----------------------------------------
CHAPTER 04: ABSOLUTE SILENCE - TOKYO IN FROZEN STASIS
----------------------------------------
Sakamiya Station 2
Haruto had already made up his mind to head straight to Sakamiya University the moment the train came to a complete stop at Sakamiya 2 Station. Now, as the train finally halted, the doors were just about to slide open.
But just as he stood up, ready to step forward… when suddenly, its so quiet. All sound faded instantly.
Everything went silent.
An eerie, absolute silence…
Haruto glanced around. His breath caught in his throat, his eyes widening in shock as he saw… that…
All passengers—both sitting and standing—every object—everything—had stopped in place. Even tiny insects suspended in mid-flight. Every person, without exception, seemed frozen in place, not breathing, stuck in their mid-motion, along with their expressions and gestures. They were like statues, unmoving, and the entire station was shrouded in an uncanny stillness, as though time itself had ceased to flow.
The bustling city of Tokyo outside the window became eerily silent, transforming into a ghost town in an instant.
Haruto couldn’t believe his eyes. He was stunned… unable to process what he was seeing..
Not a single sound could be heard…
A cold chill crept down his spine as he realized that he was the only one who could still move, still breathe, still take a step. W-What is this? W-What the hell is going on here?.. he wondered, heart pounding wildly as he struggled to comprehend the impossible scene around him. A creeping dread began to take hold of him, spreading through his body.
DEG! DEG! DEG! DEG!
This suffocating silence heightened every sense, making each breath feel shallow and labored, and his heartbeat thudded violently in his chest, echoing in his ears.
Then, as he stood frozen in his own disbelief, a strange, cold-blue light began to wash over the surroundings, slowly blanketing everything around him in a ghostly, icy glow. Colors drained from the entire station; every object, every person and every surface was tinted with a chilling blue hue. As though the entire world had been plunged into a breathtaking state of frozen stasis.
The air around him turned cold. His breath fogged the air in front of him, even though it was springtime. This sudden unnatural chill made Haruto shivered uncontrollably, his body began to tremble with a powerful sense of unease as he began to felt the undeniable presence of 'something' drawing closer.
What’s happening? What was going on? What was with this unnatural silence and the sudden-piercing cold? Why was everything frozen in place?.. Haruto’s mind raced. He wanted to scream, but his voice caught in his throat; his mouth wouldn’t open. He was shivering uncontrollably, his entire body quaking with the foreboding sense that a powerful, terrifying presence was nearby—an entity emanating an overwhelming, mysterious power.
A moment later, his eyes widened back in disbelief as a shimmering figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere in front of him, materializing as if summoned by an ancient magic.
Just two meters ahead of him, a girl-like being emerged, floated about a meter off the ground, her presence otherworldly and unfamiliar. Her long, silver hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, shimmering in the dim light and making her seem as if she glowed from within. Her eyes, a striking shade of violet, held a depth far beyond her youthful appearance—ancient, filled with an ageless wisdom. She gazed at Haruto with an intensity that sent a shiver through his soul.
She wore a tattered cloak that fluttered gently as though caught in a soft breeze, though there was no wind in the carriage. Her attire slightly shimmered with an otherworldly light, casting a faint glow around her body. A soft blue aura radiated from her, bathing the surrounding area in a surreal, ethereal light. Haruto’s heart raced as he took in the sight of this ghost-like girl before him—her form almost transparent, yet undeniably real. She was there!
Her presence was like the rustling of leaves in a quiet forest—soft, delicate, yet unmistakably there. The blue aura around her made a faint sound, like the distant flow of a gentle river, accompanied by a strange, subtle scent, reminiscent of a faraway field of flowers in full bloom . There was an overwhelming sense of mystery and power surrounding her.
The girl appeared to be around eighteen years old, her pale skin almost translucent under the soft light. Her graceful figure was both youthful and mature, with a delicate, curvaceous body that accentuated her modestly large breasts. She had a rather slim waist, perfectly complementing her sweet, innocent face. Despite her unmatched maidenly beauty, there was a serene calmness about her that sharply contrasted with her sudden and unexpected arrival. Her ghostly presence exuded a perfect balance of maturity and an air of innocence, deeply mysterious yet very captivating.
Haruto stood frozen, utterly mesmerized. He unable to tear his gaze away from her. This was the very first supernatural experience Haruto had ever encountered in his life, something beyond anything he had ever imagined. Not once before had he felt anything like it.
She is beautiful…
She is the most beautiful and the most lovely, sweet girl I have ever met…
No human female could possess such perfection of beauty and charm like her.. Haruto thoughts, as he unconsciously continued to stare at the spirit-like girl with sparkling eyes, filled with incredible admiration—it was felt like he was in a dream.
Haruto felt a strange and unshakable connection to this mysterious girl, as if their fates were somehow intertwined. His body trembled, not just in fear but also in reverence for this supernatural being before him.
She might be a Goddess or an Angel—or a powerful being with immense, incomprehensible power.. Haruto mused, his mind racing to understand why such a breathtakingly beautiful and otherworldly figure had appeared before him at this moment.
Who is she? Why is she here? Is she responsible for stopping time across Tokyo?.. Haruto’s thoughts whirled in a frenzy, a dozen questions filling his mind. But before he could speak, the spirit girl’s gaze bore into him. With high intensity, her violet eyes seemingly piercing through his very being, as if she could draw his very soul out of his body at any moment. He felt like, his life could be in danger if he said the wrong thing.
Despite her spectral form, there was a softness in her expression, a calmness that seemed at odds with her sudden, unearthly appearance. Her presence was both soothing and unsettling, like the fragile boundary between a dream and a nightmare.
Haruto felt a mixture of fear and fascination, together with cold sweat trickling down his neck. He felt like frozen in place, unable to move, but his eyes stayed locked on the spirit girl, unable to look away.
As the spirit girl slowly floated closer, Haruto’s gaze was drawn to the intricate symbols etched into her robes, like magical runes or sigils—glowing faintly with an eerie light. They pulsing rhythmically like a heartbeat.
Finally, the spirit girl spoke, her voice like a whisper carried on the wind, echoing in the silence of the train carriage. Each word she uttered seemed to carry weight, a portent of something greater.
"Haruto Mori, the time has come." she said, her tone gentle but serious. "Are you seeking the truth?… The path ahead of you, from today onward, will be filled with danger, and your fate stands at a crossroads."
Haruto felt a shiver run down his spine as the air around him grew even colder when she spoke. He couldn’t stop shaking.
"Who are you?" he managed to ask, his voice trembling. "What do you mean by danger and fate?"
The spirit’s expression remained calm, her eyes unwavering as she continue her speech, "You stand at a crossroads. The choices you make, will shape the future and the inevitable destiny ahead. Seek strength if you wish to protect those you love, for a great threat looms on the horizon. You will find the truth, in the right time."
As she spoke, Haruto felt a surge of energy rise within him, a strange yet empowering sensation that seemed to resonate with her words. He realized that the spirit was offering him something—a chance to change his fate.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Haruto lowered his head, shaking it slightly in confusion, trying to process the cryptic message while pressing his palms against his cheeks. Before he could respond, the spirit girl began to fade, her form growing more transparent by the second.
"Wait! Spirit Girl-sama, I don’t understand what you’re saying, please explain, DON’T go yet!" Haruto called out, his voice tinged with desperation, hoping she would speak more clearly and not leave him confused. Sensing the spirit girl’s immense power, he addressed her with the honorific “-sama” to gave his respect. She might be a goddess… I can’t risk offending her. One wrong word, and I might lose my life.. he thought anxiously.
The spirit girl continued to gaze at Haruto with deep, penetrating eyes, then spoke one last time before she vanished completely.
"Remember." she whispered, her voice growing fainter, "You… are not… alone..."
Her final words echoed just before she disappeared from Haruto’s sight entirely. He stood in growing bewilderment, still trying to make sense of the cryptic message she had left him. Everything felt like a puzzle, one he would have to solve piece by piece.
Moments later, the world around Haruto snapped back into motion, came alive again, as releasing itself from the chilling stillness that had engulfed it. The cold blue hue faded away, and the sounds of the bustling Tokyo metropolis returned, as if nothing had happened. The usual noises of the city filled the air once more, and the passengers around him resumed their movements as if time had never stopped. They were oblivious to the supernatural time-stopping phenomenon that just happened.
No one else seemed to be aware of the strange supernatural encounter Haruto had just experienced with the spirit girl. He wondered if it had all been a hallucination or real or maybe he was dreaming. But no—It felt too real, and the lingering energy within him couldn’t be denied. The spirit’s words would haunt him until he found the answers.
With a soft hiss, the train doors slid open, and Haruto stepped out onto the platform. He sat down on a nearby bench, trying to steady his racing thoughts. His mind swirled with the spirit’s cryptic words: strength, truth, danger, destiny. Are my sister and I both in danger? My close friends too?.. he mused.
The unsettling feeling still lingering on him since he received the message from Kanna. Especially with the appearance of a very beautiful and mysterious spirit girl. If there is indeed a danger that threatens him and his sister.. I will fight them all.. he was determined to face it.
The spirit might have offered him a way to protect the people he cared about and perhaps uncover the truth behind the dimensional rifts... But what did it all mean? What kind of truth am I supposed to seek?..
A torrent of questions flooded Haruto’s mind. The spirit girl, with her terrifying power to freeze time across all of Tokyo—or perhaps the entire world—had appeared before him alone. Why?.. Am I the only one who could see her? What choices would I have to make in the future?.. He only knew one thing for certain: the spirit girl had given him an extraordinary, once-in-a-lifetime chance, and he would be a fool to ignore it.
Haruto steeled himself, determined to seek the truth, just as the spirit girl had said. I don’t know what I have to do... but I know one thing: I can’t stay idle any longer. Something big is happening here, and I have to find out what it is.
With renewed determination, Haruto rose from the bench and walked out of the station—heading toward Sakamiya University. The answers were there, waiting for him. He would seek the truth, and face whatever came his way.
* *
Sakamiya University
Front Gate
08:43 AM
Haruto Mori arrived at Sakamiya University, his heart still pounding from the surreal encounter he had experienced just moments earlier. As he walked toward the front gate, his fingers moved swiftly over his phone, sending a quick message to Kanna to let her know that he was close. Within seconds, she responded, saying she would head to the gate to meet him. Haruto took a deep breath, but the weight of what had just happened in the train lingered heavily on his mind.
While waiting for Kanna, Haruto’s thoughts kept consumed by the mysterious spirit girl he had encountered on the train. Who is she? What’s her name? Where does she come from? And how did she know my name?.. The unanswered questions swirled in his mind like a relentless storm. Yet, despite the confusion and fear, his need for answers outweighed any hesitation. Something larger than himself was unfolding, and he could feel the weight of its importance pressing down on him.
From a distance, he could now see the eerie blue light of the dimension crack, its unnatural glow radiating an unsettling energy that seemed out of place in this world. The entire campus area had been cordoned off with security barriers—guarded by numerous police officers and military personnel.
The tension in the air was palpable as the crowd of civilians stared in awe and fear, snapping pictures and videos of the rare phenomenon unfolding before them. Journalists, reporters, onlookers, and curious pedestrians had also gathered outside the barriers, their faces lit by the constant flashes of their cameras as they tried to capture this extraordinary sight. The air was filled with the soft hum of voices and the occasional click of shutters, all focused on the strange rift in the parking lot, far enough from the back of the security barriers.
Police officers and military personnel struggled to maintain the order, working tirelessly to control the crowd—continuously urging them to step back and leave the area. Their efforts were met with resistance, as people pressed forward in their eagerness to get closer to the strange occurrence.
"PLEASE STEP BACK! For your own safety, MOVE AWAY FROM THIS AREA!" a police officer shouted through a megaphone, but his voice was almost drowned out by the chaotic noise of the crowd surrounding him. It was clear that the excitement of witnessing something so unprecedented was overpowering their sense of caution.
The people outside the security barrier seemed unfazed by the potential danger posed by the dimensional rift, particularly the journalists and reporters. Instead, they appeared more excited than worried, eager to get a closer look at the phenomenon, pushing against the police line in their attempt to get nearer. Their excitement overshadowed any sense of self-preservation.
“We need to get closer!” one reporter shouted, his cameraman shoving people aside as they fought their way through the crowd. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
Another journalist yelled into her camera, "Stay tuned, viewers! We’re going to get some incredible footage!" Her eyes gleamed with the thrill of the moment, completely ignoring the risks.
Dozens of police officers and a handful of military soldiers were no match for the overzealous press and the growing crowd of hundreds. Determined to capture photos and videos for their InStara, ViewTube, VidTok and other popular social media platforms, they surged forward, shoving against the police barricades with reckless abandon, as if the danger meant nothing compared to the chance to document this bizarre dimensional rift.
“Wait! Don’t come any closer. It’s dangerous!” one of the police officers yelled, but his warnings fell on deaf ears.
“Sir, Ma’am, please stop advancing! This is a high-risk area!” shouted another officer, a shield clutched tightly in his hands as he was forced backward by the crowd pressing in on him.
“CAPTAIN! We need backup! The crowd has already breached the FIRST SECURITY BARRIER!” another officer yelled into his walkie-talkie, his voice filled with urgency. “Please, CAPTAIN! We need more riot police down here! … Yes… Understood… ROGER, CAPTAIN! We’ll start setting up the barbed wire now!”
"Oh God, who are these crazy people!? Why aren’t they scared? This situation is extremely dangerous." one shocked police officer exclaimed as he was shoved to the side, barely managing to hold his ground.
“They’re more afraid of missing the perfect shot than they are of losing their lives, sigh." his colleague replied with a weary sigh, gripping his shield and baton as the swarm of reporters and journalists pressed past him.
“I need to get the perfect angle for this shot! Cameraman, follow me!” one reporter yelled, ignoring the warnings and pushing past several police officers. "This will make my career!" she declared confidently, while struggling to push the barricade with the help of a few others.
Not long after, reinforcements arrived—dozens of riot police armed with shields and batons, deployed from within the campus grounds. Additional officers quickly set up barbed wire around the security barricades. The arrival of these reinforcements seemed to quell the enthusiasm of some of the people at the front of the crowd, including a few reporters and journalists, who hesitated to press forward any further.
While they were eager to capture close-up photos and videos of the strange phenomenon, they had no compelling reason to clash with the police officers who were now heavily guarded the campus area with reinforced security.
Gradually, the crowd began to retreat in an orderly manner, and the first layer of barricades was successfully restored. The second layer of security was strengthened with barbed wire, and officers were stationed at both layers, including dozens of riot police.
Yet, it might not be enough to deter or stop the determined journalists and reporters who had gathered in large numbers at the front gate, should they decide to breach the barricades again. Alongside the hundreds of curious civilians who were gathering in increasing numbers, all of them were vying for the best position to capture photos and videos of the interdimensional phenomenon, despite the two layers of barricades and the presence of dozens of riot police officers and several military soldiers.
Haruto, however, barely noticed the commotion around him. His eyes were still locked onto the dimensional rift—a swirling mass of blue and green energy that pulsed with a strange, otherworldly light. It was something unlike anything he had ever seen before, a tear between two worlds, a portal to an unknown dimension. As he stared at it, he could feel an ancient power radiating from within, tugging at the edges of his consciousness, drawing him in.
“The Captain said that blue rift is dangerous, but so far, nothing bad has happened." a newly graduated police officer muttered to his colleague, his tone skeptical.
“Shh, don’t say that out loud! If the Captain hears you, you’ll get reassigned to the worst post!” a senior female officer snapped, glaring at him. “Never question the Captain’s judgment. If he says it’s dangerous, there’s always a reason.”
Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a woman stormed toward the officers stationed at the first security layer, her angry voice cutting through the noise and drawing everyone’s attention.
"I am a famous influencer with 25 million followers! Let me through!" she snapped, her tone dripping with entitlement as she attempted to shove her way past the officers.
The sharp clack of her high heels echoed against the pavement as she strode forward, announcing her massive follower count on InStara as if it were a golden ticket to bypass security. She pressed against the security barricade, adamantly insisting on her supposed right to pass.
"Hey! Do you know who I am?" she barked arrogantly, flipping her hair with exaggerated flair, her sharp, piercing gaze locked onto the officer blocking her path.
All eyes turned to the influencer as she boldly and shamelessly confronted the officers, her behavior brimming with entitlement. She seemed willing to do anything to get what she wanted, heedless of the chaos brewing behind her.
The tension in the area thickened as murmurs rippled through the growing crowd behind her. If this was allowed to escalate, her actions could spark a larger conflict among the restless crowd, which was growing increasingly agitated by the minute.
Police officers and soldiers stationed nearby exchanged wary glances, bracing themselves for the worst, and the unexpected, as the chaos could started to erupt at any moment..
— — — — —