A blood moon simmered in the sky, staining the night a deep crimson.
Snow drifted lazily through the air, soft flakes dissolving against neon light and warm exhaust vents. The cold was sharp, but the city below pulsed with life.
It was a city built for survival.
Skyscrapers of glass and steel rose proudly between two colossal defensive walls that encircled the entire metropolis. The walls were not decorative. They were brutal slabs of reinforced alloy and rune-etched stone, tall enough to scrape the clouds. Floodlights lined their edges, sweeping outward into the wilderness beyond.
Beyond those walls, monsters roamed.
Within them, humanity adapted.
The city center buzzed like any other modern metropolis. Cars flowed through multilane roads. Steam rose from subway grates. Vendors sold skewers and roasted chestnuts beneath glowing storefront signs. Couples walked arm in arm. Students laughed in clusters.
Above them, massive holographic billboards flickered to life.
One advertised high-grade mana-resistant coats for winter raids.
Another showcased enchanted accessories with subtle defensive enchantments woven into the fabric.
A third displayed the newest line of reinforced hunter boots, tested against corrosive dungeon floors.
Then the largest screen in the plaza shifted.
The crowd instinctively glanced up.
A bright jingle played.
A cheerful woman appeared on screen, framed by a stylized city map behind her.
"Good evening, everyone! This is your lovely Airi Mizuno reporting live!"
The map illuminated.
"As of early this morning, we recorded eight Phantom Tower manifestations within city limits."
Red markers blinked into existence one by one.
"Location one: City Center, Block C."
"Two: Midori National Park."
"Three: Hoshikawa Zoo."
"Four: East Commercial District."
"Five: Riverside Promenade."
"Six: Kurogane Industrial Sector."
"Seven: South Transit Hub."
"And eight: Seiryuu Residential Ward."
The map shifted.
Half the markers disappeared.
"I'm pleased to report that Guilds Rikugami and Kitsuni have successfully cleared four of today's towers. Excellent work to both teams."
Polite applause rippled faintly through the plaza.
The remaining four markers pulsed ominously.
"The towers at Midori National Park, Hoshikawa Zoo, Riverside Promenade, and the Kurogane Industrial Sector remain active. All four have been classified as low to mid-rank threats."
Her smile softened slightly.
"Even so, we strongly advise all civilians to avoid restricted areas. Towers remain unpredictable until fully cleared. Please follow all safety protocols and respect the barrier markings."
The screen brightened again.
"Stay safe out there, everyone! This has been Airi Mizuno. See you tomorrow!"
The broadcast faded into advertisements once more.
High above the city, far removed from its warmth and noise, a lone figure sat on the edge of a twenty-story building.
His legs dangled over empty air.
A black hoodie concealed most of his features, shadowing his face from anyone who might glance upward. Snow-white strands of hair slipped free from beneath the hood, swaying gently in the wind.
Blue eyes watched the city below.
Ryū lifted a paper cup and took a slow sip of coffee. Steam curled into the cold night before vanishing.
He lowered the cup and looked up.
The blood moon hung heavy above the walls.
His lips curved faintly.
"It's all real…" he murmured.
His hand rose to his chest, gripping the fabric over his heart. It beat faster. Harder.
Excitement.
Relief.
Something deeper.
Then—
"HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING UP THERE?!"
Ryū's gaze slid sideways.
A security guard had burst onto the rooftop, breath visible in the cold air.
For a split second, Ryū's fingers curled into a fist.
Instinct.
Erase the witness.
Then his expression shifted.
"Right…" he muttered softly. "It's not like that yet."
He stood.
"Be careful, kid!" the guard barked, stepping forward.
Ryū stepped off the building.
The guard lunged toward the edge.
"WAIT—!"
He reached the railing and looked down.
Nothing.
No falling body.
No impact.
No scream.
The street below continued as if undisturbed.
The guard blinked rapidly.
"Am I hallucinating…?"
Behind him, the abandoned coffee cup still steamed faintly against the snow.
Then space folded inward around it.
The cup vanished.
---
On the streets below, Ryū walked casually through the crowd, a small grocery bag hanging from one hand.
Space shimmered above his palm.
The paper cup reappeared.
He took another sip as though nothing unusual had occurred.
After finishing it, he tossed it neatly into a nearby trash bin.
This time, his hood was down.
Under city lights, his snow-white hair gleamed softly. People passed him without a second glance. Just another student in winter clothes. Just another face in the crowd.
The crosswalk timer counted down.
Red shifted to green.
People surged forward.
Ryū moved with them.
He passed convenience stores glowing warmly behind glass. A bookstore displaying dungeon survival manuals near the entrance. A pharmacy advertising anti-venom kits. A bakery releasing the scent of fresh bread into the frozen air.
Then—
His steps slowed.
Across the street stood Midori National Park.
The entrance was sealed.
Thick barrier tape stretched across the gates, black and crimson instead of the usual yellow. Arcane symbols pulsed faintly along its length. Portable floodlights illuminated the perimeter. Temporary barricades blocked access roads.
Restricted.
Anyone could tell.
Beyond the gates, trees stood unnaturally still.
And above them—
A faint distortion twisted the sky.
A tower.
Invisible to normal eyes, perhaps.
Not to him.
An ominous presence seeped upward like smoke.
"It's too close," Ryū muttered.
He turned away.
Then stopped.
His eyes shifted beyond the park.
To the building just past it.
A high school.
His high school.
"…Wait."
His expression hardened.
"This can't be it, right?"
The blood moon loomed overhead.
He looked between the park and the school once more.
A slow breath left him.
"Guess I already have something to change…"
...