1. Death & A Strange System

*06:00 AM*

*Present day*

Daisuke found himself tightly squeezed underneath a sturdy table, peering anxiously through a clear glass wall of an enormous skyscraper in his bustling city. The urban landscape was teeming with towering buildings and grand structures. However, Daisuke wasn't there as a resident in an apartment; he was in this building for work. It was a massive workplace that occupied over thirty floors and housed hundreds of offices.

Even though it was his day off on a Saturday, Daisuke had ventured into the building for personal reasons. While the rest of the staff members went home, he chose to stay behind, skillfully concealing himself from the watchful eyes of the security guards who had patrolled the previous night.

Daisuke worked as a cleaner at the firm, a position he despised with every fiber of his being. But given his circumstances, he felt trapped with no better options. The pay was decent, and it wasn't a public place with constant customer interactions, which would have made him uncomfortable as a cleaner. He wanted to avoid being seen by people in his neighborhood, especially in such a job.

Despite receiving a fair wage each month, Daisuke's job only deepened his sense of depression. Every day, from 6 in the morning to 8 at night, he toiled away at a job he detested, and the thoughts of ending his own life became increasingly tempting. He had spent the entire night wrestling with the decision he was about to make. It was a choice he had always feared but felt compelled to pursue, viewing it as the only means of escaping the relentless nightmare of his life.

Originally, he had planned to carry out his plan in the middle of the night. However, Daisuke realized that the heightened security during that time might pose a problem. So, he patiently waited for the opportune moment. As the clock ticked past 6 am the following morning, he finally felt prepared to fulfill his long-standing desire.

This particular period marked the time when most of the staff on guard duty were most indifferent, having spent the entire night patrolling and keeping watch. They would likely assume everything was in order since the department had meticulously searched the entire building and found no one. This was the perfect time for Daisuke to proceed.

At last, the moment he had been waiting for arrived. Slowly emerging from beneath the table in an open office, his head gradually rose, forming a distinct silhouette against the backdrop of the room. With determination in his eyes, he readied himself to enact his plan.

As Daisuke surveyed his surroundings, darkness enveloped the floor, creating an eerie atmosphere. It wasn't because the area was empty, but rather due to the lack of light. The dimness made it difficult to spot anyone, not even a passing security guard. Just as he was about to search for an exit, a sudden beam of a flashlight blinded him, causing frustration to well up within him.

"Ah, darn it," Daisuke muttered in annoyance.

"Stop right there!" commanded the security guard, rushing towards him.

Realizing he had no other option, Daisuke knew he couldn't let anyone hinder his progress. He could hear multiple footsteps approaching as the guard who had discovered him alerted his companions.

Instinctively, he darted across the floor, choosing a different path that led towards the elevator. The guard pursued him, but Daisuke proved to be more nimble than expected. With agile movements, he effortlessly leaped over obstacles, leaving the guard struggling to keep up.

Quickly slipping into the elevator, Daisuke managed to close the doors just in time, preventing the guard from reaching him. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he watched as the numbers on the display ascended. He had programmed the elevator to take him to the topmost floor. As the floors climbed, doubts filled his mind, questioning whether this was his fate guiding him towards his final rest.

Weary of life and resolved to end it all that day, Daisuke's determination wavered as a guard spotted him and gave chase. Yet, he knew he had no choice but to carry on with his original plan. It felt as if destiny demanded his demise, regardless of the obstacles, and this realization filled him with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

He could have reached the highest floor much earlier, but doing so would have exposed him to the night staff who monitored the security footage at that time.

Upon reaching the top floor, he hurried towards the hatch leading to the rooftop. As he ascended the short flight of stairs, the guards closed in from the lower stairs in pursuit. However, by the time they reached the rooftop, Daisuke had already evaded their grasp, standing at the edge with his arms outstretched.

"Come back here, young man," one of the guards pleaded. Daisuke turned his gaze towards the guard, his eyes filled with an intense glare, devoid of any glimmer of hope.

Approaching Daisuke with cautious steps, an elderly man took the initiative to speak to him. "Please reconsider. Think about your family, the people who care about you the most."

Daisuke turned his gaze towards the vast horizon. "I have no family," he replied, his voice devoid of emotion.

Perplexed, one of the guards chimed in, "Isn't he one of the cleaning staff?"

"Why would he want to end his own life?" another guard pondered aloud.

Ignoring their discussion, the old man cast a sharp glare at them before continuing his approach towards Daisuke, each step deliberate and purposeful.

"Please, young man," he pleaded. "This is a selfish decision. Have you considered the impact on those who care about you?"

"I have no one," Daisuke responded bluntly. He had already made up his mind, determined to carry out his plan despite any attempts to dissuade him.

Though separated by distance, the old man felt an urgency to connect with the young boy. Daisuke had just revealed his lack of family and friends, leaving him without emotional support, with no one to mourn his loss.

Making a final effort to reach him, the old man locked eyes with Daisuke. "Alright, think about yourself! Don't you have dreams, goals, things you want to achieve—anything?"

Internally, the old man questioned the effectiveness of his words. If Daisuke had aspirations and dreams driving him, would he even entertain such thoughts?

Desperately improvising, the old man spoke from the heart, grasping for anything that might halt Daisuke's intentions.

"Please, young man," the elder implored. "You are young, with a future ahead of you, full of hope. Don't throw it all away like this. I beg you, come back. Let's talk about it."

Daisuke offered a faint smile as he looked back at the old man. It had been a long time since someone showed such care for him.

"Thank you," he murmured before surrendering to gravity's pull.

"No!" the old man cried out as Daisuke descended.

During his fall, Daisuke glimpsed the rooftop rapidly retreating from his view. He faintly made out the silhouette of the old man, desperately clinging to the edge, his voice filled with frustrated despair.

"Don't cry for me," Daisuke thought, observing the tearful plea and the outstretched arm reaching for him. "Save your tears for someone who deserves them."

Gradually, Daisuke closed his eyes, and a sudden jolt surged through him from behind, leaving behind not physical pain but an overwhelming sense of emptiness.

**********

Daisuke felt a mix of confusion and surprise as he tried to make sense of the strange situation he found himself in. He wondered if he had somehow entered the realm of the dead, but the fact that he could think and question his own thoughts made him doubt his own death. His curiosity grew, pushing him to open his eyes and discover what lay before him. To his astonishment, he saw nothing but vast space stretching out in all directions.

Fear and wonder filled his heart as he looked at his body, which was unharmed and still dressed in his work clothes. It seemed that he had seamlessly transitioned from the earthly world to this boundless emptiness. The stars, planets, and satellites surrounding him confirmed that he was indeed in space.

A familiar wave of emotional pain washed over him, intensifying the torment that had driven him to consider ending his own life. Daisuke gripped his chest, letting out a cry that reverberated through the empty void. This was not the freedom he had hoped for. He desperately wanted to escape this deep anguish and believed that death would be his only release. Unfortunately, he soon realized that his assumption was completely wrong.

Lost in deep thought, he contemplated the meaning of this strange experience when suddenly, a flickering holographic image appeared in front of him. Startled, Daisuke instinctively shielded his face, startled by the sudden apparition.

But even more astonishing was the content of the hologram—a question presented with two different paths and their corresponding answers. The choice he made would have a profound impact on how he saw life and the redemption he sought in death.

The weight of responsibility bore down on him. His decision had the power to either validate or undermine his past actions and beliefs, pushing him to act quickly and decisively.

In an instant, Daisuke felt himself being whisked away, propelled along the path he had chosen, hurtling toward an unknown destination at an incredible speed, yet without any physical resistance.

As he opened his eyes once again, everything around him swirled in a blur, as if he were racing through space. He contemplated whether he had entered a realm similar to "hyperspace," but his attention was soon captivated by the appearance of another holographic image directly in front of him. Curiosity sparked within him, giving rise to questions about the nature of this complex "program" and the system that controlled it all.

His gaze fixed on the center of the holographic panel, where a message awaited him, calling to him from the depths of the puzzle: "Greetings, Player. Welcome to this immersive program. What name do you go by?"

Daisuke's mind was filled with conflicting emotions as he hesitated to reveal his name, longing to distance himself from his past and the burdens it carried. Considering an alternative, he thought about the implications of having no name at all.

A new tab appeared, showing a meaningful quote: "Would you be satisfied with being called 'player'?"

Reluctantly, Daisuke selected "yes," which triggered the appearance of another tab, asking the question: "How would you prefer to communicate?"

Daisuke had to decide how he would communicate in this new realm—whether through speaking or using non-verbal methods. It reminded him of customizing a character in a role-playing game. Choosing the familiar option of verbal communication, he clicked on that choice.

After making his selection, a detailed customization page appeared, offering a variety of voice options. Daisuke understood that this voice would be his assistant and guide in this mysterious place. He carefully adjusted the settings to his liking, taking his time to ensure it felt comfortable and resonated with him.

Once satisfied with the adjustments, he clicked the "Accept" button, only to be greeted by a warning page that questioned the validity of his decision. He reaffirmed his choice by clicking "yes," but then another perplexing page appeared, lacking clear instructions. Suddenly, a resounding voice echoed in his mind, startling him.

"Hello, player," the voice greeted him.

Surprised, Daisuke involuntarily exclaimed, "Whoa!" in response to this unexpected intrusion.

"You are about to enter a world much more dangerous than the one you're leaving behind," the voice declared. "In light of this, what role should I take on to ensure your survival?"

Different options appeared, each marked with colored tabs ranging from soothing green to alarming red, indicating varying levels of intensity and assistance.

Feeling overwhelmed by the weight of this decision, Daisuke realized that his choice in this crucial moment would greatly impact his journey, which made him afraid of making the wrong selection.

In the midst of uncertainty, doubt crept into his determination. What was he doing? Wasn't his original intention to bring an end to his life? Yet here he was, negotiating with a mysterious system about ways to prolong his existence. A nagging thought lingered—could this be a test? Why couldn't the world simply offer him comfort in the embrace of death?