Two moons hung silently in the heavens, casting pale, ethereal light over the shattered world below. Their glow pierced through the crumbling ruins of the forgotten town, where shadows clung to walls and wind whispered secrets of the past.
Leaning against the broken wall of an abandoned house, Shirou sat with his legs drawn in, his sword resting nearby. His eyes, half-lidded, gazed upward, reflecting twin lunar lights. A soft, rhythmic breathing reached his ears—Nana lay beside him, curled up beneath his tattered cloak, her small hands clutching a scrap of cloth like a treasured relic.
"What am I supposed to do with her?" Shirou thought. His brows furrowed. "She can't stay with me. The path I've chosen... It's not one meant for children. She deserves safety, a home."
He reached into the inventory. The blue key shimmered to life in his hand—the Dungeon Key, humming with faint energy like it was eager to be used.
"I need to get stronger. That's the only way to survive. To protect anything."
With a flick of his wrist, he twisted the key in the air. Space groaned and bent unnaturally, folding in on itself until a swirling blue portal expanded before him. The light flickered across the room as the wind stirred the dust.
Shirou glanced one last time at the sleeping girl before stepping through the portal.
As always, nausea hit like a hammer to the gut. His body felt stretched, then compressed, tossed around like clay in the hands of a violent god.
He stumbled out of the other side, landing on solid ground.
[You have entered the 11th Floor.]
The notification blinked, and Shirou looked around. He now stood atop a bleak, jagged mountain range painted in shades of black. Thunder rumbled in the distance. The clouds above churned, spewing crackling lightning down into the peaks like divine wrath.
"This place... feels heavy."
Then he felt it.
The ground shifted beneath his boots. The black rock surrounding him trembled. With grinding noises, massive boulders broke apart and began to move. Cracks formed down their middles as glowing crimson light poured from within. They assembled into humanoid forms—massive, two-meter-tall constructs of obsidian and molten seams.
[Garganite Titan – Level 16]
[Objective: Defeat the Garganite Titan.]
"Garganite Titans..huh," Shirou muttered.
He summoned his long sword, which he picked up back on Floor 7 from a wave of blue-skinned minions. The blade had weight and reach, and when infused with his flame mana, it burned with dark, roaring fire.
He channelled mana.
"Flame Edge."
The sword ignited in dark red flame, heat rippling around it. He could feel the pressure as mana surged through the blade. It felt stronger, sharper—but he also knew this power came at a cost. His mana gauge was draining faster than he liked.
The first Titan lunged.
A boulder-sized fist swung horizontally. Shirou ducked under it, only to find a second arm approaching him from the side.
With nimble grace, he twisted his body, leaping upward. The blade came down, carving through the Titan's chest. Sparks flew.
A faint glow shimmered deep inside the Titan's body.
"The core... that must be the weak point."
He shifted his stance, angled his blade, and drove it into the exposed core.
[You have defeated the opponent.]
Another Titan burst from the ground behind him. Without turning, Shirou spun and slashed.
"Flame Arc!"
A crescent of black fire roared from his blade, smashing into the Titan's chest. The creature staggered.
A third one charged from the left.
"Flame Edge!"
Shirou dashed forward, flames flaring on his blade. He pierced the Titan's core, flames exploding from within. The construct shattered into burning chunks.
[You have defeated the opponent.]
[You have levelled up.]
[You have reached Level 20.]
[HP and MP restored.]
He exhaled, a momentary relief washing over him.
But then—a flash of memory struck.
"Shit. Nana. I left her alone."
In that split-second of distraction, another Titan struck. A heavy arm collided with his back, sending Shirou hurtling through the air. He crashed into a jagged stone wall, coughing blood.
He raised a trembling hand.
A green gem materialised in his palm—the Return Stone.
"I can't believe I forgot about her... what if someone..."
He crushed the gem.
[You are being teleported to your world.]
White light swallowed him.
His mind raced.
"Is this how disconnected I've become? Are my emotions still this numb?. Just be safe, damn it "
As the light faded, he found himself back in the ruined house. Everything was quiet.
He looked to the place where Nana had been.
Empty.
His heart skipped.
"What? Where? Did someone?"
He turned frantically, only to feel a small tug on his pants. Instinct screamed, and he turned with sword nearly drawn—
But it was her.
Nana. Smiling innocently.
He exhaled sharply and dropped to his knees.
"You scared me," he whispered.
She giggled. "Where did you go, Shirou?"
He hesitated, "Sorry, but where did you go? "
"I was looking for you," she yawned, eyes already drooping again.
Shirou scooped her up and sat with her in his lap. Within seconds, she drifted off again, her breath even and warm against his chest.
He gazed down at her.
"I really need to be more careful," he thought. "Until I recover everything... I'm not myself."
He estimated that about thirty percent of his emotions had returned. Slowly but surely, the haze inside him was thinning.
Outside, moonlight poured through the broken window.
Shirou glanced at the sleeping child.
He felt calm.
Until footsteps echoed.
Multiple sets.
He gently laid Nana down and rose to his feet.
From the shattered doorway, five figures emerged. Their leader stepped forward, a gleaming steel sword in hand, eyes burning with vengeance.
Shirou's gaze sharpened. "What do you want?"
The man smirked. "You killed five of my men. Just thought I'd return the favour."
Shirou summoned his blade.
White sparks danced around the weapon as it solidified in his grip.
"You can try," he said coldly, stepping forward as storm winds whispered outside.