The game opens in a small, cluttered bedroom. It’s dark, with the only light coming from the computer screen, flashing various game notifications. The protagonist (you) is furiously clicking away on the keyboard, grinding through a game late at night. Empty soda cans and snack wrappers are scattered around. Your eyes are heavy, but you can’t stop. You’ve got no choice—if you don’t level up your bully’s game account by tomorrow, things are going to get ugly.

[Text appears on screen]: “Another all-nighter, huh? Guess I’m just a game shuttle.”

[Protagonist (thoughts)]: Why does this always happen to me? Stuck grinding all night so I don’t get my face beaten in tomorrow. One more hour… Just one more level, and maybe I’ll survive another day…

The camera pans to your phone, lying on the desk. A group chat is open, and aggressive messages flood in:

[Text Messages from Bully]: “You better hit level 50 by tomorrow, or you’re dead.”

[Protagonist]: Dead… they don’t mean that literally, but it might as well be.

Suddenly, a mysterious player appears in the game you’re grinding. You see their character struggling, looking for an item you’ve just collected—a rare sword. You hesitate for a moment, then decide to help, sending the sword over.

[Protagonist]: Eh, whatever. Here, take it. Better this guy uses it than me getting beat for missing another level.

[Mysterious Player]: “Thanks. I owe you one.”

With that, the mysterious player logs off, and you feel a strange sense of déjà vu, but dismiss it and keep grinding.

Next Day – School Grounds

The screen fades from the dark room to a sunlit schoolyard. You’re standing there with your head down, trying to avoid eye contact as your bullies surround you, cracking their knuckles.

[Text Notification]: “PLAYER NAME: [Your Name]” “LEVEL: ???” “STATUS: STATS SEALED”

You blink, confused, trying to understand what’s going on. The bullies start closing in again, but the window doesn’t disappear. It hovers there, pulsing with strange energy.