[Germany, 2067]
Outside, the city breathed in its usual, restless rhythm. The streets were packed with people: some hurried to work while anxiously glancing at their watches, while others stood by the roadside under neon shadows, smoking cigarettes and observing the fleeting nature of life. Towering skyscrapers stood with pride, as if determined to pierce the cosmos. But behind these immense castles of metal and glass, unlike them, there was a quiet and less noticeable street.
Here, the noise of the central avenues could not be heard. Only occasional figures taking out the trash or the faint presence of stray cats and dogs could be seen. In one of the inconspicuous multi-story buildings on this very street, on the sixth floor, in a small corner apartment, lived Raymond Cross.
Raymond — a 21-year-old student. His life passed between classes and part-time jobs needed to survive. At the moment, he was sitting in front of his old computer, immersed in a virtual world. Games were his only entertainment, his only zone of freedom. However, since his pockets were always empty, he could only dream of buying new hit games.
After finishing the game, he turned off the computer. As the monitor screen went dark, the silence of the room pressed heavily upon him.
— I was supposed to pay this month's rent... — he muttered with a heavy sigh. — So the money I was saving for games will once again "fly away into the air."
His small room was the most miserable form of minimalism: a computer desk in one corner, and a small bed opposite it. Through the window, a giant screen mounted on one of the enormous buildings could be seen. For Raymond, this screen served as both television and his main source of news — endless advertisements continuously filled his room with colorful neon light.
Raymond stood up and put on the jacket hanging nearby. Despite it being late winter, the air had not yet released its cold grip. On the streets, remnants of snow had already melted into black mud.
He locked the door and went downstairs. As soon as he stepped out of the building, the cold wind struck his face, making him shiver. Pulling his hat down tightly, he headed toward his workplace.
As he walked between giant buildings, the city's architecture became increasingly complex. Melted snow water flowed loudly through drainage grates, roaring like blood in the veins of the city. Finally, he reached the entrance of the large and wide building where he worked.
The interior of the building was grand. In the center, surrounded by transparent glass, stood a massive globe-shaped installation — as if a symbol uniting all languages of humanity. On both sides of the globe, staircases led to the upper floors, while lower corridors were designated for employees.
Raymond walked through the lower corridor and entered a small room filled with documents. There was only one desk, its surface almost completely buried under piles of paper. He sat at his place and picked up the next document.
He worked as a translator at "Mega Translator" company. His salary — only $350. Although modern artificial intelligence translations were widespread, "Mega Translator" prided itself on the quality of its product: every word, every meaning was carefully refined by humans. Because of this, large corporations entrusted their most important and delicate documents to this company.
Raymond usually worked until seven o'clock, but today the pile of documents did not release him and kept him until eight-thirty.
When he left the building, the streets were already covered by the deep curtain of night. The windows of surrounding skyscrapers flickered with light, while the cold streets were illuminated only by faint lamps. The path leading to Raymond's home was almost empty; only the glowing eyes of stray cats searching for food among trash bins could be seen in the darkness.
Since Raymond's residential area was on the outskirts of the city, life here was relatively quiet. But far away, beyond the horizon, the neon lights of the city center illuminated the sky — there life never stopped, always bright and crowded as if it were daytime.
— Someday I'll also move there and find a better job, — Raymond said, staring hopefully at that light.
He continued on his way. The air was so cold that every exhale turned into a white cloud under the streetlights. As he approached his apartment, he stopped by a small shop on the corner. The "OPEN" sign above the door shone in different colors, as if inviting customers.
Passing by the shop window, Raymond's eyes fell on a game box placed on the side. On it, in large letters, was written "Sale 80%". In the center of the yellow box, in black letters, was a mysterious name: "The Infinite Game". The price was only $23.
Raymond entered the shop. His original intention was to buy something for dinner. He opened his wallet and checked: $28.36. After buying a few food items carefully, he had a little over $24 left. He looked once again at the yellow box. Without knowing why, a strange curiosity pulled him in, and he also bought the game and returned home.
Upon arriving at his apartment, he placed the food package on the table and immediately sat down in front of the computer. Sitting on the chair, he opened the box in his hand and looked at it with slight suspicion.
— Why did I even buy this? Because it was cheap? I hope it's not boring, — he muttered and inserted the disc into the computer.
The screen first turned white, then a familiar message appeared in the center:
[Loading...]
Raymond waited patiently. The next message was unexpected:
[Character selection will be done automatically. If you agree, click the "Start" button.]
— What does this mean? Usually the player chooses... whatever, — he pressed "Start" without much thought.
A loading icon appeared in the center of the screen, and after a few minutes, a message appeared:
[Character selection completed successfully]
[Character status]
[Name: Not yet entered]
[Height: 198 cm]
[Weight: 85 kg]
[Strength: 20]
[Speed: 20]
[Endurance: 15]
[Appearance: Blonde hair and golden eyes. Male. Skin color: White]
Raymond examined the numbers one by one. The stats were not bad. He pressed the continue button, but the system stopped him:
[You did not enter a nickname. Please enter a nickname before starting the game.]
— Hmm... What name should I choose? — he muttered, tapping his fingers on the desk, thinking for a moment.
Suddenly, a name came to his mind, and he quickly typed it on the keyboard.
[Nickname entered]
[Name: Light of the Darkness.]
[Height: 198 cm]
[Weight: 85 kg]
[Strength: 20]
[Speed: 20]
[Endurance: 15]
[Appearance: Blonde hair and golden eyes. Male. Skin color: White]
— It's not that great, but I like it, — he said and pressed "Start" again.
This time the screen suddenly turned red, and a serious warning appeared:
[The first phase is over. Now the next phase has begun.]
[Warning: Once you start the game, you cannot log out until it is finished.]
Raymond looked at the clock. It was not even nine yet.
— Fine, I still have time, — he said and pressed "Start" one last time.
At that moment, the screen turned blindingly white. The light was so intense that Raymond was forced to close his eyes.
— What is happening? Is the computer going to explode because it can't handle it?! — he thought anxiously.
In the following seconds, an unnatural vibration began in the room. The table, chairs, and books trembled, and the light expanded beyond the room's boundaries, illuminating the entire building. After a few minutes of chaos, everything suddenly stopped.
The room was pitch black and eerily silent. The furniture was overturned and scattered everywhere, but the computer screen was still on. On it, the final message appeared:
[The second stage was successfully completed. The player was transferred to the game world.]
A night wind entered through the open window, gently swaying the curtains. Moonlight illuminated the room, but Raymond Cross was no longer there. The room was empty; only an unopened food package on the table remained as the last trace of his existence.