Ultimus Stat- World Trigger

Chapter 3: wavering heart

 It's been three weeks since I woke up in this body, and it was only last night that I finally broke down. Today, like every other day in the last three weeks, I dragged myself to breakfast. awkwardness creeping over me as I saw Nurse Rumi. We didn't talk much last night and to be honest I'm glad she wasn't not asking me questions about it. I would absolutely loathe that conversation.

"Here you go, Takumi. Rice, eggs, miso soup," she said, her voice cheery. It was routine by now, the way she greeted me. I nodded, silently accepting the tray of food as she busied herself preparing the shower.

I stared at the plate, my appetite dulled by the blandness of everything they served here. But I forced myself to eat. I had to. If I was going to rebuild this body, I needed whatever fuel they gave me.

"Takumi, you're ready," Nurse Rumi called out, signaling that the shower was prepped. I finished the last bite, gesturing for her to help me to the bathroom. I hated it—the fact that I couldn't even be trusted to stand and shower on my own. Yet, every time, I insisted. I wanted to do it myself, to hold onto some shred of dignity.

Rumi moved me into the shower to help me get undressed. Which I found embarrassing at first but quickly got over it. I sat in the chair and Rumi turned on the water and left the bathroom, giving me some much needed privacy. The hot water falling against my skin was alleviating. I sat there for a minute just enjoying the naked privacy that could only be had in the shower. I began to clean my body trying to distract my mind from anything That would ruin my serene mood. After cleaning myself I turned the water off. I opened the curtain and drew the towel from the shower. 

There was a big mirror that was on the wall across from where I sat and like everyday I stared at myself. just to get a tiny bit more familiar with my body, my face. I was pale, not deathly but Not noticeably. And I was skinny, not extremely so. It's better than what it was 3 weeks ago but I'm a working progress from slim. I had this dirty blond hair that looked like dusty sand, if that made sense and dull grey eyes, with a beauty mark under my right eye. My hair was long and wet sticking to my face, reaching just below my shoulder.

I lifted my damp hair, my fingers tracing the uneven ridges of the scar stretching across my forehead. The stitches had long since healed, but the rough texture remained—a reminder carved into my skin. A sigh escaped my lips, heavy and tired

I finished drying off and called Rumi to help me put back on my clothes, light blue shirt and pants the hospital provided. And like clockwork I sat in my wheelchair and we began moving for physical therapy. 

"Are you ok Takumi?" Rumi word hung in the air for a while before I answered giving a half hearted "yeah." To be completely honest, I'm completely dazed. I just feel like I've just been moving with no progress, a dog chasing his tail and everything feels so pointless. 

"Are you sure, you know you can talk to me, especially about la-" I cut Rumi off before she could finish.

"I'm fine!" I uncharacteristically shouted at her. Silence linger between us. I ducked my head low in frustration. Everything felt utterly helpless. How do I even know if this world was even at a point where they could even travel the neighborhood? How would I even get my revenge on afterater. And if I don't get that, then what would the point of living be when everyone else has died?

"Shit" I curse in anger more about my helplessness than my agitation. 

" I think we should take a detour from our usual schedule. We have been doing the same thing for a while haven't we. It's a nice day today. How about we got outside for a walk." Rumi offered. shaking off my outburst with a joyful smile. I couldn't help but find it annoying.

" no. there is no point the faster I can start walking fully the better." 

" Well I guess that's why I'm the one controlling where you go" Rumi took a completely different direction from our usual route. Before I could even protest she rushed me out the hospital door. Fluster by the speed I could barely get out a word. By the time we reached outside I was feeling ready to puke this body clearly not used to that level of speed. Rumi looked at my situation and just burst out in laughter. 

" This isn't funny" I protested but she paid me no mind. Frustration took me. I was gonna demand she bring me back but Rumi's face looked more serious than I've ever seen her.

"You're the kind of person who throws yourself into tasks to avoid dealing with the real problem," she said, her voice softer now, more serious. "You don't have to talk about what happened, but you do need to let yourself breathe, Takumi."

Her words hit harder than I expected. She wasn't going to let this go, and I wasn't in the mood to fight. So I just sighed, relenting.

"Good," she said with a knowing smile, pushing me forward on this walk she insisted on. And, for the first time today, I let myself go along with it.

There was a pleasant park near the hospital, not too big but large enough that people gathered there often. You'd see elders feeding ducks, moms bringing their kids to burn off energy, dads keeping in shape, and teens just being teens.

It was truly a nice day outside. The much-needed sun kissed my pale skin, and for the first time in what felt like ages, there was a slight shimmer in my otherwise dull gray eyes. The breeze was light , the air fresh, but honestly, it was all too peaceful for me.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Takumi?" Nurse Rumi asked. I simply shrugged my shoulders in response. I appreciated the change of scenery, but there was a lingering dread at the back of my mind that I couldn't shake.

We came to an unexpected halt. "Isn't it beautiful?" Rumi said. I hadn't been paying attention to where we were going, so I was taken aback by the scene before me.

A gentle breeze stirred the air, sending delicate pink petals drifting down from the cherry blossom trees that lined the small lake. Their branches, heavy with blossoms, arched gracefully over the water, creating a canopy of soft color reflected in the glassy surface below. The scent of the flowers mingled with the crisp, fresh smell of the water, filling the air with a calming sweetness. The lake was still, its surface barely rippling as the petals touched down, floating like tiny boats. Only the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant song of a bird broke the silence, creating an atmosphere of pure tranquility. For a moment, the dread that clung to me slipped away.

Rumi sat beside me on the lush green grass, and we stayed there quietly. For the first time since I'd arrived in this world, I felt like I could truly take a break. In that instant, I simply lived in the moment.

"This is the first time I've seen you relax," Rumi said softly, her eyes on me. I looked back at her, noticing a cherry blossom petal resting gently in her hair. I guess I was a little relaxed after all.

But that moment of peace was abruptly shattered.

"Alert! All people, evacuate the area! I repeat, all people evacuate the area!" A metallic voice echoed across the park, accompanied by the wail of alarms.

Chaos erupted around us. I glanced at Rumi, her eyes wide with panic as she darted toward me, desperate to pull us out of the danger. Her hand reached for the handle of my wheelchair, but in that instant, everything slowed down. Time itself seemed to stretch thin. I saw every detail; the way her short black hair whipped in the wind, her honey-colored eyes filled with fear, and a single blossom petal carried by the breeze.

Then, it hit me; that feeling that had saved my life more times than I could count. Instinct took over. Without thinking, I threw my weight forward, using every ounce of strength left in this frail body to shove her away. The world snapped back into motion, and in the blink of an eye, a bolt of lightning tore through the air, crackling between us.

I crashed to the ground, the momentum sending me sprawling from the wheelchair. Pain shot through my limbs, but I didn't care. I pushed myself up to my knees, scanning the sky, tracing the source of the strike. My breath came in sharp gasps, but my focus was unshakable.

I looked up From the sky, a towering figure descended with a crackle of energy. lightning and thunder eroded the air as this monstrous figure tore time and space. Ghostly white and larger than a four-story building, its armored, insect-like body glistened under the soft light of the cherry blossoms, a stark contrast to the calm, beautiful setting. Each step it took made the ground tremble, sending ripples through the lake and scattering the petals that had gently settled on its surface. Its single glowing yellow eye, where a mouth should be, scanned the area. One word crossed my mind: bamster.

The towering figure loomed over us, but I barely registered Rumi trembling beside me. My mind was consumed by something else—rage. This was a an Aftokrator collector model. Even after they destroyed my world, here they were, invading another. These bastards.

I tried to stand, my knees buckling beneath the weight of my weak, twig-like legs. But I wasn't about to kneel in front of these scum. I moved forward instinctively, my hand reaching for my trigger, but it wasn't there. And then reality hit me hard. This body was too frail. I couldn't even stand properly, let alone fight. The collector wasn't even designed for combat, and yet, I was powerless. I couldn't run. I had no weapon to destroy it.

"Damn it!" I cursed, my voice hoarse with frustration.

"Takumi…" Rumi's voice was shaky, almost drowned by her trembling. I looked over to her, her legs quivering so much that I doubted she could even stand.

"Rumi, snap out of it! We've gotta get out of here, now!" I shouted, forcing her out of her paralysis. My wheelchair I needed it. I couldn't move without it.

"Rumi, get my chair! We need to go, now!" I ordered. She nodded quickly, grabbing the wheelchair and pulling it to me. I looked back at the behemoth towering over us, its silver tentacles slowly snaking through the air, locking its singular glowing eye on us.

But before we could even attempt to escape, the tentacles shot forward, wrapping around us. At that moment, I was utterly powerless, trapped in the grip of Aftokrator's overwhelming strength. Just like before. Just like now. My heart pounded with fury and helplessness.

I closed my eyes, not in acceptance, but in defiance. I wouldn't die like this, on my knees before these monsters.

Suddenly, my body jerked, and when I opened my eyes again, the hulking Neighbor was nowhere near us. Instead, I found myself cradled in someone's arms, my body being lowered gently to the ground.

"You're safe here," a voice rang out, soft and soothing, as if he were calming a frightened child.

He placed me down with care, and I saw that Rumi was also set gently beside me. I looked up at the man who had saved us. He had brown hair, with two bangs framing either side of his face, and wore teal-tinted shades that held back the rest of his hair. His eyes were a sharp, piercing green.

He turned away from us, revealing the word "Border" stitched across the back of his jacket. His focus was on the Neighbor now.

"How did a Neighbor breach the barrier?" he muttered into an earpiece, his tone calm but firm. His attention remained on the creature as he spoke, assessing the situation with a practiced ease.

"Fine, I'll handle it. Just send reinforcements—I've got two civilians here who were a bit too close for comfort," he said, his voice steady as he continued the conversation.

I had to know. The words burned in my throat, desperate to escape.

"Who are you?" I asked, the question searing my tongue as I forced it out.

The man turned slightly, pulling down his shades as his expression grew more serious.

"Oh, me?" he said with a casual smile. "I'm Jin. Yuichi Jin."

He pulled out his trigger, and with a swift motion, a glowing yellow blade materialized in his hand, illuminating the air around us.