Vast in a city full of monstrous beasts and powerful villains, True North, the world's top hero, plus other heroes use their inherited or gained abilities to fight for justice and beat evil. Variants, abilities granted unto mankind to improve on their way of living to which most use it effectively and others use it for evil.
Haruki Amakusa was just an ordinary student no Variant whatsoever, nothing that set him apart. He trudged home one rainy afternoon, tired from the long days since middle school ended and his long-term vacation began. Haruki dreamed of becoming a hero not because it was easy, but because he believed it was the right thing to do to change this broken world like his favourite hero, True North.
His father however was a different story, a man worn by years of struggle and loss wanted only one thing for Haruki, for him to have a peaceful, safe life, far from the chaos of heroism. "Haruki, you don't have a Variant. You're just a kid. Heroes get hurt sometimes worse. You don't have to throw your life away chasing something impossible." But Haruki's jaw clenched, he couldn't accept a life ruled by fear. "Dad, I'm not like that. I'm going to prove I can be a hero even without a Variant. I'll work harder, train harder than anyone."
For weeks Haruki pushed himself early mornings running through the park, late nights lifting weights in his cramped room. His friends noticed, "Haruki, man we see you're trying. But you gotta know, it's not just about muscles or stamina. Without a Variant it's like trying to fight a hurricane with your bare hands." Their words stung but Haruki refused to back down.
But the doubts began to creep in, Sadness settled in his heart like a water gushing out to make a new water body. He'd sit alone in his room the weight of impossibility pressing down, tears came quietly, a release for the frustration and loneliness.
Two weeks later the bright eyed boy his friends knew was gone, Haruki had become distant, cold lost in the glow of his phone screen as he scrolled endlessly through flashy ads for the latest shoes and gadgets trying to fill the empty spaces where hope once lived.
Then out of nowhere a message popped up on his screen from an unknown account,
"Do you want to be a hero?"
Startled Haruki sees this as an opportunity to be a hero but assumes it's just a fluke.
Then another message pops up,
"It's not a fluke. I am from the system"
Haruki now taken aback wonders what to do, he then types
"How?"
The unknown account gives him a strange link to open.
Is this a trap for malicious software Haruki thinks in his mind.
"No, it's not," types the unknown user.
Realising this might be his chance to be a hero and to shame all his friends Haruki clicks on the link and disappears without a trace.
He is teleported to a new place within Kyoto where a girl is about to fall from a cliff.
"Its Charlotte look ! The amazing pop star that arrived in Japan last week!" the crowd said with their voice tight on her survival.
Scared out of his wits and not knowing the change in his appearance but knowing he is now a hero jumps into the scene to save the girl.
After that incident instead of applause the crowd stands in silence, watching Haruki strangely.
Suddenly, the greatest hero ,True North appears, seeing Haruki with the lady.
"Look! True North! I…"Begone, you evildoer."
Haruki after hearing those words becomes silent, questioning why the great hero True North would say such a thing.
Suddenly, Haruki receives a punch from True North sending him crashing into a building.
He suddenly sees his face reflected in a broken mirror as a guy with dark eyes and a powerful aura that seeks to kill people ( a villain )and questions the system.
[Haruki stares at his villainous reflection, voice filled with disbelief.]
Why do I look like a villain? I was supposed to be a hero.
I worked hard. I believed.
Is this what the unknown user working for the system thinks how I would display justice should work?
What am I supposed to do now?
This is bad, This is bad
True North now enters the broken building where Haruki lies.
What troubling fate awaits Haruki? Or is this the system's cruelest joke of all?