CH.2 The Fallen Genius

A man was frantically typing on his computer, and scratching his head. He wore a white shirt with a necktie underneath, and a long white lab coat on top. He had metallic eyes and short hair.

Around him were stacks of papers scattered everywhere around his room. The only detail that stood out was a photo frame that was clean and untouched by the papers.

A knock was heard, the man stopped typing and opened the door.

Behind the door was a woman bringing a cup of tea, she is a petite young woman with short straight black hair. She's Koujiro Rinko, a member of Argus and the fiance of Kayaba Akihiko.

Seeing the state of the man she loved like this she felt heartbroken. His look of desperation and sadness.

She sighed and gave the cup of tea to him, he took a sip and continued to Type. She hugged him from behind and sobbed, "Kayaba, stop don't push yourself too hard… It isn't your fault."

The man who is called Kayaba froze still and there's no sound heard.

Until a crying sound was heard, it was full of grief and regret. Kayaba Akihiko, one of the geniuses of the century cried.

"But, but… It's all my fault. If it weren't for me Emily would still… she would still…" Before he could finish Rinko sealed his mouth with her lips. After a while, their lips parted.

"Aki, stop please stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault, we wouldn't have known that the machine would malfunction." Midway Rinko started sobbing and gripping tight on his chest, feeling that he would fall deeper into the darkness.

"But still I…"

Rinko shook her head, "No, it isn't your fault." She stared at him, Kayaba then sighed and nodded his head.

"Remember that I'm always here with you, we would find a way to bring her back so… please stop hurting yourself like this." She then left the room with tears on her face.

Kayaba sighed, 'Looks like I screwed up again, didn't I?' He then pulled up the frame on his table, inside was a photo of him holding hands with a young girl roughly 13 years old. She's Emily, his sister and the one he loved the most. Seeing her picture, he felt that tears started to fall.

'If only that day, I didn't let her try the NerveGear' He started recalling the events that day.

-Flashback- (Kayaba's POV)

I was peacefully sleeping, dreaming about the day when I got married and got a child with Rinko.

Suddenly I felt someone pressing on my hips.

"Mou, Aki-nii wake up. Today is my birthday you know." A voice I know very well and I knew that she was pouting. I smiled and woke up from my sleep.

"Morning Princess."I hugged her, but she then pushed me away hiding her blush by turning her head.

"Stop it I'm not a child anymore." I chuckled knowing that she liked it but her pride didn't allow her to do so.

"As you wish my princess."

"Come on, let's go eat. Rinko-nee had made breakfast for us." She pulled my hands.

"Ok, ok I'll take a bath first." She nodded her head and went down, while I took a bath.

After that, I went down and what greeted me was a table full of food and my fiance in an apron, which made my day.

"Oh there you're Kayaba, cmon eat while the food is warm."

We then ate the food and chatted about trivial stuff. Everything was happy and fine. It felt like the home I always wanted and the one I'll have forever. Until the tragedy happened.

We're happy playing in the virtual world until Emily suddenly gripped her head.

"Aaaahhhh, my head hurts… Aki-nii aaaaaa" She then suddenly disappears which made us panicked thus we went out and checked on her.

She… no my Emily's in a coma, her lifeless body lying in a cryogenic chamber created especially for her. If she's in an ordinary coma I would be less worried but her consciousness, it's gone. I checked it multiple times using a theorized experiment which I called project F or Fluctlights.

I swore that I would keep her safe but look at what happened. My creation, dream, ambition, The Nerve Gear had robbed her life.

Life of a someone with a bright future brighter than the shadow she relies on, she should be the brightest star shining in the sky with thousands of others and me as her brother protecting her till that day.

I started holing myself in my private room, where I would search for a way that I could bring her back to life or at the very least in the virtual world.

I wanted to see her, to see her smile once more.

And so the journey of a despair-driven genius who had fallen victim to its creation began.