Chapter 2- The void

Ruyoko's breathing stopped.

“...”

The dead man's eyes...

Were staring directly at him.

“N-No...”

His voice refused to come out.

The body didn't blink.

It didn't breathe.

It simply stared.

Then—

CRACK!

The sound echoed through the forest.

Not from the body.

From the sky.

Ruyoko slowly looked upward.

“...What...?”

The blue evening sky fractured like glass.

Purple cracks stretched across the heavens, splitting the clouds apart.

The moon disappeared.

The stars vanished.

Darkness swallowed everything.

A violent wind erupted from nowhere.

Trees bent as if they were bowing before something ancient.

Leaves spiraled into the air.

The ground trembled.

“W-What's happening?!”

Ruyoko stumbled backward.

The corpse vanished.

The trees disappeared.

The forest dissolved into countless black fragments.

Reality itself...

Was breaking apart.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

No wind.

No heartbeat.

No sound.

Ruyoko floated in endless darkness.

“...Where am I?”

His voice echoed forever.

“...HELLO?!”

Only silence answered.

Then—

A faint violet light appeared.

One became ten.

Ten became thousands.

Countless glowing purple eyes slowly opened throughout the darkness.

Watching him.

Every direction.

Above.

Below.

Behind.

They all stared at him.

Ruyoko's body froze.

“W-Who are you...?”

The eyes blinked.

Together.

The darkness rippled.

Something enormous began to emerge.

At first...

Only a hand.

Then an arm.

A body larger than mountains.

A cloak woven from shadows.

Its face couldn't be seen.

Only two glowing white eyes shone beneath the darkness.

Its very presence made reality tremble.

Ruyoko instinctively fell to one knee.

His body refused to stand.

“W-What... are you...?”

The giant figure looked down upon him.

Its voice echoed through existence itself.

“At last...”

The words weren't spoken.

They resonated inside Ruyoko's mind.

“After countless generations...”

“The blood has awakened.”

“...Blood?”

Ruyoko's hands shook.

“I don't understand...”

The figure extended one massive hand.

Dark purple energy gathered around its fingertips.

“Ruyoko Namine...”

“You are not an ordinary human.”

Ruyoko's eyes widened.

“W-What?”

“You are the final descendant...”

The darkness around them began to shake violently.

The giant turned its head.

As if sensing another presence.

Its tone changed.

Urgent.

“Listen carefully.”

Suddenly—

BOOOOM!!

The entire Void shook.

Cracks spread beneath Ruyoko's feet.

“What is happening?!”

Several voices echoed across the endless darkness.

“The heir has awakened.”

The darkness surrounding them collapsed.

Reality shattered.

Everything dissolved into blinding white light.

Ruyoko screamed.

Then...

Nothing.

“...Huh?”

Morning sunlight streamed through the bedroom window.

Birds chirped outside.

The familiar ceiling greeted him.

Ruyoko sat upright, breathing heavily.

“Haa... Haa...”

Sweat soaked his shirt.

His heart pounded against his chest.

He looked around his room.

Everything was normal.

His school uniform hung neatly on the wall.

His alarm clock read 7:12 A.M.

“...A dream?”

He touched his forehead.

“...It felt so real.”

He laughed awkwardly.

“I've seriously been watching too many horror movies.”

Still...

As he stood up...

He noticed something strange.

A tiny black mark had appeared on the back of his right hand.

It looked like a small crack glowing faintly violet.

The glow vanished in an instant.

“...”

“...Probably nothing.”

He smiled.

The morning sun bathed the city in warm light.

Students filled the sidewalks, chatting and laughing as they made their way to school.

Ruyoko walked quietly with one hand in his pocket.

“...It really was just a dream.”