Chapter 02: A Complicated Problem - Logging Out!
The warm hues of an impending sunset bathed the city in gold as the clock struck six. High above, perched on the edge of a slanted rooftop, Sasuke Uchiha sat cross-legged. His fifteen-year-old frame was wrapped in a black shirt and gray pants that swayed lightly with the crisp evening wind. His jet-black hair, disheveled from the gusts, caught the faint light as his dark eyes scanned the horizon.
He sighed, resting his chin on one hand.
"A whole day has already passed," he muttered, his voice carrying a tinge of frustration. "And I skipped school. Again."
Below, the streets bustled with life, unaware of the boy observing them from above. He closed his eyes briefly, the weight of his predicament pressing down on him.
"This isn't just some random game where I can bend the rules. Even if it is a simulation, I have to follow the regulations if I want to survive here."
Sasuke reflected on the peculiar mechanics of this "game." Time in this world flowed much faster than in the real one. A single day here could pass in what felt like minutes back home. Yet the immersion—the pain, the fear, the emotions—felt agonizingly real.
The golden light of the setting sun deepened, casting elongated shadows. Standing up, Sasuke walked toward the edge of the rooftop. His silhouette stood stark against the brilliant sky as he gazed at the horizon, his expression pensive.
"System," he called out, his voice steady. "How can I level up?"
The air remained silent, save for the faint rustling of leaves below. No response came. Sasuke's lips tightened.
"How annoying," he muttered under his breath. "The system now treats everything I say as part of this world. It won't let me communicate directly with it anymore."
The irritation in his voice lingered as he stepped onto the ledge, balancing precariously. Below, the city's hum continued uninterrupted. Without a second thought, Sasuke leaped off the roof.
The wind roared past his ears, tugging at his clothes as the world below rushed toward him. People in the streets noticed his falling figure, their gasps turning to cries of alarm.
"Someone's falling!"
"Is there a hero nearby?!"
Sasuke's dark eyes remained unnervingly calm as he observed the rapidly approaching ground. A fleeting thought crossed his mind.
"So, this is how it ends," he mused, his voice steady even in his own mind. "I'll die here, feel the pain, and the game will reset. I won't lie—it's terrifying. My real body's probably shaking uncontrollably. Fear is... suffocating."
The fear was palpable, a cold grip tightening around his chest. His real body, wherever it was, shuddered in response.
"Even in dreams, this scene terrifies me," he admitted to himself. "But I need it now."
Suddenly, as if reacting to his resolve, a sharp sensation jolted through his eyes. Panic and adrenaline surged in unison as his vision shifted. The familiar crimson glow of the Sharingan filled his sight, the black tomoe spinning slowly against the red backdrop.
"Yes!" Sasuke exclaimed, a rare smile breaking across his face as a notification appeared in his mind's eye:
[New Skill Unlocked: Sharingan - Level 1]
"Thank you," he whispered, a glimmer of hope in his voice.
But that hope was short-lived. The ground was dangerously close now, and he realized there wasn't enough time to react. His newfound power offered no immediate solution to the fall.
"Wait—what?! I thought this would be easier! Didn't I do stuff like this all the time in the ninja world?"
The panic in his voice was evident, but before the ground could claim him, a massive figure burst into view.
A massive shadow loomed over the street below. In the final seconds before impact, Mount Lady—a Pro Hero known for her gigantification Quirk—appeared. Her body expanded rapidly, her uniform stretching as she grew to enormous proportions.
She positioned herself beneath Sasuke, her back to the pavement and her arms shielding nearby civilians. Sasuke's small frame crashed into her stomach, the impact forcing her to grunt in pain. "Oof!"
The impact sent a shockwave through her body. She grimaced, clutching her abdomen. The pain was intense, as if she'd taken a direct blow. However, Sasuke remained unharmed, his momentum absorbed by her massive form.
Around them, chaos erupted. The force of her intervention cracked the pavement and sent parked cars skidding. Glass windows of nearby buildings shattered, raining down shards onto the street.
The crowd gasped collectively, awe and confusion mingling in their voices.
"Mount Lady saved him!"
"Is the kid okay?"
"What was he thinking?!"
Mount Lady groaned as her body began shrinking back to its normal size. Sitting up, she grabbed Sasuke, her large hands enveloping his smaller frame. Her piercing gaze bore into his crimson eyes.
"Are you an idiot or what?!" she snapped. "Why would a kid like you try to kill himself?!"
Sasuke stared back, his Sharingan still active. For a moment, he was speechless—not from fear or shame, but from sheer awe. Up close, Mount Lady was stunning. Her sharp features, framed by her golden locks, seemed almost ethereal in the fading sunlight.
"She's... beautiful," he thought, his cheeks warming slightly.
Around them, the crowd gathered, their murmurs growing louder.
"Is he okay?"
"Why would someone so young do this?"
"Where are his parents?"
Police sirens blared in the distance, their blue and red lights reflecting off the shattered glass and fractured ground. Sasuke barely noticed, his mind racing.
"This is getting out of hand," he thought, clenching his fists. The voices around him felt like a cacophony, their words slicing through his composure.
He muttered under his breath, "System, log out."
The officers approached cautiously, their faces unreadable. One of them raised an eyebrow as he heard Sasuke's strange request.
"What did he just say?"
Sasuke repeated himself, louder this time. "Log out! End the game!"
The officers exchanged wary glances. "Is he delusional?" one whispered.
Mount Lady, now at her normal size, frowned. Her expression softened, pity evident in her eyes.
"This poor kid," she murmured. "To lose his mind at such a young age..."
Sasuke's blood ran cold. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
"Why isn't it working?" His voice trembled. "System, I said log out! LOG OUT!"
The officers moved in, their hands gently but firmly restraining him.
"Easy, kid," one said. "We're here to help."
"No! You don't understand!" Sasuke shouted, struggling against their grip. His crimson eyes darted wildly, searching for an answer, for anything.
The world around him blurred as he was guided into the back of a police car. From the window, he saw the crowd dispersing, their faces a mixture of curiosity and concern. Mount Lady stood at the center, watching him leave with an almost maternal sadness.
As the car drove off, Sasuke's Sharingan faded, leaving behind his usual black irises. He stared out the window, the city lights flickering in the growing darkness.
"Why can't I log out?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
For the first time since waking in this world, true fear gripped him. He wasn't sure if this was a game anymore—or if it ever was.
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