a voice called from the cashier.
"Hey, Ken!"
He turned. "Yes, Mister?"
The shop owner, an older man with thick glasses, waved a folded newspaper.
"Here. This month's pay."
Ken walked over, accepted the envelope, and bowed slightly. "Thanks."
He smiled, but only faintly. Same routine. Same quiet life.
---
Scene Change – That Night
Ken sat cross-legged on the floor again, dinner steaming in front of him—another cup of instant ramen.
The TV was on once more, news playing as he ate in silence.
> "—Today, a group of Toximancers successfully eliminated a high-threat creature in the Aichi region.
Government officials have named it the Dire Wolf, believed to be faster and stronger than any monster recorded so far."
Ken slowly stirred his noodles, then reached for the remote and switched the TV off.
"Dire Wolf, huh?" he whispered. "Doesn't matter to me."
He set his empty cup aside, turned off the lights, and laid down, pulling the thin blanket over himself. The apartment returned to stillness.
He didn't see it.
Behind his desk, on the far wall near the floor…
A small crack had formed.
Faint. Jagged. But glowing—an eerie green.
And it was spreading.
The green crack pulsed softly, then split open—just wide enough for a shadow to slip through.
And then another.
And another.
Four wolves crawled out from the void, their fur as black as midnight. Their fangs were long, jagged, and yellow like rotting ivory. Glowing red eyes scanned the room like burning coals in the dark.
They moved silently, circling the bed where Ken slept, breath steaming from their mouths in the cold night air.
One of them lifted its head—and howled.
A bone-chilling, high-pitched wail shattered the silence.
Ken's eyes snapped open.
His heart pounded like thunder in his chest. He sat up, drenched in sweat, his body frozen in place.
Then he saw them.
"No… no no no…" he whispered, voice trembling. "I-I saw that thing on the news. The Dire Wolf…!"
The wolves growled, their claws clicking against the wooden floor as they crept closer. One of them crouched low, preparing to leap.
Ken backed up against the wall, breath shallow, eyes wide with terror.
He had no weapon. No powers. Nothing.
And the wolves were hungry.
One growled low. Another licked its fangs.
He had no idea what to do.
His legs wouldn't move. His voice was stuck in his throat.
Narrator (in thought-like tone):
What will Ken do now?
Every second feels like eternity.
No one's coming. No help. No escape.
Will he die here…or not?