The white light didn't stay on the monitor. It poured out like liquid mercury, flooding the basement. Kenji felt his heart rate spike—not with fear, but with a strange, rhythmic synchronization.
[CRITICAL THRESHOLD MET: LOGIC LOCK ENGAGED]
[INITIATING DIVE: DARK SOULS (ALL-MOTHER EDITION)]
Kenji's vision blurred. The smell of dust and old electronics was replaced by the scent of ozone and wet stone. When he opened his eyes, he wasn't in a basement. He was standing in a graveyard of swords, a heavy, rusted broadsword in his hand.
He wasn't "Kenji the Quirkless" anymore. He was the Parallel Protagonist.
He spent what felt like months in that "Dive." He fought through the Undead Settlement, felt the heat of dragon fire, and learned the weight of a Soul. Because of his grandfather's quirk, the game wasn't just code; it was a reconstructed reality.
He learned the Bonfire Manifestation—the ability to find a moment of peace in a world of chaos. He learned Weapon Memory—how to swing a blade with the grace of a thousand fallen knights. But most importantly, he learned that he could carry it.
When the final boss fell and the "First Flame" was linked, the world collapsed into pixels once more.