Creator's Social Media:Instagram: yurisantos_nkYoutube: Kay Nomura
Humanity had faced wars, pandemics, and natural disasters, but nothing prepared us for the real threat: creatures emerging from the depths of darkness, devouring everything in their path. We didn't know what they were, but we knew what they wanted — destruction. The global population was reduced to a fraction of what it once was, while survivors clung to any hope. Cities that were once beacons of civilization now lay in ruins, and fear hung heavy in the air.
These monsters, known for their cruelty and immense power, seemed invulnerable. Our weapons, our armies — all failed against the impenetrable flesh of these aberrations. But amidst despair, humanity found a small spark of hope: a rare metal, hidden deep underground, capable of piercing the skin of these creatures. It was an advancement, but still not enough.
Then, the unexpected happened. On a battlefield, after a bloody victory, a soldier touched the lifeless body of one monster. To everyone's horror, the corpse reacted. Its muscles twitched violently. Out of the ten people present, only two managed to provoke this reaction. This phenomenon stunned everyone but also opened the door to new understanding.
Scientists began studying the creatures' bodies, and a true discovery was made. There was a way to use the strength of these aberrations to our advantage. The secret lay in special suits designed to amplify human potential. However, not just anyone could wear them — only those with a special connection, a rare compatibility with the suit. And so the Special Forces were born, composed of individuals with this unique ability.
The suits did not grant supernatural powers but enhanced instincts and reflexes, transforming ordinary warriors into highly efficient combat machines. With these new weapons and the cutting metal, humanity resisted for years, eliminating the creatures one by one. But it soon became clear the hordes were endless. The surviving cities began to fall, one after another, while the ghoul forces grew stronger.
The Liberation Army, the last bastion of hope, continues fighting, but the weight of war only grows heavier. The battle is far from over.
In a small countryside town...
"What do you think, Kay?" Mira exclaimed, slamming the book shut with a sharp gesture.
"A waste of time! How many times are you going to read the same thing?" Kay replied, standing from his chair with disdain.
"You need to pay more attention to human history!" Mira insisted, annoyed.
"If you really want to join the Army, then focus more on your training, not on those books!" Kay shot back, crossing his arms.
"You only think about that, training every day and nothing else!" Mira said, exasperated.
"Unlike you, I have no interest in joining the Army. This staff is enough to kill ghouls." Kay glanced quickly at the simple staff he carried.
Mira looked at him, crossing her arms, and sighed.
"You say that, but one day your laziness will get you into trouble."
"Maybe. But definitely not today."
Kay is my childhood friend... Oh, how lazy he is. Ten years ago, our village was attacked by a ghoul. We lost our homes, our crops... our happiness. Kay lost his parents in that attack, and since then he's lived with us — me and my mother. Everyone who survived deals with it in their own way. But Kay... he holds a grudge, a deep grudge against the ghouls. Day after day, he trains relentlessly. And we both carry a secret no one in the village knows. Not even my father.
That ghoul was brutally killed... by Kay. I still don't understand how he did it. The only weapon that can kill a ghoul is made of Noxium, and yet he killed it with that staff. When I saw it, I was scared. What could I do? I was just a little girl. But I realized how incredible he was... and started joining him in daily training. But what a regret... every day I come home exhausted... — thought Mira, letting out a tired sigh.
"Hey, Mira, you can go home!" said Kay.
"Really? You're letting me off without training?" Mira exclaimed, smiling.
"I'm not forcing you to train. You come on your own... Tomorrow, tiring yourself today will affect your test performance!" said Kay.
"Are you thinking about me?" Mira exclaimed, surprised.
"It would be embarrassing if my disciple didn't pass the test!" Kay replied.
"Since when I... Never mind. Tomorrow's the test to enter the Army, we need to rest!" Mira said.
"We need to? I've told you many times I'm not interested. Good luck!" Kay said as he left.
"Hm, he's still stubborn!" Mira thought.
Mira went back home.
"I'm home!" Mira said, taking off her shoes.
"Welcome!" her mother said from the kitchen.
"What a nice smell!" Mira exclaimed.
"Go bathe and then come down with Kay to eat. You need to eat well for tomorrow!" her mother said.
"Kay keeps saying the same thing. He doesn't want to go take the test!" Mira said, climbing the stairs.
"He doesn't want to go?" her mother murmured, irritated.
At dusk.
"I'm home!" Kay said, taking off his shoes.
"Welcome back! Go bathe and then come eat!" her mother said.
"What a nice smell!" Kay exclaimed.
"It's going to get cold!" her mother said.
"I'll be quick!" Kay said, going upstairs.
"Why are you smiling so strangely?" Mira exclaimed at the table.
"Did you make coffee?" her mother smiled.
"He likes to drink it after training. You know how he gets discouraged living without coffee!" Mira said.
"I know! Don't drink coffee today or you won't sleep well!" her mother warned.
"Okay! I'll finish putting away my things while he's in the bathroom!" Mira said, leaving.
"I already imagined he'd keep thinking like that, but I can't let Mira go alone to the city!" her mother thought, opening the bottle lid.
After dinner.
"Thanks for the food!" Mira said.
"Thanks for the food!" Kay said.
"How was it?" her mother exclaimed.
"It was great, as always!" Kay said, satisfied.
"It was worth my effort!" her mother smiled.
"Stop spoiling him!" Mira said.
"You need to rest. You'll wake up early tomorrow!" her mother said.
"Okay, I'm going to my room!" Mira said, leaving.
"How do you think she'll do?" her mother exclaimed.
"I don't know! Mira is smart, but anxious. We've trained every day, so I know her physical skills are good. But if she overthinks, she might end up doing nothing during the test. And there's that thing about compatibility with the suit," Kay said.
"I know what you're going to say: because of incompatibility, the Army rejects many promising people! Isn't that right?" Mira's mother said, serving coffee for him.
"If they dismiss her, they'd be fools. But I think it's unlikely! She just has to not freeze, and she'll be fine!" Kay said, drinking the coffee.
"Are you sure you don't want to go too? This might be the last coffee you'll have from my daughter!" Rem, Mira's mother, said.
Kay choked.
"Last? They get days off too; there's time for her to come here!" Kay said.
"How long will this take? Can you really live without drinking coffee? I remember Mira went a week without coffee and you seemed like a lazy creature crawling on the floor!" her mother laughed.
Kay's hand trembled.
"I can handle it!" Kay said.
"Her coffee is really good, perfectly and carefully made. Why do you think that is?" Rem exclaimed.
"Talent?" Kay said.
"We won't have that talent around here, so enjoy it!" Rem said, placing the bottle near him.
"Aren't you going to drink?" Kay exclaimed.
"I have to drive tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep early!" Rem said, leaving.
"Good night!" Kay said.
"Yes! Good night!" Rem replied.
One hour later.
"Daughter! Grab your things and let's go!" Rem said.
"Now?" Mira exclaimed, confused.
"Let's go!" Rem said.
"These bags...?" Mira said.
"I'll explain later, come on!" Rem said, leaving.
They loaded the bags into the car.
"What's going on?" Mira exclaimed.
"Did you take your phone? Is everything in the car?" Rem said, entering the house.
"Yes! Why are you so agitated?" Mira exclaimed.
They returned to the kitchen.
"He fell asleep at the table! Kay never changes!" Mira said.
"He drank it all!" Rem said, putting away the bottle.
Mira remembered her mother's words: "Don't drink coffee today or you won't sleep well!"
"What did you do?" Mira exclaimed.
"Sleeping pills, strong enough for him to sleep until the test time!" Rem said, carrying Kay.
"Why did you do that?" Mira exclaimed, shocked.
"Did you really want to leave him behind?" Rem exclaimed, putting Kay in the car. "Lock the house and let's go!" Rem said, getting into the car.
"I need to get something!" Mira said, entering the house.
She returned with Kay's staff and locked the house.
"Let's go!" Rem said.
They started the trip to the capital. Several hours later...
"You're not going to sleep?" Rem exclaimed.
"I'm still trying to believe this!" Mira said.
"You'll get over it when you're both in the Army!" Rem said.
"I'm not saying I'm upset, I'm just trying to process that my mom did that!" Mira said.
"He would be discouraged without coffee. You know him! And you'd be scared without him, so I did it for both of you!" Rem said.
"I'll be with the best soldiers and you think I'd be scared just because he isn't there? I'm not a child anymore!" Mira said.
"Alright, I believe you. Now go to sleep!" Rem said.
"He's going to be very mad when he wakes up!" Mira said, looking at the back seat.
"I put a box full of coffee back there. Just make some for him and the anger will pass!" Rem said.
"Using your daughter, you're smarter than I thought!" Mira said, falling asleep.
"You're sixteen now, you're adults. If you delay, it may be too late!" Rem thought.
They arrived at a guard post.
"Good evening, guard!" Rem said.
"Good evening, ID please!" the guard said.
Rem handed it over.
"What brings you to the city?" the guard exclaimed.
"The Army exam!" Rem said.
"There are many young people trying this year, it'll be tough, but good luck!" the guard said, returning the ID.
"Thanks! I'll pass the message!" Rem said.
"Open the gate!" an Army person said.
"Alright!"
"Have a good trip!" the guard said.
"Good work!" Rem responded.
She continued the trip.
That insignia was from the Fourth Division, Rem thought, smiling.
The trip went smoothly. They arrived at the capital's wall.
"Good evening!" another guard said.
"Good evening!" Rem replied.
"What brings you here?" the guard asked, taking her ID.
"The Army exam!" Rem said.
"There are many young people this year..." the guard said.
"Yeah, I heard!" Rem said.
The guard looked inside the car.
"The Imperial Army is also an option!" the guard said.
"What do you mean by that?" Rem exclaimed.
"Nothing, carry on!" the guard said, handing back the ID.
The wall gate opened.
"Thank you very much!" Rem said, heading into the city.
"Country bumpkins who think they can join the Army!" the guard said, laughing.
"They'll soon realize things aren't so easy!" another guard said, laughing.
The next morning.