TBATE Ranker's fate | The Beginning After The End: Ranker's Fate

Chapter 1

In one corner of the Eksire city's slums, with his chest full of agony, a boy was lying on the ground.

"Ha~, ha~..."

Even after opening his eyes, the anguish he was feeling could not be extinguished, nor could he divert himself from it. Knowing so, the boy still strongly gripped his chest. Before he noticed, his body was already soaked in sweat. His whole body felt burning. It felt as if his flesh was ablaze. Suddenly, like a miracle, the misery subsided and, slowly, warmth spread throughout his body.

'What was that...?'

The boy did not understand what had just transpired, only that the unpleasant feelings were slowly subsiding. When he regained his composure, he looked at his surroundings. It was a gloomy and dirty alley lined by crude wooden houses. Unpleasant odours drifted into his nose. He frowned at the foul air, but thanks to the stench, his head cleared up a bit. As for what happened during his sleep, he had no memory of it.

At that moment, the boy realised he had slept on the ground. Dirty clothes hung on his body. Lifting up his face, a vast clear blue sky was reflected in his eyes.

'What was that uncomfortable feeling and why am I lying down on the ground?'

Having just awoken, he still could not think clearly having no memory was also not helpful in this situation. He noticed the surrounding houses seemed unusual before realising their architecture differed greatly from the modern style houses he was accustomed to. 

'W-Wait what is 'modern'?'

The word 'Modern' was instantaneous but he was not familiar with the word yet he understood the meaning. He couldn't make the reason behind it though.

Feeling uncomfortable, the boy lost himself in thought. Moreover, his body felt weak, maybe it was due to being exposed to the cold weather from sleeping on the ground in open sky or because the body had starved for 3 days in a row now. His joints also ached.

The boy felt that the surrounding was familiar. Yet, at the same time, an inexpressible feeling of discordance arises. The scene is oddly familiar, yet foreign at the same time. Feeling detached and gloomy the boy laid back on the ground on his back.

After some time the boy moved to place his hand over his eyes but at that moment, he notices a peculiarity with his hand. It is a hand no doubt. No, the peculiarity is that it is a hand of a four or five-year-old.

But that is odd. Something is not right.
While enduring an unusual headache, the boy puzzles over the peculiarity.

'A child's... hand? I am... No, I am?'

'W-wait what is my name?'

Struggling to not even remember even his name made him more panicked. His head ached more as he struggled to search from his memories but was to no avail.

Soon, he passed due to headache.

'Did I fall asleep?'

The boy didn't have a way of for how long he was asleep but if no irregularities happened like sleeping for 2-3 days long then he had slept for more or less four or five hours.

When he first opened his eyes it was morning and now the sun is directly above his head so it should be around afternoon.

His head was still dizzy and he didn't manage to remember anything useful about himself except that he is an orphan and he lives in Eksire city wherever that was.

There wasn't any other relevant information he can get from his memories.

While still lost in his thought his stomach growled as to ask for a meal which it didn't get for 3 days straight.