That Night

Dr. Asano's voice cut through the dim lighting of the conference room, carrying the weight of everything we were about to face. He stood at the front, his expression more serious than I had ever seen, a gravity in his words that left no room for doubt.

"The training for the project will begin tomorrow," he said slowly, as if letting the enormity of the task sink in. "You will be put through rigorous tests, physical and mental. It will take at least three months to prepare you for what lies ahead—game mechanics, gameplay, survival tactics, combat simulations. You will need to master not only the game but also each other."

I could feel a shiver run down my spine. This wasn't just a matter of logging into a virtual world anymore. Dr. Asano was spelling it out clearly: we weren't just going into a game; we were stepping into a warzone. One wrong move, and the consequences would be as real as anything outside this base.

He looked around the room, his eyes locking with each of ours in turn, and I could feel his silent challenge. There would be no excuses here, no room for failure. "You must be ready," he finished, his voice like the sound of a hammer striking the final nail into place.

I leaned back in my chair, letting out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding. The atmosphere in the room was thick, the tension palpable. My gaze drifted to the clock on the far wall. It was already 8 PM. We had been sitting here for hours, discussing plans, strategies, and the grim reality of what lay ahead.

Eight o'clock. The day was practically gone, and yet, it felt like it had just begun. For the first time since arriving at this base, the sheer magnitude of what we were doing fully hit me. We weren't just training to play a game; we were training for survival, for something that could easily claim any one of us if we weren't careful.

As Dr. Asano concluded his briefing, the room fell into a heavy silence. The ten of us, handpicked for this twisted endeavor, exchanged glances. Some were steely-eyed, others more reflective, but no one spoke. We were all left to process the magnitude of what had just been laid out before us.

In three months' time, we would either be ready to face the hell of Eternal Nexus, or we wouldn't survive long enough to regret it.

Afterwards, we headed to the cafeteria of the base. The place was massive—at least three times the size of a normal school cafeteria. It felt more like a grand dining hall than a place to grab a quick meal. Rows of tables stretched out as far as I could see, filled with people deeply involved in the project. Scientists, engineers, analysts—each one of them had their heads down, shoveling food in silence, as if knowing that this was the calm before the storm. There was an energy in the room, a quiet tension beneath the surface, as if everyone knew tomorrow would mark the beginning of something huge.

We moved through the line, ordering our meals with little more than a word or two. The weight of Dr. Asano's words still hung over us, and it seemed no one was ready to break the silence just yet. Even the usual banter from the crew was absent as we scanned the room for a place to sit.

Eventually, we found a long table tucked away from the busiest part of the cafeteria. I took my place near the middle, glancing around as the others followed. Soo-jin, as usual, sat beside me on my left, her face calm but focused, still probably thinking about everything she had shared earlier. On my right, Naruya Supasawat took the seat, her movements light, as though the weight of the situation didn't sit as heavily on her shoulders as it did on mine. But even she was quieter than usual, her mind likely spinning with a hundred different ideas about what lay ahead.

Across from me, Harinder Wadhwa plopped down, looking as casual as ever, though I could see the calculating gleam in his eyes. The guy was always thinking, always plotting, even when he wasn't saying much. Naomi Bennett sat next to him, her plate carefully arranged as she ate slowly, casting glances around the room with a calm, almost motherly demeanor, watching over everyone with a sense of quiet responsibility. Beside her, Amirah Hassan tapped her fingers against the table absentmindedly, her sharp eyes taking in every detail, ever the strategist, always sizing up the situation. There was an intensity to her that seemed to match the seriousness of the room.

We sat in silence for a few moments, the only sounds coming from the clatter of silverware and the low murmur of conversation around us. The mood was heavy, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The chaos of tomorrow's training loomed over us, like a shadow we couldn't shake, and it was clear that we were all bracing ourselves for the challenge ahead.

Again, Soo-jin sat on my left, as usual, while on my right was Naruya Supasawat. I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, wedged between two undeniably beautiful women. I tried to keep my focus on the plate in front of me, hoping my awkwardness wasn't too obvious.

Just as I managed to shovel a bite of food in my mouth, Naruya turned toward me, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"Rei... I can't help to say this, but... you're so cute, you know," she said, completely serious.

I nearly choked on my food. The rest of the table froze, forks halfway to their mouths, and I felt all eyes turn toward us. Joaquin, who was sitting directly across, dropped his fork and stared in disbelief.

"Oi, stop messing with my girlfriend, man!" he blurted out, pointing at me with mock outrage.

Naruya immediately slapped his arm, her cheeks puffed in annoyance. "Shut up, you ugly moron. I'm nobody's girlfriend!" she declared, her voice sharp but playful.

Joaquin exaggeratedly flew backward in his chair, clutching his chest like he'd been mortally wounded. He crashed into Ethan, who was sitting a few seats down.

Ethan, ever the calm soldier, sighed and gave Joaquin a deadpan look. "Give it up, Joaquin. You're not winning this one. Besides," he added with a smirk, "I'm the one who's going to marry Naruya, anyway."

Joaquin shot up in his seat, grabbing the front of Ethan's shirt with a dramatic gasp. "What did you just say?!"

The two began mock-arguing, their banter escalating in an over-the-top comedic fashion. The entire table erupted into laughter. Even though we had only just met, the atmosphere was oddly light. The tension from the meeting seemed to dissolve as I watched them.

I found myself quietly observing them, realizing that none of this group was going to be as difficult to get along with as I had first thought. Despite the seriousness of our mission, these people were human, just like me. They laughed, they joked—somehow, they found ways to ease the pressure.

Though I didn't show it, something in me softened. Maybe I was on the right path after all.

From the other side of the table, Riley Turner called out to me. "Rei," his voice cut through the laughter, steady and calm. I looked over at him, meeting his sharp, methodical gaze. He had a way of commanding attention without raising his voice, like a man who always knew more than he let on.

"Don't judge us too quickly," he said, leaning back slightly in his chair.

I raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he was getting at. Everyone else seemed caught up in their lighthearted banter, the tension from earlier almost forgotten. I couldn't help but wonder what Riley was seeing that I wasn't. "What do you mean?" I asked, curious.

He glanced around the table, his eyes moving slowly over the others who were still joking around—Joaquin playfully wrestling Ethan, Naruya giggling as she watched, Amirah shaking her head with a faint smile. It was a far cry from the grave discussions we'd had just moments ago, and for a second, I felt the weight of it all start to lift. But Riley wasn't fooled.

"We all have the same goal," he said quietly, his voice barely above a murmur, but enough for me to catch. "We're here to finish this mess Nakamura created. Don't let the jokes fool you—every single one of us knows what's at stake."

His words hung in the air, cutting through the laughter like a knife. There was no anger, no frustration—just a quiet, almost unnerving understanding.

As his eyes met mine again, there was something in his expression that I hadn't noticed before—a kind of unspoken burden. Riley had probably seen more darkness in people than I could ever imagine. And yet, here he was, laughing with the others one moment, and in the next, reminding me that there was a very real reason we were all sitting at this table together.

I nodded slowly, processing his words. No wonder he was a detective. Riley had a way of cutting through the noise, of stripping away the surface layers and seeing the truth underneath. It wasn't just a skill—it was an instinct.

I found myself respecting him more than I had before, not just for his insight, but for his ability to balance the grim reality with the need for moments like this—where we could pretend, even for just a little while, that things were normal.

"Got it," I finally said, offering him a slight nod. Riley smiled faintly, a small but knowing look.

He didn't need to say anything else; the message was clear.

As I returned to my meal, I overheard Soo-jin talking to Liang Wei, who was seated on her left. My ears perked up despite myself, drawn into their quiet exchange.

"It's going to be hard to find him," Liang Wei murmured, his voice low but thoughtful, almost like he was talking to himself as much as to her. "There are too many variables. Nakamura could be anywhere, and with the game's constant evolution, tracking him will be like searching for a needle in a haystack that keeps growing."

Soo-jin didn't miss a beat. "It will be easier if we stick to the plan. We just have to stay focused." Her voice was calm, but there was an edge beneath it—a layer of steel that I hadn't expected. "The game's world may be vast, but it's still governed by rules. Systems. If we understand those systems, we can manipulate them. Control them. He won't be able to hide forever."

Liang Wei nodded, his expression serious. "True, but we'll be playing his game. He knows this world better than any of us, and he'll use that to his advantage."

Soo-jin didn't falter. "Then we learn the game better than him. We don't need to outrun him—we just need to know where he'll go next. People like Nakamura thrive on control, on believing they're untouchable. That's his weakness. Once we see through that, we can corner him."

Liang Wei raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed by her resolve. "You really believe that?"

"I don't believe it," Soo-jin said quietly. "I know it. We all have our roles to play, Liang. You handle the technical side, I'll focus on understanding Nakamura's mind. Together, we'll close in on him."

Liang Wei let out a small sigh, leaning back slightly. "I admire your confidence. I just hope we have enough time before he turns the game into even more of a nightmare."

Soo-jin's eyes flickered briefly, but her composure held. "We'll make the time. Nakamura can't hide forever. We'll find him—and we'll end this."

Her voice was calm, but I could hear the edge in it—the determination. Soo-jin was no stranger to this, and it was clear she was ready to do whatever it took.

I continued to eat, glancing around the table again. These people—they were more than just comrades in some grand mission. They had their own lives, their own motivations, all tied to the chaos Nakamura had created. Joaquin, with his carefree humor, hid a fierce drive beneath that smile. Naruya, with her soft words and sharp wit, had her own reasons for being here, even if she wore them lightly. Ethan, Riley, Liang Wei, Harinder, Naomi, Amirah—each of them had faced their own challenges, their own losses, and somehow, we were all bound together by this shared mission.

It wasn't wrong to let myself get to know them, to see beyond the surface and into the people they truly were. I could learn from them—maybe even depend on them when the time came. But I couldn't allow myself to get too close. Not yet. There was something about forming bonds, about opening yourself up to others, that made you vulnerable. And in this world, both the real and virtual, vulnerability could be deadly.

I had my own mission to accomplish. I couldn't afford to be distracted by friendships or alliances. There was too much at stake. Ami, Takeshi—my family—depended on me. Their bodies still lay in those hospital beds, their minds trapped in Nakamura's twisted game. I couldn't forget that. I wouldn't forget that. Every decision I made from here on had to serve that single goal: getting them out.

The room quieted down as the laughter from earlier finally died off, leaving only the soft clinking of utensils on plates. Conversations drifted into hushed tones. Despite the lighthearted moments, there was an unspoken understanding among us all: what lay ahead was going to test every ounce of who we were.

My thoughts drifted back to what Riley had said, his words lingering in my mind like a shadow. "We all have the same goal. We're here to finish this mess." Riley had seen something in me, a part of myself I had tried to keep buried beneath layers of control. He wasn't wrong. We were all here to end Nakamura's game, but I had a feeling that for each of us, the motivations ran deeper, more personal than anyone wanted to admit.

And then there was Nakamura himself. Hiding among thousands of players, orchestrating the madness from the shadows. To the outside world, it might have seemed like some sick challenge—defeat the creator, free the players—but it wasn't that simple. This wasn't just a game. It was a hunt. A hunt for the wolf hidden among the flock.

I imagined Nakamura watching us, his eyes always observing, waiting for someone to make a misstep. He had rigged this entire system, twisted it to fit his vision of survival and evolution. It was no coincidence that we were chosen. He wanted the strongest, the most determined, the most ruthless. But what was his endgame? Why trap us inside the very world he created? Was he hiding because he feared us, or was this all part of some larger plan?

The real challenge wasn't just surviving each day inside Eternal Nexus. It was finding Nakamura and exposing him for what he truly was. He had been a fox hiding among the sheep, but we were the wolves now. And when the time came, we would tear through every layer of his defenses until we found him.

I clenched my fist, my resolve hardening. This wasn't just about playing along with the game's rules. It was about rewriting them.