Solnus 23. The Absurd Forced “Isekaikomori”; Like Coming Back to Life with New Strength

610 days, or 1 year, 8 months, and approximately 5 days before the Circumadversum Omatsuri, one early morning.

A live broadcast of a European football match was heard from a television in a room. Simultaneously, a person could be heard screaming in frustration. “Arrgggh! Arrgggh! Arrgggh! Arrgh!”

The person's frustrated screams weren't because the football team he supported was playing poorly or losing. In fact, the person didn't really care about the football show on television, as he still wasn't sure whether what was showing on the television was really football or not.

The person's screams eventually stopped. He lowered his head, covering his face with his hands. The screams he had been making earlier had now turned into sobs. His frustrated expression gave way to another form of frustration.

Based on the time display, the man knew he had been imprisoned in a strange room for about a year. However, the time displayed on the device seemed to him like a live football broadcast, just like the music concerts or comedy shows, anime, and movies he watched on the television in that room. He couldn't be sure whether the time displayed on the device was real or not.

A year? It felt like decades to him. During that year—what felt like decades—he had tried various ways to physically escape that place. He had also tried to awaken his consciousness, just in case he was trapped in a dreamland and could wake up to the real world.

He had tried slamming a chair against the wall. He had tried burning his hand with the stove. He had tried stabbing his hand with the tip of a spoon. He had tried various methods, but none had worked.

Just as he was about to injure himself more severely, trying to destroy the entire room that was holding him captive, a puff of smoke suddenly appeared. Shortly afterward, he felt so drowsy that he couldn't move his body. When he woke up, he found his body was fine, and the room he'd destroyed had returned to normal.

There was a section in the room called the "wish box." He had often asked for food, manga, magazines, and books, and the room had granted his wishes. But just like when he watched television, when he ate, drank, and read, everything felt bland.

He had tried to peek inside the wish box. He had tried to see if there was a way out through the box. But all failed. The box opened and closed without his consent. The box's presence only made him feel even more eerie.

He felt like he was living in an absurd world. He wasn't dead, but he wasn't alive either. He could eat and drink; he could do this and that in the room where he lived, but he couldn't feel anything.

What did he get? Nothing. Nothing, except perhaps a description of the world he now lived in.

With an environment that constantly confined him and drained his sanity, his brain was still able to string together words and descriptions. He describes himself as currently imprisoned in an "Isekaikomori." He coined the term by combining two words: "isekai" and "komori." "Isekai" means "another world," while "hikikomori" means "confined" or "being inside."

He cried. He thought, "After I lost my musical soul, must I lose my entire soul?"

Two people experienced the above events. We know them as Bành Đức Hải and Guruh Dwi Cahyo.

(000)

610 days, or 1 year, 8 months, and approximately 5 days before the Circumadversum Omatsuri, one morning.

Daniel Lumanbatu pointed his camera at two people engaged in an activity. Those two people were none other than Bành Đức Hải and Guruh Dwi Cahyo. The duo's activity took place in a former abandoned elementary school hall. That morning, only Daniel, Hải, and Guruh filled the large hall.

The foreign blue-collar workers in the small town where Daniel lived had negotiated and reached an agreement with the local government. They were allowed to use abandoned public facilities. In exchange, the facilities would be properly maintained by the foreign workers.

Daniel had previously discussed this agreement in one of his videos. In that video, Daniel referred to the scheme as "facility rental with payment for facility maintenance."

One of the "rented" facilities became a place for Hai and Guruh to train their physiques. Hai and Guruh were practicing self-defense, each using wooden sticks as weapons. "Clack!" "Clack!" "Clack!"

After a few seconds, Daniel heard the clashing sounds of Hai and Guruh's wooden sticks, and he created his own sound. First, Daniel clapped his palms together, making a loud clapping sound. Second, Daniel began to fill the video recording with his own narration.

Daniel commented, "Amazing, amazing, amazing, right, guys? This, my online friends, this is... I can say that my two senpais are exemplary citizens. They traveled far away to work in a country overseas, working diligently, which of course makes their bodies tired. When they get a day off like today, they use it to practice martial arts."

Daniel asked, "To all my online friends watching Daniel Daily Desu, do you think it's possible for them to become professional martial arts practitioners?"

Daniel explained, "By the way, guys. If you remember, my two senpais have appeared and discussed them several times in my previous videos. I mentioned that they used to be music enthusiasts. I also made a video of them getting sick after enjoying a hot spring. That was about a year ago. But after they recovered from that illness, they changed a lot. From what I've observed, they've become more health conscious, whether it's their diet or their sleep patterns—they're all good."

Daniel picked up the video and walked over to Hai and Guruh. He said, "Senpai Hai and Senpai Guruh, let me take a video, okay..."

Hai and Guruh didn't respond. Daniel hadn't stopped filming his senpais, and this time he asked, "Senpai, what do you think? Or do you want to give me some tips, advice, and motivation for a healthier life?"

Hai and Guruh still didn't respond. Daniel then chose other words to entice Hai and Guruh to actively participate in the video. Daniel asked, "Senpai Guruh and Hai senpai, do you have any 'words of the day' you'd like to share?"

Hai and Guruh immediately stopped practicing. Guruh turned to look at Daniel and asked, "Words of the day?" In a matter of seconds, Guruh had an idea and immediately shouted it: "Today's words are: Live!"

Hearing Guruh's statement, Hai was immediately inspired and immediately shared what was on his mind. Hai added to Guruh's 'words of the day,' "Live! Until it feels like you're alive again!"

Guruh commented, "There you have it. Live! Until it feels like you're alive again!"

Daniel smiled and gave a thumbs up with his right hand. He expressed his appreciation, “Okay, my senpais. Good job, right, all my online friends? Today's words are "Live!" Until you feel like you're alive again!"

Daniel waved goodbye. “Bye, senpais. Keep up the good work. As you requested, I'll close the hall door when I leave.”

Hai and Guruh smiled and waved in response. They didn't continue practicing until Daniel left the hall. When they were alone in the building, their facial expressions changed. The smiles that had been on their faces immediately disappeared.

Hai commented, “Heh, finally there are no interruptions! Finally, we can practice seriously, not just with these sticks.”

Guruh agreed with Hai, “Yes, we can practice with our own objects.”

At that moment, strange fibers emerged from Hai and Guruh's wrists, fibers that resembled staghorn fern.