THE FALLEN HERO

  Chapter 1: A Life Unraveled
  The Weight of Existence

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Hello, my name is Watanabe no Tenshi I'm a high schooler living in the bustling city of Hitega, My dream? To become a police officer. "Hehehe!". I wanted to be the kind of person people could rely on. A protector of justice. Someone who stands tall in the face of danger, shielding the innocent from harm. I imagined myself wearing the uniform, walking the streets with purpose, my presence bringing a sense of safety and peace to those around me.

Yeah... that was me. Back in the past. Back when I was in high school, full of hope and aspirations, convinced that I was destined for something great.

But dreams have a funny way of turning to dust.

Now? I'm 24-year-old just a worthless man who hasn't accomplished a single thing in my life.

The uniform I once envisioned now feels like an impossible dream. My purpose? Long gone, buried beneath years of failure and regret.

I am just leaving like a living corpse.
No family. No hope. No future.
Nothing.

The city thrums with life, but it feels like a melody I was never meant to hear. Crowds weave through the streets, their hurried steps beating a rhythm I can't follow. Laughter spills from cafes, blending with the hum of distant engines.

Yet, amidst all this vibrancy, I feel like a ghost.

My shoulders slump under a weight no one else can see. Each step drags like I'm wading through quicksand. Around me, people chatter, their voices blending into a cacophony that only amplifies the emptiness inside me.

Failure. Disappointment. Worthless.

The words are carved into my mind, etched deeper with every passing day. They aren't anyone else's-just my own voice, relentless and unkind.

I stop in front of a shop window, its glass reflecting a man I barely recognize. Messy hair, hollow eyes, slumped posture. The reflection sneers at me, as if to say, Is this all you've become?

"Maybe it's all I ever was," I mutter, turning away.

The streets grow busier as I walk, but I hardly notice. My feet carry me forward, but my thoughts spiral backward-replaying every mistake, every missed opportunity, every time I wasn't good enough.

I pass a park where children laugh and play, their joy piercing through the haze of my despair. A father kneels beside his daughter, helping her tie her shoe. She giggles, her face alight with pure, unfiltered happiness.

I turn away. That happiness feels like an accusation, a reminder of everything I'll never have.

The intersection buzzed with life, a chaotic symphony of honking horns, flashing headlights, and hurried footsteps. I stood at the edge of the crosswalk, waiting for the signal to turn red. The city of Hitega never slept, and neither did its people. They moved like clockwork, their faces blank, their eyes fixed on destinations I couldn’t fathom. I was just another shadow in the crowd, invisible, insignificant. 

The light changed, and the cars screeched to a halt. People surged forward, brushing past me without a second glance. They always did. 

Then, a tiny hand grabbed mine. 

I looked down to see a little girl in a straw hat, her face obscured by the brim. She clung to me tightly, her small fingers trembling. For a moment, I thought she’d mistaken me for someone else—a parent, a sibling, anyone but the hollow man I’d become. Before I could ask her anything, something caught my eye. 

A feather. 

It drifted down in front of me, golden and glowing, unlike anything I’d ever seen. It wasn’t just gold—it was holy, radiant, as if plucked from an angel’s wing. I reached out, my fingers brushing against it, and the warmth seeped into my skin. My gaze followed its descent, and then I saw them. 

More feathers. 

They fell from the sky like a gentle rain, each one shimmering with that same otherworldly light. The air around me seemed to hum, charged with something I couldn’t explain. Above, the sky itself glowed, a brilliant golden light piercing through the clouds. People around me began to notice, their murmurs growing into exclamations. Some pulled out their phones, capturing the surreal scene. Others simply stared, their faces awestruck. 

For a moment, the weight on my shoulders felt lighter. 

Then, the sound of a blaring horn shattered the tranquility. 

A massive truck barreled toward the intersection, its engine roaring, its headlights blinding. The driver had lost control, and the vehicle careened wildly, veering dangerously close to the curb. Panic erupted as people scrambled to get out of its path. I stumbled backward, my heart pounding, my instincts screaming at me to run. 

But then I saw her. 

The little girl. 

She stood frozen in the middle of the road, her straw hat slipping from her head, her wide eyes locked on the approaching truck. Her doll lay at her feet, forgotten. 

“Move!” I shouted, my voice raw with desperation. “Someone help her!” 

But no one did. 

The crowd was too busy saving themselves, their faces twisted with fear as they pushed and shoved to escape the truck’s path. The girl remained motionless, her tiny frame trembling as the distance between her and the truck closed. 

My chest tightened. 

I could run. I could save myself. No one would blame me. No one cared about her—why should I? 

But then I remembered her hand in mine, the way she’d clung to me, trusting me without question. 

I couldn’t let her die. 

I lunged forward, my legs carrying me faster than I thought possible. The truck’s horn blared, deafening, as I reached her. My hands gripped her shoulders, and with all the strength I had, I shoved her toward the curb. She stumbled, falling to safety just as the truck slammed into me. 

The impact was like nothing I’d ever felt. 

Pain exploded through my body, sharp and unrelenting. My ribs cracked, my bones shattered, and the world spun in a blur of headlights and pavement. I hit the ground hard, the asphalt biting into my skin as shards of glass rained down around me. Blood filled my mouth, its metallic taste overwhelming, and I choked, struggling to breathe. 

The truck screeched to a halt somewhere behind me, its tires smoking. Voices shouted, distant and muffled, but I couldn’t make out the words. My vision blurred, the edges darkening as I fought to stay conscious. 

Through the haze, I saw the girl. 

She was safe, kneeling on the curb, her doll clutched tightly to her chest. Tears streamed down her face, her lips moving in a silent cry. Relief washed over me, a strange, fleeting peace amidst the agony. 

I’d done something right. 

For the first time in years, I felt... worthwhile. 

My gaze drifted upward, to the golden feathers still falling from the sky. The light grew brighter, almost blinding, and I squinted, trying to make sense of it. Slowly, my vision faded, the world dissolving into darkness. 

Then, I saw him. 

A figure stood beside me, his silhouette bathed in the golden light. Wings folded behind him, their feathers glowing like the ones falling from the sky. He stepped closer, his presence both comforting and unnerving. I couldn’t see his face clearly, but something about him felt... wrong. 

His head—or was it a helmet?—bore horns, jagged and twisted, like a demon’s crown. 

My breath hitched, and I tried to speak, but no sound came out. The pain in my body was fading, replaced by a cold, creeping numbness. 

“So... this is it,” I thought, my mind drifting. 

The golden light enveloped me, and everything went silent. 

End of Chapter 1