Yuto slowly blinked awake, disoriented for a moment before remembering where he was. The room was bathed in soft morning light, and he could hear the distant sounds of the outside.
He stretched carefully, his muscles feeling pleasantly relaxed from the deep sleep. The events of the previous day flooded back, but they didn't feel as overwhelming as before. His stomach growled loudly, starving from having a good night's rest. Sitting up as he rubbed his eyes, Yuto noticed that Valentina wasn't beside him anymore.
Getting out of bed—his bare feet padded softly against the wooden floor before stretching again—feeling more alert and clear-headed than he had been in a while.
"Hm?" Looking at the floor, he noticed that Valentina's belongings were still there, but the person themselves was nowhere to be found. The room seemed quiet and empty without them. "I wonder where she went." A slight breeze from the open window caught his attention. He walked over to close it, pausing when he saw a small folded paper bird on the windowsill.
With his curiosity piqued, he picked up the paper bird and unfolded it. Inside was a simple drawing of what looked like the town square, with an arrow pointing to a specific spot, and the words written: "Get out while you have the chance".
Yuto scratched his head but ignored the warning, thinking it was nothing more than a joke since he was someone new in this world. Tucking the drawing into his pocket, he headed to the door, wondering what kind of adventure awaited him today. The familiar feeling of uncertainty returned, but it was now accompanied by excitement, though first he needed to find his friend.
Yuto stepped out of the room with a deep breath but immediately stood frozen in shock. "Huh?!" The sight of armed men stood behind the door; their eyes glinting with malicious intent as they blocked his path, preventing him from escaping. It was so sudden. "Uhm... hello... do you guys need something?" His voice trembled as his hands instinctively clenched into fists. His mind raced. What did they want with him? Is Valentina hurt?
"So, you're the bastard who raped that girl, huh?" The men moved closer before shoving him back into the room and closing the door. They circled around him like wolves closing in on their prey. One of them raised a wicked-looking blade, frowning at Yuto with disgust.
"R-Raped? I don't understand what you guys are talking about!" Yuto backed up away as his breathing quickened. He knew he was defenseless - he couldn't even use his phone as a weapon. Fear coursed through his veins as he realized he might be injured by these guys.
"You know exactly what we mean. That poor girl is downstairs crying because of you!" His heart raced as his legs almost gave out. He hadn't even had time to properly wake up or prepare for this confrontation.
"What... what do you mean?" He managed to ask, trying to keep his voice steady despite his trembling limbs.
"We mean you're a sick fuck that needs to be taught a lesson for hurting poor Valentina." One of the men sneered and advanced forward, holding a sword in his hand before the others closed in, forming a tight circle that left no escape route.
Yuto's blood ran cold at their words, his mind reeling from the accusation. His heart pounded painfully against his chest as he shook his head in disbelief, wanting this to be some cruel prank. "No, that can't be true..." he thought desperately, trying to process what was happening. Valentina had been so kind and caring towards him, why would they lie? This was some ruse.
"Trying to deny it, huh? Then explain her torn clothes and bruised eye!" The men moved closer as their faces twisted with disgust and anger. One of them spat on the ground near his feet. Yuto felt trapped and cornered, like cattle in a lion's den. He tried to speak and defend himself, but no words came out. The reality of being falsely accused of such a heinous crime was too much to bear. Tears welled up in his eyes as he wanted to deny everything in front of him. "You're all... wrong! Valentina wouldn't say that!"
All of a sudden, the door slowly opened and Yuto's heart sank even lower... seeing none other than Valentina standing in the doorway. Tears were streaming down her face as their robe was torn and their eye was swollen, not to mention, they clung to the arm of another person; an adventurer.
"Val...entina?" He stared at them in shock, his mind struggling to make sense of what he was seeing. The adventurers had their weapons drawn and aimed directly at him.
"You sick bastard! Sexually assaulting woman, what kind of man are you? You disgusting spawn of Hel!" One of the adventurers, a tall blonde man with short hair, scowled at Yuto.
"I-I did no such thing, what is going on? Valentina, please, tell them the truth!" His legs felt weak before they gave out, falling to the floor in distress as the men surrounding him took this as a sign of submission, closing in even closer.
"Please, please! Believe me!" The tears that had threatened to fall earlier now spilled freely down his cheeks. He wanted to scream, to demand answers, but the words caught in his throat. Everything he'd known and trusted had been shattered in an instant.
"Y-You monster..." Valentina's voice trembled as she spoke, her words cutting through Yuto like a knife. "You... you hurt me... I trusted you and you hurt me..." She sobbed as her body shook with each word, clinging tighter to the arm of the adventurer.
"Bastard..." The adventurers' expressions grew darker as the grip on their weapons tightened. The men surrounding Yuto seemed to take pleasure in his exposure as the scum he was.
"Valentina... why?" Yuto looked up at the mage, his eyes pleading for answers. He wanted to explain—to tell them the truth—that he would never do such a thing. But the words wouldn't come out. His chest felt like it was being crushed under the weight of their accusations. The person he fell in love with was now accusing him of being a monster.
"You deserve to burn in the deepest part of hell." The men surged forward, their weapons raised above their heads as they struck at him killing intent. Yuto tried to stand up and dodge, but there were too many of them. A sword sliced across his arm as he cried out in pain, watching his blood spatter against the floor. "Aaaugh! P-Please, wait!" He fought back desperately, but his attacks were weak and uncoordinated. Another blade caught him in the side, and he stumbled backward, blood pouring from his wounds. "Gaaaah! Stop it... please!"
The world spun around him as he fell to the ground. The men surrounded him like vultures circling their prey, and through his blurred vision, he could see Valentina standing there, a twisted smile plastering their face.
They continued stabbing him as Yuto's screams echoed through the room. Blood pooled around his body as they seeped into the wooden floorboards. Yuto's vision was blurred with pain and tears, the world growing darker by the second. He could feel himself slipping away, his consciousness fading. He wanted this to be some nightmare—a cruel one that was crafted from his anxiety—but this was reality.
"V-Valentina..." He reached out for her help, but she shrieked like a frightened pup, as the last thing he heard before everything went dark was their voice, cold and cruel.
"Die, you filthy beast." His body went limp, his last breath leaving him in a wet, ragged gasp. The men stepped back; their work done as they stared at his bloodied corpse. The room fell silent as Valentina, like the snake she was, turned away crying.
"It's all over now..." One of the adventurers said, holding her in a tight embrace. Valentina sobbed into his chest, grasping his leather armor. "We handled it ourselves. He won't hurt you ever again."
+
Why. Why did the world treat him so horribly? Was it because of his appearance? Was it because of his vulnerability? All his life, he trusted so many people, just to be backstabbed in the end. There was no one in this world who truly loved him, except for his family, but they were dead, and Yuto was all alone.
"Ah!" Snapping open his eyes, Yuto found himself floating in a dark, empty space. The sensation of being dead hit him like a wave, and he looked down at his translucent hands in shock. Memories of his brutal death flooded his mind - the pain, the hatred, the betrayal. The faces of the men who killed him, and Valentina's twisted smile as they watched him die.
A deep sadness settled in his chest, weighing him down like an anchor. He'd been murdered for a crime he didn't commit, by someone he thought cared about him. The void around him seemed to echo his feelings of despair. He wondered if this was what awaited everyone who died, endless darkness and isolation.
"Well, well, look who's awake. I was wondering when you'd finally come to your senses." Yuto whirled around, startled by the sudden presence. He couldn't see anyone, but the voice seemed to come from all directions at once.
Who was this mysterious speaker? Why did they sound so amused by his predicament? "Where am I? Who are you?" He asked, his voice trembling slightly, glancing around the darkened void.
"My name is Agnes Gravenworth, the Ruler of Chaos, the Primordial of Disorder. You're within my domain, and I've brought you here to offer you a chance, Yuto Allear." The voice chuckled darkly, the sound worrying his spiritual heart.
"A chance at what?" He asked, hesitant to continue speaking to this entity.
"A chance, my dear. A chance to get your revenge. To make them pay for what they did to you." Yuto's heart skipped a beat at the mention of revenge. The memory of his death and Valentina's betrayal still burned fresh in his nonexistent mind.
"And... how will you do that?" He asked as the voice hummed thoughtfully before continuing.
"I am the Primordial Chaos, there is nothing that I cannot do. I can send you back - but not as a mere spirit; you'll be reborn with a body again, a physical form. And with it, you'll have the power to enact your revenge on those who wronged you, with a portion of my power." Yuto struggled with his thoughts, torn between his moral compass and the burning desire for vengeance. The injustice of his death and Valentina's betrayal would make his blood boil if he still had a physical body. He thought about how the world had treated him - how he'd been discarded and disrespected. Agnes seemed to sense his turmoil, speaking again in a persuasive tone.
"Why should you let them get away with what they did? Why should you hold back when they didn't hold back on you? Think about how powerful you could be, how much you could make them suffer." The temptation grew stronger, the darkness around him seeming to whisper promises of retribution. Yuto's hands clenched into fists as he imagined the possibilities.
"That's it... let go of your doubts. Embrace the anger. You deserve this chance." His spiritual form quivered with a fury that was barely contained, and finally, after some contemplation, Yuto made his decision.
"I'll do it," He said through gritted teeth. "I'll take your offer. I want revenge on everyone who's ever wronged me." The darkness around him pulsed with energy, and the chaotic voice laughed triumphantly.
"Excellent choice. Welcome to your new beginning, Yuto. The world will learn to fear you." As Yuto accepted the deal, the darkness around him began to swirl and twist. His spiritual form felt heavier, more solid, as power surged through him. Agnes' laughter grew louder, echoing through the void like thunder.
"Goodbye, dear Yuto. Go forth and wreak havoc on this cruel, unfair world."
Suddenly, Yuto felt himself being pulled downwards, through layers of darkness and nothingness. His essence was being remade, his soul reforged with new power.
Traversing the vast, endless chaos, there was a light at the end of the tunnel, until he emerged out from the other side.