To others, the world was normal. To me, it was worse than hell. My name is Nagi. I am 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. 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, my desk was yanked backward. I lost my balance and stumbled. Before I could react, a sharp force struck my back. 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.
He asked if I was still acting tough. Before I could respond, 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 and saw the sun was already setting. School was over.
No one was there. No apology. No punishment. Nothing. It was 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. One of them shouted my name, but I didn't wait. I ran.
Footsteps echoed behind me as they gave chase, and my breath grew heavier with each second. Suddenly, a voice from a nearby office building told me to come inside.
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 and asked if I was alright.
I nodded, catching my breath, and thanked him. He leaned back in his chair, remarking that bullying had become quite common. I told him my name and asked for his. He said his name was Joe.
He studied me for a moment, mentioning he had heard of me: the top student with white hair and white eyes who was quite popular at the academy.
I gave a small, awkward smile. Then, without warning, his expression turned serious. He told me he had a job for me.
I blinked and asked what kind of job. He said it paid one million yen. My eyes widened at the amount. He explained it was a simple task: testing a new game they were developing called Realise.
I frowned, wondering if that was all. He added that it involved a device called a Nano Chip. I hesitated, asking what that was.
Joe explained it was an advanced gaming system that connects directly to the brain instead of using a console or VR headset. It would allow me to fully experience the game as if it were real.
A strange feeling crept into my chest. I asked if it was safe. Joe smiled calmly and assured me they had tested it multiple times and there was no danger.
That answer didn't fully convince me, but one million yen could change everything for my family.
I told him I would do it. Joe slid a contract across the table. I didn't read it; I just signed. He told me there was one condition: I must not tell anyone about the game or the Nano Chip until the official release. I told him I understood.
When I asked where the chip was, Joe stood up and walked behind me. He told me I already had 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, saying I didn't feel anything. Joe explained I wasn't supposed to because it was already installed. He told me that when I fell asleep, I would automatically enter the game.
I asked if anyone could see it, and he said no one could, not even me. He glanced at his watch and said that was all, adding that if I had problems, I should contact the CEO of Nanolize.
When I questioned who that was, Joe smiled and said it was him. Before I could say anything else, he pushed me toward the door and closed it behind me.
When I reached home, I opened the door quietly. Shily stood in front of me with her hands on her hips, asking why I was so late and mentioning that Sai had fallen asleep waiting. I apologized with a tired smile and asked about our mother.
Shily said she was still at work and would be late again. She told me the food was on the table and that I should eat and go to sleep.
After dinner, I lay down on my bed. The room was dark and silent. I glanced at the clock and saw it was 10:00 PM.
I stared at the ceiling, my thoughts racing about the game, the Nano Chip, and the money. I wondered if this was real or a huge mistake.
I closed my eyes slowly and told myself it was time to find out. A faint smile formed on my lips. It was time for my first login.