Mark's story was far from over. The daylight was slowly softening into a mellow glow, as a gentle breeze drifted across the college courtyard. Leaves whispered quietly among themselves, swaying in a rhythm that felt almost poetic. Beneath one of those trees, seated on a worn bench, Mark remained still—detached from the lively surroundings. Students moved about, laughing, chatting, living their moments freely… yet in the midst of it all, Mark felt profoundly alone.
His head was slightly bowed, his gaze lost somewhere distant, as if searching for answers that refused to come. Inside his mind, a storm of thoughts raged silently. "My life feels unbearably heavy… I spent lakhs on things I thought I needed… and now, I can't even repay those debts…" The words echoed within him, suffocating his spirit. His eyes carried exhaustion, and his face bore the unmistakable imprint of despair.
Just then, he sensed someone sitting beside him. Slowly, he turned his head—and there he was. His friend, Raysan. With a faint, easy smile and a warm, familiar tone, Raysan asked, "Hey… what's wrong with you? Why are you sitting here so quietly?"
Mark hesitated. For a moment, he seemed unsure whether to speak at all. But eventually, with a heavy voice weighed down by helplessness, he confessed, "Brother… I owe several lakhs to the shop… and I still haven't been able to pay it back…"
The words lingered in the air, carrying more pain than sound. Raysan had been listening casually at first, but the moment he heard "several lakhs," his expression shifted. His smile faded, his eyes widened slightly, and an uneasiness crept over him. Without a second thought, he abruptly stood up. No reassurance. No comforting words. Not even a pause. He simply walked away—almost as if he were escaping.
Mark watched him leave. There was no shock in his eyes… only a quiet familiarity. As if deep down, he had already expected this outcome. The wind still flowed, the leaves still danced—but within Mark, the silence grew heavier, deeper, lonelier. He lowered his head once more, sitting there alone… just as before.
After college, Mark slowly made his way back home. The evening light had begun to fade, and the city's usual chaos was settling into a subdued calm. Entering his small room, he closed the door behind him and let out a quiet sigh—a fragile attempt at relief. Dropping his shoes aside, he sank into the sofa, his body aching with fatigue, his mind still entangled in worries—money, life, an uncertain future.
After sitting silently for a while, he reached for the remote and switched on the television. Channel after channel flickered across the screen. One… then another… then another. Nothing held his attention. Nothing felt meaningful.
"Nothing feels right… everything looks the same…" he muttered under his breath, his tone filled with frustration and emptiness.
He kept switching channels, almost desperately, as if searching for something he couldn't even define. Then suddenly—his finger stopped.
On the screen appeared the name: "Japan Global News."
A faint curiosity sparked within him. The channel was broadcasting live. The reporter's voice carried a strange mix of urgency and fear.
"Last night, a devastating incident struck Japan… people were seen running, panic spreading everywhere…"
Mark's eyes widened instantly. He leaned forward, his attention now fully captured. The screen showed chaos—people fleeing, shouting, pulling one another along, desperation etched into every movement.
He whispered softly, almost to himself, "This is… last night's incident…"
A memory flashed through his mind. The place… the panic… the running crowd…
This was the same event.
The one where Takashi was present… the one from the very beginning.
A deep sense of shock gripped him. His face reflected pure astonishment, but beneath it, a shadow of fear began to grow.
"What is happening…? Is the world… changing somehow?" he murmured, his voice trembling with uncertainty.
He raised the volume slightly, focusing intensely on every word, as though the truth itself was hidden within the broadcast.
The reporter continued,
"Initial reports suggest that a powerful earthquake struck Japan last night, followed by a tsunami in the coastal regions…"
Mark listened silently, his thoughts growing heavier with each second.
"But what is truly astonishing," the reporter added, "is that Japan's advanced early-warning technology—capable of detecting earthquakes beforehand—completely failed in this case."
Mark froze.
"Impossible…" he said slowly. "That system never fails… so why this time?"
Now, it wasn't just surprise in his voice—it was fear.
He stared at the screen again. The images of destruction, the terrified faces, the collapsing surroundings—they all seemed too unnatural… too unsettling.
His mind spiraled with questions:
Was this really just a natural earthquake?
Or was something far greater hidden beneath it?
The room fell silent, except for the faint glow of the television reflecting on his face. In that dim light, his fear and curiosity became unmistakably vivid.
Slowly, he tightened his grip on the remote…
As if, deep within, he knew—
whatever was coming next…
was about to change his life forever.Mark couldn't believe it—how could such a terrible accident happen in a highly developed country like Japan!
That news from last night kept spinning again and again inside his head. The light from the TV screen fell on his face, but in his eyes there was clear confusion and an unknown fear.
He whispered to himself,
"How… how is this even possible?"
A strange restlessness started growing inside him. It felt like there was a big secret hidden behind this incident—something that normal eyes could not see.
With this thought in his mind, the next day, as soft clouds floated in the sky and a cool breeze passed through the city streets, Mark hurried his steps and reached his college. Around him, students were chatting and moving about, but his eyes had only one goal—his science teacher.
He went straight to one of the teachers in his college, a scientist named Jackson Flick.
Jackson Flick was a man whose eyes always carried a deep look—as if he knew truths about the world that others could not even understand.
Mark, a little rushed and a bit excited, said,
"Sir… did you see the news? What happened in Japan… is it really a natural event?"
Jackson Flick stayed silent for a moment and looked at him. Outside, the curtain by the window moved gently in the breeze, making the moment even more mysterious.
Then slowly, in a serious voice, he said—
"No, Mark… this is not a natural event at all…"
Mark's eyes widened.
"Then… what is it, sir?"
Jackson leaned forward a little and spoke in a low voice,
"This… is someone's doing. Someone made this happen. But the problem is—people don't care about educated and knowledgeable people like us…"
He paused, then said again,
"You will see, Mark… you surely will—news reporters will make up many things. They will show a lot, they will say a lot… but most of it won't be real…"
Mark listened silently.
Jackson spoke again,
"What we need is a capable scientist… someone who can find the truth and help us. But in this world, people don't want to accept reality…"
There was clear disappointment in his voice.
"They always treat their imagination as truth… no one cares about others' words, others' truth…"
These words hit deep into Mark's heart.
Mark slowly nodded and said,
"I understand, sir…"
But to be honest, inside him there was still a strange curiosity—a question he wanted to answer no matter what.
That curiosity didn't let him stay calm.
As evening slowly fell over the city, the sky turned into a dull grey with gathering clouds. Streetlights began to turn on one by one.
In that atmosphere, Mark went to the biggest library in his city—New York City.
As he stood in front of the huge doors of the library, a strange calmness came over him. Outside was the noise of the city, but inside felt like another world.
He slowly stepped inside.
As soon as he entered, he saw rows of bookshelves, smelled the old scent of paper, and felt a deep silence—as if time itself had stopped there.
The restlessness in his chest slowly began to fade.
He said to himself,
"Here… maybe I'll find my answer…"
He started searching from shelf to shelf. His goal—Japan's history.
He looked through many books, but couldn't find any specific one about Japan.
Just then, his eyes fell on an old, dusty book.
He picked it up.
The book wasn't only about Japan—it also had stories, mythologies, and unknown creatures from China, Taiwan, South Korea, and other countries.
Outside, a gentle wind was blowing, and the dim light coming through the window fell on the pages—like every word held a hidden secret.
Mark slowly turned the pages…
Every story, every creature—somehow felt strangely connected to reality.
His heartbeat started rising slowly.
And then suddenly…
A name caught his eyes—
"Maskuv…"
He froze.
His eyes stayed fixed on that name…
Outside, the wind suddenly blew stronger… the window glass shook lightly…
And in that moment, only one question filled Mark's mind—
"What… is this?"
And from that very moment, the story of his life began to move into a new, unknown, dark path…