To others, the world was normal.
To me… it was worse than hell.
My name is Nagi. I'm sixteen years old, a student at Tokyo International Academy. Once, my family lived a life of comfort and wealth. But that was before my father died.
Everything changed after that.
Now, my mother works day and night just to support us. I have a younger sister, Shily, and a little brother, Sai. As the eldest, I know I should be the one protecting them… but right now, I can barely protect myself.
So I started looking for a part-time job.
I didn't know then… that decision would change my life forever.
The next morning, I arrived at the academy at exactly 8:00 AM, just like always.
Despite everything, I was still one of the top students in school. Some people admired me for it. Especially the girls.
But admiration always comes with jealousy.
And in my case… it came in the form of Hazen and Kim.
They were the richest students in the academy, but nowhere near the top academically. For some reason, they couldn't stand me.
As soon as I stepped into the classroom, I knew something was wrong.
I walked toward my desk quietly.
Then suddenly—
Scrrrk!
My desk was yanked backward.
I lost my balance and stumbled.
Before I could react, a sharp force struck my back.
Thud!
Kim had kicked me.
I clenched my teeth and steadied myself, barely managing to block a second hit. Slowly, I turned around, my eyes cold.
Hazen stood in front of me with a mocking grin.
"Still acting tough?" he sneered.
Before I could respond—
Bang!
The edge of a desk slammed into my face.
Pain exploded in my head. My vision blurred, and the world around me faded into darkness.
When I woke up, I was lying on a bed in the infirmary.
The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
I turned my head slightly. The sun was already setting.
School was over.
"…Great," I muttered under my breath.
No one was there.
No apology. No punishment. Nothing.
Just another normal day.
The next day, after classes ended, I headed home as usual.
The streets were quieter than usual.
That's when I saw them.
Hazen… and his group.
My heart skipped a beat.
"Hey! Nagi!" one of them shouted.
I didn't wait.
I ran.
Footsteps echoed behind me as they gave chase. My breath grew heavier with each second.
Then suddenly—
"Hey. You there. Come inside."
The voice came from a nearby office building.
Without thinking, I rushed in and shut the door behind me.
Inside, a man sat calmly behind a desk.
He looked at me with a slight smile.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
I nodded, catching my breath. "Y-Yes… thank you, sir."
He leaned back in his chair. "Bullying has become quite common these days."
"…Yeah," I replied quietly. "I'm Nagi. What's your name, sir?"
"Joe."
He studied me for a moment.
"I've heard about you," he said. "Top student. White hair. White eyes. Quite popular at your academy."
I gave a small, awkward smile. "Something like that…"
Then, without warning, his expression turned serious.
"I have a job for you."
I blinked. "A job?"
"It pays one million yen."
My eyes widened.
"One… million?"
"For a simple task," he continued. "You'll be testing a new game we're developing. It's called Realise."
"A game?" I frowned. "That's it?"
"And a device," he added. "A Nano Chip."
I hesitated. "Nano… Chip?"
"It's an advanced version of a gaming system," Joe explained. "Instead of using a console or VR headset, it connects directly to your brain. It allows you to fully experience the game… as if it were real."
A strange feeling crept into my chest.
"Is it… safe?"
Joe smiled calmly. "We've tested it multiple times. There's no danger."
That answer didn't fully convince me.
But then again…
One million yen.
That money could change everything for my family.
"…I'll do it," I said.
Joe slid a contract across the table.
I didn't read it.
I just signed.
"Good," Joe said.
"There's one condition. You must not tell anyone about the game or the Nano Chip until the official release."
"I understand."
"So… where is the chip?" I asked.
Joe stood up and walked behind me.
"You already have it."
Before I could react, I felt a faint sensation at the back of my neck—like a brief touch.
Then… nothing.
I turned quickly. "I didn't feel anything."
"You're not supposed to," he said. "It's already installed."
"…Installed?"
"When you fall asleep, you'll automatically enter the game."
"And… can anyone see it?"
"No one," Joe replied. "Not even you."
He glanced at his watch.
"Well, that's all. If you have any problems, contact the CEO of Nanolize."
I frowned. "The CEO?"
Joe smiled.
"That would be me."
Before I could say anything else, he gently pushed me toward the door and closed it behind me.
When I reached home, I opened the door quietly.
"Nii-chan!"
Shily stood in front of me with her hands on her hips.
"Why are you so late? Sai was waiting for you, but he fell asleep."
"Sorry," I said with a tired smile. "Where's Mom?"
"She's still at work. She said she'll be late again."
I nodded.
"The food is on the table," she added. "Eat and go to sleep."
"Okay."
After dinner, I lay down on my bed.
The room was dark.
Silent.
I glanced at the clock.
10:00 PM.
I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts racing.
A game… a Nano Chip… one million yen…
Was this real?
Or was I making a huge mistake?
I closed my eyes slowly.
"…Let's find out."
A faint smile formed on my lips.
"It's time… for my first login."