Tokyo, October 15th, 2045.
That morning, the sky was tinted a reddish gray—an image that had become normal over the last two years. Thick smoke rose from various corners of the city, blending with a haze that never seemed to fade ever since the strange phenomenon began occurring worldwide. Ren Takatou stood on the rooftop of his school building, staring down at a city that was slowly losing its life.
"Two months," he murmured softly, his voice carried away by the cold wind brushing against his face. "Just two months before everything ends."
Behind him, the rooftop door creaked open. Familiar footsteps approached—steps he recognized without needing to look back.
"Ren-kun, you're here again," said Yuki Nakamura, his classmate, her voice laced with worry. "How many times have I told you? It's dangerous to come up here alone."
Ren slowly turned, looking at the short-haired brunette with an expression that was hard to read. "Dangerous?" He gave a bitter smile. "Yuki-chan, you don't know what 'dangerous' really means."
Yuki stepped closer, standing beside him as she looked out at the bleak cityscape. "You've been really strange lately, Ren-kun. Ever since the meteor shower last month, you've been… different."
Meteor shower. Ren held back a laugh. If only Yuki knew that what they called a meteor shower wasn't a natural phenomenon, but a reconnaissance strike from a civilization millions of light-years ahead of them. If only she knew that every "meteor" that fell was a data-gathering probe analyzing Earth's defensive capabilities.
"Different how?" Ren asked, though he already knew the answer.
"You… look like you're seeing something we can't. Like you know something we don't," Yuki stared at him with eyes full of curiosity. "And your exam scores yesterday… perfect. All of them. Even though you're usually…"
"Stupid?" Ren finished her sentence flatly.
Yuki froze, her face flushing. "I didn't mean—"
"It's fine," Ren raised a hand. "I am stupid. Or at least, that's what everyone thinks."
Silence settled between them. Ren returned his gaze to the city, his eyes focusing on a point in the distance—a skyscraper that looked normal to the naked eye, but to him, it radiated a clear energy anomaly. One of many infected points.
Omniscience Ability.
The power he had suddenly gained three weeks ago, right after one of the "meteors" fell not far from his home. At first, he thought it was just hallucination caused by shock. But then he realized he could see, know, and understand things no ordinary human should ever be able to.
He knew that inside that building was a parasitic organism microscopic in size, yet possessing intelligence equivalent to the most advanced supercomputer on Earth. He knew it was altering the molecular structure of the surrounding air, producing toxins that would kill every living creature within a ten-kilometer radius in two months.
He knew that in 47 other locations across the world, similar organisms were doing the same thing.
He knew this was only the first step of the "cleansing" process to be carried out by a higher civilization known as the Axiom Collective—an alliance of twelve alien species that had conquered more than a thousand star systems.
And worst of all, he knew there was no way to stop them.
No one, except him.
"Yuki-chan," Ren suddenly said, still staring into the distance. "What would you do if you knew the world would end in two months?"
Yuki flinched. "H-huh? What kind of question is that?"
"Just answer."
Yuki fell silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. "Maybe… I'd spend time with the people I love. Do the things I've always been too scared to do." She looked at Ren with a gentle gaze. "Why are you asking something like that?"
Ren didn't answer. Inside his mind, millions of pieces of information flowed at impossible speed. He could see the probability of every action he might take. He could see the consequences of every decision, every word he might speak.
99.97% chance that if he told Yuki the truth, she would think he was insane.
87.34% chance that if he told the government, they would label him a terrorist or spy.
63.21% chance that if he tried to warn the world through social media, his message would drown in a sea of hoaxes and conspiracy theories.
And 0.03% chance that someone out there would believe him without proof.
"Ren-kun?" Yuki gently touched his arm. "Are you okay?"
Ren turned toward her, and for a moment, he wanted to tell her everything. To speak about the burden he carried, the knowledge haunting him every second, the responsibility he had never asked for.
But then he saw Yuki's innocent smile—eyes clear and full of hope—and he realized how cruel it would be to destroy that innocence with a horrifying truth.
"I'm fine," he lied. "Just thinking about university entrance exams."
Yuki laughed softly. "You, of all people? Your scores were perfect yesterday. You can get into any university you want."
University. Ren almost laughed bitterly. In two months, there would be no universities left. No future left.
The school bell rang in the distance, signaling the start of first period.
"Come on, we should go down," Yuki said, gently tugging his arm.
Ren followed her, but before leaving the rooftop, he glanced once more toward the skyscraper. In his mind, he had already begun forming a plan. The first step he needed to take.
Math class proceeded as usual. Watanabe-sensei enthusiastically explained differential equations, unaware that one of his students in the back row was using a power beyond human comprehension to analyze the molecular structure of the classroom itself.
Ren sat in the very back, looking as if he were listening, but in reality he was performing a full scan of the entire school. His Omniscience Ability allowed him to "see" every atom, every molecule, every subatomic particle within a radius of several kilometers.
And he found something alarming.
In the school basement, directly beneath the chemistry lab, there was the same anomaly he had seen in the skyscraper that morning. A parasitic organism no larger than a virus, yet with an impossibly complex DNA structure and terrifying adaptive capabilities.
They're moving faster than I expected, Ren thought, clenching his fist on the desk.
"Takatou-kun!"
Watanabe-sensei's sharp voice made the entire class turn toward him. Ren lifted his head, staring at the fifty-something teacher with an empty expression.
"I've called your name three times. Are you listening to my explanation?" Watanabe-sensei looked irritated.
"Sorry, Sensei," Ren stood politely. "I'm listening."
"Then solve this equation on the board."
Ren looked at the board. A high-level differential equation that should've been difficult for a high school student. But for him, with Omniscience Ability, it was like basic addition for a kindergarten child.
He walked to the front, took the marker, and began writing. Not only did he solve the equation, he also wrote three alternative solution methods—including an approach using university-level mathematical theory.
The entire class fell silent. Watanabe-sensei stared at the board wide-eyed.
"T-this…" the teacher stammered. "Takatou-kun… where did you learn this method?"
"Library books," Ren answered briefly, returning to his seat.
Whispers spread among the students.
"Since when is Ren that smart?"
"Wasn't he always failing math?"
"Maybe he's been studying secretly at home?"
Ren ignored them. His mind returned to the parasitic organism in the basement. He needed to go down there and investigate further. But not now—not with all eyes on him, full of suspicion.
Class continued, but Watanabe-sensei occasionally glanced toward Ren with a strange look—a mix of awe and doubt.
When the break bell rang, Ren quickly packed his books and moved to leave the room. But his steps stopped when Yuki approached him.
"Ren-kun, you were amazing earlier," she said, eyes sparkling. "I had no idea you were that smart."
"It was just luck," Ren replied, continuing to walk.
"Luck?" Yuki followed him. "That wasn't luck. Even Watanabe-sensei was shocked."
They exited the classroom and walked down the corridor. Ren could feel the stares of other students filled with curiosity. He hated being the center of attention—especially now, when he had a far more important mission.
"Yuki-chan," Ren suddenly stopped. "I have something to do. Can you not follow me today?"
Yuki looked hurt. "Why? Am I bothering you?"
"No." Ren looked at her seriously. "It's just… something I have to do alone."
"What is it?"
Ren fell silent. He couldn't tell Yuki he was about to go down into the basement to investigate an alien organism capable of wiping out all humanity. He couldn't tell her that in the coming weeks, he might have to do things that would turn him into the enemy of an advanced galactic civilization.
"Something important," he finally said.
Yuki stared at him sadly, but eventually nodded. "Alright. But promise me, Ren-kun. Whatever you're dealing with, don't always do it alone. I… we all care about you."
Ren felt something warm in his chest. A feeling that almost made him forget the burden he carried. Almost made him want to live like a normal teenager—worrying about exams, first love, and a bright future.
Almost.
"Thank you, Yuki-chan," he said, his voice softer than usual. "But this is something I have to face alone."
After Yuki left, Ren changed direction toward the stairs leading to the basement. This lower corridor was rarely used, containing only storage rooms and utility spaces.
He walked slowly, his Omniscience Ability fully active. Each step gave him more information about the anomaly ahead. The closer he got to the storage room at the end of the hallway, the clearer he could "see" the organism's structure.
Subspecies Cleaner Type-7, information streamed through his mind. A bioengineered organism designed specifically for terraforming planets with nitrogen-oxygen atmospheres. The first stage of the cleansing protocol.
Ren stopped in front of the storage room door. An old metal door secured with a simple padlock. For a normal person, it would be a barrier. For Ren, with perfect understanding of metal's molecular structure, he only needed to touch the lock and rearrange its atoms to make it open.
The padlock fell to the floor with a small clink.
Ren opened the door and stepped into the dark room. No windows—only faint light from the hallway illuminated a space filled with old boxes and unused school equipment.
But Ren didn't need light to see. His Omniscience Ability allowed him to perceive every detail down to the quantum level.
And he found it.
In the corner of the room, clinging to the concrete wall, was a mass resembling a small black-purple fungus. To the naked eye, it might look like ordinary mold. But Ren could see millions of microscopic organisms moving in highly organized patterns, each with a specific function in the atmospheric transformation process.
They've already begun the production stage, Ren thought, his heartbeat accelerating. In two weeks, toxin concentration would reach levels detectable by humans. In four weeks, there would be casualties. In eight weeks—
He didn't need to finish the calculation. He already knew the outcome.
Ren stepped closer to the mass. He could feel a strange energy vibration radiating from it—an unfamiliar frequency beyond the spectrum known to humans. He extended his hand, almost touching the organism's surface.
And suddenly, the mass moved.
Millions of microscopic organisms shifted at incredible speed, forming increasingly complex patterns. And then something that had never happened before in the history of Axiom Collective invasions occurred.
The organism spoke.
Not with sound—but directly into Ren's mind. A telepathic communication using the same frequency as his Omniscience Ability.
[ANOMALY DETECTED. INDIGENOUS SUBJECT WITH COGNITIVE ABILITY LEVEL-12. EMERGENCY CONTACT PROTOCOL ACTIVATED.]
Ren stepped back, but the voice continued inside his head.
[IDENTITY: REN TAKATOU. SPECIES: HOMO SAPIENS SAPIENS. STATUS: CRITICAL ANOMALY. DETECTED ABILITY: OMNISCIENCE VARIANT TYPE-ABSOLUTE.]
"You can speak," Ren said calmly, though his heart was pounding.
[COMMUNICATION WITH ANOMALOUS SUBJECT IS PERMITTED UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS. QUERY: HOW DID SUBJECT ACQUIRE OMNISCIENCE ABILITY?]
Ren fell silent for a moment. He could feel the organism conducting a deep scan of his brain structure, trying to understand the source of his power. But strangely, its scan couldn't penetrate the defense barrier that had automatically formed around his consciousness.
"I don't know," Ren answered honestly. "This ability appeared suddenly three weeks ago."
[ANALYSIS: SUBJECT'S ABILITY IS NOT A PRODUCT OF AXIOM COLLECTIVE ENGINEERING. POSSIBLE SOURCE: SPONTANEOUS EVOLUTION OR INTERFERENCE FROM ENTITY LEVEL-15 OR ABOVE.]
Level-15. Ren immediately understood. In galactic civilization classification, the Axiom Collective was Level-12. Level-15 referred to civilizations that had mastered the fundamental laws of the universe and could manipulate reality itself.
"What do you want from Earth?" Ren asked.
[MISSION: TERRAFORM PLANET FOR COLONIZATION BY AXIOM COLLECTIVE CLASS-A SPECIES. ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME: 67 LOCAL DAYS.]
"And humans?"
[CLASSIFICATION: PRIMITIVE SPECIES LEVEL-3. STATUS: SCHEDULED FOR ELIMINATION.]
Ren clenched his fists. "I won't allow that."
[ANALYSIS OF SUBJECT COMBAT POTENTIAL: OMNISCIENCE ABILITY LEVEL-12 DETECTED. ADAPTATION CAPABILITY: ABSOLUTE CLASS. ESTIMATED THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME.]
The organism's mass began shifting, forming a more complex structure. Ren could feel its energy signature intensifying.
[EMERGENCY PROTOCOL ACTIVATED. ANOMALOUS SUBJECT MUST BE ELIMINATED BEFORE BECOMING A THREAT TO THE MISSION.]
And then the attack began.
Millions of microscopic organisms launched toward Ren at near light speed. Each carried toxins capable of killing mammals in seconds, along with the ability to penetrate cells and destroy DNA from within.
But at the same time, something astonishing happened inside Ren's body.
Absolute Adaptive.
A power even he didn't fully understand yet. In a fraction of a second, every cell in his body underwent a fundamental transformation. His DNA changed, his immune system evolved, even the chemical composition of his blood was modified to counter alien toxins.
The microscopic organisms managed to pierce his skin—but the moment they made contact with his newly evolved cells, they were instantly destroyed.
And more than that—Ren's body didn't just adapt to survive.
It adapted to win.
From the pores of his skin, a substance began to secrete—a counter-agent specifically designed to destroy the molecular structure of Axiom Collective organisms.
In less than a minute, the entire organism mass in the corner began shrinking and dying.
[IMPOSSIBLE… SUBJECT'S ADAPTATION ABILITY EXCEEDS KNOWN PARAMETERS… THREAT LEVEL UPGRADED TO CATEGORY: ABSOLUTE THREAT…]
The telepathic communication weakened as the parasite died.
[EMERGENCY MESSAGE HAS BEEN SENT TO AXIOM COLLECTIVE… CLEANSING PROTOCOL ACCELERATED… ESTIMATED TIME UNTIL FULL INVASION: 14 LOCAL DAYS…]
And then—silence.
Ren stood in the dark room, staring at the remains of the alien organism, now resembling nothing more than ordinary black dust. The entire battle had lasted less than two minutes, but its consequences would change the fate of humanity.
By killing the organism, he had exposed his existence to the Axiom Collective. They now knew there was someone on Earth with abilities capable of threatening their mission.
And they would come.
Not in two months, as originally planned.
But in two weeks.
Ren left the storage room, locking the door again the same way he had opened it. He walked down the corridor toward the stairs, his mind filled with calculations and strategy.
He could no longer hope to save the world without sacrifice. The war had begun, and he was the only soldier on humanity's side with the power to fight back.
When he reached the upper floor, the bell signaling the end of break rang. Students began returning to their classrooms. Ren spotted Yuki walking with her friends, laughing about something that seemed light and funny.
For a moment, he wanted to approach them. To join in their casual conversation about normal teenage things. He wanted to remember what it felt like to be an ordinary high school student, worrying only about exams and homework.
But then he caught his reflection in the corridor window. The eyes that once always looked empty and unfocused now burned with terrifying intensity. Something in his gaze had changed—something that made him look older than his seventeen years.
He was no longer Ren Takatou, the stupid and useless boy.
He was someone carrying the responsibility of protecting seven billion human lives from extinction.
And he would do it—no matter the risk.
Even if it meant walking alone down a dark and dangerous path.
Even if it meant changing himself into something more than human.
Even if it meant challenging the rules of the universe itself.
Ren walked toward his classroom, every step the first of a journey that would change the fate of the galaxy.
The war against the Axiom Collective had begun.
And Ren Takatou was humanity's last hope.