1 Chapter 1 ~ The Company Slave, Kagayami Shiro
Kagayami Shiro -
They say that Christmas is a time for happiness, celebration, and joy. Families will gather together, lovers will take time alone with each other, and friends will enjoy drinks and will share problems with one another. The whole month people will celebrate the snowy weather. They will brighten up the streets with lights, and they will fill the hearts of the others with enjoyment.
Christmas was surely fun... but for Shiro Kagayami, it was not. For him, Christmas was just another one of those days where his workloads will increase and the time he will spend at his desk will lengthen. As one of the few people who will manage the things that his company will need to accomplish in these particular events, he doesn't get that match rests. But of course, many people in modern Japan were also having the same problem he has. In his heart, he always convinces himself that he was not alone.
Yes, he was not alone...
With his darkened eyes, he looked at the place he's currently at. As expected, he was still there, at the office, sitting in front of his desk. "Ano...? Hello?" He murmured with his stale voice, calling out for his co-workers. "Yutto? Hina? Kohai?"
He was waiting for them to reply; he was hoping that he was not alone inside the quiet room. Yet, no matter how long he waited, there was no voice that called back at him. Putting his large palm on his face, he asked himself, "Why is this happening...?"
For all he knows he was just an ordinary Hikikomori; at least not until he turned 26 when his mother begged him to look for his own job. And as a former Hikikomori, he was not used to getting overworked, yet here he is today, killing himself for the sake of his company.
"Ghaaa..." breathing a sigh, he removed the hand that was on his face and looked at the poster in front of him.
( SOUL ADVENTURES!!! ( Merry Christmas! ) ~ Over 250 Million Players currently online! 12/24/56 )
The digital logo for the game he was currently working on, or rather, "updating" by himself was in front of him. The number "250" was currently getting higher and higher as time passes by. Perhaps it was because of the Christmas Giveaway they're currently handing out to the players that the numbers are still rising up. He doesn't know.
"Haah... I'm tired." Muttering that to himself, he stood up and went to the bathroom just near the desk he was sitting at. "The deadline's still at the end of the month... I guess I should still have some time."
For the four years he was working for this company, he was the top, best worker. The reason he was is simple, it's because he does all the major work. Many of his co-workers will abuse that fact and will leave most of their parts to him. He was of course, aware of that, but he tries his best to make his and his co-worker's environment as healthy as possible. At least in that way, he believes that the people of his company will get to know him, and gets close to him more.
Inside the bathroom, he washed his face and looked at the mirror. He looked at himself. Dark-buggy eyes, black messy hair, cracked lips... Perhaps his continuous days of getting not enough sleep made him look like this.
"I really should get some rest..."
Of course, nights when he does not get enough sleep were normal for him; he was a hikikomori in the past, after all. However, unlike then, he was not doing the things he likes now that he was easy to get exhausted.
After putting his face mask and jacket on, he exits the bathroom and took his bag sitting on top of his desk, and immediately walks outside the room. As he went away, the light inside automatically turned off.
Walking towards the elevator, a robotic voice came out of nowhere, asking, "Which. floor. would. you. want. to. go?"
"The ground floor." Answering the robotic voice with those words as soon as he got inside, the door of the see-through elevator automatically closed.
And then -
Cheers came erupting from below the building, from behind him.
He was shocked.
( A-Are they cheering at me...!? ) - he asked nervously inside his mind.
Steeling himself, he decided to look behind through the see-through glass-elevator.
[ ...Oh... ] with a sigh, he drops his shoulders.
The view he saw was not the view he was expecting.
Below the streets, was a parade of a certain boy band that was currently rising their fame to the world. It was a very rare chance, almost impossible to see them having a parade just where Shiro was working at.
Surely because of their unbelievable fame that there were so many people cheering outside for them. Everyone has smiles on their faces, unlike that of the tired-empty look on Shiro's face.
Before he knew it, Shiro was already on the floor he requested the elevator to stop at. Shiro then stepped outside the elevator.
[ Please. come. back. again. ] leaving those words behind, the door of the elevator closed; waiting for the next person to use it again.
Looking around the floor, not a single sign of life was on it; not the receptionist, not the guards, not a single person was inside the large floor room.
Realizing this, Shiro walked towards the door without any hesitation. He then took out his Employee Card and swipe it next to the slit beside the door.
[ Kagayami. Shiro! Thank. you. for. your. hard. work! ] the door then opened, and again, just like the voice that came out of the elevator, the same robotic voice was heard from the large door.
Exiting the door, the huge crowd of people came into his view.
There were different kinds of people cheering for the parading band: there were the usual fangirls, the lovers, the families, and even foreigners.
Shiro was jealous of all the attention they were able to get, not just by the people of their country, but also the people of the world.
The only time he remembers that he got a lot of attention like the ones they're currently having was the time he won a Championship Tournament in a game when he was still a NEET. But thinking about it, the ones they were cheering at that time was not him, but the character he made inside that game.
[ SOUL ADVENTURERS, huh? ]
The same game he was currently working at was the same game he won a championship at. That was also the reason he got introduced to the same company. Maybe if he was not able to win that championship, he will not be able to get a proper job at all.
[ I miss those times... ]
( Those times where I only worry about getting those limited-time items, to win against a match-up, and to level up my already maxed out character... I miss those times... )
Having these thoughts inside his head, he decided to walk.
As the snow falls, the crowd was getting louder and louder.
Shiro can see all kinds of people outside, but the ones he was the most vexed at, was the people who are publicly showing their affections to each other:
People who were kissing in the alleyways, people who were hugging in the middle of the busy streets, and the people who were flirting with not just one, but many girls at the same time.
Seeing those kinds of people made his already pained head hurt even more.
But all that matter aside, he just decided to ignore all of them.
Continuing his walk, he saw a particular shop -
An Arcade Shop to be exact.
And a particular sign has caught his attention on it.
It was a sign with his game character displayed on it.
( SOUL ADVENTURERS!!! 15 year anniversary! Congratulating all 15 people who made it all to the top! )
In the 15 characters that were drawn on the digital poster, his own character was displayed on it.
( 10. The Immortal Evil Dark Lords: Vlad The Immortal Vampire Prince of Darkness! )
Those words were written underneath the figure of his character.
[ Can barely remember it... ]
That's right, in the long time that he hasn't played the game, he can now only barely remember the figure of his deemed character.
[ Well... The last train will arrive at least an hour soon so I might as well... ] whispering those words to himself, he decided to walk inside the building.
It was said that in the past, computers were not a part of the arcade, but now, it was the most sold thing inside an arcade. Even if the generation now almost have there owned computers, there were still kids that were not allowed to have one, so in the end, they were left with no other choice but to go into one of these arcades.
Going inside, Shiro immediately sees a sit and sat on it.
[ I wonder if I can still remember it... ]
But still he knows, there was no chance - that he can forget it.
Putting a 10 yen coin inside the slit beside the PC, it immediately opened.
Not another minute, Shiro has found what he was looking for:
The software which will allow him to play the game he spent a lot of time on:
SOUL ADVENTURERS!!!...
...
...
...
Click*
Click*
Click*
__ _Login: XXX___
__ _Password: XXX___
Type*
Type*
Type*
( WELCOME - VLAD!!! )
The instant he opened his account, the same old NPC girl had greeted him with a small on its face.
( Please put on your Headgear and lie comfortably on your seat. )
***
Inside the arcade, he was able to at least subjugate an Event Boss all by himself. It made the hour he has spent inside the arcade worth it.
[ That was kind of... fun... ] he mutters to himself.
And now that he was finish playing the game, in the dark of the night, Shiro continued his walk.
He was now close to his apartment. The only thing he needs to do now is to walk for a little bit more.
But -
*Growl...
His stomach started to hurt.
It was a good thing that he knows a close Ramen shop nearby; so he decided to take a detour to fill his belly up.
...
...
[ Irashaimase!!! ]
The middle-aged man inside the shop which he knows since he was a kid gave him a smile as soon as he arrived inside.
[ Shiro-kun... It seems you got your self overworked again today, huh? ]
[ Un... Seems like it... ] Shiro replied in a casual manner.
The middle-aged man inside was someone he can trust, someone he can share his problems with, that was why he was able to talk in such a manner.
[ Your orders' the usual? ]
[ Un... ]
[ Well, that recipe was the only one you've been eating out since you were a kid so I think I didn't need to ask that one out, huh? ]
[ Still as talkative as ever Ojii-san...? ]
[ Well, that's how a shop owner deals with his customers, ya know? ]
[ Is that so? ]
[ Well, anyway, wait for a while, okay? I'll make you the ramen that will revive your lost energy! ] With his thumbs-up, he reassured Shiro.
[ Is that so? ]
[ At least reply in a positive way, ya know? ]
***
Shiro was now able to fill his belly and is now currently looking at his apartment building.
A day in Shiro's life was now yet again complete.
[ Haah... Finally... ]
Muttering those words, the traffic lights turned red and he took a step in the pedestrian crossing which was the only thing that was between him and the apartment building.
Only that... -
Half-way in the crossway -
Truck-kun appeared with a loud:
Honk* Honk* Honk*!!!
SFX: BAM!!!
As the light of the vehicle lit up Shiro's face, his life flashed before his eyes...
...
...
SFX: BAM!!!
SFX: SCREECH!!!
...
...
- And that was the end -
Of a day... In Shiro's lonely life.
