In a small, dark room, a big and solid man stood tall in a dark tactical suit that covered him from head to toe. The material looked tough, with straps and padding that provided a suitable defense.
He held a tal bucket in one hand as he stepped forward.
Against the wall, a boy was bound heavily in chains. He was thin and pale, his body weak and fragile. He looked like he hadn’t eaten for days, weeks even.
"Wake up!" The man raised the bucket and threw the water, and it hit the boy all at once, splashing over his face and chest. The boy gasped, startled, his body shaking as the cold water ran down him.
The man lowered the empty bucket and stood there, watching, while the boy struggled to catch his breath.
Above the boy’s head, a tallic tag with the initials [438M] stood out, nailed tightly to the walls.
That initial [438M], referred to the four hundred and thirty eighth human that was diagnosed with the Nexus Virus.
And after years of hunting, they finally managed to capture and detain the 438th specin marked by the virus.
The Nexus Virus.
It was a phenonon that appeared decades ago after the launch of the world’s most anticipated MMORPG — New Nexus.
At first, it was a highly competitive survival virtual reality ga that had the whole world talking, and it was made into a trend that lasted for months.
But when the players noticed that a mark appeared on their bodies, they didn’t think much of it, till they started disappearing globally.
The governnts of each nation finally panicked. And the reason for that was, after their disappearance, what was left in their place was a transdinsional gateway.
A rift.
These rifts poured out indescribable beasts and mystical creatures into their world, beasts and creatures that should have only been allowed to exist inside New Nexus.
These beasts imdiately overwheld the military might of each nation, and plunged the world into chaos.
Three years ago before the release of this MMORPG, mankind was estimated to be around 8.30 billion in terms of population. But after the rifts arrived, that population dwindled to just 5 million in that short amount of ti.
In the end, just before humanity was close to being wiped out, it was the Awakeners — individuals previously affected by the Nexus Virus and survived, who put an end to humanity’s extinction.
But by then, it was already too late.
Too many lives were lost, many casualties shook the balance of the world, and society ca to loathe and despise the Carriers — players marked by the virus.
But as far as Rentaro was concerned, it was none of his business. That was until an inverted triangle appeared at the back of his hand on his 15th birthday.
It first started as an inverted triangle, but as months passed, it progressed. And now, it took the form of a pentagram.
His family was no exception, just days after purchasing the absurdly expensive MMORPG, they all received the sa mark.
After that, it didn’t take long before several n in tactical suits stord into their house. One by one they slaughtered them rcilessly, and in the end it was his mother who shoved him into hiding that saved him.
And he watched as they burnt her bleeding heart to a crisp.
He ran off, and after surviving in the streets for close to three years, it was his relative, his mom’s sister, the only mber of his family he trusted and loved, that took him in for a month.
But the breaking point ca when the S.A.C stord into the house months ago.
The S.A.C was a secret governnt agency ford just months after the virus outbreak, after several research and experints concluded that there was no possible cure to the Nexus Virus, the governnt of each nation ca to a decision that left society shaken.
The elimination of the carriers.
After living his life in secrecy, what Rentaro never anticipated was, it’d be his own aunt, the only mber of his family that he loved and trusted, that would hand his life over to the S.A.C.
Rentaro’s eyes opened slowly as drops of water dripped down his hair. His blurry vision cleared up a bit, and the ceilings in the room beca clearer. It was heavily reinforced with titanium alloy, so were the walls that lined the room.
Five n clothed in a full tactical suit surrounded him, all wielding automatic rifles, and the mont he so much as flinched, they aid it at him without hesitation.
"What?" He tried to move his hands, but they felt heavy and held in place. He looked over his shoulder, and he found himself bounded by several large chains that held him in place.
"What is this?" He muttered with a low and cold voice, trying his best to break free from the heavy chains that restrained him, but all his efforts proved worthless.
He glanced at the five n in front of him, then his eyes shot open as painful mories rushed through his head. His heart pounded hard against his chest, and his rage swelled as he growled. "It’s you... It’s you bastar-"
The man in front of him shoved his foot into his mouth, then pinned his head hard against the wall.
"Shut up! Who said you had the right to ask questions, you damn monster!?" The vengeful look in his eyes just made them even more terrified.
Then the other n pointed their rifles down at him, and their rifles clicked in unison.
"Now officer Kane, let’s not get hasty." All eyes turned to the formidable steel door that opened, and a brown haired middle-aged man in a sleek black suit walked in. He had a stern face, with several scars that spoke volus about his countless battle experiences.
Officer Kane drew his foot out of his mouth, and the boy imdiately spat out a tooth.
"Now then." After checking Rentaro’s restraints, the middle-aged man glanced at the tattoo on the back of his hand.
"My na is Alister Vance, and I’m the chairman of the S.A.C." He pulled out a badge to verify his identity. "And your life is pretty much over." He said disdainfully.
"It seems what we feared the most had co to pass, it has already progressed into a full star Nexus? That ans we don’t have ti for the formalities, what’s your na kid?"
Rentaro spat out a mouthful of blood, then he slowly glanced at the man with the sa vengeful gaze in his eyes.
He didn’t feel obliged to answer, especially not to the people who destroyed his family. With each glance he took, his teeth tightened, his fists squeezed tightly, and the chains binding him rattled.
"Answer him!" Officer Kane slapped him hard across his cheeks, and Rentaro spat out a tooth.
"Officer Kane." Alister said firmly, and Officer Kane retracted his steps and stayed in line with the other n, pointing his rifle at Rentaro.
"We’re trying to help you kid, the solstice is almost upon us, so I’ll appreciate it if you cooperate with us. Otherwise I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to control my n."
He slowly glanced at the five n, and their eyes suggested they all waited for one thing — the order to pull the trigger.
"Where is your family? Why aren’t they here yet?"
"I have no family, and that’s because of you fucktards..."
For a second, the man’s face darkened, then his expression changed imdiately. It was the worst case scenario that they all wished would never co to pass.
It wasn’t a problem if the bearer of the Nexus Virus ca from a wealthy and influential family, but it beca a great security risk when the bearer was an average person.
Kids from rich families had long completed the incredibly expensive MMORPG. Due to their influence, they were able to avoid the S.A.C, and they got the best in-ga training. They learned from famous fighting instructors and practiced cultivation thods that had been handed down for generations. This made their bodies strong and sturdy, capable enough to survive the harsh conditions of New Nexus.
Basically, the power of money increases one’s chances of survival, and if they are lucky enough, erge as an Awakener.
The middle-aged man shifted his sleeves and quickly glanced at his watch, unconcerned by his organization’s involvent in his family’s death. "It’s 21:40, which ans the solstice is almost here..." His expression changed completely.
His neutral, indomitable deanor disappeared, and he looked even more concerned than the n that aid their rifles at Rentaro.
"We don’t have a lot of ti left, kid, what do you know about New Nexus? And I’m not talking about the basic stuff about the summoning trial or any other crap you see in the ga, what do you actually know?"
Rentaro remained silent, only staring at Alister with cold and empty eyes.
Alister sighed, then he said. "Listen kid, once the solstice starts you will be transported into New Nexus, and you will see things that you never thought possible. But you will also see people in there, so who are other humans who were unfortunate to also be marked by the Nexus Virus, and so are just in-ga characters. So it is vitally important to know who to trust."
Almost imdiately, the atmosphere in the room slowly began to change. The air felt heavier, as if sothing unseen had settled over it.
The dangling lights above dimd just a little, and a quiet tension crept in, pressing against the walls. Even the smallest sounds seed louder, sharper, as though the room itself was waiting for sothing to happen.
Then, an indescribable pain washed over Rentaro as the chains tightened around him. It wasn’t just his body that suffered, every nerve cell in him scread at once, as if the pain was crawling beneath his skin.
His muscles locked, his breath hitched, and a deep, burning ache spread through him like fire.
Thankfully, the chains held him in place, but the agony surged again and again, leaving him trembling and gritting his teeth with no escape.
Alister could feel it in the air, the heavy, suffocating presence that plagued the earth yearly, and there was no questioning it.
The solstice had arrived.
"As much as killing you would be my most preferred option, there’s no ti again, so listen carefully, there’s no such thing as luck inside the New Nexus. It is as unforgiving in reality as it is in the ga where survival highly depends on your skills. Generally all those marked by the Nexus Virus have been given a crash survival course, trained by renowned fighting instructors and acquired the skills to manage themselves in the ga. But people like you are a different story, that’s why the S.A.C actively... Hunts for people like you before the solstice arrives. But now it’s too late."
He quickly glanced at his watch, then back to him.
"If by so magical chance you manage to survive, you will obtain abilities that will help you through the course of your journey, and if you are lucky, you will be granted abilities from the start. But if you fail and die, you’ll just end up becoming a nuisance that and my team will have to deal with, and humanity has no way to defend against you atrocities. So please... Try not to die, use whatever tricks you have in your arsenal, and survive. Good luck."
The searing pain that coursed through his cells made it harder for him to follow in Alister’s warning, but he understood one thing.
"If I do survive... And manage to co back here." He said with ragged breaths, then raised his head slowly to Alister. "I promise, I will be the one to kill you..."
He turned to Officer Kane, and he flinched imdiately, strengthening his grip on his automatic rifle.
"Then you next."
He understood that Officer Kane, Alister Vance, and all the other n in the room wanted him dead.
No, it’s safe to say that they tried to kill him, but because the Solstice was already close, it was advised not to.
If a carrier is killed during the Solstice, or even close to the arrival of the Solstice, his corpse automatically transforms into a rift which was the casualty they tried their damnedest to prevent.
Then in that mont, everything faded away slowly.
And in that split second, a chanical chi spoke.
[Synchronizing....]
[Synchronization successful.]
[You are being transported into New Nexus...]
[Tra—Tra—]
[Error... Error... Error]
[The Nexus Server has crashed.]
[Rebooting server...]
[Server successfully rebooted.]
[You have been registered as Creator 401.]
[You are being transported into the first sanctuary...]
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