In the year 2020, the concept of "Gender Equality" was no more. With that change, came the discovery of a different dimension called Mato.
~????~
"Control your breathing!"
The thunderous voice of an old man echoed inside the dojo as his hands were clashing against the strikes of a shinai. The old man had spiky white hair along with a thick mustache, light blue eyes, and tanned skin. He wore a long-sleeved black martial arts jumpsuit, light-colored pants, and Tai Chi slippers. Despite his old age, his body is lean and very muscular. Soon the man swatted the shinai away as he just finished his sparring match.
"At this rate, you won't be able to defend yourself properly should the situation call for it."
"I know, but I really do need to hurry old man."
The old man soon looked at his sparring partner. It was a seventeen year-old boy with spiky long black hair tied in a low ponytail. His dark blue eyes held a look of drowsiness in them as he and the old man were sparring since four o'clock in the morning as it was now turning close to seven.
"I'm sorry, but I gotta head to school. The guys gotta spruce up the classrooms before the girls show up."
"I see, that it very understandable. In the current society we live in, us men are practically discriminated to a degree. We'll continue your training after you come back from school. Good luck, Nagisa."
"Thanks, Gramps."
"It was supposed to be a normal day. I go to school, meet with a friend, walk home together, and I train with Gramps. Little did I know that my life was going to take a major turn today."
~Kaminoge Public Highschool~
"Make sure to finish before the bell rings."
A teacher was seen leaving the classroom after instructing the male third year students to clean the classroom. While this happened, one boy let out a sigh in annoyance. He had short black hair with two prominent white hair strands from his center hairline, at his widow's peak. His dark brown eyes looked around the classroom with disdain.
"I understand how you feel though, Senpai. Need a hand?"
As Yuuki looked at the door way, he saw Nagisa looking at him with his usual neutral expression. Soon a smile appeared on Yuuki's face as he appreciated the help. As Nagisa was setting up the desks, he heard Yuuki speaking to him.
"Oi, Nagi. What are you doing here anyways? You're a second year, so what are you doing at the third year's classroom?"
"After all these years we've known each other, you'd think you would be less dense. Came to help you. Anyways, take a look. The girls are coming inside, late as usual."
"That's just the way it is. Men can't receive blessings from the "Peaches", so our lives are on hard mode from the get-go."
Peaches. A resource only found in certain areas that grants anyone who devours them abilities beyond what a normal human is capable of. However, to this day, not a single man has been able to receive special gifts from the Peaches. And so the power difference between men and women were shattered completely and rewritten.
"Well then Yuuki, I gotta head to class. See ya on the way home", Nagisa said as he waved goodbye to his friend. Since Yuuki and him lived close by, they would sometimes walk home together. As Nagisa was walking to his classroom, he passed by several of the female students and saw them casually showing off their abilities. Manipulating their hair, being able to run at speeds unimaginable, flying, you name it. These girls could do that and more. With a small smile filled with grief, Nagisa only had one thought in mind as looked down at his hands covered in bandages.
"God isn't fair."
~Nighttime~
The night was noisy as the sound of two trains traveling along their rails echoes throughout the city. Inside of the female exclusive transport, there were very few women sitting down as they enjoyed the peace and quiet of their travel while they were all spaced out and comfortable.
Meanwhile on the male exclusive transport, both Yuuki and Nagisa were gasping for air as the two of them were being crushed by all the guys cramped into the transport. If Nagisa were to compare this situation, it would be similar to how sardines are packed into a can. However, Nagisa and Yuuki were both spared from this hell the moment they reached their stop. As the two of them quickly moved through the crowd and got off the train, both boys let a sigh of relief escaped their lips.
"Geez, now i'm not looking forward to the day I graduate and become a working adult. The commute train sucks."
"I couldn't agree with you more there. Oh, Nagi. Your button is about to fall off."
When Yuuki mentioned this, Nagisa looked down to see that one of the buttons on his school uniform was getting ready to fall off his blazer. Seeing this, Yuuki took out a small sewing kit as he used the needle and thread to mend the tattered uniform.
"You know, despite us knowing each other since we were kids, you never cease to amaze me with your skills at this stuff."
"Hah, come on, Nagi. You know better than anyone that my sis drilled these skills into me. She said I had to polish my hand skills since men can't get abilities. It was either that or punishment........."
Yuuki and Nagi shivered as they remember how Yuuki's sister would have them in a choke hold and such when they weren't acting properly. As the two boys were walking home, Nagisa's neutral expression slowly turned into a small frown when he remembered the situation regarding Yuuki's sister. Unaware of the mist that was slowly consuming the city.
"It's been so long since I last saw Aoba....all because of that Mato Incident."
"Nagi, about what you said earlier. I can't help but agree."
"I know how you feel, Yuu......ki?"
Just as Nagisa was about to reply, he noticed that the city was covered in an enormous amount of mist. Not only that, Yuuki wasn't anywhere in sight. Soon a heavy wind picked up as Nagisa tried to shield his eyes. However, the moment he opened his eyes, Nagisa saw that he was no longer in Japan.
"No....no no no no. This is.....Mato?!"
Some decades ago, mysterious entrances appeared all over Japan. Beyond those entrances lies another dimension with around the same area as Tokyo Metropolitan area. It's known as the demonic metropolis, Mato. It is in the Mato that two things are found. The peaches that gave powers only to women......
Suddenly Nagisa felt the ground beginning to quake. When the boy slowly turned around, he saw a large creature standing taller than an average Japanese male towering over him. It had a dark skin tone with textures resembling that of muscles and a grotesque white face resembling a mask.
........and the monsters known as Shuuki.
"Goddammit, why did I end up here?"
Nagisa quickly turned around and ran as fast as he could. While the Shuuki chased after him, Nagisa clenched onto the Shinai that he brought home with him from Kendo practice after school. It might not be a real sword, but it could distract the Shuuki long enough for him to escape if he played his cards right. Just as Nagisa unsheathed his shinai, the Shuuki heard the boy taking a deep breath.
"I may not be as good as Gramps in martial arts, but my family is more known for this way of fighting. Water Breathing, Seventh Form:Drop Ripple Thrust!!"
Suddenly the Shuuki let out a scream of pain. Before it realized it, Nagisa had performed an accurate and swift sword thrust into its right eye.
"Water Breathing, First Form:Water Surface Slash!!!!"
After gathering all the strength in his muscles and crossing his arms, Nagisa generated a lot of momentum as he performed a singular concentrated slash horizontally. Since he was using a wooden sword, he didn't cut off the Shuuki's head. But with the amount of force he put behind the attack, he managed to break its neck as its face was turned to a one hundred-eighty degree angle.
Seeing the chance to escape, Nagisa turned around and began to run again, only for him to slide across the ground as another Shuuki punched him in the back and sent him flying. Soon a small horde began to gather around the boy as one of them grabbed Nagisa by the head and slammed him into the ground.
"S-shit. If only....I had an actual sword...or mastered what Gramps taught me. So this is how I go out, huh? Walking home from school and ending up in Mato for no reason."
Even though it sounded like his voice held no emotion in it, Nagisa was scared. Who wouldn't be scared in this situation? A guy with no powers and only a forgotten swordsmanship to his name versus a horde of Shuuki with his only weapon being a wooden sword. At this point, fighting back may as well be worthless.
I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don't want to die! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!!!
Nagisa's vision was beginning to get blurry as these thoughts ran through his head. He found it hard to catch his breath as he was trying to stay awake. Just as the rest of the Shuuki were approaching him, Nagisa heard a voice reach his ears.
"Ame-no-Mitori."
Suddenly, all of the Shuuki before Nagisa were now nothing more than mere dust in the wind as they collapsed in on themselves. When Nagisa was trying to stand up, he fell to the ground only to see one person walking towards him.
"Tell me, what is your name?"
".......Tomioka. Tomioka Nagisa."
"I see. I am the Chief of the 6th Unit of the Anti-Demon Corps, Tenka Izumo at your service. Don't worry, you won't be dying today. Come with me, Tomioka-san."