The sound of an alarm clock buzzed through the room, its shrill tone breaking the peaceful silence of dawn. Fuji Hamada groaned, rolling over in bed. His arm stretched out blindly, silencing the alarm. The 17-year-old sat up, ruffling his messy black hair, and let out a tired sigh. Another school day, he thought, staring at the clutter of books, manga, and notebooks scattered across his desk.
Fuji was an average high schooler by most standards. Not the smartest, not the most athletic, but dependable—someone his classmates often leaned on. Today felt no different from any other, though he couldn't shake a strange sense of unease.
After a quick breakfast of toast and coffee prepared by his overworked mother, Fuji grabbed his bag and headed out the door. The crisp morning air was refreshing, and the bustling streets of Tokyo were alive with the energy of commuters. He stopped by a convenience store to pick up some snacks before heading to school.
As he stood in line, a small girl tugged at her mother’s sleeve, pointing to Fuji. "Mama, that boy looks like a hero from my storybook!" she whispered.
Fuji overheard and smiled at her, giving a little wave. "Maybe one day," he joked, not knowing how prophetic those words would soon become.
---
The school day passed in a blur. Classes were dull as usual, and Fuji spent most of them staring out the window, daydreaming of worlds filled with knights, dragons, and magic. He had always loved fantasy stories, imagining himself as a hero saving the day.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
When the final bell rang, Fuji packed up and started his walk home. As he turned onto a quieter street, the uneasy feeling from the morning returned. Something was wrong.
Ahead, shouting echoed from a small convenience store. A man wielding a knife was screaming at the cashier, demanding money. Fuji froze, his heart racing. He ducked behind a parked car, peeking out to assess the situation.
That’s when he saw her—the same little girl from the morning, clutching her mother tightly as they were cornered by the frantic robber. The man’s movements were erratic, and his grip on the knife was unstable.
Fuji’s instincts kicked in. Before he could second-guess himself, he bolted into the store.
“Hey!” he shouted, drawing the robber’s attention. “Let them go!”
The man spun around, his eyes wild. “Stay back!” he barked, waving the knife.
Fuji raised his hands, trying to stay calm. “You don’t have to do this. Just put the knife down, and no one has to get hurt.”
But the robber wasn’t listening. He lunged at Fuji, who sidestepped, grabbing a nearby broom as an impromptu weapon. “Run!” Fuji yelled to the mother and daughter.
As they fled, Fuji swung the broom, managing to knock the knife out of the man’s hand. But the robber wasn’t done. He tackled Fuji, and the two struggled.
In the chaos, Fuji felt a sharp, cold pain in his side. He looked down, shocked to see blood spreading across his shirt. The robber had grabbed a shard of broken glass and stabbed him.
The world blurred, and Fuji collapsed to the floor. The sound of police sirens grew faint as his vision darkened.
Through the haze, he saw the little girl peeking back at him from the safety of her mother’s arms. She was crying but alive. Fuji managed a weak smile.
“It’s okay,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “You’re safe.”
And then, everything went black.
---
Unbeknownst to Fuji, his soul was already being pulled away from the world he knew. The darkness gave way to light, and the familiar weight of his body vanished. A new journey was beginning, one that would take him far beyond the ordinary life he had left behind.