The rain-slicked streets of Neo-Tokyo 2147 gleamed under a canopy of holographic billboards, casting erratic flashes of neon blue and crimson across the sprawl. Jax "Ghost" Harlan crouched in the shadows of a derelict alley, his neural implant humming faintly as it synced with the city's undergrid. At 28, he was already a legend in the black-hat circles—a ghost in the machine, slipping through firewalls like smoke through fingers. But tonight was different. Tonight, he was going for the big score: the Eternity Core, the holy grail of immortality tech hidden in the vaults of OmniCorp.
His fingers danced over the holographic interface projected from his wrist gauntlet, lines of code scrolling like a digital waterfall. "Come on, baby," he muttered, his breath fogging the chill air. The Core wasn't just some fancy upload to the cloud; it was rumored to rewrite human DNA, granting eternal life—or at least, that's what the leaked specs said. Jax didn't care about forever; he just wanted enough creds to disappear, to escape the corporate hounds that had been nipping at his heels since his last botched job.
The connection clicked. "Bingo." He was in. Virtual corridors unfolded in his mind's eye, a labyrinth of encrypted nodes guarded by AI sentinels. Jax's custom virus, codenamed "Phantom," slithered through, disabling alarms one by one. Heart pounding, he navigated deeper, the hum of his implant growing louder, syncing with the Core's quantum processors.
But then, alarms blared in his skull—virtual klaxons screaming breach. "Shit, counter-virus!" OmniCorp's defenses weren't just reactive; they were predatory. A digital serpent uncoiled, latching onto his neural link. Pain exploded behind his eyes as the virus fried his synapses. Jax collapsed against the alley wall, clutching his head. "No, no, not like this..."
His vision pixelated, reality fracturing into code fragments. The last thing he saw was the Eternity Core's interface flickering: "Transfer Initiated. Error: Host Unstable." Then, darkness swallowed him whole.
---
When consciousness returned, it wasn't to the familiar buzz of urban chaos. Instead, Jax's senses were assaulted by... silence? No, not quite. A gentle rustle of leaves, the distant chirp of unfamiliar birds, and a cool breeze carrying the scent of earth and bamboo. His eyes snapped open, staring up at a canopy of verdant green, sunlight filtering through in dappled patterns.
"What the hell?" He bolted upright, heart racing. His body felt... different. Lighter, yet strangely invigorated. Gone were the cybernetic enhancements—the wrist gauntlet, the subdermal ports. His clothes were rags: a simple tunic and pants, threadbare and dirt-streaked. "This has to be a sim. A damn good one, but still..."
He patted himself down, expecting the familiar hum of his implant. Nothing. Panic rising, he focused inward, willing his neural interface to activate. To his shock, a holographic display shimmered into existence before his eyes—translucent blue, glitchy at the edges, like a corrupted vid feed.
**[System Boot: Eternity Engine Online.]**
**[Error 404: Integration Incomplete. Host Vital Signs Nominal.]**
**[Warning: Glitches Detected. Proceed with Caution.]**
Jax blinked, waving his hand through the projection. It felt real—too real for a dream. "Eternity Engine? That's the Core's OS. Did the transfer... work? But where am I?"
The interface flickered, responding to his thoughts.
**[Query Processed: Current Location – Azure Bamboo Forest, Eastern Province, Tianxia Continent.]**
**[Host Status: Reincarnated. Previous Form Terminated. New Vessel: Human Male, Age 16, Cultivation Level: None.]**
"Cultivation? What is this, some ancient VR game?" Jax laughed, but it came out shaky. He stood, testing his legs. They were scrawny, underfed—nothing like his augmented physique back home. "Okay, system, explain yourself."
**[Eternity Engine: Experimental AI Fusion. Purpose – Achieve Immortality via Qi Integration. Glitch Origin: Counter-Virus Corruption During Transfer.]**
**[Abilities Unlocked: Basic Code Manipulation. Qi-to-Data Conversion.]**
**[Tutorial: Absorb Ambient Qi to Initialize.]**
Qi? Jax scanned his surroundings. The forest was dense, bamboo stalks towering like skyscrapers, mist curling around their bases. In the distance, he heard a low growl—predatory, unnatural.
"Fine, let's play." He closed his eyes, following the prompt. A strange warmth trickled in, like static electricity building in his veins. The interface updated:
**[Qi Absorption: 5/100. Progress: Minimal.]**
Not enough time to ponder. The growl intensified, bushes rustling as a massive form emerged. It was a wolf-like beast, but twisted—fur matted with ethereal glow, eyes burning red, fangs dripping with viscous saliva. A spirit beast? Jax's mind raced, pulling from old sim games he'd played as a kid.
The creature lunged, claws extended. Instinct kicked in—Jax dodged sideways, rolling into the underbrush. "System, defense protocol!"
**[Activating: Firewall Shield.]**
A barrier of shimmering code erupted around him, pixels forming a translucent dome. The beast slammed into it, sparks flying as digital flames licked its fur. It yelped, retreating momentarily.
**[Mana Cost: 10 Qi. Remaining: -5. Overdraft Warning.]**
"Negative? Already?" Jax gasped, the shield flickering. The beast circled, smarter than it looked. He needed offense. "Offensive script—something quick!"
**[Compiling: Debug Strike. Target Weakness Scan.]**
The interface highlighted the beast's joints in red overlays. Jax lunged forward, channeling the strange energy. His fist connected with the creature's knee, not with brute force, but with a burst of code—like injecting a virus. The limb glitched, pixels distorting as the beast's leg buckled unnaturally.
It howled, swiping wildly. Jax ducked, but a claw grazed his arm, drawing blood. Pain flared, hot and real. "This isn't a sim—I'm actually here!"
**[Health: 85/100. Glitch Triggered: Random Teleport.]**
The world blurred. One second, he was in the beast's reach; the next, he materialized ten feet away, behind a bamboo stalk. "Whoa, handy—but warn a guy!"
The beast charged again. Jax focused: "Overclock Aura—boost speed!"
**[Activating: Temporary Stat Enhancement. Risk: System Overheat.]**
Time seemed to slow—or rather, Jax sped up. He sidestepped the lunge effortlessly, countering with another Debug Strike to the neck. Code infiltrated, disrupting the beast's nervous system. It convulsed, collapsing in a heap of glitching fur before dissolving into wisps of energy.
**[Victory: Level 1 Spirit Wolf Defeated. Qi Gained: 50.]**
**[Level Up: Cultivation Rank – Qi Gathering Stage 1.]**
**[New Ability Unlocked: Error Vision – Reveals Hidden Data.]**
Jax slumped against a tree, breathing hard. The wound on his arm throbbed, but as he watched, faint blue lines traced over it, stitching the skin with digital precision.
**[Auto-Repair: Minor Wound Healed. Qi Cost: 20.]**
"This... this is insane." He stared at his hands, feeling the power humming within. Not just code anymore—something more primal, fused with this world's "qi." But the glitches... they could kill him as easily as save him.
A rustle nearby snapped him alert. More beasts? No—voices. Human voices, approaching through the mist.
"Over here! I sensed a spirit fluctuation."
"Probably just a wild beast. But check it out—could be a stray cultivator poaching our territory."
Jax hid behind the bamboo, peeking out. Three figures emerged: young men in flowing robes, embroidered with sect symbols—a stylized mountain peak. They carried swords that glowed faintly, auras of power radiating from them.
One, a burly teen with a scar across his cheek, knelt by the wolf's dissipation spot. "Fresh kill. No ordinary beast—look at these residue patterns. Like... corrupted qi?"
The leader, sleek and arrogant-looking, smirked. "Intruder, then. Spread out—find them. The Azure Peak Sect doesn't tolerate trespassers in our outer trials."
Trials? Jax's mind whirred. He needed info. "System, scan for data."
**[Error Vision Activated. Scanning Entities.]**
Overlays appeared: Names, levels, affiliations. The leader was "Liang Wei, Qi Gathering Stage 5, Azure Peak Outer Disciple." The others were similar, but weaker.
But then, a glitch— the interface spasmed, projecting a holographic error message visible to all.
**[Warning: Visibility Glitch. Projection Exposed.]**
The disciples froze, eyes widening. "What in the heavens is that? A spirit artifact?"
"Or a demon's trick! Capture it!"
Jax cursed under his breath. "Great, stealth mode failed." He bolted, weaving through the bamboo. Shouts echoed behind him, swords unsheathing with metallic rings.
The forest thickened, roots tripping him as he ran. His new body wasn't built for this—lungs burning, legs aching. "System, evasion protocol!"
**[Compiling: Phantom Step. Qi Cost: 30.]**
His form blurred, leaving afterimages like lagging video frames. He gained distance, but the disciples were fast—cultivators, after all.
A cliff edge loomed ahead, mist-shrouded drop into unknown depths. Trapped. Jax spun, facing his pursuers as they burst into the clearing.
Liang Wei pointed his sword. "Surrender, rogue! That artifact—hand it over, and maybe we'll let you join as a servant."
Jax grinned, masking his fear. "Artifact? Buddy, you have no idea." Internally: "System, something big—offensive overload."
**[Activating: Code Surge. Warning: High Risk of Backlash.]**
Energy built, qi channeling into a digital storm. But as he unleashed it, the interface crackled:
**[Glitch Critical: Reality Warp Imminent.]**
The surge hit—not just the disciples, but the world around him. Space distorted, pulling Jax into a vortex. The last thing he heard was Liang Wei's shout: "What sorcery is this?"
Then, teleportation—uncontrolled. He rematerialized in a grand hall, marble floors underfoot, ancient murals on walls depicting immortals battling heavens. Dozens of robed figures turned, staring in shock.
At the front, an elder with a flowing beard thundered: "Who dares interrupt the Azure Peak Sect's Forbidden Trial?"
Jax swallowed, the interface flickering weakly: **[Location: Inner Sanctum. Threat Level: Extreme.]**
**[User Query: Ascend or Crash? Input Required.]**