The Game of the Net

In a normal Tokyo, on a rainy and quiet night, Hiroshi Takahashi was walking home after a long day at work. The neon lights from advertising billboards illuminated the rain-soaked streets, while the sound of footsteps was lost in the city's noise. His smartphone buzzed. It was a notification, but he had never heard of the app that appeared on his screen: "The Game of the Net."

With a confused expression, Hiroshi opened the message. He didn't remember downloading it, yet the app had suddenly appeared on his phone. Curiosity won over him, and after a moment of hesitation, he clicked on the icon. As soon as his finger touched the screen, a blinding light enveloped him.

The air around him vanished, the sounds of traffic and rain faded away, and Hiroshi felt as if he were being sucked into a digital abyss. His body was still there, but the world around him was completely different: a vast network of fluorescent lines stretched as far as the eye could see, banks of code and floating windows formed a surreal landscape. It was like being inside a giant mainframe.

"We're at level 0," said a metallic voice, cold and emotionless. Hiroshi looked around, but saw no one. The voice came from a device that seemed to float in front of him. His heart began to beat faster as he tried to understand what was happening. "Welcome to The Game of the Net. Your mission is to survive and level up. You will start with no resources."

Hiroshi tried to move, but his legs felt uncertain, as if he were walking in a dream. His heart raced, and suddenly an icon appeared before him, making him jump. It was a digital menu, with only one option: "Start Game."

Without thinking twice, he clicked on the option.

Immediately, the ground beneath his feet trembled. From nowhere, strange creatures appeared: formless entities, like viruses in the shape of codeflakes, floating toward him. Hiroshi felt paralyzed with fear. He had never seen anything like this, yet he felt a strange connection to these entities. It was as if his body was part of this world.

"System activated: Base Virus," announced the metallic voice.

A surge of digital energy coursed through his body, and suddenly Hiroshi felt a strange sensation between his fingers, as if he were manipulating something invisible but powerful. A weapon. A digital weapon. In an instant, his hands filled with visible energy: viruses and malware materializing as pulsating waves. He launched the first wave with a sharp motion.

The virus entities approaching him were overwhelmed. The digital wave destroyed them instantly, reducing them to fragments of code that vanished into the air. Hiroshi was left speechless. He couldn't fully comprehend what had just happened, but he felt a strange sense of power.

"Warning," the metallic voice said. "The opponent has been destroyed, but the game has only just begun. More threats are approaching."

In an instant, the landscape changed, becoming even darker. From the fluorescent lines and codes emerged more creatures. This time, they were bigger, more powerful, with weapons made of pure digital energy. Hiroshi felt his heart race, but fear turned into determination. He had to survive, he had to level up.

As Hiroshi prepared to face the new wave of enemies, a figure appeared before him. Another player? No, it was a woman, but she didn't seem human. Her body was surrounded by a mist of code and data lines. Her face was partially covered by a digital mask, and her name appeared above her head: Mai Nishimura.

"You've just started, haven't you?" the woman asked, looking at him with eyes that glowed like the display of an old monitor. "Don't worry, I'll be your guide."

Mai darted forward, and with a fluid motion, she unleashed another Trojan virus that decimated a group of enemies. Hiroshi watched her, amazed by her skill.

"My name is Mai. Don't worry, I'll help you level up. But remember, once you enter The Game of the Net, you can't go back."

Hiroshi, hearing the echo of her words, realized that there was no way out. He was trapped in this world, and his only hope was to fight his way to level up.

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This is an information "box" about characters (and there will be others).

Hiroshi Takahashi: Age: 27 years old Gender: Male Height: 5'9" (175 cm) Build: Lean, athletic build Hair: Short, messy black hair with a slight wave, often unkempt due to his busy lifestyle Eyes: Dark brown, slightly narrow eyes that often look tired due to long work hours, but they have an intense, focused gaze when he's in combat or solving problems Skin: Light-medium skin tone Clothing Style: Typically wears a business suit or smart-casual attire, reflecting his office job. However, in the digital world, his clothing takes on a more tech-influenced look, like a digitalized version of a traditional outfit, with neon highlights glowing faintly around the edges