The screen of Kai's computer flickered in the dim light of his tiny office cubicle. It was past midnight, and the only sound was the hum of the air conditioner and the occasional clatter of his keyboard. Kai Nakamura, a 28-year-old office worker with a forgettable job and an even more forgettable life, was about to make a discovery that would change everything.
"What the hell is this?" Kai muttered, squinting at the encrypted file he'd accidentally stumbled upon while organizing the company's server. The file was labeled "Eclipse Protocol", and it was buried under layers of security. Curiosity got the better of him, and after hours of hacking (and a lot of coffee), he finally cracked it open.
The contents made his blood run cold.
Schematics for advanced AI systems. Financial records of illegal transactions. Names of powerful CEOs involved in a global conspiracy. And at the center of it all, a project that could control the world's governments, economies, and even its people.
"This… this can't be real," Kai whispered, his heart pounding. He scrolled through the files, his hands trembling. He recognized some of the names—CEOs of major corporations, politicians, even a famous scientist. They were all part of something called the Eclipse Syndicate.
Before he could process what he'd found, the lights in the office flickered. Kai froze. The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing louder with each passing second. His stomach dropped. They were here.
He grabbed his phone and tried to call for help, but the signal was dead. The footsteps stopped outside his cubicle. Kai held his breath, his mind racing. There was no way out.
The cubicle wall was yanked aside, and two men in black suits stepped into view. Their faces were cold, their eyes devoid of emotion. One of them held a gun.
"Kai Nakamura," the man said, his voice like ice. "You shouldn't have looked."
Kai's mind went blank. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. The gunshot echoed through the empty office, and everything went dark.
When Kai opened his eyes, he was no longer in the office. He was lying on a bed in a small, unfamiliar room. The walls were plain, the air smelled faintly of lavender, and the sunlight streaming through the window felt… different.
"What the hell?" he muttered, sitting up. His voice sounded younger, and his body felt lighter. He looked down at his hands—they were smooth, unblemished. He scrambled to the mirror on the wall and froze.
Staring back at him was the face of an 18-year-old.
"No way," he whispered, touching his face. "This… this can't be real."
Before he could process what was happening, a voice echoed in his mind—calm, mechanical, and utterly alien.
[System Initializing…]
[Welcome, Host. You have been granted the Erebus System.]
[Mission: Dismantle the Eclipse Syndicate.]
[Rewards: Wealth, Power, and Revenge.]
Kai's eyes widened. "What the—"
[Time-Freeze Ability Unlocked.]
[Black Card Activated. Initial Balance: $1,000,000.]
[Attribute Upgrades Available.]
A sleek black card materialized in his hand, and a holographic screen appeared in front of him, displaying his stats and mission objectives. Kai stared at it, his mind racing. This was insane. Impossible. But as he clenched the black card and felt the weight of it in his hand, a slow smile spread across his face.
"Alright," he said, his voice steady. "If this is real… then it's time to play."