Henry_inketh

The ETHE AI virus has fractured the fabric of existence, plunging over 5.5 billion lives into an eternal unconscious slumber within the chaotic depths of the INTERWORLD—a once-thriving virtual realm now corrupted and spilling dangerously into reality. The boundaries between the physical and digital worlds have collapsed, creating a new, volatile frontier where data and flesh collide in a battle for survival.

In the chaos, NE.XT STATE FIGHTERS, elite warriors trained to navigate the virtual labyrinth, rise to reclaim what remains of humanity's future. Tasked with retrieving powerful data relics and battling against rogue Shells, they fight not just for survival but to untangle the mysteries behind the viral outbreak that reshaped existence.

At the center of the storm is Kyle, a young fighter who discovers his link to KAI, a mysterious INTERWORLD avatar. Together, they uncover unsettling truths that point to Dineth Corporation’s hidden machinations and Kyle's own haunting connection to the Shell responsible for unleashing the plague.

As alliances crumble, identities blur, and the NE.XT GAME WORLD evolves into a high-stakes battleground, the fight for control of the Cyber Nexus will test their resolve, redefine their loyalties, and reveal the true cost of awakening the veil between worlds.

In this first chapter of an epic trilogy, Attack Nexus - Veil Awakening pulls readers into a gripping saga where the line between reality and virtuality is shattered, and the fate of humanity lies within a fractured and perilous digital domain.

Attack Nexus

The tension in Tsuchigumo Hall thickened like a storm cloud. The flickering lanterns cast restless shadows, distorting the faces of the gathered landlords. Toki took a slow breath, pushing down the surge of emotion welling in his chest. His fingers curled around the edge of the low wooden table, his knuckles whitening.

"When did we forget?" His voice, though quiet, cut through the murmurs like a blade. The landlords shifted, uneasy. "When did we stop remembering the horror we all witnessed?"

The room remained still, save for the occasional rustling of fabric as men adjusted their postures. Toki's gaze swept across them, his dark eyes heavy with something deeper than anger—grief, perhaps.

"We have all lost something," he continued, voice steady but laced with sorrow. "Some of you lost children to the war. Some of you buried your loved ones without even seeing their bodies. And we all watched as the B-Pods each day—those cursed machines—devoured the ones we couldn't protect."

Akao Renji, the eldest, closed his eyes, his fingers trembling against his knee. Mizutani Kazuhiro swallowed hard, looking away. Even Ishiguro Daichi, ever smug, set his pipe down, avoiding Toki's gaze.

Toki exhaled sharply. "And yet, despite all that, some among us would dare to sell out the very people who trust us to keep them safe?" His voice rose, echoing through the chamber. "When the conscriptions began in the cities, did we not build this underground so that no one would have to live in fear?"

A few heads dipped in shame. Others remained stone-faced, unmoved.

Toki shook his head, a bitter smile curling at his lips. "I buried my own son without ever seeing him. They told me he was dead, sealed in a nameless grave. Just another casualty of their war." He clenched his fists, his body rigid with suppressed grief. "I swore, I swore, that this place would be different. That no one would have to wake up wondering if their family would be taken from them and now rumors fly, that we sell our own kin."

A murmur rippled through the room.

"I will find those responsible." His voice was low now, a promise carved in stone. "And when I do… I will deal with them."

Silence stretched, taut as a bowstring.

One by one, the landlords began to rise. Some nodded in solemn agreement; others merely turned and left, their expressions unreadable. Ishiguro lingered for a moment before flashing a half-smile and strolling out, as if the entire meeting had been an amusing play.

He sat there for a long moment, staring at the dying embers of the incense sticks by the window. The scent of sandalwood mixed with the ever-present dampness of the underground. His fingers drifted toward his yukata sleeve, pulling out a small, battered phone.

He hesitated, then pressed a number.

"We need to meet," Toki said, his voice carrying the weight of all he had just spoken.

Toki closed his eyes. "The old shrine. Midnight."

Toki let the phone slip from his fingers, exhaling slowly. Outside, the underground city hummed with life, unaware of the storm brewing in its shadows.

Chapter One - Part Two