This was Shin Katsuragi.

But he didn't know that yet.

From the darkness, a soft light began to emerge, pulsating like the first flicker of dawn. It grew brighter and closer, coalescing into the silhouette of a woman. Her form radiated a quiet, otherworldly beauty, her features blurred by an ethereal glow. She moved gracefully toward the unconscious man, her expression tinged with sorrow.

She stopped in front of him, kneeling as if to examine his face more closely. Her delicate hand hovered over his chest, hesitant, before finally resting there. A faint pulse of warmth spread from her touch.

"You shouldn't have to bear this. He should be the one who should take on this responsibility."

She whispered, her voice soft and laced with regret. 

"But fate... it always finds a way."

Her hand moved to his forehead, tracing intricate, invisible symbols. A gentle, golden light began to emanate from her fingertips, seeping into his skin. Katsuragi's body twitched slightly as his memories.. his entire identity were sealed away.

"I can't let you remember. Not yet." 

She continued, her voice trembling. 

"When the time comes, you'll understand everything. But until then... live. Find your path."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, her resolve firm even as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. With a reluctant push, she released him. The void around them began to crack, fragments of darkness and light spiraling outward as Katsuragi was pulled away by an unseen force.

The last thing he heard before everything shattered was her voice, a plea carried on the winds of nothingness.

"Forgive me..."

---

The dense forest was alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves. A nearby stream babbled softly, its waters glistening under the late afternoon sun. Katsuragi's body lay motionless amidst the moss and fallen leaves, his simple clothes damp from the forest floor.

Not far from him, a young woman stood with her arms crossed, her gaze cautious but curious. She had dark black hair tied into a loose ponytail that shimmered faintly under the dappled sunlight. Her eyes, a striking shade of gold, were sharp and observant, like a hawk surveying its prey.

She wore light shoulder pads with the insignia of a Shanzhou patroller etched onto her shoulder, a curved sword strapped securely at her side. Her name was Carmira.

"What kind of person falls from the sky and just lands here?" 

She muttered to herself, her voice tinged with a mix of suspicion and concern.

Kneeling beside him, she nudged his cheek gently with her gloved hand. 

"Hey, are you alive?"

The man didn't stir. His face was calm, his breathing steady, but there was something... peculiar about him. An aura surrounded him, faint but undeniable, as though he carried the weight of a storm within him.

Carmira let out a sigh, brushing a strand of hair from her face. 

"You better not be dead." 

She said under her breath, settling onto a nearby log to wait. She glanced at the horizon, where the sun was beginning to dip, casting long shadows across the forest floor.

Minutes passed. Then, a groan broke the silence.

Carmira shot to her feet, her hand instinctively resting on her knee. The man stirred, his fingers twitching before his eyes fluttered open. He blinked a few times, disoriented, before his gaze settled on Carmira.

"Where... am I?" 

He asked, his voice hoarse but steady.

"You're in the forest near Shanzhou's patroller station," 

Carmira replied cautiously. 

"Who are you?"

He sat up slowly, wincing as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

"My name... is Shin Katsuragi." 

He said, his brow furrowing. 

"I'm from... huh? I can't remember anything else. My past... it's blank. Why..?"

Carmira's golden eyes softened, though she kept her distance.

It's possible you're losing your memory. Maybe it's Amnesia." 

She said dryly, though there was no malice in her tone.

Katsuragi gave a weak chuckle, brushing some dirt off his shirt. 

"Yeah, convenient for who?"

Carmira extended a hand to him. 

"Well, Katsuragi, you're lucky I found you before something else did. This forest isn't exactly a safe place to take a nap."

He hesitated for a moment before taking her hand, letting her pull him to his feet. 

"Thanks. I guess I owe you one."

She introduced herself, adjusting the strap of her armor.

"My name is Mei Carmira, just call me Carmira. The 7th S Rank Awakener from Shanzhou. You have to come with me to the station for questioning."

Awakener, a title for someone who awakens extraordinary powers within themselves. Each Awakener has their own uniqueness and is broken down into five classes and six ranks. 

Among the five classes, there are Fighter, Assassin, Marksman, Mage and Support. Support is divided into two categories, namely Tank and Healer. 

As for ranks, there is the lowest level, which is E Rank, and the highest is S Rank. 

Katsuragi raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a faint smirk. 

"You don't trust me?"

"Not yet." 

She replied bluntly, though there was a hint of playfulness in her tone.

As they began walking through the forest, Katsuragi glanced around, his gaze lingering on the trees and the fading sunlight. Something about this place felt... familiar, yet distant.

Carmira watched him from the corner of her eye, noticing the way his expression shifted between curiosity and melancholy. Whoever this Katsuragi was, she had a feeling his story was far from ordinary.

"There's something strange about this man, the aura that's with him is quite strong. But for now, it's better to be careful."

For now, though, she would wait. Time, as always, had a way of revealing the truth.

Meanwhile, Katsuragi felt dizzy in his head. 

"Ugh, I feel like I forgot something important.. but what?"

While traveling, Katsuragi looked around and saw a rather strange field. 

"Abyssal Field?"

Abyssal Field, the term for the field where Abyss spawns. They appear using a portal that causes the surrounding area to wither away, even if it has been cleaned, the wilting effect will still be there. 

Carmira sighes and replied.

"Yeah, there's a bit of a problem here. As you can see for yourself, Abyss activity has started to increase recently. So we patrollers have to take on extra shifts to monitor and report it to the higher-ups."

Katsuragi scoffed slightly. 

"Heh, so that's true? So your job is just to find something strange and report it to the authorities? Must be bored, maybe that's why not many people join the patrollers like you."

The comment given by Katsuragi alone was enough to make Carmira angry. 

"Okay, first of all this work is not boring. Second, we are heavily armed and we have several A Rank Awakeners. And thirdly..." 

She pulled both of Katsuragi's ears hard. 

"Ouch! It hurts!"

"That's because you make fun of my work!" 

In the end they continued their journey towards the patrol station that Carmira had mentioned earlier. However, Katsuragi who was following him from behind could feel something strange following them. Every time he tried to peek a little, the thing disappeared. Again and again. Whatever Katsuragi felt, he tried to ignore it and focus on the road in front of him.