Prologue

The principal’s muffled words echoed through the massive auditorium, bouncing weakly against the gray concrete walls. The stage, adorned with crimson curtains and a screen projecting the school crest, looked more solemn than usual—though most students were barely holding back their yawns."And so, dear students, we conclude this academic cycle. We hope that during your break, you reflect upon your mistakes and return with a commitment to surpass yourselves..."In the back row, nearly hidden among the empty seats, Akihiro Kirisawa rolled his eyes in disdain. Every word from the principal felt hollower than the last. He was mentally counting his yawns; he was at nineteen. Maybe twenty.The air in the auditorium was thick, heavy with formality and boredom. Outside, the sun beat down on the large windows, filtering through dusty curtains and painting streaks of light across the aisles.Reflect on my mistakes? Surpass myself? Ha... as if any of that matters.The principal was just finishing his monologue when the predictable part of the show arrived:"Remember, greatness is achieved only through effort and discipline. Follow the example of your Student Council President, Hideaki Kirisawa, who has once again been selected as the top student in the institute."The applause erupted with forced energy. The name "Hideaki" seemed to have the magical ability to trigger automatic ovations, as if the audience had been trained to react by reflex.And there he was. The prodigy. The perfect son. Hideaki Kirisawa walked toward the stage with the practiced elegance of someone who never failed. His suit was pressed with surgical precision, his gait was straight, and his expression was as serene as it was calculated.Akihiro watched him from his dark corner.Everyone cheers for him like he’s a hero... like they don’t know he’s never had to truly struggle for anything. The irony... he’s my older brother. And yet, it feels like we live on different planets.He, Akihiro, was the exact opposite. The invisible otaku. The underachiever. The guy who barely scraped by on exams and retreated into virtual worlds to escape the tedium of reality. But he didn't care. Not anymore. He had made peace with his role in this absurd theater they called society."And before we finish, a few words from our Student Council President," the principal announced with feigned enthusiasm.Hideaki took the microphone. His voice, confident and kind, filled the auditorium as if it had been engineered for motivational speeches."Thank you for those words, Principal. For me, this year has been yet another opportunity to grow and share my values with all of you..."Akihiro stopped listening. He leaned back in his seat and stared at the ceiling as if searching for an exit to another dimension.My God, can someone please shut him up?In his mind, he was already gone. He imagined himself in his room, testing the demo of that Full-Dive MMORPG he had miraculously obtained. Only thirty thousand people had it, and he was one of them. Maybe, he thought, the universe didn't hate him that much after all.And then, as if his thoughts had pierced the veil of the mundane... it happened.A blinding white light fell from the ceiling like a divine bolt. Students screamed. Some tried to run, others froze in place. Golden symbols appeared in mid-air, dancing in perfect circles and weaving into a hypnotic pattern. The floor vibrated, the walls groaned, and the entire auditorium seemed to freeze in time.Akihiro barely had time to stand up before an invisible force lifted him off the ground. Everything turned into a blur. The sound vanished.And then... a voice, clear and emotionless.[Request accepted.]