Chapter 1: Awakening

[???: "Shiro..."]

A voice in the darkness calls out a familiar name.

[???: "Shiro.."]

It's just pure darkness, alongside the faint sounds of crackling and a faint flame. The raspy breath that was saying my name has gone completely silent.

I reach my hand out into the darkness in an attempt to feel my surroundings.

[???: "Shiro!"] 

I wake up immediately, completely drenched and in cold sweat, feeling as if my heart is beating out of my chest. 

I let out a deep sigh as I throw myself out of bed and get ready for the day. I meekly trudge towards the kitchen, leaning against a counter while I fill up a bowl of cereal.

I wonder if there's any meaning to these strange dreams.

My throat's dry, it's hard to swallow it down. These dreams have been making me so uneasy it's giving me a headache. 

That's the fifth time this week I've had that dream.

My shoes and jacket sit by the door waiting for me. Soon enough I'm out of my apartment and inside the job that pays for my shitty life.

Ever since my mother disappeared last year I've had to work at a fast-food job full-time.

I blankly stare at the grill as the patties cook. I hear that my boss is yelling out for me.

[Shiro's Boss: "Tatsuya! Has anyone seen Tatsuya!?"]

[Shiro: "Here!"]

[Shiro's Boss: "What do you think you're doing? You're 3 orders behind! Get back to work you lazy shit."]

Hearing this makes me bite down on my lip. I have a habit of biting my lip when I get pissed off.

I hate how some people get to live life so goddamn easy, doing whatever they like without a second thought. Meanwhile there's people like me who have to bust their ass so they can decide where they will be sleeping next month.

I must look like a real loser. No friends. No family. No girlfriend.

The best way you can describe me is as some sort of reanimated corpse or a puppet. An empty husk simply going through the motions of being human. 

My body is beginning to feel numb from doing this daily. It's an infinite cycle of despair!

. 

A couple hours have passed now, time to clock out. I arrive back home and lay on my bed. Just staring at the ceiling.

[Shiro: "Is there really any chance of me escaping this infinite loop?"]

I just let out a sigh and started to fall asleep.

It's dark again. So dark. A feeling of unease consumes me as I stare into the black, empty void.

Once again the crackling of electricity and sounds of fire fill the air, but something's different this time. It's louder and more defined. A speck of bright blue light hovers into view, the light radiating from it warms my skin.

[Shiro: "What are you?"]

Drawn to it like a moth to a flame, I slowly reach towards it, caging it inside my fist. But before I can trap the light, the ringing of my alarm clock kicks me out of my dream. 

[Shiro: "I really wish I'd stop having these shitty dreams."] 

I'm back at work, slaving away per usual, but something feels off. My ears prick up as I notice soft indistinguishable whispers fill the room. 

Hearing this I quickly turned around to see if anyone was there, but there was nothing. 

My eyes scanned around the room for the source of the voices, yet there was no one to be seen.

[Shiro: "Huh?"]

My boss notices, storming over to me with furrowed brows. 

[Shiro's Boss: "Get back to work you lazy slob. Your here to work not to daydream, so get your head in the fucking game kid."]

After work I decided that I'd go to the shop to grab some groceries, but the whispering noises in my head started to become louder. And louder. It was beginning to irritate me.

Once I leave the shops the voices still continue as I walk through the streets, relentlessly tormenting my brain as they grow louder and louder. It makes me start biting on my lip.

I'm only about 5 more minutes away from my apartment when I hear a blood-curdling scream rise from nearby. People are wailing, and begging for help.

However, I got the feeling that the whispers were guiding me to where the sounds are originating from. It felt as if I was expected to go over and discover what is causing these screams.

[Shiro: "Oh what the hell, I have nothing better to do."] 

I drop my groceries and begin to sprint towards the screams. 

Once I finally get there I'm greeted by a horrific scene. Bodies have been slashed up and there's blood splattered everywhere. The area is completely devoid of any living people, and the whispers have stopped. 

It's horrific. Countless bodies torn apart, an unmistakable warm deep red liquid oozing from the gashes in their skin. Blood. It was everywhere, all across the road and running down the gutters.

I can feel the vomit rise up to fill my throat as my eyes forcefully take in the image before me.

[Shiro: "W-what the fuck?!"]

But then I noticed in the middle of the street there's a scrawny figure, about 170cm tall wearing a rough jacket and ripped pants. It's wielding two blades in either hand, dripping with what is clear to be the outcome of what happened here.

But what I could clearly distinguish was that it didn't have skin. It was basically a shadow, like staring into a void. An obvious inhuman appearance. 

[???: "Oh?.. What do we have here, fresh meat?"]

Its voice is almost gigglish. It struggles to keep composure, almost laughing in-between words.

[Shiro: "What the hell have you done to these people?!"]

It looks back up at me, giving a sinister grin.

[???: "Are you really that clueless, boy? I killed them!"] 

It chuckles, its voice dripping with sickening pride as it runs its tongue along one of its daggers, the blood and spit mixing together and dribbling down its chin like a toddler who can't keep their mouth shut.

I almost vomited seeing it do such a grotesque thing. I quickly swallow it back down though. 

[Shiro: "So what exactly are you?"]

Its eyes light up and a devilish grin crawls onto its face, as if it's joyous to hear me ask that. Its mouth stretches and contorts as its smile grows wider and wider. 

[Judgement: "I am Judgement! And I have come here to execute these repulsive sinners! Although, since you can see me. That would make you a Void Hunter! Wouldn't it?"]

I tilt my head, my confusion practically painted on my face. 

[Shiro: "A Void Hunter? Look, I don't know who or what the hell you are- as if I give a shit about that anyway. But that doesn't change the fact that I am not gonna let you hurt anyone else!"]

Judgement throws its head back and cackles obnoxiously before abruptly pausing, darting its manic eyes right back to meet mine.

[Judgement: "Well, go on boy. I'll even let you take a hit at me first."]

I take a deep breath and bite down on my lip. My fist clenches up, my eyes shut, and I rush towards it with everything I've got.

A cool breeze hits me as I land my punch. My eyes opened to find that it's still standing there, it took the blow like it was nothing.

[Judgement: "Have it your way."]

It's gone. All I can hear is the sound of dripping, followed by a thud to my right.

My right arm was cut from my body, a clean cut. Blood was already pouring out.

I was too busy in shock to register the pain, then it hit me like a truck.

My eyes widen as I scream in pain, grabbing at my gruesome wound as I collapse to the ground. Blood drenches my hand and clothes as I scream, and sob.

[Judgement: "Oh you poor thing..."]

It's voice reeks of mocking pity.

Judgement gets on all fours, licking up the blood with its long tongue like some starved animal.

[Judgement: "Yes… this taste... This is the taste of a true sinner!"]

It gets back onto its feet and picks me up by my throat in what feels like an instant, my feet dangling in the air beneath me.

I make a pathetic attempt at fighting back, landing a sloppy punch on the arm that is holding me up, but it's no use. 

[Shiro: "I d-. I don't… want to die…"]

I say between shallow breaths. My vision is beginning to blur, but I can't tell if it's from my circulation being cut off or from my very own tears.

Judgement's expression quickly turns angry.

[Judgement: "You are a sinner! And I am Judgement, my purpose is to cleanse the world of filthy pigs just like you!"]

In his other hand, he holds the twisted blade with a firm grip and drives it through my chest, penetrating my heart.

It's dark again… It's cold and so dark. I'm inside of the void. 

[Shiro: "Is this, death?"]

The small blue speck of light from my dreams appears before me once again, and it speaks.

[???: "Tell me, Shiro. Do you wish to live?"]

[Shiro: "Of course, what do I need to do?"]

[???: "Just reach out for me, and I'll give you my power."]

With nothing to lose, I hesitantly reach my hand out and touch it.

Suddenly this small blue light bursts into a giant blue flame, lighting up the black void and completely incinerating me turning my vision white. 

Judgement holds my body proudly and up high by the neck, still with that unearthly grin.

[Judgement: "He's dead! He's dead he's dead he's dead he's dead he's dead! This sinner has been judged!"]

[Shiro: "Hands off of me, bastard."]

The sudden appearance of my voice shocks judgement, causing it to let go of me and back up a bit.

[Judgement: "What the hell? I killed you… I killed the sinner… I did it! I know I did!"]

Judgement holds its head in frustration, mumbling what seems to be nonsense to itself erratically.

[Judgement: "How the fuck are you still alive?! Absurd!"]

As I stand up and brush myself off, I come to find that my arm has regenerated. I make sure I'm not going crazy and test it out before getting ready to fight once again.

[Shiro: "Lucky me, huh?"]

I take a step forward, taking a fighting stance while remaining alert. My hands erupt into angry blue flames as I clench them into fists.

Judgement stares back at me, the once crazed look in its eyes is now replaced with panic.

[Judgement: "This changes nothing. Regardless of whether you have this stupid power or not I'm still going to kill you, again and again and again and again. So die, pig!"]

I feel powerful, it's as if something that's been resting dormant inside of me has finally been awakened and is ready to be used.

[Shiro: "I don't know how I got this power, but I do know one thing."]`

I point my thumb at myself, trying to seem like a hero.

[Shiro: "I'm Shiro Tatsuya, and I'm gonna kick your ass!"]

I charge towards Judgement, my fists burning with energy. They have an electric crackling sound mixed with a sound of flames. I drive my fist deep into his stomach, the look on his face quickly goes from a sadistic smile to a fearful face. 

A blue explosion erupts from the impact, sending it flying straight into a 5 story building, the structure collapses from the impact and buries Judgement beneath the rubble.

[Shiro: "Ouch, ouch."]

The blue flames on my fists quickly fizzle out as I fall to my knees. The adrenaline had completely distracted me from the burns on my hands. 

[Shiro: "It burns! Why does my own power hurt me?"] 

I sit there assessing my injuries when suddenly the rubble explodes outwards leaving only dust in the air. I spot Judgement's silhouette and the glow of its eyes pierce through the dust, fierce and manic. The stench of bloodlust radiates from him.

Before I can even get a second breath in, it's already directly in front of me and mid swing. When it lands I'm crashing through multiple buildings from its punch.

I finally slow down and stop in an alleyway. I get up quickly and attempt to fire up my ability once again to get ready for the oncoming attack, but nothing happens.

Shit! Why won't my fists charge back up?! Maybe all I need to do is get enraged just like before?

Judgement is charging erratically through the holes I just made, clearly intending on killing me as soon as possible. I quickly jump out of the way as it dashes straight past me and crashes through the wall.

I use this time to quickly make an attempt to either escape or make a plan. I run away while trying to figure out how the activation of my power works.

Everything falls silent. I feel a cold chill down my spine, and feel an instinctual fear to run away while I still can. The primal fear of predator and prey.

I look behind me and see Judgement walking towards me, it drops the daggers it was wielding and enlarges its hands turning them into what is almost claws.

[Judgement: "I see… You're much more powerful than you seem. Fine then! I'm no longer a Judge, I'm an Executioner!"]

Its whole body begins to morph and contort grotesquely as it assumes a new form which is clearly made to be the perfect killing machine.

I use this time to take a deep breath and collect my composure, I begin to develop a blue aura and get my flaming fists back.

It looks disgusting, its whole body looks disorganized and barely functional, almost as if a baby tried to draw a humanoid monster.

Before I can even react it's already slashing at me at speeds faster than my eyes can register, every attack looks like a blur. I try my absolute best to dodge and get away but it's futile, I'm being diced like a chef does to tomatoes.

I begin to look back at myself, wondering how I ended up in this situation.

What have I done to deserve this?

I look at myself, and feel pity for who I am. I become enraged at the thought of dying in the waste of space life I'm currently living. My abilities are beginning to develop even stronger and it feels as if I could explode at any moment with the power that's flowing through me.

I punch Judgement and I send him flying back but he latches onto me and flings me into the same direction. We both blow straight through a building before being sent straight up into the sky, I notice that I can see the city from here.

As we begin to fall Judgement jumps off of the side of another building, flying straight into me and tackling me mid-air before trading blows. It's clear I'm still going to lose this fight but I'm no longer at the disadvantage I was once at.

We crashed into the ground causing individual craters where we both landed. When I start to get up I see that Judgement is already standing over me.

I feel the very presence of death itself upon me.

[Judgement: "You've put me through a lot, clueless. But now, it's time for me to finally end this. Thanks for the fun."]

Judgement puts his foot up ready to slam it down and squash me like a bug. Just as I feel like it's my end, I suddenly feel an extreme surge of power like all of my power has just been drawn out into just my fist. I instinctually launch my fist straight at its foot and an explosion envelops my vision.

As I get my vision back and the smoke and dust clears, I notice that the entire city block has been blown away. I look back to where Judgement had once stood over me. All that is left of it are its scrappy shoes, and everything else has been blown to kingdom come.

Feeling beyond exhausted, I collapse down onto my knees, covered in black ash. My chest heaves up and down as I pant steadily.

As I continue to catch my breath, I notice the sound of slow, calm but intent footsteps approaching. 

[Shiro: "Who's there? You shouldn't be here, it's dangerous!"]

I look up to see a very beautiful woman with white hair, and a nice slender body walking towards me, with two people on either side of her wearing black suits.

As they stand in front of me, the white haired woman kneels down and lifts my head up by the chin so that our faces are looking at each other. 

[???: "Well aren't you just the cutest thing?"]

I can feel my cheeks begin to redden as she cradles my face in her hands. Those beautiful ebony eyes pierce through my soul harder than Judgement's blade ever could.

[???: 'I've finally found you, the Body of Hate. Pick him up, we're going back."]

As I'm being lifted up I notice that she's grinning at me, with her eyes narrowing. 

[???: "You don't know me, but I know you. So, allow me to introduce myself, I am the Avatar of Lust."

Who is this mysterious woman?!