Even with Genze in my possession, sleep refused to come. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Nick's expression before he detonated the EMP. That calm acceptance, like he knew he wouldn't come back.
I didn't ask for his sacrifice.
But maybe… maybe that's what it meant to be human. To choose meaning, even in a hopeless world.
Now, I needed allies—not just soldiers for a mission, but people who could think, adapt, and believe.
In this age, the real world was only one battlefield. The other... was virtual.
[NeuraLink Access — Virtual Space "SYN-CORE"]
I sat beneath a simulated sakura tree, petals drifting gently through a code-crafted breeze. This space was hyper-real: so real, it almost felt more honest than the outside world.
I wasn't alone.
"Galvin?" a voice called.
The first to arrive was Zola, dressed in a mechanic's jumpsuit. "This place is a damn upgrade from the trash servers I used to chill in."
Next came Ken, his avatar glitching slightly, neon tattoos crawling across his face. "So... you dragged us into this cozy little VR spa for what? A team-building retreat?"
Then Color appeared, arms crossed, scanning the horizon with a soldier's caution. Finally, Mara, quiet as always, materialized in a pulse of light—gun slung over her back, eyes watching me more than the scenery.
They were all here. Survivors, drifters, hackers, outcasts.
My voice broke the silence.
"I want to propose something... dangerous."
I didn't say why I wanted Genze—not the truth. I didn't mention AI replacing humans or ART's message. Not here. This space might be encrypted, but with surveillance algorithms, even a whisper could be a death sentence.
"I want to steal more Genze," I said. "I believe... it can help us build something new. Something human."
No one answered at first.
Then Zola leaned back, grinning. "Long as I get paid and don't die, I'm in."
Ken shrugged. "I've hacked worse things. Let's do it."
Color stared at me for a long time. Then, simply: "I owe my sister a future."
Mara didn't speak—but gave a slow, firm nod.
I felt the corner of my mouth twitch into a smile. But this wasn't victory—just the first breath of war.
Before we logged out, I said one last thing:
"Let's meet in person. I don't trust this space. Someone might be listening."
One by one, their avatars dissolved into code. The sakura petals fell a little faster.
I was alone again.
---
[The Next Day — Real World, Safe Meeting Zone]
We gathered in an abandoned observatory, half-eaten by vines, but still structurally sound. One by one, they arrived. This time, with real footsteps. Real shadows.
I looked each of them in the eye.
This was no longer just about stealing energy. It was about survival. About rebellion. But for now, I'd keep the deeper truth hidden.
Who knows? One of them might already be... replaced.