Ren, Kento, and Jerry were finally heading toward the NHA.
Ren, clearly tired of walking, groaned,
Ren: "How much farther?"
Jerry: "Just a bit more."
Eventually, they reached an open area that looked like a vast, clean graveyard—flat, eerily silent, and unnatural.
Over 200 participants stood there, gathered for the NHA examination.
Suddenly, the ground beneath them vanished. Everyone began to fall into darkness. Then—nothing. Blackness swallowed everything.
---
Ren's eyes fluttered open. He was lying on a bed, tucked under a blanket.
Ren (thinking): I... I was there for the exam. Where am I now?
The door creaked open. A woman entered.
Woman: "I'm back home, son!"
Ren stared at her, confused. A random lady just called him... her son?
Woman: "You're finally awake!"
Her face was unfamiliar, but something about her felt strangely familiar to Ren.
Woman: "What happened? Are you hungry?"
Ren: "No… no, I'm fine."
Just then, a little boy around 7 years old ran in.
Kid: "Mom! Let's play! Dad's waiting outside!"
Woman: "I'm coming, son. Tell him to wait a moment."
The boy nodded and ran out.
Ren: "Where… where am I?"
Woman: "You're home. Come outside—it'll make you feel better."
She left.
Ren sat up and noticed he was wearing comfortable night clothes.
Ren (thinking): Jerry, Kento, Levina… was all that a dream?
Suddenly, the kid popped his head back in.
Kid: "Hey brother! Come out and play!"
Ren blinked and looked behind him.
Kid: "Why are you looking back? I'm calling you! No one else is here."
Ren: "You… called me brother?"
Kid: "Yeah! I'm Kurogane Shigaraki, your little brother. Did you forget me?"
Ren: "Heh… n-no, just asking."
Kurogane: "Then come on!"
Ren followed him outside. A storm was brewing, but oddly, the parents were playing outside like it was a sunny day.
Ren joined in. When his parents passed him the ball, it came easily. But when Ren threw it, strong winds pushed it back, making it harder to throw. The same happened to Kurogane.
Ren tried to ignore it, but unease gnawed at him. He turned to ask his parents—but before he could speak, they smiled and walked back inside.
Kurogane: "Yes, Dad!"
Their father patted both their heads before following.
Ren's eyes filled with tears.
Ren (thinking): Am I crying… because someone called me their son?
He turned back to Kurogane.
Ren: "Hey, pass me the ball again!"
But Kurogane's expression darkened. He threw the ball with such force that it knocked Ren down.
Ren: "Ouch! Be gentle, Kurogane."
Kurogane: "Gentle? Gentle, huh?"
The sky turned crimson.
Kurogane: "You ask if I'm okay? I'm not. You took everything I wanted. All the love… all the care… you had it all."
Ren: "Wha… what are you talking about?"
Kurogane: "You'll find out soon. Mom and Dad are going to die. And I'm glad."
He laughed maniacally.
Ren rushed toward the house—but before he could open the door, the house exploded.
The blast hurled him deep into the forest.
His body was a mess—half his face burned, his right arm gone, his legs mangled to the bone. But strangely, there was no pain.
He tried to get up.
Ren (thinking): Why… doesn't it hurt?
Then, Kurogane emerged from the trees, a knife in hand.
Ren limped away, but he was too slow. Kurogane stabbed him in the stomach and threw him toward a cliff.
Blood poured from Ren's mouth. His mind flashed through memories of Kento, Jerry, Aratsu, Levina…
Ren: "No… I won't die. Not here. This has to be a dream…"
He closed his eyes—but they shot open again.
He and Kurogane were now mid-air. Kurogane sat on top of him, knife raised.
Kurogane: "Still alive, brother?"
He stabbed again and again—until Ren flipped him off, grabbed the knife, and slashed Kurogane's throat.
Tears streamed down Ren's face.
He closed his eyes—
—and opened them to find himself back on the exam ground.
There were no wounds on his body. Not even a scratch.
A nearby participant approached.
Guy: "You okay? Congrats. You passed the trauma test."
Ren's thoughts snapped to Jerry. He saw her lying nearby, still trapped in her nightmare.
Minutes later, she jolted awake, gasping.
Ren: "You okay?"
He reached out to help—but she slapped his hand away.
Jerry was trembling. Her eyes were filled with rage.
Suddenly, glowing screens appeared before them.
Top-right corner:
50 / 200 Participants Cleared
Main Message:
"Welcome to Stage Two. Please proceed to the gate and submit the chip located at the back of your neck. - Thank you."
Ren reached behind his neck. There it was—a chip.
Everyone removed theirs.
As soon as they did, memories of the trauma faded like a mist.
Jerry's demeanor returned to normal.
Then, a massive gate rose from the ground.
One by one, the participants submitted their chips to the guards and stepped through.
To be continued…