Chapter 1 - The Shattered Bonds and Lost

He was just a little boy back then, innocent like any other child. But everything changed in an instant when his father met a brutal and heart-wrenching end in a factory accident.
The shock of losing his beloved father was something the young boy struggled to comprehend. He had been his anchor, his guiding force, and now he was gone, leaving the boy feeling lost and adrift in an unforgiving world.
Yet, to compound the emotional scar his death left him... his mother had left him as well.
She, who loved the love of her life more than anything, became so... different and deranged to the point that she, amidst her sorrow and grief, decided to hit the final nail in the coffin.
As such, one sudden evening, his mother decided to abandon him, to seek solace in the arms of another man she had met a few months after her beloved's death.
That was when he truly lost everything he held dear.
It was a betrayal he could hardly bear. She was supposed to be there for him, his pillar of strength. Together, they were meant to face the challenges that life threw their way. But now, he was left alone, burdened with the emotional scars his mother had inflicted upon him.
However, unlike his father's unfortunate death, his mother's sudden absence filled him with uncontrolled rage.
An emotion, so overpowering, it overshadowed everything else he felt at that moment in time.
Without any familial support except in a foster home he didn't feel welcomed in, he went to school as an empty husk of his former self. No more was the energetic child that everybody loved. No more was the cheeky smile he showed everyone.
As such, he reached his breaking point and trod a path that moulded him into something else. A path that no child should have ever threaded upon.
During one of his seemingly innocuous escapades, he stumbled upon a hidden warehouse tucked away in the depths of the night. The air was thick with the murmur of voices and the echo of excitement that seemed to seep through the building's walls. Intrigued by the commotion, he drew closer, his curiosity piqued.
Peering through a crack in the door, he glimpsed a scene that would forever change his perspective. In the centre of the warehouse, two combatants engaged in a brutal and savage contest. The atmosphere was electric, fueled by the fervor of the spectators who cheered and jeered with unbridled enthusiasm.
It was intriguing, he thought at first.
But... as the fight unfolded, the true nature of the spectacle revealed itself. Blow after merciless blow rained down upon the hapless combatants, their bodies becoming mere vessels for pain and suffering. Blood sprayed through the air, staining the canvas beneath them, as the battle escalated to a horrifying climax.
And it didn't end there.
As the opposing opponent fell with no way of defending himself, his enemy closed in and continued beating him until his limbs laid limb on the ground.
The boy's remaining youthful innocence shattered in that very moment as he bore witness to a life extinguished in the most crude and brutal manner.
The cheers of the crowd persisted, drowning out any semblance of humanity.
It was in that gruesome instant that he realized the grim truth... this was not a mere exhibition of skill, but a fight to the death.
And it finally clicked.
A jolt of adrenaline surged through his veins, mingling with a morbid curiosity.
In that twisted spectacle of carnage, Jin found an opportunity.
An opportunity... that had plagued him since his father's tragic demise and his mother's absence.
*BADUMP*
His heart had never pumped this hard for months at that moment.
A spark ignited within him, an unwavering determination to... step in that ring.
Because going in that ring would rid and unleash the pain and rage that had festered deep within his soul.
'I want to get in that ring.'
Those were the thoughts of an 11-year-old child who had no business in crime-related activities.
The boy was treading a path far beyond the realm of childhood innocence. With every step, he delved further into the darkness, exposing himself to a world hardened by violence and devoid of mercy. It was a path that guaranteed instant death the moment he became careless.
And it was all too late to go back, after all...
For in a world where violence reigned supreme, what else is there to lose but life in mortal combat?
...
...
...
Amidst the loud commotion in central park, which had been buzzing with people of all ages throughout the day, sat a lone young man under the shadows of the branches above him. Small but bright rays of the afternoon sunlight shone through the small cracks of the leaves attached to the branches of this beautiful tree.
The young man, who had been reading a book, stared at the cup of tea he had been holding.
It was now unfortunately empty.
And his face made sure to show his apparent disappointment.
'I enjoyed that...'
However, as quickly as the wind itself, his apparent dismay vanished like a gust of gale. Like a character in a video game whose settings got restarted to default, his expression went back to an impassive one, showing an unreadable face, unable to be discerned by anyone but himself.
After some careful deliberation, the young man then threw the cup of tea into a trash can, several feet away from him with pinpoint accuracy.
He miscalculated that a sudden gale of wind blew in that specific direction, making his otherwise accurate shot go to a changed trajectory.
His hands froze.
And he sighed in disgruntlement.
"Fuck."
"..."
After the unforgiving turn of events that fate cruelly handed to him, the young man decided to go for a walk.
"Oh my, have you heard of that event?"
"What event?"
"They just announced that the Titan imploded!"
"... that's to be expected, to be fair."
"But... I feel so bad... I just hope that their death was painless."
"It's the most likely scenario..."
Various conversations consisting of murmurs, babbles or whatever, sounded out in the park. It was lively, serene in a way, as well as peaceful... of course, if we were to exclude the conversation regarding the Titan...
Jin Tokita, otherwise known as the young man who miscalculated his 'pinpoint accuracy shot', calmly strolled through the massive park whilst listening in to some of these conversations.
Listening was way better than participating in said conversations, in his opinion.
Why?
Because he'd feel uncomfortable.
Besides, who wouldn't be weirded out if a stranger whose facial expression was as impassive as a bunny, suddenly butted into their discussion?
'I don't want to witness the awkwardness after my interruption, even if those discussions do seem kind of interesting...'
As much as Jin wishes to normally converse with people, his past wouldn't let his mind be at ease.
In no way does he think that his past was special. He was sure that there are people out there who have suffered more than him in ways he couldn't comprehend.
Nevertheless, it doesn't mean that it didn't scar him enough to define him as who he was today.
"Hah..."
He sighed in utter tiredness.
Whenever those thoughts of his resurfaced in his mind, no matter what, he would go on a trip down memory lane.
And it was no happy one either, unfortunately.
As such, it would always leave him mentally exhausted.
'Though, it's okay now.'
He thought to himself with a self-deprecating smile.
Jin continued his stroll through central park, which continued to buzz with lively activities.
"Wahhhhhh! Mom, I want ice cream!"
"...help me."
"Ah, you youngsters truly take everything for granted, stop messing about and do something worthwhile, you filthy bastards!"
"Fuck off!"
"Motherfu-"
*SLAP*
"You dare bi-"
'Hah... bustling activities indeed.'
He thought to himself as he started fast walking, ignoring the chaos about to take place.
And, before he even realized it himself, he found himself near a sidewalk already.
The bustling city streets echoed with the typical sounds of late evening traffic as Jin stood at the edge of the sidewalk, his thoughts consumed by the weight of his choices for dinner and of course, the earlier conversations between very civilized individuals. Tall buildings loomed overhead, their windows reflecting the fading sunlight, creating a shimmering kaleidoscope of colors. People hurried past him, their faces lost in the sea of anonymity, unaware of the 'extraordinary' thoughts hidden beneath Jin's unassuming exterior.
He looked around and touched his chin in deep thought.
'Now that dinner is around the corner, I wonder if I should get...'
As he stood at the edge of the bustling road, contemplating his future, fate decided to intervene again but with brutal force.
The symphony of bustling traffic suddenly morphed into a sea of chaos. It was as if the God Of Traffic decided to vent its wrath upon this wretched place, called... traffic. Screeching tires, blaring horns, and panicked shouts filled the air, an orchestra of danger that Jin had, for some odd reason, yet to perceive.
A speeding truck careened toward him, its blaring horn filling the air with a series of warnings.
"Oh... damn."
Before he could contemplate his thoughts further, a massive force crushed his mortal body, shattering bones and scattering his consciousness into the abyss. The collision was swift and merciless, the impact reverberating through his body like a thunderclap. Pain seared through his being, and Jin's consciousness began to fade in the haze of agony. His life force waned, as the veil of darkness slowly but surely claimed him into its embrace, forever.