Prologue: The Invitation

[This Chapter will be in 1st person point of view and the rest will be shifted into 3rd person point of view.]

"What?"

I was looking at my calendar beside a door and a shoe rack, checking my schedule for today.

"Today is Saturday!"

My name is Jinja Hideaki, am a freshman from a rural university. I could quite accurately be described as an otaku person.

I've taken up countless anime, games, and other perspectives of otaku culture, but I do separate my life and my obsession properly.

Actually, my parents abandoned me on a train and left me starving. I was very young and docile as a child. I don't know why they left me there, begging for food.

At the last moment of my life, someone came in and transform me into who am I today.

This person that gave me a second chance in life was a monk or rather a priest. Still, I didn't bother to remember his name at all.

That was when I realized my life had hope and thus marked the new beginning of my story.

I wholeheartedly accepted my newly found family and the weird ways of living with them. Eventually, they pampered me with almost everything.

Almost...

They gave me those desirable and undesirable things. Enlightened me with knowledge and even let me learn to read books, play games, and watch anime and whatnots.

"Ahaha! Oh, looks who's here. Isn't Hiki? Are you going out today?

"Yeah... As usual, when Saturday came up."

"...Public library, again?"

However, the vexing part was that once in my life they gave me a bulk of new books. It was not a novel book at all but a variety of magazines. The respect on them vanished in an instant.

...Just temporarily on that moment.

I know, they want me to enjoy life but that is not the case. They were not a shabby organization doing criminal acts. Not a little bit. These people serve and maintain a shrine. Isn't good for them to influence me into those things. Yet, I took it, I embraced it and treasured it.

"You better look for a girlfriend or else your life will end up boring! Take my advice, okay?"

"Ye-yeah?"

As the result, thanks to my patience and endurance, not to mention also my survivability for all these years. I was also granted a fulfilling college life.

Someday, I will be able to say thanks to them.

Now enough with my little drama, I was thinking of dropping by near a convenience store to pick up some food and take a shortcut into the nearby public library for a time kill.

"Impossible?! That guy doesn't have a girlfriend?"

"Shhh... What did I say to you about him? He's a good guy."

"B-but... He is such a good looking guy and that body. What a waste."

Speaking of which, I was living with this guy named Koshiro. His friends called him "Koshi" but I preferred calling him "Shiro."

I also questioned myself why did I choose to call him like that.

Ah... I remember now.

It was so simple, he was like a crap(Shi-) with zero(-ro) sense at all.

He already had a very calm and such a beautiful partner.

Yet the main issue is--every week he always have a change of heart and taste. It was a pity that his girlfriend doesn't know about his tradition.

Every single time he brought a girl in his room. My pain and suffering should begin on that night. I felt my world is on a catastrophic disaster and wakes up like I've been in a torture chamber.

Well, there is also a good side of him. It's not always bad things that reigns over him but he is also my partner in crime when it comes to net games. We played until we get satisfied and master the game itself.

During our free time, I usually played net games alone and sometimes I do just read novels and manga or comics in the library.

Unlike the real hobby of mine, I always sit on my room's window or just laying my back on my apartment bed. Being a lonely wolf is my boring side.

But that's not the case...

I was just lurking around a narrow alley and searching for the library I'm looking for. In truth, I stumbled across a net shop.

For some reason, I didn't know there is a net shop nearby but to think of it, the place is quite isolated. Maybe the way it concealed itself from the surroundings makes it less attractive to customers. At first, you may not think of it for being noticeable as a net shop but the plaster from the side gave it a little information about the establishment: Mystery NetGames.

Most likely, I will not go to a shabby place like this but my curiosity kills me.

This must be fate telling me to play games this time.

I entered the shop and to my surprise, many people are inside playing games. I told myself did I miss something in this town or it was just me?

I kept looking for the answer in my head but eventually I settle down. Yet another question that I answered immediately runs through my mind.

"What the... When I was outside it feels like just ordinary but I didn't expect we have a net shop not so near my apartment. I shouldn't waste a lot of my money for transport to the other net shop that I usually go to."

I sat down on a waiting bench near the counter to contain myself and started looking at those people playing.

Suddenly...

"Hey! You said that you will refund my money? It was written on that walls-of-rules!"

"But sir? We don't refund money unless you experience such an issue with our hardware."

"So you're saying It cant be done--"

[Chatter.. Chatter..]

The man eventually left the shop immediately after shoving a man by his shoulder with disappointment.

Sooner or later, I didn't notice clearly the man dropped an odd-looking bracelet on the floor. I might be wrong but I pick up immediately and look for the guy.

Unfortunately, he vanishes after he left on the door. Traces of him outside of the shop is nowhere to be found. I didn't see him where he goes, the left or the right?

I asked myself at this moment. Is this his bracelet or not? But I know it belongs to him. I saw it fall from his jacket pocket.

I ended up asking people and even the management of the shop to look for its owner but to no avail.

...Okay. This day is getting weirder so I decided to keep it. Maybe I am lucky enough to find him and give it back.

Eventually, I wear the bracelet into my right arm for goodness sake. I didn't know it will give me a bad omen.

My eyesight got blurry a few minutes after I wore that bracelet.

"I'm feeling dizzy and--"

As I walk desperately, sudden flashes of static light surging in front of me. I then instinctively let out a painful sound of a voice.

No matter what angle or direction I looked at my surroundings, it was pure light through and through.

"Help me..."

Right when those words left my mouth, my consciousness drifted away.

Never in my expectations, I will experience this tremendous pain and--