BlazBlue:Phase Shift 1 Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Part 1

...This is a dream.

He was aware of it since he was inside a scene he had never seen before.

That place appeared to be an absurdly high place. With the wind blowing fiercely, he stood on a stage-like circular place.

There was nothing on the surroundings. The only thing there was a black monolith which was so enormous that just looking up at it wouldn't be enough to see it fully. The monolith had blue veins that were like blood vessels and a crest shown on its surface. The object stood still without saying anything.

No, there was one more. Another person to be exact.

He didn't know how long the person had stood there, but a young man stood while staring at this way.

The strong winds disturbed the young man's white hair and red jacket, rampaging them.

A large and broad sword was gripped in the hands of white-haired young man. The red and green eyes were glaring here with a sharp glint.

What were shown on his gaze were rage and hatred.

"I'll beat you to death!"

A thrown roar of anger.

The overflowing killing intent was thrusted without any hesitation. He was really... really glad that he saw it in a dream.

The 'he' inside the dream laughed.

"Ooh, oooh. You're finally in the mood!"

As his lips moving on his own, it flung a brutal mockery at the white-haired young man.

He understood. The young man before his eyes couldn't possibly compete with him. But even so, the pitiful cry of the puppy that could only oppose from the other side of him felt so, so pleasurable to hear.

"C'mon, lil' doggie! Get here so I can play with you!"

As if sliding, he spun the two knives on his hands at the same time and made clicking sounds.

Roaring with all his might, the white-haired young man ran in a straight line. The large sword his hands had been gripping on made a noise as it tore through the wind.

Dangerous——that was the thought of he who was watching the dream.

Simultaneously, the 'he' inside the dream let a high-pitched laugh out while feeling excitement and joy.

"Hey hey, what's wrong?! Hyaahahahaha!"

He didn't know 'who' was laughing.

Was it the he who felt scared of the white-haired young man's expression? Or was it the he who mocked that expression since it was laughable?

No, was it himself? Was it 'him'? Who was it?

From the bottom of the stomach, from inside the head, from an even deeper place. Something was swelling and breaking out. More and more. Along with the snake heads from the chain, a greedy hunger went to bite the young man.

"———!!"

The red and green pupils glared. They shouted the name of 'someone'.

Clad in the flame of darkness, the large sword swung. A pitch black arm was stretching. It was just like a lump of hatred.

"YES. HATE ME MORE. MORE, MOREMOREMOREMOREMOOOOORE!"

An inner voice was screaming in pleasure. No, it was 'his' voice. No, it was my voice. I don't know anymore. From where was it me and from where was it not me? From where was it a dream and from where was it not a dream?

I don't know. I don't know. Only greed grew larger, exploding from inside.

Scary. That's what I thought. The weak me just before I vanish.

With only his feeling, he seemed to be pulling himself off from the dream's scene, desperately closing his eyes.

Wake up. Quickly wake up. This is a dream. It's only a dream...

As his body was shivering with a sudden feeling of falling, the young man who had been sleeping until now woke up with a powerful jump.

His cheeks felt the warm light of day.

It was a peaceful morning.

From the square window near the bed, the thin sunlight was crowded between the curtains that weren't fully closed as if pushing them aside.

Below his body was a simple bed. The firm drawers of a desk used to study. A built-in closet. A certainly mass produced rag was laid on the floor.

Nothing's changed. It was the usual room, the usual morning.

His thought slowly starting to wake up from a dream to reality. Although he was in his own room, unconsciously catching his breath, the young man——Kazuma suddenly took a breath.

"It's a dream..."

He dropped his stiff shoulders and wiped his forehead. Covered with unpleasant sweats became droplets, the palm of his hands became wet.

His shoulder width was narrow. If someone had to say, he was a young man with a delicate body. With a pale skin that hardly got sunburn, he couldn't be regarded as strong by any standard. Rather than such words like sword and gun, or sport and stadium, he was more suited to words like book and library.

He, Kazuma Kuvaru, was a person with such appearance.

"Even so, it was a strange dream..."

Scratching his hair which was long enough to cover his eyes, Kazuma complained to no one.

No, was that really a dream?

A place which was so high that clouds were floating nearby. A circular stage. A standing-still black monument... A white-haired man.

On the contrary, the he in the dream absolutely didn't feel like himself. It was like he was reliving someone else's memory.

(But whose... Wait, who was it?)

He didn't have any idea. In the first place, even if it was based on his memory, Kazuma didn't have the knowledge that was needed.

Kazuma's memory had begun at the morning of a day seven years ago. He suddenly had slept above this bed before he realized it. That was the beginning of his memory.

He couldn't remember a single thing prior to that. How long had he lived here? Where was he born? What kind of past did he have? He didn't know anything.

He only knew a little bit about himself.

He didn't know what kind of human relation he had with him, but under the guardianship of a man called Relius Clover, he was now attending the academy he enrolled. The financial aid was all that man's doing. And then during these seven years, he became aware of his preferences and nature, also his strong and weak points.

The kind of information that formed him was those things.

He didn't know about the roots he had born in, especially the prospect beyond this point.

Every day, he only spent time without a purpose. Sometimes, Kazuma thought that he was just like a dandelion seed that could do nothing but drifting on wind.

"...Hey, it's not the time to daze around. I'll be late if I don't quickly get ready."

The things he couldn't remember were just a usual thing. He had grown used to it. Rather than doing that, Kazuma fixed his hair which had been disordered by sleeping while getting down from the bed.

He opened the room's curtains which were closed halfway.

As the morning sun on the opposite side descended all at once, he saw a city spread out as if it was a painting.

White walls with green and blue roofs. The extending roads which had many irregular turns that became stone pavements. The roadside trees, which were cultivated to grow large, were full in deep green leaves.

He started living on this island seven years ago while not knowing anything. This city was the only world for Kazuma.

The rich nature. Buildings with beautiful exterior. It couldn't be seen from here, but there was ocean on the opposite side that sparkled as it was bathed in the light of day.

This place was an island floating on the ocean, Ishana. But outside the island, only a few referred it with that name. Magic Guild. This island was called just like that.

Part 2

Ishana, or known as Magic Guild, was a particular institution that didn't belong to any nation.

In this age when science and technology were being developed, this institution was the only one where magic and alchemy were its main fields. For that very reason, there wasn't any effort to make it public to the world. But behind the fact that it wasn't publicized, they had connections with all kinds of nation, establishing a self-government that was neutral and completely independent from other countries.

A powerful barrier created by magic was spread around the whole island. It repelled any kind of slight interference from the outside. Furthermore as invasion from the outside was certain, a strict check would be performed when leaving from inside the island.

Therefore, Ishana, and also Magic Guild, was said to be the safest city in the world.

Of course, there were all kinds of facilities in the island that provided the minimum needs. As the lifeline began, there were residences and companies, as well as vigilance committee and judicial system existing.

Above all that significant facilities, it was an educational institution.

There was a magnificent academy located on the center of the island. Under the control and management of Magic Guild, it taught magic and alchemy in addition to basic education.

Behind the history where machinery and science continued to evolve, sorcery and alchemy had been constantly handed down while concealing their presence. Passing down that vast knowledge and skills to the next generation was the biggest purpose of the academy.

There were dormitories in the academy. Living in dormitory was a requirement, with the exception of the students who lived in the island with their families.

Whatever the form, the students who had determined to live on the island commuted to the academy every day to make an effort to study and practice magic.

Kazuma was also one of the students of such academy.

But unfortunately, Kazuma didn’t know why he attended this particular academy. Did he wish for it? Did his supposedly guardian enlist him?

When he noticed it, Kazuma had been registered as a student of the academy. As a dormitory room where he should be living in had been arranged, his school life begun after a week as if it was natural.

And while he was dumbfounded, no less than seven years of time had passed.

He already had been used to the academy's uniform which consisted of white coat, black trouser, and short mantle which seemed to have the image of a magician.

(With random students like me able to wander around, the management here is surprisingly lenient.)

During the recess between classes, leaning against a window on the corridor that was wide open while looking outside, Kazuma complained when he thought about it.

He wondered if he shouldn't be thinking about trivial things like the lenient management.

Maybe it would be different if Kazuma were a popular and excellent student. Unfortunately, his grades were so-so. They were amazingly common.

In any case, he was grateful to be placed in this spot. It was because other people didn't have any expectation toward Kazuma.

(Memory... huh.)

Looking up at the clear sky, his mind faintly muttered.

Just like now, he sometimes wondered about it when he wasn't doing anything.

...He had forgotten something really important.

Of course, since he couldn't remember anything of his past, it should be obvious. However, he had a feeling like that there was something special, something that he must not forget. And it had to be remembered no matter what.

He had a feeling like that.

But... if felt a little scary.

What would become of him if he remembered the 'something that had to be remembered no matter what'? If the memory he desperately tried to remember would overturn the foundation of his current self, in that case, it would worth nothing

When that time came, what would be the best thing for him to do? In the first place, what would become of his current self when he regained his memories? Could he keep on being here as if there was no difference?

"...Well, it's not like it'll happen to me though."

Kazuma let out a small sigh as he spoke to himself.

Thinking about futile things made his head felt unpleasant. Giving up on thinking about it, he once again looked outside,

With only a few clouds on the sky, the soft sunlight was shining down. The weather was a nice today.

Regardless, Ishana always had fine weather.

Having a mild climate, the spring was warm enough to wake up and still be half-asleep at the same time. The autumn was fairly cold. No day hot enough to sweat, no day cold enough to be freezing.

There wouldn't be war if there was no hunger. There was nothing sort of a natural disaster here.

The days in Ishana were really peaceful.

That was why Kazuma sometimes forgot.

Taking a step ahead outside the island, the whole world, with the exception of this island, was approaching the crisis of destruction.

Today was 2106 AD.

It started six years ago, 2100 AD, January 1st.

In Japan, an island nation located in Far East, an unidentified monster appeared suddenly.

With an appearance like a snake that had numerous heads, the black monster was gigantic. Only, it had an instinct to lay destruction and massacre indiscriminately.

Furthermore, in the same time as the appearance of the monster, a substance called seithr began to overflow everywhere.

In exchange of neutralizing any harmful substance, as if it was a touch of a living being, the seithr sensed the existence of humans and informed it to the monster. Then, it occasionally became a guide and a lane, summoning the monster.

Following the seithr, the black monster would appear in unexpected places and unexoected moments. When all that lived there weren't quick enough to get away, it would easily destroy everything entirely.

Using nuclear weapon, humanity tried to annihilate the monster by striking the unfortunate country called Japan. But the result ended with failure.

On the contrary, judging by the fact that the destructive being was no longer in Japan, the jet-black apparition bared its fangs toward the whole world.

——The Black Beast.

Facing the apparition which was referred as that, humanity had tried every means they had.

But nothing was proven to be the effective method... Before anyone realized it, people could do nothing but pressured to escape from Black Beast again and again.

In this very moment, some part of the world might be facing destruction because of Black Beast.

Despite that, there were lushly green parks, roadside trees, and variously colored flowers blooming in Ishana where Kazuma lived in.

For Black Beast to be in this island, it would be like an illusion as if it was a depicted nightmare.

"...Hm?"

Kazuma, who had been dazing with his arms placed on the window frame, suddenly took notice of a part of the scenery.

The academy's courtyard could be seen from the windows on the corridor. Naturally, the courtyard had school buildings and auditorium which the students used there. There were many Magic Guild's facilities constructed there.

Among those, there was a single pure white building which was called as the Cathedral. Several people were busily going in and out there.

The Cathedral was the most sacred place among the Magic Guild. It wasn't only used by the Guild's people to held important meeting or when there was a ceremony. With the exception of when there was a special class for the academy's students, it was prohibited to trespass without reason.

Judging by the robes they wore, the people who were going in and out seemed to be the Magic Guild's officials. If it was only that, it shouldn't be unusual. However, there was a single person who put on a big, triangular hat on the head.

That hat that was noticeable from distance held a special meaning for the Magic Guild.

"Ten Saint..."

The Ten Saints were the directors among directors who possessed top-class authority within Magic Guild. So to say, someone who had been chosen, a privileged class.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that they were the one who presently set the Magic Guild in motion. No one would be permitted to approach the Magic Guild's most highly classified information that was seemingly stored in the deepest part of the Cathedral if they were not a Ten Saint.

Kazuma watched the fist's movements of the Ten Saint who was giving instruction to the restless subordinates. The mark of the chosen one on the big hat moved right and left.

(Come to think of it, it's said that there's a canonization ceremony for a new Ten Saint today.)

It was a very rare occasion.

Ten Saints was a privileged class. Therefore, to be appointed, one must have an authority over the fitting knowledge and experiences, a degree of contribution toward Magic Guild, and most of all, the required strength of magic. Hence why, since Ten Saints was introduced, the number of people kept on being less than ten people for a long time.

The Ten Saint this time seemed to be an active student.

In addition to the rare appointment of a Ten Saint, it was unprecedented for a student to take up a post there.

With that 'unprecedented' coming from his classmates, it drew a somewhat interest even from Kazuma who just spent his days lazing around.

(If I'm not mistaken... it was Konoe Mercury)

She was undisputedly a super excellent student who had been hailed as a prodigy ever since she came to Magic Guild. Because of her gorgeous appearance, in addition to known to have a very up-tight personality, she was a very well-known person in Ishana for various reasons.

Having no such grades, and also plain appearance and personality, Kazuma was the polar opposite existence of her.

(In this world, there are people who walk a bright path of life.)

Feeling discouraged, he let out a sigh. It was a world which didn't have much relation with Kazuma.

It was no use looking at it continuously as if he was being jealous of his neighbor's green lawn. As the class would begin soon, Kazuma went away from the window. Granted, there was hardly any jealous feeling left toward the Ten Saints position.

At that moment, suddenly.

————.

A voice was heard.

Kazuma looked back.

But unsurprisingly, there was only an opened window. There was no figure of a person.

"...Huh?"

He felt that he had certainly heard someone's voice just now. At any rate, he had a feeling that he had surely been called.

"I don't like this... Hallucinating after having a memory loss. It seems I can no longer laugh at it sometimes soon."

While scratching his head as if he was disturbing his hair, Kazuma turned his back on the window once more.

The timing was just right as the bell that informed the start of the next class echoed throughout the corridor. Kazuma reflexively looked up at the ceiling and trotted back to the classroom.

Part 6

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