It happened so fast, I didn't even see it coming. I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to anyone.

It was a pretty normal seeming day for me. My name is Qui Bai I was a Japanese American who decided to study overseas in Japan for college. I was pretty average looking, hardly any muscle but no fat either, with shorter black hair and dark eyes from my mother. I was studying history and felt that Japan was the perfect place to go, what with it being a part of my heritage. The cultural history of the nation fascinated me. How they developed practically without any outside interference until the Portuguese finally found them. The uniqueness of their philosophy and medicine was just as interesting along with their farming methods and alcohol. But in school, as a history junkie and anime fan I was always absorbed in my studies or hobby, not really bothering with too many friends. I always considered myself a loner, even if my mom said that I wasn't.

Walking back to my apartment after a long night of studying was pretty a normal night, I had made the walk dozens of times before, so I wasn't really bothered by the area, only drug related crimes were reported here and even those were rare. Seeing that it was only a mile or so I never thought to bring anybody or anything for protection. That's why when a crazy guy ran out in front of me with a knife, I may have panicked a bit.

"Jus... Just gimme your stuff and go. I.. I'll kill you I swear I will so GIVE IT TO ME." I took in the sight of the man before me with fear, nothing like this had ever happened here before. The sunken skin and bloodshot eyes of this addict were scary enough but the knife he was using scared me more.

"Ok, I'll give it to you, just put down the knife." I reach for my wallet after trying to speak calmly, not wanting to give the wrong idea and set him off, ready to give my wallet to him until,

"STOP! Your gonna trick me aren't you? Just like them. I'm gonna kill them, but I'll get YOU FIRST!" He was already close so when he lunged I could hardly do anything, and he slashes at my stomach, gutting me on the street. I fall to the ground in shock, looking at what I assume to be my organs on the ground. The pain is maddening, more so as I get push back and mounted, feeling a knife stab into my heart repeatedly. His mad eyes boring into me as he swears to kill people I dont even know. I can only watch, my eyes hardly open anymore as he gets up and runs. The last thing I hear are the sirens, the sounds of people yelling, and the tremendous cold biting into me as my vision finally fades and I cant feel anything anymore.

A sudden warmth fills my body, fighting back the cold as I gasp for air, sitting up and looking around me. The smell of blood was so strong and a sudden extreme nausea make me puke up whatever was in my stomach, and got a good look at myself in the process. I was wearing a plain tattered kimono that looked cut by some type of blade. My reflection showed in the blood on the ground, I looked practically the same, just somewhat dirty. Taking in my surroundings, my eyes go wide as I realized I was at the scene of what looks like a small battle. Seeing that most of the dead looked to be wearing similar clothing to me, I assume that my faction lost.

The gravity of my situation finally hit me. My breathing gets heavy and my legs wobble as I fall to my knees, unable to fathom how I got here, the sight of the bodies, the smell of death... my death. I retch, nothing more in my stomach as I lay in the blood of either myself or someone else, bloody tears streaming from my eyes as I try to stay conscious, to control myself and calm down. My situation only worsens as extreme pain wracks my brain and I get attacked with seemingly random memories that weren't mine, ones of fighting, of family, of service and betrayal. Blood streams from my ears as I grip them and scream out to end it, just wanting the pain to go away. A mechanical voice cuts through the pain, relieving, like clear water in a well as it speaks to me.

*Detecting extreme stress on hosts physical and mental state, activation of The Ronin Systems preliminary functions beginning in 5 seconds.*