Pre-Chapter Note: Disclaimer

I in no way oun any of the original works depicted and/or referenced in this work of Fanfiction. Nor do I receive any form of monetary currency of any sort associated with said work.

Prologue

My name is Naofumi Iwatani, and I'm a college sophomore, and to be honest, I'm aware that I am more of a nerd than most of my classmates. Ever since I first became interested in video games and anime and other Otaku past-times, I've given them more of my time than I give my actual studies.

My parents know this about me, and gave up on me early on. Instead they sent my brother to a famous prep-school in an effort to "secure his future" with the highest of expectations. But they pressured him too much, and he got burned out with all the studying and became a bit of a troubled teen stereotype, bleaching his hair and yelling obscenities around the house. For a little while, the whole family was miserable, before I decided to step in.

He was always scowling and mouthing off to everyone, but I had an ingenious plan up my sleeve: I suggested he try playing a popular game, I'd acquired a short time ago. It was a dating simulator, the kind where you get to go on dates with cute girls.

"What the fucking hell?" He scowled.

"Just try it! You don't have to commit to liking it." I requested, aware of the real reason he'd turned into such a delinquent.

While growing up, I'll admit that I'd gotten a bit spoiled, gotting whatever I asked for— while he never received the same because of our parents strict expectations. He wanted, no, needed the freedom that I'd had growing up. I'm a bit of a specialist when it comes to having fun though, so he was interested in the game I suggested, if only because he knew I was an authority on fun. He told me this himself, later on at one point.

If you walked into his room now, you'd see posters and figurines from that first game I'd introduced him to. He also rededicated himself to his studies, got into a great school, and is apparently at the top of his class.

Our parents were so happy with my intervention that they reinstated my allowance on top of the pay from my part time job, as a result, I'm currently leading a very free life as a college student. Even if my parents still aren't quiet taking with me.

Skipping to the end, there's one more Otaku in the world now.

So It was my day off and while trying to save money on tuition and rent, I was fallowing my usual routine of going to the neighborhood library after browsing the used bookstores for something to read.

Ok then, so I was there in the library when all this craziness started.

I was looking over an older bookshelf in the corner of the fantasy novel section. I think that fantasy has a history at least as long as that of mainline recorded human history. I mean, if you really think about it, even the Western Bible is a type of fantasy novel.

One of the shelves must've hat a bit of dry rot or something, because someone some of the books fell over my shoulders.

Bending to pick the books from the floor, I noticed a black-dressed girl of maybe 10 years rubbing her head and grabbing this really old-looking book from the pile. The title was pretty hard to make out, but it wasn't any of my business, so I went about putting the others back where they belong.

Flip… Flip…

With a quiet Apathy, she began to read, still kneeling there.

Flip... Flip... Thud!

Startled, I turned my head to see as the girl's fallen body jerked and shuddered where she lay, collapsed upon the ground. Breath stuttering, with silent whimpers, her vibrant green eyes contrasted the red streaming across her cheeks and upper lip. Confusion, Fear and something else filled that sightless gaze.

Like a corpse who's body had yet to to die.

Everything after that was a bit of a bler, but I have the distinct feeling that I'll never forget those emotions calling to me as those eyes reflected the flashing lights from the maney phones around us. And the disgust I felt, merely standing there before the ambulance arrived to leave me with naught but the polite Apathy of those around me.

That evening, the eyes of those around turned to accusatory disgust as I left the officer's car to fall onto my bed; letting the weight of the day's events wash over me.

Before awakening to another world of horror and betrayal.

Post-Chapter Note:

This story's timeline is mostly planned to just after the OtherWorld Arc, but will be updating slowly and sporadically as inspiration strikes.

I'll at least try to post by monthly if I can.