São Paulo, Brazil – Júlia, The Arena Legend
The stadium lights exploded in blinding flashes, making the ground tremble beneath the roar of the crowd. Every cheer, every clap, every camera aimed at Júlia seemed to accelerate her heartbeat, almost syncing with the sounds of the arena. She felt the weight of responsibility, but also an inner fire that burned hotter than any nervousness could.
Her fingers moved over the controls with almost supernatural precision. Every touch, every motion, was the result of years of training, sleepless nights, studied maps, and memorized strategies. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, but she was calm. The calm of someone who knows that the world, at this moment, exists only in every choice they make.
— Delta Necropolis… — she muttered under her breath, teeth clenched. — This is where I make a difference.
The zone was dangerous, rarely visited. Dark tunnels, hidden codes, risky rewards — the perfect combination for a natural strategist. While other players crowded the common areas, Júlia moved like a phantom, eliminating opponents without them even noticing. Every movement was meticulously calculated; every decision carried the weight of an invisible battle fought inside her own mind.
When only one opponent remained, Júlia leaped onto the roof of a building, activated Stealth Mode, and with a single, precise shot:
HEADSHOT.
The stadium erupted in applause, cameras capturing every expression of surprise, tension, and triumph on her face. Júlia closed her eyes for a moment, feeling each cell of her body vibrate with adrenaline. When she opened them, the media flashes illuminated her tired but triumphant face.
BRAZIL CHAMPION: KEISE.
The roar of the crowd still echoed in her ears, but Júlia felt something strange: a void. The world around her celebrated, but inside her, something still longed for meaning. Winning hadn't filled that ancient emptiness. She yearned for more — real adventures, challenges that would make her heart race, a sense that she truly mattered, that every choice had weight and significance.
— Why… even after winning… do I still feel like something's missing? — she whispered, her voice barely audible over the arena echo.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. A red notification flashed:
"NEXUS will start in: 00:10:00"
Her eyes widened. A shiver ran down her spine. The alert seemed alive, pulsing, and something inside her responded instinctively. A friend had recommended the Nexus days ago, saying this was the game that could fill the emptiness she felt — an experience where reality and the impossible intertwined, where she could be more than just a player — a true heroine of her own story.
— What…? — she muttered, fingers trembling.
She looked around the silent room. The walls seemed to close in. Every shadow seemed to move. The emptiness she had carried for years now pulsed with intensity, as if the universe had finally opened a door for her to step through.
Maputo, Mozambique – Steve, The Silent Guardian
The hospital smelled of antiseptic and fear. Steve held his mother's hand, feeling the fragility of each heartbeat. He didn't cry; he couldn't. Every muscle tensed, every thought focused on keeping her safe, even if only for a moment.
The phone vibrated. A message from Nesin lit up the screen:
— STEVE!! The countdown is ending! Did you forget the Nexus?
He swallowed hard. His chest ached. The world seemed suspended in silence, broken only by the sound of his own breathing.
— Damn… — he muttered.
The countdown flashed in red: 00:05:00.
He pressed START, feeling a force pull the air around him. A halo of purple light appeared, lifting him from the ground. Nurses screamed, alarms blared, but he only felt an intense chill mixed with a strange excitement, a sensation that he was about to cross into something far greater than himself.
— Just a game… right? — he whispered, but his voice sounded hollow. The real world slipped away beneath him.
Japan – Kuto, The Lone Awakening
In a dark, filthy alley, Kuto coughed, trying to stand. The world felt colder than ever, and loneliness weighed like lead on his shoulders.
His phone flickered on its own, red and pulsating.
START – Immediate Launch.
— What…?
A floating penguin avatar appeared, its voice devoid of emotion:
> "Welcome to the Nexus. Choice made. Reality compromised."
Before he could react, lines of code erupted from the screen, wrapping around his body like digital serpents. Intense blue light blinded him, and reality began to crumble.
— WAIT! WHAT IS THIS!?
Screams, sirens, phones raised. But it was too late. Kuto vanished, engulfed by the light, leaving the real world behind.
Global Transition – Invisible Chaos
00:00:10 – Brazil
Júlia held the phone, wide-eyed, heart pounding. START.
She clicked, hesitant, and the invisible force began pulling the air from the room. Books flew, the TV shattered. Her mother screamed, horrified, as her daughter was drawn like dust into a digital whirlwind.
— KEISEEEE!!!
00:00:05 – Mozambique
Steve kissed his mother's hand, pressed the button. Purple light engulfed him. The bed shook, alarms blared. He floated, eyes wide, heart racing, unable to comprehend, thinking this was just another mobile game.
— Mom…! — he shouted, trying to hold her hand, but the world dissolved.
00:00:00 – Global Silence
In thousands of homes and streets, people were sucked into their devices. Teens, young adults, and even rare older players across the globe traversed dimensions. Some screamed, some filmed. All were marked. Then… everything stopped.
End of Chapter – Three Portals, One Destiny
For a split second, the same red symbol appeared in the skies over every continent:
NΞXUƧ – Players Confirmed
Júlia. Steve. Kuto. And many others.
They vanished from the real world. The Nexus called them. Yet little did they know… the game had only just begun.
Júlia felt her heart race with a mix of fear and exhilaration. The emptiness she had carried all her life now had purpose. She felt hope, determination, and fear — all at once — pure emotions she hadn't experienced in years.
> "Will I finally find what I've always been looking for?" — she whispered.
And as the invisible countdown continued, the Nexus revealed itself: a world of endless possibilities, dangers, and choices, ready to test them in ways they could never imagine.