Beginning of New journey

Haruto smiled and looked over. “Ren, what's with that gloomy look?”

Shion joined in, curious. "Yeah, you look deep in thought. Something happened?”

Ren shook his head quickly. “It's nothing... I was just thinking about the game.”

Their homeroom teacher entered and clapped his hands before they could press any further. "Alright, everyone, listen up. You all know the game trial is officially over. Today, we'll be visiting the company behind it. So, let's move to the bus area.”

As the students picked up their bags, the room was alive with conversation. Class soon arrived at the buses that were waiting, and even though the trial was over, there was still an air of excitement among them.

They reached the company grounds after the ride, where a few of the staff were waiting in the parking lot. One took a step forward and said kindly, "Welcome back, everybody. Kindly follow the other employees inside and turn in your VR sets here.

Everyone followed the staff and slowly went inside the room. 

The room was big enough to swallow an entire school ground.

Neon purple and black trim highlighted the shiny gaming seats, which were lined up in perfect rows and glowing lightly. The headrest was designed to cradle the person sitting there, and the arm rests had touch panels fitted. The entire space had an odd, futuristic appearance due to the soft light that gathered beneath the seats.

Dozens of students are in the room, scattered in small groups, voices blending into a low, constant murmur. Some exchanged hurried whispers, others laughed nervously, but nearly all recounted their matches from the past two weeks of the Game Trail — reliving victories, game features, lamenting defeats, and voicing their thoughts on the battles they fought.

At the front, a group of teachers stood together, exuding a confident blend of formality and curiosity as they shared their experiences with gaming and discussed game complexity. Their voices were calm, but their eyes discreetly monitored the crowd, ensuring the chaos didn't escalate too much.

Off to one side, four figures stood together — not students, not teachers, but professional gamers whose very presence drew subtle glances from those nearby. This stance belied the precision in their movements, the faint air of control that only years of competition could forge.

The entire discussion focused on the Game Trail they had been participating in for the past two weeks, with the pro gamers exchanging tactics and narrating their most difficult conflicts..

“ Two weeks, and I'm still not convinced that game’s complexity,” One muttered, shaking his head. Another smirked.

“This complexity is enough for me to wipe your entire army in under three minutes.”

The third spoke between chuckles, recalling a desperate combat fight that ended in an impossible comeback. Each exchange was sharp, clipped-battle reports disguised as small talk. These weren't just stories; they were fragments of the Game Trial that had consumed their days and nights for the past fortnight.

The conversation among the group seems never-ending.

Among the group stood a girl with long, blonde hair tied loosely to the side. Her hands were tucked deep into the pockets of her jacket, and her eyes were fixed somewhere beyond the others. Although she listened for a while, her expression remained unchanged—calm, detached, and almost absent. It wasn’t that she disliked their conversation, but the details of the map’s complexity and reckless blunders only pulled her deeper into boredom.

Finally, she stepped back. With quiet, unhurried steps, she left the small circle, their voices fading behind her like background noise.

That was when her gaze found him.

Her eyes naturally drifted toward the boy who had fought alongside her during the trial. Even now, as he stood apart from the crowd, his posture reminded her of the battlefield: steady, alert, and unwavering. He wasn't the strongest player regarding raw reflexes; he didn't rely on reckless charges or flashy kills like many of the others boasting behind her. What set him apart was his ability to read the flow of the game.

She still remembered their first fight together. He calmly issued short, precise directions, cutting through the chaos like a sharp blade. When enemies swarmed their flank, he didn't waste time on pointless conflicts; instead, he mapped out escape routes, set ambush points, and turned losing ground into a sudden advantage. His movements were calculated and deliberate—never rushing, never hesitating.

He secured supply points, lured enemies into traps, and covered his teammates' blind spots. He played as if victory wasn't achieved through a single decisive strike, but by shaping the battlefield itself.

Now, standing in the real world, she found the same quiet confidence in his presence.

The others could talk themselves hoarse about headshots and kill counts. She understood the truth—victories weren’t just about reflexes or luck; they required vision, timing, and trust.

That was why she approached him. “...You're here.” Her voice was soft, carrying none of the excitement of the other people.

He gazed at him with a warm smile, his posture relaxed and inviting, conveying a sense of ease and friendliness. “Yeah, I didn't think you'd leave your friends to meet me.”

She responded enthusiastically, her eyes reflecting interest in the conversation, and her body language indicating happiness. “No, they’re talking about some boring shit, so I decided to leave.”

He smiled, but their face and eyes displayed little emotion. He politely said"Oh... that means I am an interesting person." 

The words slipped from his mouth as though he were simply stating a fact, not boasting, not teasing. His voice carried no joy, no arrogance-just a calm neutrality.

She forced a smile, but it twitched awkwardly, betraying her nerves. Her eyes flicked up at him, then darted away just as quickly. Her fingers clutched the hem of her sleeve, tugging it like an anchor while her mind raced. ‘ Why can't I sound normal?’

Finally, after taking a deep breath, she nervously spoke up.

“Y-you're... very good at gaming.”

The words rushed out too quickly. Her cheeks warmed, but she pressed on, desperate to sound normal. 

“ and I-I like you-”

She froze, eyes widening, realizing what she'd just said. Her face turned crimson as her lips scrambled for rescue.

 “N-no, wait, I mean... I like your... nature!”

He didn't listen to her because he wasn't paying attention to her, he was thinking about the game trail.

“ Sorry, I didn't catch your words, I was thinking about a mysterious glitch… or maybe a mistake in the game. Oh, you're saying something important.”

Relief flooded her chest. Her lips curved into a shaky smile, and inside she whispered, “Thank God... he didn't hear me.”

However, the meaning of his words gradually became clear to me. Glitch? Mistake?

Her relief twisted into unease. The warmth in her face cooled instantly as her expression shifted—eyes widening, brows knitting together. She forgot her embarrassment, caught by the weight of what he had just revealed.

“What kind of glitch is it?”

He replied calmly “I think game concept is very complex so it's normal ”,

Through the gallery's long corridor, footsteps echoed in rhythm. The man is going toward the room. Behind him, three figures carried electronic boxes heavy with VR headsets. They advanced without pause until the vast room's doors opened before them.

However, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed throughout the room before they could continue their conversation. A nervous silence took the place of the students' conversation.

A tall figure in a black suit entered from the far side of the room. The man's face was completely hidden behind a smooth, featureless mask that shone faintly beneath the lights. His movements were measured, deliberate-like someone used to carrying authority.

He stopped at the center, his presence commanding the entire hall's attention without effort. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm and deep.  

“Thank you for participating in the game trial.”

Whispers rise as the crowd speaks, but he raises a gloved hand for silence. 

“Our company's owner has made... adjustments. Certain settings have been changed. So please-”

The masked man spoke calmly, his voice carrying quiet confidence  "Please try the game trial one more time.”

The masked man walked forward, his voice steady yet commanding. Without hesitation, the three workers behind him opened their electronic boxes, revealing rows of sleek VR headsets.

One by one, the devices were distributed. Students, teachers, and gamers reached eagerly, some whispering with excitement, while others nervously.

When the last headset was given, the workers quietly closed the boxes. Without a word, they turned and walked back through the doors, leaving the hall in silence.

“Please, equip your devices,”the masked man instructed. His tone carried no warmth, only expectation.

Straps tightened, Screens illuminated. The hum of the system filled the air as dozens of students logged into the game.

Then – something happened.

Bodies slumped in their chairs, heads falling forward. One after another, everyone who wore the headset went, still unconsciously breathing shallow but steady.

The mask man stood at the centre, motionless. He neither flinched nor breathed any louder, his posture straight, face unreadable behind the mask. No gesture of surprise, no sign of concern.

Like a shadow carved into the room, he remained still, watching the unconscious crowd as if this outcome had always been expected, then he said 

“ The real game started now,  I think the boss plans something else, beyond— human imagination.”

♦ ♦ ♦

Darkness pressed in around her.

His body felt heavy, then suddenly light-like sinking into water before being pulled upward again. When his eyes opened, the world was different.

He stood on unfamiliar ground, her hand trembling. Their appearances had been reincarnated into the avatars they had chosen for the game. Ren breathed deeply, his lungs heavy with the earthy smell of soil. His hand touched his chest, he felt his heartbeat, firm and alive.

Ren tries to understand her surroundings and the changes in bodies. They quietly observe her body, and no one else is around; they are alone in an unfamiliar world. “ This is…me? ”

Suddenly —

BEEP 

A glowing screen suddenly appeared before his eyes, and words began to form across its surface.

[ Welcome Players ]

Ren blinked. His reflection shone faintly on the glassy surface, and another line appeared, scrolling quickly beneath.

[ You are not alone ]

The screen rippled, and suddenly a flood of text filled its frame-lines of chat messages appearing one after another.

(Where am I?! )

( This isn't the lobby-what happened?! )

( Is this part of the update? )

(Hey! Who's controlling this?)

Ren's eyes widened. There are others here; he wasn't the only one dragged into this world.

Before he could type or speak, another message appeared, written differently-calm, deliberate, its glow stronger than the rest.

[ I am the one who brought you here. ]

That chat exploded again.

(Where am I?)

( Is this a bug?!)

( Send us back!)

(Answer us!)

Ren's body relaxed, but her mind started to explore possibilities. He asked questions confidently, demonstrating no hesitation. “...who are you?”

The endless scrolling paused. Then a single reply emerged, every letter burning brighter than the rest.

Finally, a single line appeared, each letter deliberate.

[People have given me many names... Hope, Supreme God, Calamity…]

The text pulsed once.

[...but you may call me Glitch.].

One student stood up confidently and asked, "What motive is there to teleport or reincarnate our in-game characters?"

Ren's face is composed and thinking, ‘Finally... Someone asked a good question.’

The screen flickered again.

[My motive is nothing…I am joking, I have a reason.]

Everyone stopped talking and stared at the screen. Then the screen displayed some words.

[A competition —the strong will rise, take control of this world, and gain the chance of going back to their own world. The weak could fall and die.]

Eyes wide, silence heavy, everyone froze. There was a whisper—“Die…? Fear spread, panic extended, and every heart was broken by the weight of the message.

Another message appear

[You may conduct meetings or create guilds to increase your survival chances. Anyways .  All the best on your journey…bye - bye guys.]

Too shocked to type a single word in the chat, everyone fell silent. Then, one teacher spoke strongly, breaking the tense silence.

( We should conduct a meeting. Please, everyone, join this meeting. We must find a peaceful route for survival.)

Suddenly, one student writes up, his chat showing panic and fear.

[What’s the point of this meeting?! You’re talking about non-violence and a peaceful route—that’s a stupid idea! That person sent us to another world just for fun! Do you really think he’ll let everyone return safely? He clearly said only winners survive and losers die! I’m maxing out every level, becoming stronger than everyone, and I’ll kill whoever stands in my way. I must return home… my parents are waiting for me.]

The chat exploded with mixed reactions.

(Please calm down, everyone,) another teacher typed, trying to control the chaos.

Some students quickly replied with ( Yes, sensei, you’re right ) while many others echoed the panicked student, ( No! He’s right, only strength matters! )

The teachers immediately sent an invitation for a meeting .

                             [Meeting Invitation: Will you join?]

                                       Options: Yes / No