The screen hovered before Axamu's face, its glow cutting through the shadows of the alley.
[REWARD FOR CLEARED OBJECTIVE: RETURN BACK TO EARTH!]
His breath hitched. "…Return to Earth…"
For a moment, the world froze. Images flickered in his mind—his parents' tired smiles, his messy bedroom back home, the smell of his mother's cooking, the quiet voice of his father asking if he'd eaten. He hadn't even called them in days.
His throat tightened. "If… if I clear the objective, do I really get to return back to Earth?"
The screen pulsed.
[YES!]
His heart slammed against his ribs. For the first time, hope pierced through the fog of fear. His voice trembled as he whispered, "What… what should I do?"
The answer came instantly.
[SYNCHRONIZE YOUR CHARACTER!]
A new interface appeared, glowing with a single button: [SYNCHRONIZE].
Axamu stared, sweat trickling down his temple. "…Do I just need to click this?" His finger hovered over the button, hesitation gnawing at him. Then, with a shaky breath, he muttered, "…Screw it."
Tap.
At first, nothing happened.
"Hm? Nothing happ-"
Then—pain.
White-hot agony surged through every nerve in his body. His chest constricted, his bones felt like they were breaking and rebuilding all at once. His vision blurred with static, his skull splitting open from the inside.
"ARGHHHHH!!! IT HURTS!! IT HURTS!!"
His scream tore through the night, echoing across the street.
People turned, rushing toward him. "Hey! Are you okay?!" "Somebody call an ambulance!" "He's collapsing!"
Hands reached for him, voices blurring together—but Axamu could only writhe, clutching his head, tears streaking his faceless mark. The glowing "?" burned brighter, as if searing into his skin.
"STOP IT!!! PLEASE—AAAHHH!!!"
The last thing he heard was his own scream before the world went black.
…
When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was an unfamiliar white ceiling. Sterile light flooded his vision, accompanied by the faint beeping of machines.
A hospital.
His body felt heavy, wrapped in sheets, his arms connected to wires. His throat was dry, his voice cracked. "…Where… am I now?"