jorge_guillem

In a world ruled from the shadows by powerful international mafias, a mysterious tree known as “The Tree of Eden” becomes the epicenter of a global conflict. Every 1,000 years, this tree produces a single apple, a legendary fruit that grants the possessor absolute power capable of changing the fate of the world. However, the tree also grants special abilities to those who are part of these mafias, fueling a constant war for control of its power.
Akihiko Sora, a 17-year-old prodigy, has lived his entire life in the darkness of organized crime. Cold and calculating, Akihiko has learned to survive thanks to his unique ability: the manipulation of the vacuum, a devastating power that has made him one of the most lethal weapons in his organization. Armed with his katana, “Kurai no Kiba”, and guided by a code of conduct, Akihiko has learned to survive. and guided by a code of honor that contrasts with the chaos of his environment, his loyalty is shaken when he discovers fragments of the truth about the tree and the link that binds him to its dark origin. .
But as the world's mafias embark on an all-out war to claim the forbidden fruit, Akihiko is drawn into a conspiracy beyond his understanding. Ancestral secrets, unexpected betrayals and a destiny that seems written in the heart of the tree will push him to question not only his purpose, but also the price of power.
Will Akihiko be able to unravel the mysteries of the tree before its fruit falls into the wrong hands, or will the weight of his skill and his past condemn him to eternal emptiness?
In this struggle for truth and survival, one thing is certain: the next bearer of the apple will have the power to decide the future of the world .

Shikkoku no Eden

The City of Oblivion twisted around them. The shadows of the buildings stretched as if alive, devouring the flickering neon lights. The empty inhabitants moved forward in silence, their abyss-black eyes reflecting a condemnation they didn't understand.

Akihiko, his katana drawn, felt the weight of the city bearing down on him. Something was messing with his perception. The feeling of danger was suffocating, as if every step they took sank them deeper into a place they couldn't escape.

"This isn't normal," Kael muttered, his knuckles white as he gripped his weapon.

Isabella looked at the inhabitants. Something was slowly consuming them. Their bodies were dissolving into dark fragments, like ashes scattered by a nonexistent wind.

"They're not human... or they're not," he whispered.

The old man who had warned them earlier staggered toward them, his expression a mixture of fear and despair. "The city forgets us... soon you too will disappear..."

Voices in the Fog

A low, vibrant sound resonated in the air, like an echo of something far away. A whisper that came from nowhere, but that everyone heard.

The young warrior tensed. That voice... it sounded familiar.

Isabella and Kael exchanged worried glances. They heard it too.

The lights in the place began to go out one by one, leaving only the pale glow of the moon filtering between the abandoned structures. The fog grew thicker, suffocating, laden with a dark and incomprehensible presence.

"We need to move, now," Akihiko ordered, feeling the air around him turn heavy.

They turned to run, but the path they'd taken was no longer there. The streets shifted at will. The city itself was trapping them.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the distance. Heavy, calculated.

A figure emerged from the fog. Ezra.

Dressed in his immaculate black suit, his coat flapping unnaturally despite the lack of wind. His hollow eyes shone with silent malevolence.

"Welcome," he said in his calm voice. "You have walked straight into the jaws of oblivion."

Akihiko felt a chill run down his spine. Ezra didn't need to attack to make the air feel thick, to make his mere presence a threat.

"What is this place?" Akihiko asked, keeping his posture firm.

Ezra gave a small smile. "You haven't realized yet, have you? This city isn't just a refuge... it's a burial ground for the forgotten."

He took a step forward, and with a wave of his hand, the inhabitants began to crumble even faster. Their bodies dissolved into shadows, leaving no trace.

"Each of them was a person once," Ezra continued, with a disturbing calm. "Now they are echoes... remnants of what the world no longer remembers. And before long... you will be too."

Kael gritted his teeth. "You're not a god! You can't erase everyone's existence!"

Ezra bowed his head. "I'm not a god. But I do have the power to decide who deserves to be remembered. And you... you don't matter."

Akihiko felt the ground disappear beneath his feet.

Chapter 58: The City Devours the Forgotten