> Location: Seoul, South Korea — Northern Suburbs, 3:22 AM
IRL Synchronization: Diving Pod, Abandoned Warehouse Near Cheongpyeong Lake
A long hiss of steam.
The diving pod slowly opened, bathing the warehouse in a blue light. From inside, a figure emerged, panting, his hair drenched in sweat.
Ren Daiki — aka Hakaijin.
He slowly removed the neural helmet and placed it beside him. A heavy silence reigned, broken only by the drops beading from the metal ceiling.
He sat there, shirtless, back hunched, staring at the concrete floor. The mental fog of the game hadn't yet dissipated.
His fist clenched.
> — "…Too predictable."
He saw himself again, blade against gauntlet, a brutal choreography between him and that damned Z3RO.
This guy wasn't a fighter. He danced with data, calculated, analyzed, countered. And yet...
> "...He stood up to me."
This realization made him itch.
No rage. No humiliation.
Just a bitter tingle. A mixture of respect... and irritation.
He stood up and took a few steps. The floor was cold beneath his bare feet. He headed toward the little corner he had set up in a rusty container: a basic bed, a few books, a tablet, and a photo.
His mother, dressed in a hanbok, smiling.
He stood frozen for a moment before looking away.
> "I'm not cut out for this world of strategy."
He crouched down and picked up his training sword.
> — "I was born to strike, to break the chains."
He thought back to the sensations: the muffled screams, the resistance of a perfect parry, the dull impact in Z3RO's ribs. He'd almost had him.
> — "Next time, I won't hold anything back."
He made a few slow movements in the confined space of the warehouse. Each gesture was fluid, rooted in traditional martial arts. He didn't need complex tactics. His body spoke for him.
> — "This game… it's more than an escape."
Genesis was neutral ground. A world without expectations.
No traditions.
No reputation to uphold.
No father to honor.
Just him, the blade, and freedom.
He sat on the edge of the pod, watching the floating screen of his external interface.
The game icon still glowed.
> Time remaining before server restart: 00:39
A subtle smile tugged at his lips.
> — "Z3RO… get ready."
> — "You may have a brilliant mind. But I…"
He performed a rapid series of katas, ending in a precise pose, blade raised.
> — "…I have raw will."
✦ End of Chapter 17
Next chapter: CHAPTER 18 — "Reconnection" (Z3RO in the real world)