Chapter 1: The Dream of a Hologram Warrior

The world Kenny lived in was nothing like the one written about in history books. Gone were the wars, hunger, environmental collapse, and scarcity that had once driven humanity to the brink of destruction. Everything changed in the year 1970, when the greatest scientific breakthrough in human history was made: the discovery of Quantum Nexus Energy. Scientists had figured out how to harness energy from the very vibrations of the universe, and from that point on, the world was never the same.

With infinite, clean energy, the age of fossil fuels ended overnight. Resources became abundant, wars ceased, and societies began to cooperate instead of compete. Poverty and hunger faded into myths, and nature was allowed to flourish once more. But even in this new world, free of suffering, one ancient trait remained: the desire to compete.

People still craved excitement, challenge, and victory. And in this need for competition, something new was born—a sport unlike anything seen before: Hologram Battles.

Hologram battles combined advanced technology with strategy, reflexes, and imagination. It was a sport where participants fought inside fully immersive arenas, filled with digital landscapes, creatures, and weapons. The catch? Everything was made of light. No one could be harmed physically, but the emotional thrill was as real as it got. And for the best players, the Evren League awaited—a tournament where the most skilled hologram warriors from across the globe competed for glory.

For Kenny, becoming the champion of the Evren League wasn’t just a dream. It was his destiny.

Kenny was 19 years old, living in a small, quiet town far from the bustling metropolises. Though the world was connected in ways unimaginable to past generations, Kenny often felt trapped by the limitations of his surroundings. There were no elite hologram arenas here, no renowned players to train with. The only place he could practice was the town’s community hologram center—a modest facility with outdated equipment. But to Kenny, it didn’t matter.

Every day, he came here to train. Hours upon hours spent inside the virtual arenas, practicing techniques, perfecting strategies, and pushing his limits. He wasn’t just chasing a hobby—he was chasing a dream.

As he slid his hologram visor over his eyes, the familiar hum of the system coming to life filled his ears. His surroundings dissolved into streams of light, and when the pixels settled, Kenny found himself standing in the middle of the simulation: a desert battlefield. The blazing sun glared down from above, while the endless dunes shifted underfoot with every step.

“This is it,” Kenny whispered, clenching his fists as holographic enemy soldiers materialized in the distance. “Focus.”

The simulation was a timed survival challenge. The goal was to hold off waves of enemies for as long as possible, using a combination of holographic abilities, summoned weapons, and terrain manipulation. Kenny had done this simulation dozens of times before—but today, he needed to do better.

“Activate shield generator,” Kenny commanded, and with a flick of his wrist, a shimmering barrier of light surrounded him.

The first wave of enemies charged—a group of mechanical drones, their bodies gleaming in the simulated sun. Kenny dodged left, drawing a holographic sword from thin air, and slashed through the drones with precise, calculated movements. Sparks flew as the drones disintegrated into pixels, dissolving into nothingness.

The next wave followed immediately—more enemies, this time with energy shields of their own. Kenny narrowed his eyes, summoning a plasma bow into his hands. The weapon pulsed with glowing energy as he took aim and fired. One arrow, two, three—each shot hitting its mark with pinpoint accuracy. The drones collapsed, vanishing in bursts of light.

“Come on... just a little longer,” he muttered. He knew the final wave was coming. This was the part of the simulation where he always faltered—where the slightest mistake could cost him everything.

Then, it happened. A drone slipped through his defenses, firing a burst of energy toward him. Kenny spun around to block it—but he was too slow. The blast struck his avatar, and everything around him went dark.

Simulation failed.

Kenny ripped off his visor, frustration etched across his face. Sweat trickled down his forehead, and his chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath.

“Dammit,” he whispered. “I was so close…”

He slammed his fist against the side of the console, feeling a mixture of anger and disappointment welling up inside him. No matter how hard he trained, it never seemed to be enough. If he couldn’t even finish this simulation, how could he hope to compete in real hologram battles—let alone the Evren League?

Just as Kenny was about to leave the training center, a strange notification appeared on his visor screen.

Incoming match request: SPECTER.

The message was brief, with no additional information about the sender. There were no rankings or usernames Kenny recognized—just the name Specter.

“Specter?” Kenny murmured, frowning. He had never heard of anyone with that name. Was this a glitch? Or was it some kind of prank?

Still, there was something about the message that intrigued him. Whoever this Specter was, they had sent him a direct challenge. And in Kenny’s mind, there was only one way to respond.

He slid the visor back over his eyes and accepted the match.

The world shifted around him once more, the familiar hum of the system resonating in his ears. But this time, the simulation wasn’t a desert or a standard training field.

It was something entirely different.

Kenny found himself standing in the heart of a dense, shadowy forest. Thick trees stretched toward the sky, their leaves casting long, eerie shadows across the ground. Mist coiled around the roots of ancient oaks, and distant animal calls echoed through the undergrowth.

Something about this arena felt wrong. The air was heavy, as if the simulation itself was alive—and watching. Kenny tightened his grip on his holographic sword, every muscle in his body on high alert.

Then, a voice echoed from the shadows.

“So… you accepted my invitation.”

The voice was smooth and taunting, carrying a hint of amusement. Kenny spun around, searching for its source, but the forest remained still.

“I’ve been watching you for a while, Kenny,” the voice continued. “You have potential. But you’re still far from ready.”

Before Kenny could respond, a figure emerged from the mist—a tall, lean avatar draped in black, with glowing blue patterns etched across its armor. Specter.

Without warning, Specter lunged. Kenny barely had time to react as the hologram warrior launched into a rapid flurry of attacks—strikes so fast they blurred together in a storm of motion. Kenny parried desperately, his mind racing to keep up. But Specter was relentless, moving with a speed and precision that seemed almost inhuman.

“Too slow,” Specter whispered as he slipped past Kenny’s defenses, landing a devastating blow to his avatar’s core.

The system registered the hit instantly. Kenny’s health bar dropped to zero, and his avatar dissolved into pixels.

Match over.

Kenny ripped off his visor, his heart pounding in his chest.

“That… that was impossible,” he muttered, still catching his breath. “Who the hell is this guy?”

Back in the real world, the hologram center was silent. The other players had long since left, and the only sound was the low hum of the training consoles.

Kenny sat there for a long moment, replaying the match in his mind. Specter’s movements, his attacks, his strategies—they were unlike anything Kenny had ever seen. It was as if the mysterious player existed on a different level entirely.

But instead of feeling defeated, Kenny felt something else stir inside him: determination.

“I’ll find you, Specter,” he whispered, clenching his fists. “And next time, I’ll be ready.”

Little did Kenny know, this match was only the beginning. Specter’s arrival in his life would set him on a path far beyond the hologram arenas—one that would challenge everything he thought he knew about the world, and about himself.

And as Kenny pursued his dream of becoming a champion, he would soon discover that the true battle was just beginning.