The buzzing lights in the mall ceiling hummed like cicadas in summer. Kaito Minami stood under them, a plastic bag dangling from one hand, the other scrolling his phone. His reflection blinked back at him from the glass of a closed shopfront — messy dark hair, average height, half-zipped hoodie, and a look in his eyes that screamed exhaustion.
Just another Saturday. Just another forgettable day.
He was browsing the latest updates about a celebrity divorce scandal when it hit him — a scream. Not the usual high-pitched mall commotion, but something primal.
He froze.
Another scream followed. Then another. Then the unmistakable sound of something crashing, glass shattering, bones cracking.
"What the hell—?"
Kaito turned around. A woman came stumbling out of the corridor near the food court, her mouth open in a silent wail, blood smearing her neck. Her eyes were wide, filled with more than just fear — they held the weight of something unspeakable.
Behind her, it came.
A creature — bloated, twisted, skin hanging off like wet cloth. Its head jerked like it wasn't used to having one, and its eyes were wrong.
Dead.
It lunged.
Kaito barely had time to flinch. The woman was taken down, her scream cut off in a wet gurgle. People were running now. The mall erupted into chaos.
He turned to run.
But it was too late.
Another creature — smaller, faster — leapt from the shadows. It latched onto him with the strength of something that should've been in a nightmare. He felt the weight, the sharp pain of claws, the breath of rot.
"Get off—!" he screamed, but it dug deeper. Through his jacket. Through his skin. Through everything.
Kaito's world collapsed.
He opened his eyes to the sound of birds.
Warm light spilled across his face. Not fluorescent. Natural. His head was pounding like a drum, but he sat up. The pain was real.
His room.
He blinked.
"What... the hell?"
The same posters on the wall. His desk cluttered with unopened books and soda cans. The faint smell of instant noodles.
He stumbled to the window.
The view—unchanged. Tokyo skyline. The hum of life. His phone said it was Wednesday.
Three days before the attack.
Then he heard it.
[Meri: Hello, Kaito. Welcome back.]
He froze. The voice wasn't from the room. It was in his head — soft, clear, feminine, yet mechanical.
"What—who said that?"
[Meri: I did. I'm your System. You've died once. This is your second chance.]
He gripped the windowsill like it was the only thing keeping him grounded.
"This is a dream."
[Meri: It's not. You were killed during the first wave. This time, you've been chosen. You're immortal now. But you cannot fight. You cannot harm. You can only trade, guide, and build.]
"What kind of messed up power is that?!"
[Meri: Unique. Just like you.]
A screen flickered into existence before his eyes — translucent and glowing with pale gold light.
[QUEST RECEIVED: OPEN THE FIRST SHOP] Reward: 10 Coins Penalty: None
[System Shop: Locked until quest completion]
[Meri: Complete the quest to unlock the system. Your job is simple. Survive. Trade. Build.]
He sat down slowly, heart racing. This was real. Too real.
"I died…"
[Meri: You did. But now, the world needs you. Even if it doesn't know it yet.]
And for the first time in his life, Kaito Minami wasn't just some tired kid with nothing going for him.
He was the beginning of something.
Something terrifying.
Something extraordinary.
He stared at the glowing quest prompt hovering in midair, blinking slowly. "Open the first shop" sounded simple, but it didn't feel simple. Not when death had come for him once, and would come again.
He took a deep breath and stood.
"Alright," he muttered. "Prepare. First, I need to prepare."
[Meri: Good decision. Preparation is the skeleton of all survival.]
He started pacing. "Three days. I've got three days. That's not much. Not enough to change the world, but maybe enough to build something that'll survive it."
He opened his closet. Dusty jackets, old school uniforms, and a half-broken umbrella. He pulled out a black duffel bag and tossed it on his bed.
"Meri, what kind of items will I need to prepare a shop?"
[Meri: The shop must begin with a space to operate in. You must find a suitable location. It must be indoors, secure, and accessible. After that, you will need storage, an inventory base, and a foundational counter.]
"So, like a proper merchant stall?"
[Meri: Correct. Minimal furnishings. Creativity is allowed.]
He grabbed his wallet and checked how much yen he had. Barely enough for ramen, let alone furniture. "Guess I'll need to get creative."
He ran downstairs, shoes in one hand, bag in the other. His mom wasn't home. Good.
The city felt too normal for what he knew was coming. Kids walked to school. Shops opened with cheerful jingles. No one saw the bloodbath waiting on the other side of the calendar.
He spent hours combing backstreets, alleys, and abandoned buildings. Finally, he found it.
A small storage unit tucked beneath an old pachinko parlor — unused, grimy, but locked and concrete-strong. Cheap to rent. Secure enough.
He paid in cash. The landlord didn't ask questions.
"Step one," Kaito whispered, "secured."
[Meri: Good. Next, you will need an inventory base. You may stock your store with any item that holds value during an apocalypse — tools, medicine, water, food.]
"Right. So, ration run."
The next two days blurred.
He scoured dollar stores, hardware shops, and even some shady wholesale stalls. He bought ropes, duct tape, knives, dried food, first-aid kits, bottled water, lighters, batteries — anything he could pack and carry. Each item he organized carefully inside his newly-rented shop.
On the second night, he collapsed against the cold concrete wall, sweat clinging to his skin.
"What now?"
[Meri: Await confirmation. If the shop is deemed sufficient, the quest will complete.]
A moment of silence passed.
Then:
[QUEST COMPLETE: OPEN THE FIRST SHOP] Reward: 10 Coins
[System Shop: Unlocked]
The air shimmered. A panel opened before him — glowing softly, endless and alien.
[Meri: Welcome, Merchant. Your kingdom begins here.]
Kaito exhaled slowly.
This wasn't just preparation.
It was the beginning of survival — and something far more dangerous.
It was the beginning of belief.