Monday, October 20, 2025
Sakuraba High School — Cafetaria Section 2nd Floor
It was unusually crowded in the high school cafetaria that afternoon. Every table was taken, the air brimming with laughter and the buzz of chattering students sharing lunch. The din echoed off the tall windows and tiled floor.
Near the entrance, beside the vending machine, Ayano Mori sat with her two closest friends. They gathered around a small table with warm expressions, sharing bites and small talk over modest lunchboxes Ayano had prepared herself that morning. Her delicate fingers held a pair of chopsticks, while her left hand checked her phone.
She had just finished reading a message from her older brother, Haruto.
Then, without warning...
RATTLE... RATTLE... RATTLE..!
The floor began to tremble beneath them—subtly at first. But within seconds, the vibration intensified. Tables quivered, plates clinked and slid, and glasses tipped and spilled over with a sharp, chaotic splash.
RUMBLE... RUMBLE... RUMBLE!!
The entire building lurched as the earthquake hit full force. The ceiling lights swung wildly, flickering as dust rained from the vents and rafters. Glasses shattered in every direction, echoing like gunshots in the confined space.
Screams erupted.
"EARTHQUAKE!!"
"UNDER THE TABLE, NOW!!"
"EVERYONE OUT—GO! GO! GO!"
"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"
Ayano's chopsticks slipped from her fingers and clinked against the floor. She rose on instinct, but the ground beneath her tilted violently, throwing her off balance. She staggered, her lunch tumbling from table and staining her school skirt.
WEEEEEOOOOO…!
WEEEEEOOOOO…!
The city's tsunami warning sirens blared outside, loud and unrelenting. The sound shaking the last semblance of calm from everyone inside.
Then.. panic exploded.
The cafeteria descended into chaos. Chairs toppled in all directions. Tables slid, screeched against the tile, some overturning entirely. Half of the students dove beneath furniture, trembling and shielding their heads with trembling arms. The rest, stricken by instinct, rushed toward the exits in a frenzied flood of limbs and shrieks.
Several teachers shouted commands—some urging students to duck and cover, others trying to herd them toward emergency exits. But their voices were swallowed by the overwhelming noise: the quake's growl, the wails of students, and the continuous, spine-chilling scream of the emergency alarms.
Ayano tried to move but was quickly caught in the chaos. Bodies surged around her. A few hard elbows clipped her side. She stumbled back, unable to fight against the tide of bodies rushing toward the corridor.
And then, in that hurricane of movement, her phone slipped from her hand.
She didn't even realize it at first, too caught in the maelstrom of fear.
It hit the floor and spun once, twice, and...
KRAAAKKK..!
A heavy boot came down on it, shattering the phone in an instant.
She was still being pulled along, half-running, half-stumbling. Then, suddenly, a firm hand caught her arm and yanked her sharply sideways, into an empty classroom.
The door slammed shut.
"Let's stay in here." a voice said breathlessly.
"It's crazy out there—you could fall or get trampled. Come on, under the desk. Let's just wait it out here until it stops. Quick, quick."
Ayano blinked, and turned to see that it was one of her best friends. She nodded slowly, still trying to get her bearings.
Then suddenly, as she crawled under the desk:
"Eh...? Wait... my phone... where is it?!" Her voice cracked, realization dawning.
She patted at her pockets, turned her hands, and stared at her empty palms. Her eyes widened. Her phone... was gone.
**
Japan Seismic Monitoring Center (JSMC)
12:16 PM
Inside JSMC, the atmosphere grew tense.
Seismologists in headsets stared at their screens, faces pale with shock.
"Remain calm." a senior seismic analyst reassured them. "This facility is designed to withstand up to a 9.0 magnitude quake. Anything below that, we should be safe."
"Most earthquakes in Tokyo only last a few seconds." another analyst replied, eyes glued to his monitor. He hesitated, then continued, "But this quake hasn't subsided. It's already been over thirty seconds."
A man in his late forties, badge labeled "Katsuragi - JSMC Director", leaned closer, wiping sweat from his forehead. Anxiety seized him as he studied the flashing red seismic readings on the large screens ahead.
Something felt deeply wrong.
"Katsuragi-san!" one analyst called out, trembling. "We've pinpointed the epicenter!"
"Where is it?"
"The coordinates… It's—it's right in the middle of Tokyo." the analyst stammered, pointing at his screen with shaking hands.
"What?! Tokyo has no active fault lines. Run those readings again—this has to be an error!" Katsuragi commanded.
"I already did, several times." the analyst replied nervously. "It's not an error."
Another analyst confirmed, "He's right, Katsuragi-san. My results match his exactly."
A third analyst spoke, voice strained, "This doesn't feel like a normal earthquake, sir."
"Impossible." Katsuragi shook his head, disbelief clear on his face. "Exactly where is it located?"
"Hold on…" The analyst quickly pulled up a map of Japan, zooming in on the large central screen. Satellite imagery updated in real-time, displaying the epicenter clearly:
Sakamiya University.
The room froze, everyone staring in silent shock. Just moments ago, they'd seen the live broadcasts of the military fighting mysterious creatures there.
"The epicenter is… Sakamiya University." the analyst repeated quietly.
Silence filled the room, broken only by soft gasps of disbelief.
Another analyst, double-checking figures, turned pale. "Katsuragi-san, the depth calculation just finished. The epicenter is… zero meters deep."
For several seconds, no one spoke. Then…
"WHAT?!" Katsuragi shot up, his chair scraping loudly. "Are you telling me the epicenter is at surface level?! That's impossible!"
He continued, shaken, "Zero meters? This has never happened! There's no natural force capable of causing earthquakes at surface level—NONE!"
Everyone fell silent, feeling as though their entire understanding of geophysics had just been shattered.
One analyst hesitated before asking softly, "Katsuragi-san, should we broadcast this information to the public immediately?"
"Yes, do it." Katsuragi replied weakly.
He leaned back against a table, breathing shallowly. "Sakamiya University… What on earth is happening there…?"
On one of the main screens, seismic data blinked in glaring red letters:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Magnitude: 5.0
Epicenter: Sakamiya University
Depth: 0 meters
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Katsuragi-san." a senior analyst suddenly spoke, fear rising in his voice. "I'm receiving additional earthquake alerts simultaneously across multiple regions in Japan. Hold on—I'll display it now."
On another large monitor, Japan's map appeared, multiple blinking red dots indicating simultaneous earthquakes.
"There are… 52 epicenters. All at zero meters depth, just like Tokyo." the senior analyst announced, his voice strained. "What's happening?"
"ALL AT ZERO METERS?!" everyone in the monitoring room shouted in unison, horrified.
"Fifty-two simultaneous quakes…?" Katsuragi whispered, his voice hollow.
"My God… What's going on in Japan?"
He sank weakly into his chair, panic gripping him. Everyone felt cold sweat running down their backs, unable to comprehend this impossible event.
A moment later, Katsuragi's smartphone rang urgently:
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Prime Minister
Fujio Fumida
is calling . . .
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
**
Back to Sakamiya University
The Conference Room 2nd Floor
Just over a minute later, as the tremors began to settle, Haruto Mori pulled out his phone, his hand trembling.
He opened his messaging app—no new reply from Ayano.
He tapped her contact, calling her.
One ring. Two. Three.
Then...
"The number you are trying to reach is currently outside the service area or has been turned off."
The cold system voice struck directly into his chest.
He tried again—same result.
A third time. Still nothing.
The sterile tone repeated, each syllable tightening the dread in his chest.
Haruto's heart sank.
"No… Ayano…" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
His fingers gripped the phone tightly.
She should have been at school. She should have been safe… right?
Was she okay? Please be safe, Ayano...
But a knot of unease twisted in his gut.
— — —
Across Tokyo and Surrounding Areas
12:16 PM
The tremors finally began to subside—but the fear did not. All across Tokyo, millions of smartphones lit up at once. The emergency alert tone blared through offices, homes, schools, and train stations. A second earthquake warning had arrived.
People glanced down at their screens, expecting the usual data—epicenter location, magnitude, depth. Maybe a tsunami warning. But when they read the details, their stomachs twisted with unease.
After dimension rifts, monsters, terrifying weapons… this earthquake information felt even more surreal. No one expected this.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
EMERGENCY EARTHQUAKE ALERT
Magnitude: 5.0
Epicenter: Sakamiya University
Depth: 0 Meters
Note: May be followed by tsunami.
Please seek the nearest emergency shelter.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
"That's… IMPOSSIBLE!"
"What the hell?! An earthquake right on the surface?!"
"This… this isn't normal!"
"Wait… what? A zero-meter depth?! That doesn't even make sense!"
"Is this a glitch or something?!"
"Tsunami warning?! What is going on?!"
A wave of confusion rippled through the city—then quickly turned into fear.
"What the hell is happening at Sakamiya University?!"
And then—it came.
SSHHRRIIEEEEEAAAAKKK...!!!
The shriek exploded out from Sakamiya University's parking lot, tearing through the city.
It rattled windows. It stabbed through hearts. It stopped blood cold.
At the university, people dropped to their knees, hands over their ears, faces contorted in agony.
It was louder than thunder, sharper than steel—a sound so alien, so horrific, it seemed to drill straight into the bones of anyone who heard it.
Inside a crowded shopping mall, people cried out in pain. Many covered their ears, trembling, as a choking dread wrapped around their chests.
In homes and offices, families and workers froze. Some screamed. Some turned pale. Some couldn't even move. The sound blasted through TVs, through phones, through live news feeds.
Even at public viewing areas, where just minutes ago people had been watching in awe, the atmosphere collapsed into chaos. The gut-piercing scream drowned everything.
— — —
Sakamiya University – Main Building
Lobby and Hallways
SSHHRRIIEEEEEAAAAKKK...!!!
Phones clattered to the floor as people covered their heads, bodies recoiling from the sheer force of the sound. It slammed into them like a wave of dread, crashing into their hearts and minds.
The monstrous shriek spread throughout the campus, echoing across Tokyo, carried through every radio broadcast, every livestream.
In the lobby, Tokyo TV reporter Aya Shina dropped her microphone. Her cameraman's hands trembled, the footage shaking violently. Other reporters reacted the same way—faces pale, hands frozen.
"KKYAAAAAHHH…!!"
Civilians dropped to the floor, clutching their chests, gasping for air. Police officers and soldiers posted nearby felt their legs weaken. Many collapsed. No one had ever experienced anything like this.
"That sound…!"
"Oh God, it's horrible…"
"It's back! It's coming again!"
"I'm so scared!"
"God, please save us…"
**
The Conference Room 2nd Floor
In the command center, the reaction was far worse. Here, only a select few had watched the classified footage of Sergeant Makoto's exploration mission in the Dimension Rift few hours before.
Haruto's chest tightened. Kanna's blood ran cold. Colonel Hayato stiffened, his hands shaking.
Everyone remembered.
That voice—the one that had massacred nearly all of Sergeant Makoto's elite unit. Only one had escaped, gravely injured, barely alive. The rest… were slaughtered.
They had heard that scream before.
The Boss Monster.
The Boss of the Labyrinth, as Makoto had named it.
And now… they had no weapons left. The magma was gone. The battlefield had cooled. Without realizing it, they had prepared the perfect stage—for what came next.
General Victor staggered. His knees buckled and his adjutant barely caught him, pulling a chair beneath him before he collapsed. His face was pale, his breath unsteady.
His hands shook. His voice barely escaped.
"This… This is my fault. I shouldn't have cooled the magma field. SHIT!" He clenched his jaw, teeth grinding in regret.
On the drone camera feed, the bluish-green Void Gate began to shift color. The blue and green hues faded, replaced by a burning red glow. It pulsed, expanded—like a living wound preparing to tear wider.
Colonel Hayato's eyes narrowed. "It's glowing red… just like before. Before the first wave."
Operator Ishikawa called out with alarm, "Colonel! The Void Gate is expanding—estimated size: six meters tall, four meters wide. Something huge is coming!"
"This is bad." Hayato whispered, cold sweat forming on his brow.
"We just cleared the way for them." Kanna muttered, face drained of color.
"Oh my God… I-It's coming out this time… Luna, what do we do?" Rear Admiral Tatsumi Okada covered her mouth in panic, turning to Luna.
They hadn't won. They had only survived the first wave.
And now—
The real nightmare was about to begin.
And they had nothing left to fight it.
"This energy… this Chaos energy is enormous…" Luna's body trembled as she felt the shift. Her breathing turned ragged. Her arms clutched tightly around herself, fingernails digging into her skin.
Then she screamed:
"GET READY—THEY'RE COMING!!"
— — —
Lobby and Hallways
Hundreds of people in the building erupted in panic.
"Look! The Rift… it's changing color to red!"
"It's.. It's growing bigger… What's going to come out?!"
The Void Gate now glowed with a crimson blaze, its circular center spinning and cracking with red arcs. Droning whispers and ominous ringing filled the air.
The eerie sound of heavy chimes echoed from the parking lot, resonating across the entire area. The toll rang out nine times like a death knell, as if counting down to something terrifying that was about to emerge.
DONG..! … DONG..! … DONG..!
The echo of the bell chilled everyone who heard it.
"So creepy… AAHHHH…!"
"That bell… It's like a horror movie!"
"What the hell is that rift even doing?!"
"That's not a rift anymore—that's a gate to hell!"
"Please, I'm so scared…"
After the ninth bell rang, a deep, unnatural vibration swept through the air.
The ground shook once more—this time, centered at Sakamiya University.
The Crimson Void Gate pulsed violently…
And then… they came.
From the depths of the rift, something erupted.
Not one. Not two. Dozens.
SCCREECCHHEEESS..!!
A horrific chorus of screeches burst from the gate. Dozens of new Chaos Beasts suddenly poured out. Their giant, worm-like bodies—armored in dark, jagged scales—rammed their way into the world.
One after another, they surged out of the rift. Their massive five-meter-long bodies dragged across the hardened battlefield with earth-shaking weight as they slithered forward.
"IYAAAAHHHH..!!"
People inside the university screamed, eyes wide, horror stretching across their faces. The civilians watching live feeds all across Japan froze.
Their celebration had ended.
"They're back!!!"
"Oh God—there's so many!!"
The Second Wave... had begun.
— — —
Inside the Conference Room
All the officials and VIPs, including Haruto and Kanna, were fixated on the monitor showing the live drone camera feed—watching in horror as dozens of the same worm-like monsters from the first wave emerged one after another from the massive Crimson Void Gate, now towering at six meters high and five meters wide.
Fear swept through the room. Even the senior military officers and high-ranking police officials—men who had faced war, crime, and bloodshed—felt it. This wasn't like anything they had ever encountered.
"This is unlike any threat Earth has ever faced… Is this the end of Japan?" asked a middle-ranking police official, his voice trembling.
"Get ready…" Luna warned, her voice shaky. "It's coming… the Chaos Beast Boss."
"Chaos Beast Boss..? The biggest one that devoured Sergeant Makoto at the end of the Dimension Rift expedition footage a few hours ago?!" Colonel Hayato asked urgently.
"Yes." Luna replied, her voice tight with tension.
Then she turned back to the screen, her tone rising in panic.
"IT'S COMING OUT..!"
— — — — —