One's Ambition

The wind howled outside the cabin as the monstrous creature drew nearer, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground beneath their feet. The fire inside flickered weakly, casting long shadows across the small room. The warmth they'd fought to keep was quickly being snuffed out, just like Yuuto's resolve.

Yuuto's heart pounded in his chest, each beat more frantic than the last. His mind raced, filled with thoughts of his friends, the endless tests, and the overwhelming weight of his failures. He felt like he was suffocating—trapped in an icy hell with no escape.

"I can't…" Yuuto muttered, his hands trembling as he tightened his grip on the knife. "I can't protect them. I couldn't protect Naoki… I couldn't stop Sylvia… and now… this thing…"

He trailed off, sinking into one of the chairs by the fireplace. His body felt heavy, as if all the strength had been drained from him. The hopelessness was suffocating. How could he, a regular high school student, lead them through this madness?

Naoki's face flashed in his mind—the look of terror before he died. The weight of their lives—and the others'—pressed down on him like an iron chain.

"I'm not strong enough," Yuuto whispered, his voice shaking. "I'm not Christian. I'm not a hero…"

Gajin, who had been watching him silently, placed a hand on Yuuto's shoulder. The old man's touch was surprisingly gentle, despite the situation. His weathered face, etched with the lines of years of experience, softened as he looked at the boy beside him.

"Yuuto," Gajin said, his voice calm but firm. "Being strong isn't about never feeling fear or doubt. It's about pushing through those feelings, even when everything seems hopeless."

Yuuto blinked, looking up at Gajin. "But… I've already failed. I've let people die. How can I keep going?"

Gajin took a deep breath, his gaze turning toward the window where the creature's shadow loomed closer. "We all fail, Yuuto. Every single one of us. I've seen more death and loss in my years than I care to remember. But do you know what kept me going?"

Yuuto didn't answer, his mind still clouded with doubt.

Gajin crouched down, so he was eye-level with Yuuto. His hands, scarred and rough from years of hardship, rested on his knees as he spoke softly. "Hope, Yuuto. Hope that no matter how dark things get, there's always a reason to keep fighting. For your friends, for yourself. That's what makes you strong."

Yuuto stared at him, the words slowly sinking in. Gajin's calm, unwavering presence was like a lifeline, cutting through the storm of his thoughts.

"I'm just an old man," Gajin continued, his lips curling into a small, kind smile. "I've lived long enough to know that the world is a cruel place. But I've also lived long enough to see that even in the darkest moments, there's light. And that light comes from people like you, who refuse to give up."

"Do you have ambitions Yuuto?, Dreams?, Goals?" Gajin's words struck him, The word dream, through out his life all he's ever wanted was to mean something to people, to not feel invisible, that's what his dream was, He chased that dream and quietly stared at that possibility 

"I do, in fact I'm.. I'm getting closer to that dream, I just hope that this despair, this guilt won't consume me from this dream".

"Yuuto, in my years of living one thing I've always known one thing that has stayed true, one's ambition has no end, people's dreams never die!"

Yuuto's eyes stung as tears welled up. He bit his lip, trying to hold them back, but Gajin's words hit something deep inside him. The thought that someone—anyone—still believed in him felt foreign, almost impossible, in this nightmare.

"But what if I make another mistake?" Yuuto's voice was small, almost like that of a child asking for reassurance.

"You will," Gajin said without hesitation. "We all do. But the real question is: will you learn from it, or will you let it destroy you?"

Yuuto clenched his fists, staring into the flickering fire. Gajin's words resonated with him. He remembered the stories he'd read about Christian Heartfelt, the man he idolized as a child. Even Christian, with all his strength and determination, faced loss and failure. But he never gave up.

"I've seen you lead, Yuuto," Gajin said, his voice softer now. "You care about them, all of them. That's what makes you a leader, not some title or system rank. You'll save them because you won't let yourself do anything else."

Yuuto wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand, the tears finally falling. The weight on his chest began to lift, just a little. Gajin's words reminded him of why he kept going—why he fought.

For Naoki, for the rest of his friends.

For all of them.

The creature's shadow loomed larger, its heavy footfalls growing louder as it closed in on the cabin. Gajin stood up, taking a deep breath as he faced the window, his rusted metal rod gripped tightly in his hand.

"We'll face this together," Gajin said with a determined smile. "And no matter what happens, remember: You're not alone."

Yuuto stood up, wiping the last of the tears from his face. His grip on the knife tightened, but this time, it wasn't out of fear—it was out of resolve.

He wasn't Christian. He wasn't some invincible hero from a novel.

But he was Yuuto Kisagari, and he wasn't going to give up.

The door to the cabin rattled as the creature slammed against it, the force shaking the walls. The two of them stood side by side, ready to face whatever the system threw at them.

"Let's show this thing what it means to fight," Yuuto said, his voice steady for the first time in hours.

Gajin chuckled softly. "Good."