When Winners Erase Losers From History…

The tallest skyscrapers of Nexus Pratum stretched as high as the clouds and flaunted to the heavens right above. Neon holograms flickered, painting the sky with animated advertisements and billboards while a few sleek vehicles soared and zipped around the buildings. As expected of this overstimulating, colorful city, it buzzed with plenty of noise and activity, forcing me to keep my eyes on the ground.

Walking through the streets were humans and androids with triangle eyes, brushing each other’s shoulders as they went about their day. Some traveled with hoverboards and roller skates, flying neither too high nor too fast while they floated past some pedestrians. A few troublemakers also jaywalked and flew over cars at a far distance before they got immediately caught and chased down by some security drones. Amateurs.

In a city shaped like a tourist's paradise, true locals would recognize that this peaceful, lively scene was but a curtain covering up dozens of schemes stirring behind the scenes. A shame I ended up getting involved with one of such conspiracies.

I stared through the car window, taking the view of the city with a tired gaze. Noah, sitting across from me, pulled a tablet from his backpack and started playing a video game. It was only when I recognized the background music that prompted me to spare a glance in his direction and the familiar gacha game.

“Cosmic Arcania again, huh?” I murmured.

He widened his eyes at me. “You know the game?”

“Huh? Erm…” Realizing I subconsciously said that out loud, I cleared my throat. “It’s a popular game. Anyway, aren’t you too young to play that? The age rating is thirteen and up.”

“So? It’s not illegal. Unlike killing people.”

I pursed my lips and squinted at the driver. “What kind of law enforcement are you to let a child play mature games?”

“Eh? Is it mature?” asked Axel, scratching his head. “I think I’m getting too old to know what kids are into these days. If it’s just thirteen years or older, it should be fine, no?”

I shrugged and stared back out the window. “Whatever.”

Another round of silence ensued during the ride before Noah groaned in frustration, kicking the back of Axel’s seat.

“Hey, cool it, kid,” said the detective.

“Ugh, sorry,” he grumbled.

I glanced at the "Challenge Failed" text flashing red on his screen. I extended a hand, and it took a few seconds before the kid understood the message and handed his tablet over. I immediately checked out his characters’ equipment before sighing.

“You’ve been gearing them wrong,” I said, switching out dozens of items. “You didn’t even upgrade their skills yet.” And he barely has any limited items or characters. Does he not know anything about gacha?

“Huh?” Noah inched closer and peered at my gameplay. “You know how to play?”

…I should probably not mention that I’m one of the best players. “A little,” I said.

“Androids play games too?”

“Mhm.” I checked his inventory, opened material boxes he had yet to open, upgraded his stuff, and rearranged his team compositions before replaying the challenge. My fingers rapidly tapped around the screen and swiftly completed the challenge in under a minute.

“Woah, you’ve beaten it already? You’re super good at this!” said Noah, eyes twinkling. “How’d you do that so fast?”

“You should check the monsters before you start the challenge. Look, these guys have high resistance to ranged characters, so you have to use melee characters instead.”

“Uh, what’s ‘melee?’”

“Ugh, no wonder it’s rated thirteen or up. Fine, let me explain.”

Noah nodded and listened closely as I lectured on how the game worked. I didn't know what went over me, but before I realized it, I rambled more than I intended. Hell, I somehow found myself joining him in-game with my own account. Thank god he was too young to realize what rank I was—I wouldn’t know what to do if he kept begging me to carry him.

At some point, I started to wonder if this was a hidden weak side of me. Throughout the ride, I was so distracted that I never noticed the detective tossing a smile of approval through the rearview mirror.

⫿⫼⟁⫼⫿

Since I was still practically branded as a criminal, I couldn’t exactly join Axel inside the city hall or any government-owned buildings for that matter. Good thing I didn’t have to—I could simply sign the contract while I waited inside Axel’s car. He even locked up the kid with me so that he could “keep me company,” but really, it was obvious he wanted both of us out of trouble.

“Boo, I want to go out,” Noah mumbled, fidgeting his legs. “I’m boooored.”

“Just keep playing your games,” I said.

“It’s low on battery.”

“Sucks to be you then.”

Noah pouted. “Aren’t you bored too?”

Bored? Every ounce of my ambition had been brutally ripped away from me and left me as a husk. I wasn’t bored or anticipating this new opportunity. If anything, I felt… exhausted.

I inhaled and mumbled, “Not exactly.”

“Eh?”

I leaned my head on my palm, an elbow resting on the door armrest. “You humans have the luxury of feeling bored, but I’ve always been thinking about why I exist.”

The boy slanted his head. “Why do you gotta know?”

“Unlike you guys, we’re still machines, so our roles are predetermined before we receive human bodies. Most androids act as family assistants and factory workers, but me? I assumed I was created to be an assassin, but clearly, that wasn’t it.” I scowled at my faint reflection through the window. “Even after succeeding in my first mission, my creator got rid of me.”

“Really? Why?”

“...Because my emotional system malfunctioned.” And it still is, apparently. “They disposed of me without a second thought.”

Noah tilted his head, unconvinced. “I don't get it. You bleed red instead of purple and even have only one triangle eye instead of two. If they made you differently than a normal android, why would they throw you away after you suddenly act like a real person?”

“I don’t know,” I mumbled.

“Huh… No wonder you’re always so edgy. I'd be mad too.”

I tossed a narrow side-eye at him before brushing off his comment. “Think whatever you like. I'm only agreeing to stick around a little longer because Axel wants me alive.”

Noah offered a reassuring smile. "And I do too! We meant it when we said we like you!"

“…Hmph.” I folded my arms and looked away, ignoring the odd, fluttering sensation inside me.

As I glimpsed outside though, I unexpectedly made eye contact with the man himself as he walked back to the car with an electronic clipboard tucked under his arm. "Speak of the devil," I said, rolling down the window for him.

Axel grinned and leaned an arm on the window frame. “Alright, I’m back with the paperwork,” he said. “It’s almost finished—all it's missing now is your serial number and signature.”

I eyed the clipboard. “You sure that thing won’t track criminal records?”

“Probably not. Never heard of such a case happening before. Anyway, here you go, kid.” He practically shoved the clipboard in my face. I reluctantly accepted it, but even then, as I read the holographic sheet, I hesitated to even lift a finger.

If I sign this, I’d be back on track to investigating Biowidth Station, The Director, and potentially my creator. At the same time, I couldn't help but remember that I’d already let two people down. If I failed the third time, I… probably wouldn’t be able to handle it…

Chills crawled up my spine the more I imagined the scenario, forcing me to brush away such a thought. I glanced at Axel and Noah, still grappling with the miracle that I could even get another chance at life.

Still, an opportunity is an opportunity, I concluded, raising a shaky finger. Axel is more lenient than The Director, so maybe, just maybe, I can start over for real this time.

Taking a deep breath, I entered my serial number and signature and pressed the submit button at the bottom of the sheet. I curled my fists and unknowingly held my breath as the loading screen dragged on for ages. That was until…

“Error,” the system announced.

All three of us stared, slack-jawed, at the screen flashing bright red text.

“The provided serial number does not exist. Please verify the number again.”