Neo-Tokyo. A city that once thrummed with life and laughter, now pulsed with the glow of neon lights and the thrill of combat. Ever since the incident twenty years ago, when the world changed forever, the streets had become more of a gaming arena than a place to live. Now, being an Adaptor was the dream—people cared more about gaining marks and battling virtual threats than finding a normal job.

The truth behind what happened two decades ago remains a mystery to most, but I've heard enough whispers to know this much: my older brother, Gilbert, was at the center of it all. He caused the catastrophe, and then he disappeared.

It's strange how this city has become my home. I wasn't even born when the invasion happened; I've only seen glimpses of that lost time through old photos. Mom and Dad died just a year after I was born killed by Adaptors who mistook them for villains. Since then, it's been just Grandma and me.

I go through the motions attending high school, navigating the chaotic streets but the truth is, I don't fit in. I'm not an Adaptor, and in a world where marks determine your worth, that makes me different. An outsider.

But I'm not giving up. I'm going to find Gilbert, and when I do, I'll finally get to ask him the question that's haunted me all my life: what really happened twenty years ago?