Kiren was just a teenager like many others… except he spent hours locked in his room playing video games and reading action manga, shōnen, and even a few romance stories. He wasn't popular at school, had few friends, and his laid-back, almost apathetic attitude made him a boy of few words.

That morning, he planned to head to the store to buy some manga after classes. He woke up lazily, went straight to the shower, and after getting ready, went downstairs to the dining room. His mother wasn't there, but she had left him a note next to a bowl of cereal:

Had to leave early for the office. Have breakfast and I hope you have a good day. Hugs and kisses, Mom.

At the bottom, several little hearts were drawn, along with the mark of a kiss from her pink lipstick.

—Again with the same thing… —he sighed—. Everything's so boring.

He ate without much interest and went outside to wait for the school bus. His distant gaze and sleepy face caught the eyes of passersby, who looked at him with mild disdain. He yawned constantly, chewing as if savoring an invisible candy.

A PSSHHHH announced the school bus pulling up in front of him. He got on and, while his classmates chatted noisily, walked down the aisle. The front and middle seats were full, but there was an empty one at the very back. He hurried and sat next to a girl with large glasses, short red hair, and a rather unsettling gaze.

Kiren grew a bit nervous. Without looking at him, she kept flipping through the pages of a sketchbook filled with characters he instantly recognized. He glanced over and, unable to contain his curiosity, asked:

—Did you draw those?

The girl's eyes widened slightly, and she shrugged. Without an answer, Kiren decided not to bother her further. He took out his phone, put on his earphones, and let the music carry him away.

Before long, they arrived at school. Everyone got off, except for him and the girl, who were the last to stand. When she walked ahead of him, he felt a strange skip in his chest.

—Come on, kid, off the bus! I don't have all day —the driver growled.

Kiren stepped down heavily, swallowing hard as his foot hit the last step.

—Kiren! Kiren! —his only friend at school was calling him from a distance.

But a loud BEEP-BEEP-BEEP and shouting cut everything short. A car, chased by the police, skidded, jumped the curb, smashing chairs and hitting several students. It was heading straight for him.

—Shi—! —he tried to dodge.

CRASH!

He avoided the fatal blow, but the side of the car clipped him, sending him off balance. His head slammed against the pavement. His vision blurred.

Distant voices. Darkness.

Falling. Falling into an endless void.

—AHHHHHH! —his scream vanished into nothingness.

A blinding silver flash engulfed him, and suddenly he felt something cushion his fall. It wasn't his body… it was something stronger, more agile.

He looked around: ancient streets, people in period clothing, medieval-style houses… but also strange vehicles floating above the ground.

He noticed he was high up, as if standing on the top of a tower. He stumbled and plummeted.

—No, no, no! —fear gripped him.

THUMP!

He landed on his feet.

—I'm… okay? What the hell…? —he looked at his hands: they weren't hands, but sharp claws.

A young woman saw him and stepped back, pale.

—Are you all right? —Kiren asked, confused.

She screamed, a sharp, piercing cry. The crowd began to run, begging for mercy. Without understanding anything, he ran too… but soon realized he was moving far too fast, like lightning.

BAM! —he leapt, crashing through a rooftop as he landed. Inside, a mirror reflected the image of… a grotesque creature.

—No way…

—Stop right there, demon! —a voice thundered.

Several soldiers in sophisticated armor approached.

—Demon? I'm not… —his voice was deep, distorted—. Wh-what is this voice?

Above their heads floated numbers: most were low, between 2 and 5. The leader bore a 6.

—By order of the king, do not move or I swear we'll kill you!

—Kill me? I haven't done anything!

—Soldiers, ready positions!

—Wait…!

But his right hand fired a blast of energy without his consent. The leader blocked it with his shield.

—Attack!

CLANG! SWISH! CLANG!

Weapons clashed as Kiren vaulted over them, landing on a rooftop. Arrows and spears sliced through the air (FSSSH! WHAM!). He dashed across, smashing tiles underfoot, the wind whipping his face.

—This is… amazing! —he shouted, exhilarated.

But suddenly, a young woman, beautiful and armed with a crimson sword and matching shield, blocked his path. Above her head floated a number: 20.

—This is where you fall, monster.

Kiren tried to stop, but slipped on a slope of stone.

WHOOM! —a crimson wave burst from her sword, slamming into his chest.

—Ughhh!

BOOOOM!

The strike hurled him like a meteor into the city's center. The impact sent out a shockwave (KRRRAAASH!), cracking foundations and toppling weaker structures.

And just when he thought the worst was over… a shadow larger than the storm moved before him.

Kiren shot up to his feet.That attack hadn't even tickled him.

He glanced around — completely surrounded. What he couldn't understand was why they were attacking him.

One of the soldiers charged with his sword held high, determined to cut him down.Slash! Kiren dodged with ease. The movements seemed slow… far too slow. It was as if everything around him moved in slow motion.

More knights joined the assault, and within seconds the street became a dance of flashing steel.Clang! Clang! Clang!Not a single strike touched him.Not a cut. Not a scratch.

He leapt to the opposite sidewalk and sprinted down the cracked street.

— I'll go faster! —he said with a euphoric grin.

Whoosh!

It didn't take long for a young woman with a crimson sword to catch up. She swung her weapon with a determined look, scarlet light spilling from its edge once again.

— No… not this time —muttered Kiren, vaulting into an impossibly high jump.

Boom!

He landed in the thick of the forest.

He kept running. The woman wasn't far behind — she skimmed through the air on what looked like a floating board that matched his speed.

Zzzzhhh!

When she was close enough, she dove forward and landed right in front of him.Thud!

— This is where you stop! —she declared, jubilant.

Kiren stared at her up close. She was slender, with a face that bordered on angelic. He stood gawking like an idiot.

She noticed his gaze and frowned in disgust.

— Don't look at me like that! —she slashed at him.

Slash! Slash!

But Kiren dodged again and again; her attacks couldn't touch him.

— Why are you attacking me? —he asked, his voice distorted and inhuman.

The blonde froze.

— You… can talk?

— Of course I can talk… why wouldn't I?

— Impossible… what kind of creature are you?

— I'm—

A deafening roar cut him off.BOOOOM!

From the bushes came a massive reverberation, followed by shouts and the pounding of racing hearts.

— Attack! —several army voices yelled in unison.

Kiren bolted, soldiers pounding after him. The girl stayed where she was, deep in thought. She couldn't understand how this creature could speak… or why his humanoid appearance was so different from the monsters that plagued the kingdom. The question "Why are you attacking me?" kept echoing in her mind.

Suddenly, another explosion.KABOOOM!

Kiren was launched skyward like a missile, crashing back down into the city streets.CRASH! CRACK!

— That one actually hurt —he groaned, pushing himself up.

Standing before him was a young man with orange hair and a white cape, wielding a serrated sword. Above his head floated a glowing number: 50.

— Monster, you'd better surrender —he said in a friendly tone, though his stance made it clear he'd kill him without hesitation.

— Don't screw with me.

The young man looked as stunned as the blonde.

— You can talk?

— Don't you think that's a… —he scratched his head with a claw— stupid question? Of course I can talk.

— I don't know what kind of monster you are, but under the king's orders… you must die.

Fwoosh!

The orange-haired knight charged with a powerful strike. Kiren dodged and, when the sword came back, he caught its hooked teeth in his claws.

Clang!

They locked eyes for a few tense seconds. Kiren released the weapon and stepped back—

BANG!

A blow sent him smashing through several walls.CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

He landed in what looked like a crowded shopping center. A thick cloud of dust filled the air.

— I can't deal with this… —Kiren muttered.

Then, a voice echoed in his head:

— To change your appearance, say "Zero Transformation." That will activate your human avatar.

— Zero Transformation.

Swoosh…

It felt as if a weight had been lifted off him. He stood, coughing through the dust. Soldiers poured in, searching through the rubble.

— He got away! —one shouted.

— What do you mean he got away? Search everywhere! —the blonde ordered.

— He couldn't have gone far —added the orange-haired knight.

Kiren watched them, now in human form, his gaze locked on her with love-struck eyes.

— You're… beautiful —he murmured, the words almost dragging from his mouth.

She ignored him and kept scanning the area.

— Hey, you… the guy with the stupid face.

— Me…?

— Did you see a huge creature come through here?

— I only see you.

— He must be in shock —the orange-haired knight remarked—. He's bleeding from the head.

Kiren touched his scalp and felt something wet. He looked at his hand.

— No way… —he whispered. Then thud, he collapsed unconscious.

Kiren's eyes fluttered open. He mumbled a few nonsense words, different voices echoing all around him, each with a different tone. It was overwhelming.

He shot up. —Fwoosh!— When his eyes finally adjusted, he realized he was in a hospital. His bare torso was wrapped in bandages across the chest. He touched his head and felt the bandages there, too.

—Well… I thought it was just a dream… but this all feels way too real.

He ran both hands over his body, quickly stood, and headed straight toward a young male nurse nearby.

—Hey, how do I look? I'm human, right? —he asked, sounding almost desperate.

—Yes, you're human… and a very beaten-up one. I recommend you get back in bed. You need to rest —the nurse suggested with a kind smile.

Kiren shrugged.

—I still don't understand what happened —he said with a worried tone—. I was on my way to—

Suddenly—flash!—the accident came rushing back to him: the car hitting him, BAM! the fall, crash! the blood, the void… and then, that grotesque creature.

—Huh… I think I'm dead. Is this hell? I guess I was a bad kid —he said in a deflated voice.

—No, you're alive thanks to the Knights of Haz; you only have a few minor injuries —the nurse smiled.

—Knights of Haz? Who are they? —his lips puckered in a childish frown.

—Please, get back to bed. You'll have time to learn everything later. Where are you from?

—I'm from—

—Don't say anything —that voice again. He remembered hearing it earlier.

—Who are you?

—Sir, I'm the nurse. My name is—

—I'm not talking to you —he took a deep breath—. I think I do need more sleep… now I'm hearing voices in my head.

The nurse guided him back to the bed.

—If you need anything, just call me.

—Sure —Kiren replied without much enthusiasm.

After several minutes of tossing and staring blankly at the ceiling, he got up and began wandering through the hallways and rooms. The air was scented with incense and warm tea, a harmonious peace lingering everywhere.

As he walked, he found a bathroom and stepped inside. Clink! He came face-to-face with the mirror.

The first thing that caught his attention was the number zero floating above his head. He remembered the voice's words: "Say 'Zero Transformation' to activate your human avatar."

—Zero Transformation? Does this have something to do with that number above my head? —he let out a guttural sound from his throat—. All I know is, I'm still scrawny —he inhaled sharply and exhaled fast.

He kept walking until he heard repeated voices. —Tap, tap, tap!— His pace quickened. He recognized the blonde girl's voice; she was speaking with the orange-haired boy and other men in knightly armor.

—The Kordro that attacked today looked really different from the others that have attacked the kingdom, don't you think, Pedrus? —the blonde asked.

—Yes, captain —the boy replied.

—So she's a captain… —Kiren whispered to himself.

—It was strange… it could talk, and it was very strong —the blonde said.

—I noticed that too —Pedrus stroked his chin—. Do you think it could be a special Kordro?

—I don't know —she took a deep breath and drank from a bottle.

The place reeked of thick, bitter beer, mixed with the sour sweetness of cheap wine soaked into the wooden floorboards. Everyone was drinking, and a hive-like murmur filled the air.

Someone opened the door to leave, and Kiren—who had been leaning against it—paf! fell to the floor, bumping his head.

—Ow, my poor head! —he exclaimed.

Pedrus recognized him. The captain merely glanced over and moved to another table.

—Hey, are you alright? —Pedrus asked, helping him up.

—I think so.

—How's your head? —he asked kindly.

—I'm fine now, thanks for asking.

Pedrus eyed the boy's strange clothing with some curiosity.

—Sorry to ask, but… where are you from?

—You mean because of my clothes —Kiren realized.

—Yeah —Pedrus smiled.

—I'm from—

—Don't say anything —that strange voice again, which he now noticed sounded like a little girl—. From a faraway country. Very far.

—I see. Maybe you're from the south… people there are pretty unusual.

—Yeah… —Kiren gave a silly smile—. I heard you talking about the creature that attacked today.

—Yeah, it was very different and powerful. Maybe… —he thought for a moment— a new era of monsters is beginning.

—A new era? Monsters?

Kiren's puzzled expression told Pedrus the boy wasn't very informed.

—Maybe because you're young, you don't know about the Kordros… though that's strange.

—Yeah… I don't know much.

—For hundreds of years now, strange creatures have been appearing all over the world. We don't know exactly where they come from or what they want, though some believe a disruption in the balance of the universe caused their arrival. But the big question is—why do they attack us?

—I see… and I don't know the answer —Kiren grinned sheepishly.

—The thing is, out of all the kingdoms, this one's been hit the hardest. Hordes of Kordros attack us often, but thankfully, the Haz Knight Order was founded to protect Grendoria and humanity —Pedrus said proudly.

—Well… I'm still not sure I get it, but I guess I'll understand over time —Kiren admitted, still confused.

—Of course you will —Pedrus seemed pleased.

—And she's the captain? —Kiren pointed at the blonde, who had taken his breath away since the moment he saw her—. Isn't she a bit young?

—Yes, she's the captain of this squad. Her name's Daela. She holds the record for having killed ten thousand Kordros since her first deployment. Isn't that incredible?

—I guess so… but you're stronger. Are you a captain too? —he asked, scratching his head.

—That doesn't matter. What matters is the number of enemies killed. There are knights stronger than her, but rank is based on kills, not power.

—I get it… it's more about doing than showing off.

—You talk a little funny, but yes, you're right. Anyway, it's time to rest. If you want, I can take you home.

—I'm really far from home, and honestly… I have no idea how to get back.

—Then be my guest. My house is big, you can stay as long as you want.

—Sure.

Pedrus drove Kiren home in a vehicle unlike anything he'd ever seen. —Vruuum!— He didn't want to ask questions and risk sounding ignorant. When they arrived, Pedrus quickly showed him to a room.

—You'll stay here. Tomorrow I'll give you a tour. Rest well.

—Just like that…?

—Do you need something?

Kiren's stomach growled loudly. —Grrrr!—

—I don't want to bother you, but I'm starving.

—Go to the kitchen, help yourself to whatever you want. Good night —Pedrus hurried off.

—But… —Kiren couldn't say more; the knight had vanished in the blink of an eye—. This is completely insane —he yawned wide.

Kiren wandered the enormous house. The hallways were overwhelming—everything perfectly organized, armors everywhere, knight monuments at every corner, sword collections on the walls, and a silence that was almost eerie.

—He wasn't kidding when he said his house was big —he scratched his head, as usual.

Once he finally found the kitchen—after getting lost in the maze-like place—he ate until he was full. His mind kept circling back to what had happened earlier that day. How was it possible he had turned into a beast?

—I'd like to know what this "Zero Transformation" thing is.

—I can explain it, if you want —said the voice in his head.

Kiren jumped, —Crash!— making a mess in the kitchen as he bumped into everything.

—Damn it! Who are you, and why are you in my head?

—My name's Mecamina. Nice to meet you, User X: Kiren Nakasuka.

—Mecamina? User X? What's all this?

—Congratulations. You were chosen from among many Kordros to fight for the Kingdom of the Monarch.

—What…?

And now, what fate awaits Kiren Nakasuka?