Prologue: The Calm Before the Storm

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The sun was beginning to set over the skyline of Tokyo, casting long shadows over the bustling streets below. It was a typical evening for most—a peaceful, ordinary day—but for Blake Henderson, it was the calm before the storm. The transfer student from America had only been in Japan for a few months, still adjusting to life at Fujimi High School, yet he couldn’t shake the sense of unease that had been creeping over him lately. The air felt different, heavy with an inexplicable tension, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Blake leaned against the balcony railing of his apartment, gazing out at the city. He had jet black hair and sharp blue eyes, a reflection of his mixed American and Japanese heritage. He scanned the horizon as if searching for answers. His thoughts drifted back to the States, to the life he had left behind. His father, a former Navy SEAL, had trained him well—Blake knew his way around firearms, was skilled in close-quarters combat, and had an ingrained sense of situational awareness that few others possessed. But no amount of training could have prepared him for what was about to unfold.

The move to Japan had been sudden, spurred by his father’s decision to retire and reconnect with his roots. Blake had been reluctant at first, leaving behind friends and familiarity, but he’d gradually come to appreciate the new culture, the language, and the subtle differences in daily life. Fujimi High had been welcoming, and he quickly made friends, though he remained somewhat distant, haunted by the feeling that he didn’t quite belong.

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That sense of not fitting in was soon to become irrelevant.

The world was changing—he could feel it. The news had been reporting strange incidents across the globe, unexplained outbreaks, quarantines, and bizarre attacks. The media called it a new strain of flu, but Blake knew better. His father had always told him to trust his instincts, and right now, they were screaming at him that something much worse was on the horizon.

As he stood there, lost in thought, his phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him back to reality. It was a message from Takashi Komuro, one of the few students at Fujimi he’d grown close to.

Takashi: Yo, Blake! We’re all meeting at the arcade tonight. You in?

Blake smirked. He appreciated Takashi’s easygoing nature. The guy was always up for something fun, which was a nice distraction from the strange feeling of impending doom that had been hanging over Blake’s head.

Blake: Yeah, I’m down. See you there.

He pocketed the phone and took one last look at the city. For a moment, everything seemed perfectly normal—the distant hum of traffic, the occasional laughter of children playing in the park below. But Blake knew better. This was just the beginning. Whatever was coming, it would change everything.

He turned away from the view and headed inside, the door clicking shut behind him as the first stars began to dot the sky.