Cycles of Eternity

Shirogami slowly opened his eyes. Around him was an infinite void, dark and oppressive, as if nothingness itself enveloped him. He didn't feel the cold of the place or the weight of the atmosphere; only absolute silence accompanied him. Yet, in front of him, a humanoid figure emerged from the shadows.

It was strange. Its body lacked features, save for a mouth that curved into a disturbing smile. It had no eyes, nose, or ears, yet it gave the impression that it was staring directly at him, piercing into the depths of his being.

"So, you've awakened," the figure said, breaking the silence with a voice that seemed to resonate in all directions.

Shirogami stared at it, his face as expressionless as ever.

"Where am I?" he asked, his tone devoid of emotion, almost mechanical.

The figure tilted its head as if analyzing every word.

"Oh, so you don't pretend," it said, its smile widening to reveal a row of sharp, inhuman teeth. "You're so boring, you know that?"

Shirogami didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the strange being.

"Well, you take all the fun out of it," the figure finally said with a dramatic sigh before continuing. "But tell me, why do you keep living? Or better yet, do you think you've ever truly lived?"

The question hung in the air. Shirogami didn't react, but the being didn't seem to need an answer.

"Let's see... maybe if we go back to the beginning, we'll find something interesting."

Suddenly, the void around him shifted. Shirogami found himself reliving scenes from his own life, moments he thought were buried in his memory. In each one, he saw himself interacting with the people who had shaped his existence: the warm embraces of his adoptive parents, the smiles of Kaori and Shizuku as they played together, and the moments of camaraderie with Raku. And most vividly, the times spent with Eriri.

Yet, something was different. From this new perspective, everything seemed devoid of life.

The emotions he remembered feeling during those moments felt false, simulated, as if they were carefully constructed masks. He watched himself learning to imitate laughter, tears, and even fear, all to fit in with those around him.

But it came at a price.

He saw himself waking up in the middle of the night, drenched in cold sweat, trapped in nightmares he couldn't escape. In them, he was always alone, lost in a meaningless world. Dark thoughts consumed him: Am I truly alive?

The void returned, along with the smiling figure.

"So, why bother pretending what you don't have?" the being asked, leaning toward him with an almost childlike curiosity. "What's false will always remain false, right?"

Shirogami finally spoke, his voice as neutral as ever:

"Why are you showing me this?"

The being chuckled softly, a sound that echoed like a distorted refrain.

"Because I'm curious, that's all." It paused, its smile growing more sinister. "But tell me, would you feel anything if I killed Kaori? Or Raku? What about your 'parents'?"

Shirogami didn't react. His gray eyes remained impassive.

"And what if it were... Shizuku?"

The name hung in the void like a threatening whisper. But even then, Shirogami showed no reaction.

"Eriri?"

At the mention of that name, something shifted within him. His brow furrowed slightly—almost imperceptibly—but enough for the figure to notice.

"Oh... so you can feel something. Or is it just another fake emotion?" the being said, its smile widening further.

Shirogami, confused, placed a hand on his chest. Something strange was stirring within him, something unknown yet real, tangible.

The being observed him with fascination.

"Well, it seems even you don't know what it is," it said, pausing as its nonexistent eyes seemed to pierce through him. "Tell me, Shirogami: do our feelings define whether we are alive? Or are we alive, and that's why we feel?"

Shirogami didn't answer. The being's words echoed in his mind, each one striking like a hammer, forcing him to reflect.

The being stepped back, crossing its arms with an amused expression.

"Well, we're out of time," it said, as though lamenting the end of their encounter.

Shirogami looked at it with a mix of uncertainty and something else... something he couldn't identify.

"Don't worry, Shirogami. You'll figure it all out in due time." The being tilted its head, its smile becoming almost gentle. "And remember: not everything you think you're faking is false."

Before Shirogami could respond, the void enveloped him once more, and the figure began to fade away.

When the place fell silent, a new figure emerged from the shadows.

Its presence was imposing, and although its face remained shrouded in darkness, its golden eyes glowed intensely. Beneath its right eye, a strange symbol gleamed with an enigmatic aura.

"Are you finished?" the new figure asked, its voice devoid of emotion.

The first being turned around, its eternal smile still etched on its face.

"Oh, yes. It's been a long time since I've spoken to anyone other than you." It shrugged with indifference. "Though, to be honest, it's not like there's much else to do here."

The newcomer didn't respond immediately, surveying the surroundings. The ground was covered by countless lifeless bodies, all nearly identical to Shirogami in appearance, each one representing a different version of him.

"It seems things are beginning," said the smiling being, its tone turning dark and sinister.

"Indeed. The pieces have been set, and the game has begun," replied the golden-eyed figure, its voice as cold as the void itself.

The smiling being shrugged again, glancing at the lifeless bodies.

"Will this be their end, or will they find a way out of this?"

The golden-eyed figure didn't answer. Its gaze fixed on the infinite horizon as the malevolent aura of the first being began to intensify.

The scene ended with a vision of the two entities—distorted reflections of Shirogami—surrounded by the bodies of those who had fallen before. One had a red eye and a black one, radiating an overwhelming darkness. The other possessed golden eyes and a strange symbol that seemed to pulse with hidden power.

Engulfed in endless darkness, Shirogami remained motionless, lost in thought.

The encounter with the unsettlingly smiling figure still reverberated in his mind, like an echo he couldn't ignore. The questions it had posed were like thorns sinking deeper and deeper: Why do you simulate what you don't have? Will falsehood always remain false? Are you truly alive?

Shirogami recalled the threat against Eriri, the words that had caused him to react in a way he didn't understand. What was that feeling that had consumed him then? He remembered the warmth that had enveloped him, something beyond any logical thought.

As the darkness surrounded him, fragments of memories began to surface.

The campfire with Shizuku: A warm glow illuminated their faces as they shared stories under the stars. Shirogami remembered Shizuku's gaze, filled with hope and determination. Though he hadn't fully understood it at the time, he felt something different in her presence—a faint vibration within himself that he had never experienced before.

His friendship with Raku: Despite their strange meeting, the camaraderie they had formed was something Shirogami couldn't ignore, even if he thought he had only been imitating.

The conversation with Kaori: That time when Kaori had asked if they could ever return home, her voice laden with vulnerability and hope. Shirogami recalled answering with words meant to comfort her, but now he understood that something deeper had driven him to do so.

His adoptive parents: Memories of their embraces and words of encouragement enveloped him in a warmth that even the darkest mist couldn't extinguish.

Eriri: From the moment he opened his eyes and saw her, something within him had changed. He couldn't describe it, but the mere image of her gave him a reason to move forward, even when his own existence felt empty.

As these memories wrapped around him, a spark of light appeared in the vast darkness. A purple ray cut through the void, illuminating the infinite space. At the same time, a faint silver glow began emanating from his left eye, like small sparks gradually intensifying.

"I... I am truly alive," Shirogami murmured, a faint smile of relief barely forming on his lips.

The purple ray intensified, slicing through the darkness like a cry of defiance. The silver aura emanating from his left eye responded to the shift in his thoughts, enveloping his body like a protective mantle.

"Even if I'm still unsure whether everything is real or not... I will protect those who make me feel alive," he vowed firmly.

With these words, a thunderous sound echoed in the darkness. The void collapsed around him, and reality reclaimed him once more.

Shirogami returned to the room where the wyvern lay, surrounded by the poisonous mist that had previously weakened him.

As he regained consciousness, he felt his internal organs beginning to regenerate, thanks to the aura enveloping him. However, his left arm, corroded by the wyvern's breath, did not fully heal. The burn marks and lacerations remained as visible scars—a reminder of his fragility.

The wyvern noticed his return. Its eyes burned with savage fury as it saw its prey, once on the brink of death, standing once more.

Shirogami clenched his fists, feeling the surge of energy coursing through him. Electric sparks danced along his arms, crackling against the ground with every movement.

"It's time to end this," he declared, a newfound resolve in his voice.

The wyvern roared, its thunderous cry reverberating through the chamber walls, a warning that it wouldn't fall without a fight. Its massive, scale-covered body moved with the deadly grace of a seasoned predator as it charged toward Shirogami.

Stepping forward, Shirogami adjusted to the energy pulsing through his body. His eyes glowed intensely—the left one emitting a silver spark that crackled with each motion. As the wyvern lunged, claws outstretched to tear him apart, Shirogami vanished in a flash of speed, reappearing directly behind the beast.

The wyvern pivoted swiftly, its tail lashing out in a devastating arc that sliced through the air. Shirogami narrowly dodged the blow, though the wind pressure forced him backward. Seizing the moment, he channeled the energy surging around him into his hands, forming a crackling sphere of purple lightning.

"Take this!" he shouted, hurling the sphere at the wyvern's side.

The impact shook the room, eliciting a roar of pain from the creature. But the wyvern was far from defeated. Twisting its massive form, it inhaled deeply and unleashed a torrent of corrosive fire at Shirogami.

Dashing to the side, Shirogami avoided the blazing stream, though the ground around him melted under the intense heat and chemicals. The wyvern pressed its advantage, battering him with its wings, each strike designed to trap him in a corner.

As the battle raged on, Shirogami began to adapt to his newfound power. Every movement became more precise, his reflexes sharper. In a fleeting moment, he vanished from the wyvern's sight entirely, reappearing an instant later to strike it with a concentrated bolt of lightning directly to its face.

The wyvern howled, momentarily blinded, and stumbled backward. Sensing his opportunity, Shirogami extended his hand, conjuring a spear of pure energy. The aura around it crackled violently, a storm contained within its form.

Charging at the creature, Shirogami's speed became almost imperceptible, each step leaving behind trails of fading purple light. As he closed the distance, the wyvern launched a desperate counterattack, lunging with all its might. Sliding beneath its massive neck, Shirogami drove the spear into its abdomen, unleashing a surge of electric energy.

The wyvern reeled, its body convulsing as lightning coursed through it. Despite the damage, it refused to yield. In a final act of defiance, it swung its tail upward, slamming it toward Shirogami.

Shirogami reacted quickly, conjuring a makeshift shield of energy. Though the shield absorbed much of the impact, the force sent him crashing into the wall.

"You're persistent... but this ends now," he muttered, breathing heavily as he staggered to his feet.

Raising both hands, he gathered every ounce of energy he could muster. Around him, purple and silver sparks intensified, forming a raging storm that engulfed his body. The wyvern, sensing the culmination of Shirogami's power, charged with unrelenting determination, its eyes blazing with fury.

"Don't come any closer!" Shirogami roared, releasing a massive beam of energy.

The attack struck the wyvern square in the chest, piercing through it entirely. The chamber erupted in a brilliant explosion of light, followed by a heavy silence. When the light faded, the wyvern lay motionless, its colossal body collapsing into the dust.

Shirogami stood amidst the aftermath, his breaths ragged and his body trembling. The aura surrounding him began to dissipate—the silver glow in his left eye dimming and the purple storm retreating into nothingness.

As the energy faded, a new sensation emerged: an overwhelming, unfamiliar pain.

Grasping his chest, Shirogami felt as though something within him was tearing apart. The pain was unrelenting, cutting through to his very core.

"What... what is this?" he whispered, his voice weak as he stumbled toward the chamber's exit.

With every step, the pain grew more intense—not merely physical, but as though his entire being was ablaze from within. Reaching the hallway, his vision blurred, and his legs gave out beneath him.

Shirogami collapsed to the ground, unable to bear the weight of the torment consuming him. His final thought before losing consciousness was a tangled mix of confusion and determination. For the first time in his existence, he had felt something real, even if it was pain.