Huff... huff... huff...
I gasped for air, my lungs tight and burning.
I had been running nonstop for what felt like an hour in an endless maze of twists and turns, corners without end.
Then, I heard it.
A voice.
Getting closer. Closer.
I kept running, left, right, anywhere my feet moving without direction or sense. Panic drove forward.
Until....
Dead end.
I slamd my fist against the wall. Nothing. Not a single crack.
"YOU CANNOT RUN."
The voice thundered, not in the air, but in my mind, like a scream from within.
I turned around.
And saw it.
A towering humanoid figure lood before . Its body was lined with jagged, razor-sharp edges. Dark wings unfurled from its back, flapping slowly, sending a heavy gust through the narrow space. A grim, suffocating aura radiated from it, and in the dark, its glowing red eyes pierced through like blades.
It raised its right hand.
And then.
Hundreds. No, thousands of floating structures ford in the sky above us. They shimred with strange symbols, each one a different shape, color, and pattern.
Then the voice ca again.
"VANISH."
All at once, the structures fired.
Rays of light, deadly and precise,rained down on .
I threw up my arms on instinct, trying to shield myself, even knowing it was useless.
My hands began to break apart.
Piece by piece.
Turning into particles.
Vanishing into the void.
----------
Day 1 – Before the Tragedy
Rrrring... Rrrring...
The sharp sound of my alarm yanked out of a terrifying dream.
Still half-asleep, I reached blindly for my phone on the bedside table. The screen lit up like the gates of heaven, forcing my eyes, barely open, to squint and shut tighter.
Monday, April 20 — 6:00 AM.
That dream again.
It had been getting more vivid lately, more detailed... more real.
But knowing myself, I brushed it off. Probably just another symptom of being overworked.
So every ti the nightmare ca back, I'd sigh and bla it on the job.
Anyway, I started my morning routine like always: wash my face, brush my teeth, take a shower... and of course, take a dump. I will never stop being grateful for modern plumbing. If I ever get reincarnated in a fantasy world, my first question won't be about swords or magic , it'll be "Do you guys have toilets?"
Breakfast, the most important al of the day , or at least, that's what people who have ti say. A few slices of bread and butter were enough to kickstart my body and fill my body with energy.
I hopped on my trusty bicycle and headed toward the nearest train station. My commute to the office takes about 20 minutes. Twenty minutes of dodging potholes, suspicious pigeons, and the occasional thought of quitting my job and becoming a potato farr in the mountains.
My parents always wanted to beco a doctor. They said it's a noble profession. To my dear parents, if it were that easy, I'd be a heart surgeon with three clinics by now. I was consistently in the bottom five of my class. Not top five. Bottom five. The only thing I specialized in was creative ways to avoid math howork.
Honestly, they should be thankful I even have a job, one that gives enough to send them a little money each month. In this economy, that's practically sainthood.
At the office, I have a small, quiet, comfortable spot. From 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., that chair is my kingdom. My butt has spent more ti in that seat than it did in any place. Occasionally, I walk around to prevent deep vein thrombosis, because I read one WebMD article and panicked.
In five years of working there, I've never had a real conversation with my coworkers. It's not that I hate people. I just think "talking" is... optional. I'm here to do a job, not making friends. Which is why I've skipped over ten office events, birthdays, and reunions. Not once did I feel guilty.
You might be thinking, "Ah, he's an introvert."
No. I'm just realistic. Socializing takes energy. And energy is finite. Like my will to reply to group chats.
After 8 p.m., the office was empty. Everyone else had already clocked out and gone ho. I always stayed behind, making sure everything was settled for the day. Papers aligned, emails sent, spreadsheets double-checked, what a life.
On the way ho, I stopped by the usual corner shop. Instant noodles and a bottle of carbonated soda, the dinner of champions. And no, I'm not a smoker. I never understood why people spend money to shorten their lifespan. Life's already a speedrun, no need to hit the fast-forward button. Appreciate your lungs, folks.
By 9 p.m., I arrived at my apartnt. Small, quiet, and perfectly diocre. That's it. That's the routine I've followed for the past five years. Day in, day out. Repeat.
"Hey, you're back already, Alan."
I was greeted by Bob.
Oh, did I forget to ntion? I live with my best friend, Bob. An overweight, single, proudly jobless male with an unhealthy obsession with ani, ani girls, video gas, ani girls, light novels, and, did I ntion ani girls?
His daily routine is the complete opposite of mine. We rent this apartnt together, though calling it a joint paynt is a stretch. I usually end up covering the rent because, at the end of the month he unleashes a barrage of excuses worthy of an Oscar. anwhile, I can clearly see the new ani figurines and ga releases piling up in his room. I don't even know where he gets the money.
"Yeah," I replied, exhausted.
"You didn't forget the usual thing, right?"
"Of course. Here it is." I handed him the noodles and soda.
"Hehe, thanks, buddy. Hey! The final episode of My Life as a Harem Magnet in a Fantasy World is starting! Co on!"
"Let change my clothes first," I sighed, retreating to my room.
A few minutes later, I joined him in front of the TV, and as usual, he transford into a hyperactive kid the mont the show started.
"I'm so jealous!"
"Why would he reject that girl?!"
"Damn that tsundere, just admit you like him already!"
I was already used to it since we've known each other since childhood. His father once asked to bring Bob to the city so he could find a job, and my parents,who were good friends with his,encouraged to agree.
At first, he did try. He worked at a grocery store. But later, he claid it didn't et his "standard" because it interfered with his schedule. And by schedule, he ant ani events, voice actor et-and-greets, and anything remotely otaku-related. Most of the ti, he dragged along too.
You rember how I told you I always skip office gatherings? Well, with Bob, I never miss an event. Not once.
I don't know why exactly. Maybe it's the way his eyes light up when he's excited. Maybe it's because I know his past which I don't want to talk about that now. All I know is, I can't bring myself to say no when I see him happy.
"Wow, that was fantastic! What did you think of the ending?" he asked as the credits rolled.
"The ending was super cliché. You seriously watch all these shows knowing the hero's going to win every ti."
"Tch tch tch... that's where you're wrong."
Bob dramatically raised his right index finger. His glasses glinted.
"The most important thing is the process and the growth, dude. That's what makes a story great! Sure, the ending matters, but for , I watch it as a whole."
"Yeah, yeah... whatever," I muttered, shaking my head.
"Haah... I really wish I could enter another world," Bob said, eyes sparkling as he flushed with excitent. "Go on epic adventures, et beautiful girls, and build my dream harem..."
"I hope your dream cos true," I said dryly. "Even though it's completely impossible."
"If I do get isekai'd, I'll definitely bring you with , Alan! We'd make a great duo!"
"No thanks. I'm already grateful for what I have here, so... I'll pass."
"Such a party pooper. You're so boring. Whatever, I'm going to work on my secret project now." He stood up and waddled toward his room.
"What project? Your web novel?"
"Nah... No one appreciates the brilliance of my fantasy harem masterpiece. It's too complex for the lowlife masses to comprehend. So I've retired as an author. This new one's a top-secret mission. So it's a secret!"
He grinned and did a sparkling ani-girl pose, complete with a "teehee" sound that made nearly vomit my noodles.
What project is he on? Surely it's sothing ani related. Knowing Bob, it's probably another one of his ridiculous obsessions, maybe building a waifu AI or so magical girl cosplay.
I didn't think much about it.
I cleaned up the dishes, stretched a little, and went to bed.
Just another normal, boring, uneventful day, I thought.
I had no idea...
...that it would be the last.
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