Yuuto Nanashi.

The Abyss, Sector Unknown.

"My body has died, huh,"

As he floated weightlessly through the void, surrounded by an inky blackness that seemed to stretch on forever, a sense of happiness washed over him.

For all his rage and sadness about his life, he had never felt so… at peace. Even if his soul was trapped here with no way of getting out for eternity, it didn't matter.

But as time passed, Yuuto Nanashi began to sense something unsettling. The inky blackness that once brought him comfort now felt suffocating, as if it were closing in on him. His soul felt heavy as if it were being weighed down by an unseen force.

The darkness seemed to shift as if it was alive and aware of his presence. He tried to move, but his body wouldn't budge.

Suddenly, he heard a voice, soft and haunting, whispering, "Child, why have you come to this place?"

Yuuto's mind entered a fight-or-flight mode as he tried to find the source of the voice, but there was nothing to be seen except the endless void.

"Who are you?" he called out, his voice echoing into the darkness.

The voice laughed, a sound that sent shivers down his spine.

"I see. You must be a glitch in the system."

"But worry not, child, the system is omniscient. It enslaves all life in order to protect them. It is only a matter of time before it corrects you."

"What the hell are you talking about!?" he shouted, his shock turning to anger.

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"You humans are so limited in your understanding. But do not worry, neither it nor we wish to harm you."

"But before your existence is corrected, it is the system that brought you here. Perhaps, maybe, just maybe, it desires us to help you."

Yuuto's anger was quickly replaced with confusion. What did the voice mean by "corrected"? And who was "us"?

Suddenly, a bright light appeared in the distance, illuminating the darkness around him.

As it drew closer, Yuuto could see figures. They were grotesque otherworldly creatures.

Some humanoids, some resembled animals, while others appeared utterly alien.

But they all had one thing in common, they were radiating with an otherworldly aura.

"I wish you good luck in your journeys, child. Perhaps, you would be the one to end our suffering." the voice echoed ominously with a hint of sadness as the creatures reached out to him.

---

Aquinas Kingdom, 1443 years since it was founded.

Amidst the snow-capped mountains and icy tundras of a far-flung, secluded realm lies a kingdom veiled in a never-ending cold.

A land where time seems to stand still and where the winds whisper secrets only to those who are willing to listen.

Here, the kingdom's people live in harmony with the unforgiving elements, rugged and unyielding like the terrain that surrounds them.

They are sturdy folk, their faces etched with lines of wisdom and fortitude, their eyes gleaming with fierce pride and independence.

Located in the north of the continent, it had the coldest temperatures and the shortest summers. It was ruled by women, whereas men were treated as second-class citizens.

The kingdom's capital, a sprawling citadel of towering spires and ornate domes, rises from the frozen earth like a jewel in a sea of white.

Within its walls, the monarch births her fourth offspring. Her room was filled with the brightest minds and most skilled midwives the kingdom had to offer.

"AAARGGHHH!!" The monarch's agonized cry echoed throughout the castle, ripping through every corner and every crevice as if her pain could never be forgotten.

She lay on her stomach, her head propped up on a pillow, her hands clawing at the sheets of her bed in a desperate attempt to cling to reality.

"Push! Push! Come on, Your Majesty!" The midwife shouted, her voice ringing with determination and compassion as she did her best to help the queen through it.

The screams grew louder until, at last, a small cry pierced through the air.

"It's a boy!" She exclaimed softly, a smile appearing on her face as she gently held the baby in her arms.

"A...boy...?" A glimmer of disappointment appeared on the queen's face before it faded away as she slowly succumbed to exhaustion.

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