Location – Heaven Dawn Café
117:00.
5 Hours before The Tower of Trials.
***
"You know… It feels strange," Tandav murmured as he leaned back in his chair with a deep exhale.
"I've waited all my life for this day. Imagined it a thousand different ways. But now that it's here…"
The sight outside the clear windows was breathtaking, the floating isles of Glory Academy gleamed under the light of the Tower of Trials.
"I don't even have the words to describe it."
The café was quieter than usual. The familiar bustling café, where one would find it hard to even find an empty seat, was now as silent as a snowy mountain.
Empty tables, dim lights. Although this didn't come as a surprise to the group, considering most students wouldn't even think about getting something to eat at a time like this.
"Do you think we'll change? After we get out?" Arthur asks without a glance at any of them, his gaze fixed on the beaded bracelet wrapped around his wrist.
"I can't imagine anyone stays the same after entering the first Script," Marcus answered after some thought.
He glanced at Giuseppe, who had remained silent for a time. Evelynne's eyes followed the same trail.
'He's been silent since the Principal called him up to the Apex.'
Clap
Tandav clapped to gather their attention.
"Well."
"On the plus side, we can finally ditch those shitty filler games we've been stuck grinding for the last forever."
Giuseppe finally looked up and gave a faint shrug.
"That's true."
Just like that, the tension was gone. Laughter didn't come immediately, but the silence was different now.
"Speaking of, did ya'll catch the story about Anti-Life?" Evelynne said.
Marcus shot a sidelong glance at Giuseppe. He was the only one who knew about his previous exploits in EoaDS. Or at least, some of it. Even he couldn't grasp the full scope of Giuseppe's crusades.
The man himself didn't flinch for a single moment, but he did take a long sip from his drink to hide his growing smile before replying.
"Nah," he said casually.
"What happened?"
'An All-Star actor,' Marcus thought with a mirthful smirk.
Evelynne leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. Her eyes didn't leave his seated figure. The corner of her lips couldn't help but curl ever so slightly in a similar fashion.
Giuseppe's perception easily caught the tiny shift in her expression.
Evelynne's smile widened. "Well, it would be better if I just showed you."
A holographic screen appeared above the table with a flick of her fingers. The scene immediately caught their attention.
A battlefield, the size spanning a distance impossible to see the end of. Fire and blood raged across the land as an uncountable number of human soldiers fought on against writhing black, formless creatures.
But that all changed as a single armoured foot stepped from a dark portal that seemed to appear from the deepest, darkest depths of hell.
"About a hundred thousand players. Gone. Deleted."
"Holy shit," Tandav muttered.
Daniel gave a confused and shocked look between them.
"Wait… hold the fuck on a minute, let's take a step back. Who exactly is Anti-Life? Am I missing something?"
Marcus let out a short laugh. "Oh yeah. You are missing something."
"Under-fucking-statement. You seriously don't know Anti-Life? He's more myth than man," Arthur said, dropping his voice lower as he recounts the mythos surrounding Anti-Life.
"Tops the leaderboard in every FDVR-MMORPG he touches. He is known by many names. Empty Crown. The King of Violence. Mad Dog. But one stuck harder than the rest…"
"Anti-Life."
Giuseppe propped his chin on his fist, his lips twitching into a thin line as he fought down the laughter bubbling in his chest.
"In M.F.S., he broke the world record for the number of crimes one could commit in a single, 3-hour playthrough. He actually completed the game in that single run, just to refund the game before the 48-hour window ran out."
Arthur scrolled through a multitude of holographic screens before pulling a single, long one to the front of the table.
"Let me just… yeah, here it is. The official rap sheet."
"Murder — all degrees, including mass and attempted: 13,000+ counts.
Genocide — 777 counts.
Manslaughter — including vehicular: 1,200.
Assassination — 600.
Assault & Battery — including on officers: 5,800+.
Harassment & Stalking — 2,800+.
Threats with Deadly Weapons — 1,250.
Drugging & Poisoning — 670.
Kidnapping & Unlawful Imprisonment — 1,950+.
Improper Handling of Corpses — 540.
Identity Theft & Fraud — 1,150.
DUI — 505.
Theft & Robbery — including racketeering and extortion: 18,000+.
Grand Theft Auto — 10,000.
Arson & Property Destruction — 3,300+.
Breaking & Entering — 4,000+.
Money Laundering — 1,700.
Illegal Real Estate Transactions — 700.
Terrorism & War Crimes — 1,500+.
Conspiracy & Aiding Criminal Activity — 3,400+.
Reckless Endangerment — including driving: 8,000+.
Illegal Firearm Use — 1,100.
Public Indecency & Disorderly Conduct — 980.
War Instigation — 780.
Human Trafficking — 1,300.
Use of Banned Weaponry — cluster munitions, attacking incapacitated enemies, etc.: 1,930+.
Environmental Destruction — deforestation, illegal mining, pollution: 2,000+.
Forced Displacement of Populations — 770."
"Holy… Fuck…" Marcus muttered, leaning back into his seat like the list had physically struck him.
"Wow. Just… Wow." Evelynne blinked, her voice flat in disbelief. She couldn't help but give a look at Giuseppe.
"I don't even… I don't even know where to start." Daniel was baffled beyond belief.
"What kind of game even allows that? Surely you would just get banned immediately…"
Arthur nodded, crossing his arms as if he had the same reaction when he first saw it.
"Is it some kind of Criminal Empire Simulator game?"
Tandav scratched his head. "M.F.S., right? That stands for... what, Murder-Fueled Sandbox?"
Giuseppe finally spoke, taking a sip of his iced coffee.
"No."
He looked at Tandav, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Market Farming Simulator."
"Yeah. It's a farming game, bro."
Silence.
"What the actual fuck…"
***
Location – The Tower of Trials
122:30
The Tower of Trials stood at the heart of Glory Academy, a monolith rising like a blade of brilliant light into the heavens.
Its spires stretched upward impossibly high, far beyond what the eye could comfortably follow.
At the colossal base of the tower, Mavena stood before massive, towering slabs of white-and-gold. The entrance to the Tower of Trials.
She stood with her arms crossed, steady as the monolith behind her.
The moment the first-years crossed the threshold, the sounds of the outside world vanished, swallowed by the immense silence within.
Inside, the Tower of Trials appeared even more breathtaking. A vast, circular chamber stretched out before them, with a floor crafted from flawless white marble veined with threads of gold. Soft, ambient light—seemingly without a source—bathed everything in a dreamlike glow.
Above, the ceiling soared into darkness, so high, near infinite. Like they were standing beneath a second sky.
Along the walls, towering statues of unknown figures watched silently, their stone eyes seemed judgmental. Each figure was larger than life, clad in flowing colourless robes or ancient armour, with weapons resting at their sides.
The students' attention was then drawn to the centre of the hall, where an enormous circular platform floated a few feet above the ground, rotating slowly. Intricate runes spiralled across its surface, shifting patterns like a living language. Smaller floating platforms, each etched with different emblems, orbited around it at different speeds.
From the centre platform, Principal Aldric Malchus Hadi raised a hand, his robe's hem fluttering slightly despite the still air. Beside him, the Vice-Principal watched.
Floating above the centre of the room—suspended by some invisible force—was the object they had all been told about in rumours and lectures, but had never borne witness to with their own eyes: The Genesis Capsule.
It resembled a large black crystal, smooth and layered with swirling patterns of gold.
The Principal's voice echoed across the chamber, carrying immense weight.
"Before you, as I'm sure you know, is a Genesis Capsule. Each of you will enter one of these and within it, your souls will depart this plane and enter your Foundational Script—the trial prepared for you by The Akashic Library."
His sharp gaze swept over them.
"Your bodies will remain here, preserved in stasis. But know this—death within the script is the end. Your soul will be shattered, your essence destroyed. And your body will become an empty shell, a husk of its former self. Note that time in the trials flows differently from this realm. A year out here may feel like an eternity within, we will assume the worst… and your body will be disposed of."
Hadi's voice grew softer.
"Truly, from the depths of my heart, I wish you the best of success."
With a wave of his hand, the floor shifted—the marble parting like rippling water. Rows of Genesis Capsules rose from the depths, crystalline capsules, humming with ancient power.
Giuseppe, Marcus, Daniel, Arthur, Tandav, and Evelynne huddled closer, forming a small circle amid the sea of faces.
Marcus was the first to break the silence, his voice low and steady.
"Alright. This is it."
Arthur gave a tight nod, his jaw set. "We're finally at the starting line."
"Is it weird that I'm kind of… nervous?" Tandav couldn't help but ask.
Daniel glanced at him, "Nerves at this point is a natural reaction."
Giuseppe didn't say a word. His clenched fist trembled. His blood felt like fire.
Evelynne, standing beside him, spoke with quiet certainty.
"All of us will survive." She said. Her eyes didn't even waver for a moment. It was as if she already knew.
And somehow, with just those words, the group unconsciously eased up. Shoulders relaxed. Hearts steadied.
"All right, then." Marcus tapped Giuseppe lightly on the back.
"See you later," Giuseppe said, finding his voice steady, burning with life.
Without another word, they each stepped towards their capsules.
…
Location – ???
Giuseppe opened his eyes to a world unlike anything he had ever seen.
Before him stretched an endless sea of clouds, vast and boundless, glowing under the gaze of a radiant sun suspended in the heavens.
The clouds were thick and voluminous, stacked in towering formations, their edges kissed with hues of gold.
Between the breaks in the clouds, he caught glimpses of an even deeper sky—a canvas of shimmering blues and ethereal colours that swirled together like a living painting.
The light was warm but not harsh, gentle but powerful, bathing the world in a dreamlike brilliance. It wasn't just beautiful—it was overwhelming, almost sacred. The air itself felt different, lighter. Giuseppe couldn't describe the feelings he felt just witnessing it.
It reminded him, distantly, of the paintings of a famous artist from his homeland—visions of paradise that now seemed woefully inadequate compared to the real thing.
Giuseppe slowly took a step forward, the cloud beneath his feet held firm, solid and sure, like mist woven into marble.
In the distance, above the cloudline, a radiant figure descended with slow, weightless grace. Her presence causes the clouds to still. Her robes, translucent and flowing like liquid, her long white hair floats behind her as a delicate crown of light hovers above her.
"Greetings, traveller. I am Genesis." Her voice was as beautiful as her figure, like—
"Skip. Skip. Skip." Giuseppe wasn't interested in this useless cut-scene.
Then, without warning, a soft chime echoed in the air.
A white and gold holographic screen materialised before his eyes, perfectly matching the aesthetic of this surreal sky-realm.
[Character Creation]
As Giuseppe blinked, countless smaller windows bloomed around him—each one offering intricate, almost overwhelming options for customisation.
Without hesitation, he dove in, his fingers flying across the interface. Time melted away as he adjusted sliders, tweaked settings, and cycled through endless options.
Nearly thirty minutes later, he finally looked back and admired his work.
The avatar staring back at him was unmistakably himself—he had kept his real body shape and features almost entirely intact. The only change was the hair: slightly shorter than usual, parted neatly down the middle.
He was dressed in a white sleeveless martial arts robe held by a black belt, paired with black martial arts shoes.
Atop his head, naturally, sat a beautiful, white bucket hat
Giuseppe couldn't help but grin at the sight.
'Good lord, there are way too many tattoo options on this thing,' he thought, scrolling through a few lingering menus. 'Should I add one? Nah, tattoos are lame.'
Yet despite the thought, his hand moved almost on its own.
He selected a long, black dragon tattoo that coiled around his left arm, winding from his shoulder all the way to the back of his hand.
He let out a soft chuckle.
'Fuck, I couldn't resist. It looks too damn cool.'
Giving his avatar one last approving nod, he pressed confirm.
[Please Create a Username]
What sounds amazing?
What name would reverberate across worlds and universes?
What name would fit a glorious existence such as I?
He spent even longer thinking about what he would call himself than he did during the character creation.
[BucketHatOnMyHeadLikeABoss]
[Confirm?]
[Yes/No]
[Confirmed]
_________________________________________________________
Author Note
;)