Inosuke wandered through the bustling city of Chronos, his footsteps quiet amid the hum of a hyper-advanced world. Cars zipped through the air above him, sleek and silent. Magnetic trains glided along sky rails overhead. People moved briskly, heading to jobs, appointments, or just living their lives in the towering glass-and-steel skyline.

Yet, amidst the noise and movement, Inosuke felt utterly alone.

In a world where over 60% Rayler blood was the bare minimum to live a “normal” life, someone like him—born entirely human—was seen as an abomination. No enhancements. No strength. No future.

He kept walking, his thoughts drifting to his sister. She had been struck by a mysterious illness that left her paralyzed, unable to speak, blink, or move. Their older brother had abandoned them, ashamed of their weakness. All Inosuke had left was her—and she was fading.

As he passed a building, a large screen displayed breaking news:

[Once again, our heroes have assisted another planet, offering valuable resources and support.]

He scoffed under his breath. He knew better. The so-called "assistance" was just conquest in disguise—another world brought under Earth’s growing empire. But he had no strength, no power, no voice. It wasn't his fight.

Turning into a narrow side street, he entered a neglected part of the city. The buildings were cracked, the air smelled of rust and decay, and the streets were littered with garbage. This was where the “low-bloods” lived—those with weak Rayler heritage or none at all, like him.

As he walked, two figures stepped out of a nearby alley. He sighed.

He knew what was coming.

“Look, kid. Just hand over the cash,” one of them said, stepping forward.

“I would... if I had any,” Inosuke replied, taking a cautious step back.

In truth, he had just gotten paid from a cleaning job—barely a thousand yen. Not much in this age, barely enough for bread and a drink. But to him, it was everything. It meant survival. It meant maybe a little medicine for his sister.

“C’mon, don’t make this harder than it needs to be,” said the second man.

“Which part is hard? The robbing or the pretending?” Inosuke asked with a dry smirk.

“Everything, man!” the first one snapped. “You gotta act tough even when you're not. You gotta be stronger than the person you’re robbing. It’s a hassle!”

“Then I feel for you,” Inosuke said, still mocking, “but I’ve got nothing to give. Not today.”

Irritated, they lunged at him. Their attacks weren’t lethal, but even with low Rayler blood, their strikes felt like getting hit by steel hammers to someone like Inosuke. He tried to fight back, but his body betrayed him. He crumpled to the ground.

Satisfied, the men walked off—too lazy to even search him for money.

He lay there for a while, pain radiating through every inch of his body. He wanted to give up. Let the world win. Let it all end.

But then, in his mind’s eye, he saw her—his sister, smiling the way she used to before the illness stole her life away.

No. He couldn’t stop.

With a grunt, he forced himself to his feet. His vision was blurred, legs shaking, but he pushed forward—each step a battle. He turned down a narrow alley he had never noticed before, a filthy passage cluttered with trash and forgotten things.

His strength finally gave out. He collapsed, falling face-first in front of an old, broken shrine. It was cracked, covered in dirt, forgotten like the rest of the alley.

Then—light.

A soft blue glow began to emanate from the shrine. Slowly, it intensified, wrapping around Inosuke’s body like mist. The light pulsed brighter, brighter—until it flashed in a blinding burst that lit up the entire alley.

And just like that, he was gone.

When Inosuke opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a grand white-tiled floor. As he slowly sat up, his first thought was simple but terrifying:

Where am I?

He looked around, expecting walls, buildings, something. Instead, there was nothing—just an endless sky of soft blue and drifting clouds, stretching far beyond the horizon.

Panic gripped him.

His eyes widened. Sweat rolled down his temple.

Everyone knew what a place like this meant.

A realm of clouds and silence?

It meant one thing.

Death.

“No...”

“I CAN’T BE DEAD!” he screamed, grabbing his head in frustration.

Calm down, Inosuke... he told himself, taking deep breaths. You’ve taken worse beatings before. This wasn’t enough to kill you.

And it was true. Inosuke had suffered more than most. The only difference this time was exhaustion—he had worked the entire day and collapsed from sheer fatigue.

“I assure you, you are not dead.”

The voice came from nowhere, carried on a gentle wind.

Inosuke froze, his eyes darting around.

“Who said that?!”

“Climb up to find out.”

Before he could question it, golden stairs shimmered into existence in front of him, each one glowing faintly as it floated upward into the sky.

Fighting the urge to panic again, Inosuke stepped onto the first stair. It lit up beneath his foot, and slowly, he began climbing—each step brighter than the last.

At the top, his breath caught in his throat.

It was beautiful.

A massive garden stretched out before him, bursting with color. Every kind of flower bloomed in perfect harmony. Birds chirped in the distance. The air smelled of honey and spring.

It was paradise.

Yep. He was definitely dead.

In the distance, he spotted someone— a man tending to the flowers.

“Uhh... hello?!” Inosuke called out.

The man looked up and smiled brightly. Then, without warning, he ran toward Inosuke at high speed, a trail of dust left in his wake.

Inosuke squinted, watching carefully. The man was in his mid-twenties, with golden eyes and hair to match. He wore a flowing white robe.

An angel? Inosuke wondered. But the way the man ran—arms flailing like a child—didn’t match the wise, noble image he had of angels.

Just before impact, the man leapt through the air, arms wide like he expected a hug.

Inosuke dodged instinctively.

The man soared past him and disappeared over the edge of the platform.

“Oh no,” Inosuke gasped, his short hair standing on end. His bright blue eyes turned pale as he rushed to the edge and looked down into the clouds.

“I killed that poor man…”

“And how exactly did you kill him?” a familiar voice asked behind him.

“If I hadn’t moved, maybe he wouldn’t have fallen.”

“Or maybe you both would have fallen together.”

“You’re probably right... but I wish I could’ve helped,” Inosuke murmured.

The voice handed him a small object— a button.

“It’s a long drop, but if you move fast, you might still catch him. Once you’ve got him, press this.”

Without hesitation, Inosuke turned to thank the speaker—only to realize it was the same man who had fallen.

“Thank you, mister!” he said quickly—and jumped.

As he plummeted, he spotted a figure floating below.

That must be him!

Inosuke streamlined his body like a soldier diving from a plane. Gravity eased, letting him draw closer to the figure. He reached out—

“Almost there…”

Fingers met fingers. He grabbed the man’s hand and immediately raised the other to press the button.

Nothing happened.

“Why isn’t it working?” he shouted against the wind.

The clouds thinned.

Below them now was a volcanic wasteland, molten lava bubbling and exploding like fireworks of fire.

“Come on! Work, work, WOOOOORK!” he yelled, slamming the button repeatedly.

Nothing.

Accepting the worst, Inosuke twisted midair, wrapping his arms around the man, positioning himself to hit the ground first.

He closed his eyes and let out a bitter laugh.

So this is how I die... again.

Then—everything stopped.

He opened one eye.

They were back.

In the garden.

Safe.

He lay on the grass, the man standing over him and smiling.

“How... how did I get back here?” Inosuke whispered.

Confused, he looked down, expecting to see the man in his arms—only to find a doll, shaped exactly like him.

“Thanks for saving my doll!” the man cheered. “Whew! I thought it was a goner for a second.”

Realization struck.

He tricked me.

Inosuke’s face went pale. Foam bubbled at the edge of his mouth as he fainted.

“Hey, don’t die on me now!” the man yelled, rushing over.

When Inosuke awoke, he was lying in a soft bed. The man’s face hovered inches from his, wide-eyed like he was in a staring contest.

“You’re awake!” the man beamed.

“Yeah. Can you... move your face away?”

“As you wish,” the man said, casually shifting to a nearby chair.

“It’s a good thing you’re still alive,” he said, crossing his legs. “Most people faint or die from heart attacks after that fall. Well done for surviving.”

Inosuke frowned. Was that a compliment or a taunt?

“So... where am I?” he asked.

“You, my friend,” the man said with a grin, “are in a shrine.”

Inosuke’s heart dropped.

A shrine?

His chest tightened.

It was well known: only those with Rayler blood could enter shrines. They served as gateways to other planets, used exclusively by elite warriors for battle, missions, and more.

For an ordinary human like him to be here... it defied all logic.

"You, my friend, are in my shrine."

Shock and confusion hit Inosuke like a tidal wave. He couldn’t fathom how he, a mere human with no Rayler blood, could enter a sacred shrine.

"H-how?" he stammered, his voice tinged with disbelief.

The man, seemingly nonchalant, took a sip of tea and raised a finger as though delivering a profound revelation. "Easy... You were badly beaten, fainted next to my shrine, and—woolah!—you ended up here. Get it?"

Inosuke blinked in confusion. What the man said made no sense. But, sensing that asking more questions would only lead him further down a rabbit hole, he decided to steer the conversation in another direction.

"So, why am I here?" he asked, his voice laced with frustration.

"I don’t know," the man replied casually, almost shrugging.

Inosuke’s eyes widened in exasperation, and he nearly fell off the bed. He had hoped for something more solid, something that might explain his strange situation.

"At least tell me this: Why did you send me down there in the first place?" Inosuke asked, already anticipating a nonsensical answer.

"To be honest," the man said with a playful grin, "you’re the one who jumped. I just wanted to see if you would really do it or if you were just acting."

Inosuke sighed, rubbing his temple. "Well, if that’s the case, I’d like to go home now. My little sister must be waiting for me."

The man ignored Inosuke’s request and continued, his eyes narrowing as he assessed Inosuke’s form. "You seem weaker than anyone I’ve ever seen. No, your body’s well-built, but there's something off about you. What’s your deal?"

Inosuke sat up, stiffening. "I’m just a human with no special powers. But I’ve trained my body to become strong, even if I’m not the tallest guy around."

"I see..." The man observed Inosuke closely, as if trying to figure him out. "Well, today’s your lucky day!"

The man suddenly jumped to his feet, arms raised in excitement. Sparkles erupted from his hands, filling the air with a mystical glow.

Inosuke watched with a raised eyebrow. How old is this guy?

"You’ve earned the chance to win something special!" the man declared, shifting into an overly enthusiastic salesman mode. "But first, you need to enter the competition!"

Inosuke’s confusion deepened. "What competition?"

The man smiled, his eyes gleaming mischievously. "If you defeat me in a game of chess, I’ll grant you a wish."

Inosuke frowned. "And what’s the catch?"

The guardian’s smirk deepened. "Smart one, aren’t you? There’s always a catch. Defeat me in chess, and I’ll give you exactly what you want."

Inosuke’s mind raced. He had to admit, the idea of gaining powers intrigued him. He was desperate to save his sister. But challenging this strange being seemed like a risk—one he wasn’t sure he could win.

"Fine," Inosuke said, standing up and accepting the challenge. "Let’s play."

With a flick of the man’s wrist, a chessboard appeared on the table between them. Inosuke was handed the white pieces.

The man grinned. "Please, go ahead. You have the first move."

The game began, and with every move, Inosuke felt the weight of the situation. The odds were stacked against him—his opponent was the guardian of this shrine, after all. The pieces moved across the board like soldiers on a battlefield, and with each passing moment, Inosuke could sense the guardian’s confidence growing.

"Why do you keep fighting when you know you're going to lose?" the guardian asked with a laugh, moving his knight to a powerful position.

Inosuke’s eyes narrowed. "Because if I don’t, who will? My sister needs me. I’ll do anything to save her."

With those words, he made a bold move, pushing his queen across the board and placing the guardian’s king in check. The man responded, but Inosuke was relentless, moving his pieces like a calculated machine. Each move brought him closer to victory.

The guardian's face shifted from amusement to genuine concentration, but it was too late. With one final strategic play, Inosuke declared, "Checkmate."

The guardian let out a delighted laugh. "Well, I’ve lost fair and square," he said, rising from his seat and snapping his fingers. A piece of paper appeared in midair.

"Fill this out," the guardian said with a grin, handing Inosuke the paper.

Inosuke took the paper and read it over. It asked for basic information—name, occupation, skills—and he quickly filled it in, his mind focused on the prize. He handed it back to the guardian.

The guardian waved his hand, and the paper burst into flames, vanishing into thin air.

"Wait, nothing’s happening," Inosuke muttered, scanning his body for any sign of change.

The guardian chuckled. "What did you expect? A flashy transformation? Nah. You’ve already gained your powers. In addition, I’ve given you something that will help you on your journey."

Inosuke's body began to glow faintly.

"Wait, what’s going on?" Inosuke asked, his heart racing as the light grew brighter.

"Simple," the guardian said with a mysterious smile. "You’re going back where you came from. And remember, you’re no longer the ordinary human you once were. Good luck, Inosuke."

Inosuke’s body glowed brighter, the same light that had taken him to the shrine earlier. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from the guardian’s sight.

The guardian watched the area begin to crack and break apart as the shrine started to crumble. "We’ll meet again, Inosuke," he murmured, disappearing into the fading light.

Inosuke awoke, finding himself lying on the ground where he had collapsed earlier. He sat up, scanning his surroundings. "I really have arrived..." he thought, his mind still reeling from the strange events. There was no sign of the shrine anymore.

"Well, that’s weird," he muttered to himself.

He rose to his feet and began walking home.

Inosuke arrived at the mansion—once grand, but now rotting with age. He paused outside for a moment, taking in the sight of the home that had once been filled with life.

Entering, he climbed the stairs and made his way to his sister’s room. She was lying in a wheelchair, a drip hooked to her arm. Her lifeless eyes gazed out at nothing, and Inosuke’s heart ached.

He walked over to her, brushing a strand of hair from her forehead before kissing her softly. "I’ll save you, I swear," he whispered, his voice heavy with promise.

He turned and left the room, retreating to his own. The bed creaked under him as he collapsed onto it, exhaustion weighing him down.

Inosuke stared at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting back to the guardian and the powers he’d gained. His body felt different now, almost... normal. The pain he had been carrying for so long was gone. It was as if a weight had been lifted off him.

But even as he lay there, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something more had changed within him.

A faint blue glow flickered on his forehead for a moment before vanishing, unnoticed by Inosuke.