AndyB_writes

Have you ever felt nostalgia so powerful it hurt? The kind that hits whenever you think about that one game you played with that one friend?

For Ren Yamada, it’s worse.

Because his best friend, Kenji, isn’t just gone—he’s trapped in the past they shared inside The Game, a hyper-realistic VR world they once ruled together. A year after losing him, Ren logs back in... and what he finds is more than just memory. It’s the beginning of something darker, deeper—and far more dangerous than he ever imagined.

Some games aren’t meant to be played alone.

The Game: Project Rebirth

In Tokyo, rain fell softly against the windows of a high-rise office building. It was late—past midnight—but the top floor was still lit. No staff. No noise. Just one man.

He stood alone, overlooking the city through tinted glass.

His white gloves adjusted a digital control pad beside him, bringing up footage on a massive holographic display.

On the screen: Ren Yamada. Kenji Sato.

Captured from security cameras. Hospital files. Game footage that never made it into player logs.

They were laughing together in Ren's apartment.

He watched them in silence, hands clasped behind his back.

His voice was calm. Refined. Cold.

He turned slightly toward the dim light behind him.

"I gave them every opportunity to fall apart. Fear. Grief. Doubt. And still… they reached the core. Together."

He walked slowly toward the center of the room. A glowing screen awaited him—marked with the Konran Industries emblem.

But this wasn't the game interface.

A private server—untouched, unseen by public networks. Labeled: Project Synapse—Phase II.

Then his reflection appeared—older, refined, glasses gleaming. Behind the lens: sharp eyes and something darker.

The man who designed it to be more than entertainment.

"They're not enemies," he murmured. "They're possibilities."

Another screen lit up beside him—showing scans of Ren and Kenji's brainwave activity during the final sync. It was… perfect. Harmony. Resistance. Rebellion.

"They broke my system," he whispered, "but they didn't break my design."

He looked down at a file labeled: KEPT ALIVE.

Inside were two profiles: KS-03 and RY-07.

Both tagged: Observe. Do not eliminate.

"No… we keep them alive," he said softly. "We need them."

He closed the screen and turned back toward the window.

The storm clouds drifted over the Tokyo skyline. Lights shimmered across towers. The world outside had no idea.

"It's not over," Ito Konran whispered. "The Game… has only just begun."

Beyond the Game