CyberWorld

***CyberWorld*** is a science-fiction drama novel constructed from the ruins of *CyberTurd*. It is the first book of the *CyberWorld* series and the first installment of the Ablaze Multiverse.

## Synopsis

In the near future, a religious cult named the Apostles hacks and takes over CyberWorld—the world's most successful VRMMO game—making it so players would die for real if they die inside. Amongst them is Michael Leong, bestowed with a formidable skill that the Apostles will kill to get. With Michael being tracked at every move, will he save CyberWorld—or bring about its downfall?

## Plot summary

### Opening

On August 23th, 2036, it is an overcast afternoon in a European-themed town square. A man clad in navy futuristic armour falls dead to the ground, the rifle in his hand firing haphazardly at a large crowd, instantly shattering the windows of nearby shops and killing five people in a row. In the middle of the crowd, a teenage boy crouches to avoid the ensuing gunfire that causes his ears to ring. As he crouches on the ground, a blue aura engulfs his body until he disappears from the town square entirely.

### Chapter One: *Fracture*

Nine hours earlier, 15-year-old Michael Leong is disappointed with his grades. much to his disgust. watches his classmate, Issac gloat over his results with his friends. After school, Michael turns down Issac’s offer to help him with his schoolwork and passes many of his schoolmates using headsets and visors on the way home.

At the Leong household, Michael shows his father Adrian his results. Although he expects be reprimanded, Adrian is unfazed by his Geography grade and commends Michael for his other subjects, remaining oblivious to Michael’s tenseness. Before Michael can head upstairs, Adrian asks him to watch the news with him, recognising an old friend.

On the NHK World-Japan channel, a young male reporter named Matsuki Okawa interviews Aiko Tokoshima and Suki Hachiyo outside their headquarters—the creators of the world’s most successful video game, CyberWorld. Following some banter, Okawa asks Tokoshima about her thoughts regarding a rumoured attack at her next appearance. When Tokoshima is unable to reply, Hachiyo steps in and assures the public they have taken the necessary measures of their safety. When the interview ends, Tokoshima flirts with Okawa, leaving him flustered.

Back in Michael’s bedroom, he comes across a letter on his desk. He tears it open and finds a letter from Stallion University.

In a flashback set two weeks prior, Michael is seated across Adrian at the table eating dinner. Adrian receives a call from Kamau Umar (nicknamed Kumar), the principal of Stallion University, who expresses his desire for Michael to enrol due to the combined effort of his impressive grades and his father’s prior military service.  Without consulting Michael prior, Adrian takes up the offer. Michael is outraged at Adrian’s decision and demands to know why he agreed to Kamau without asking him first. Adrian tells him that his enrolment was already set in stone, but Michael retorts Michael’s mother comes downstairs to check the commotion. As Adrian heads upstairs, Michael's mother assures him that he is meant to do great things, but must find the right means to do so.

The following day, Michael struggles to stay awake through his History class, brought forth by his incessant studying. His teacher, Nick Sayles, concludes his lecture on World War II and asks the class to write an essay on any political power they want and its leader. Issac asks if he can write about the Apostles, and their leader, Enoch, as the latter was a former student from the school. Despite knowing of the organisation’s controversial nature, Mr. Sayles accedes to his request. Michael attempts to get some sleep during lunch break, but is nudged awake by Issac, who has a visor in his hands. He asks if Michael wishes to play CyberWorld with him, saying that he can help come up with his username. Michael declines after some deliberation, but Issac pushes for him to take up his offer. In a mix of vexation and lethargy, Michael slaps Issac’s visor out of his hands, an act that sends him to the principal’s office.

Twelve hours later, Michael stares at the brand new headset on his bed bought using Adrian's credit card. He reflects on the day's events, remembering how Adrian lectured him for his impulsive behaviour during the car ride to the store. Puzzled at how Issac and his peers have become so transfixed by CyberWorld, Michael gives in to his temptation and logs onto the game.

### Chapter Two: *Yunon (Interlude)*

Michael spawns in Yunon, the town from *Opening* where a large crowd has gathered in front of a wooden stage in the Town Square. When he kneels down to touch the stone floor, a mechanical crow lands in front and eyes him inquisitively. When Michael reaches out to pat it, the crow pecks his finger and flies away. He looks at the blood flowing from his finger with awe, irked by how realistic the bite was. Michael makes his way to a row of shops near the stage where a small group of players are engaged in discussion, including a girl in a yellow poncho and his girlfriend. However, the young man turns his nose up at Michael, forcing him to venture off on his own. He ends up outside a modest weapons store and walks inside, admiring the holograms of various weapons and attachments on the shelves. Michael notices the cashier (a young girl reading *Tried & True*) and asks her for weapon recommendations. She introduces him to the TRIN-12 Trinity shotgun and the POS-15 Point Sight handgun, both being low-cost options suitable for beginners. Michael purchases the TRIN-12 from the girl but is unable to express his gratitude wholeheartedly since he doesn't know her. The girl introduces herself to him as Yoona.

Back in the Town Square, a squadron wearing dark blue armour called the Cybersecurity Reinforcement Division surrounds the bottom of the stage carrying kinergy rifles. The ceremony commences as Aiko and Suki comes on stage at varying speeds. Suki tries making an opening joke to impress the audience, but the crowd mostly remains silent at her quip. When she catches the squadron's leader hinting for her to finish her speech quickly, Suki announces a mysterious event that involves testing players' skills to much needed applause.

The ground below the crowd begins to shake, causing everyone to lose their balance, with the exception of Leader. A portal glitches into existence on the stage behind Aiko and Suki. A faction of soldiers, this one wearing white robes, storm the stage with a variety of weapons at their disposal. A figure who appears to be their leader steps out from behind them wearing darker robes. He introduces himself as Enoch, stating that through "the First’s noble sacrifice", humanity has been given a chance to return to its old ways without the help of machines. Michael recognises him as his high school senior, and is visibly shaken by this reveal.

Although Suki requests for him to leave the venue, Enoch continues his speech, saying that he has removed the log-out function for everyone and insinuates that dying in the game means dying in real life. In a response to this overt threat, the C.R.D second-in-command prepares to open fire on Enoch, but the Apostle next to Enoch unleashes a barrage of bolts onto her, punching several holes into her body. Now in crisis mode from getting caught off guard, Leader and the C.R.D open fire on the Apostles, while the rest of the squadron escorts Aiko and Suki off stage. Michael is launched into a state of panic along with the crowd, dropping to his knees. As Leader puts up a riot shield, the same Apostle from earlier shoots a C.R.D soldier without cover. He falls down the stairs with his hand still on the trigger, smashing nearby shop windows and killing several people in the crowd, tying into the opening scene.

Still trying to flee from the Town Square, Michael trips over a girl's corpse and comes face-to-face with Yellow Poncho Guy lying next to her. He lifts his girlfriend's hand with his and tells Michael, "Without this, you'll die". Puzzled by his cryptic words, Michael gulps and nods. As he watches the chaos around him unfurl, we hear his voiceover begging for him to "get out of here". In an instant, a blue aura flashes across Michael's body, its energy crackling across his skin. While players in the crowd watch on, Michael is sucked into a vortex from the Town Square.

### Chapter Three: *Exposed*

Michael finds himself in a brick alley far from the Town Square. He rushes to find shelter from the Apostles and enters a inn where a receptionist in a blazer is about to leave. Although Blazer Guy initially refuses, he grabs him by the shoulders begs for Blazer Guy to give him a room to hide. He gives in, but tells Michael he will charge him more given the circumstances. Michael agrees to the offer, transferring all his credits to Blazer Guy. Blazer Guy wishes him luck and flees the inn. Michael locks the room door behind him and the crowd catches up to him outside. Gunfire goes off in the alley, and Michael pulls out his TRIN-12. He becomes paranoid at the thought of a break-in and falls into a routine of ensuring his safety for the next few hours. Later that night, he showers next to his gun.

Two weeks later, Michael eats the last of his rations and goes to sleep with the TRIN-12 in his hands. He is shocked awake when the gun goes off in his hands, leaving holes in the bedframe behind his head. When Michael's stomach growls, he decides to leave the room to look for food, remembering the bakeries he saw in the Town Square. When Michael leaves, he steps onto a luminescent liquid outside his room.

Michael makes his way through the alley and notices a red ambience coming from behind. When he sees the pavement is lit by his glowing footprints, he realises he is being tracked and races through the alley. Michael's pursuer fires twice, the second shot hitting Michael in the shoulder. He falls to the ground as the pursuer comes into view, revealing him to be an Apostle. Michael aims the TRIN-12 at the Apostle's face, but he holds Michael's arm down. The Apostle asks Michael about the "blue light" from the Town Square and demands to know if he has "the skill". When he fails to get a proper response, the Apostle pulls out a Kineswitch and prepares to kill Michael, declaring "All hail the First". The Apostle's weapon is knocked out of his hands by Yoona as she tackles him to the ground, her scarf getting loose under the Apostle's knees. Michael grabs an end of the scarf and pulls it across the Apostle's throat. Yoona undoes it from her neck as she and Michael step onto the Apostle's shoulders for support, causing his neck to snap after they pull too hard. Michael and Yoona drop to the ground, panting to catch their breath. Yoona pulls up her Wristool and tells someone on the other end "I think I found him".

After Michael picks himself up, he insinuates that suicide would be an easy option after the two-week isolation, but Yoona claims Michael still has important matters to attend to, like bringing down the Apostles and finding Enoch. She catches a glimpse of Michael's wound and vomits. When she finishes, she asks to spend the night at Michael's room for both their safety.

Back in Michael's room, Michael chooses to give Yoona his bed while he sleeps on the floor. He asks Yoona where the Apostle's POS-15 is and tells her he will keep it with him. Disturbed, Yoona tells Michael to keep the safety on, noticing the holes in the bedframe from the TRIN-12.

### Chapter Four: *The Base*

The next day, Yoona informs Michael that she is bringing him to "meet some allies", bringing him to the Resistance's hidden base in the mountains. Inside, large hovercrafts levitate in the air with several tents planted on the ground. Yoona leads Michael through the base where Suki Hachiyo meets them, who asks if Yoona is certain he has the "Skill". Suki requests for them to follow her.

Suki brings Michael and Yoona to meet Aiko Tokoshima at the ground office. Despite being upset Aiko hasn't checked the "unknown code's" source, Suki introduces Aiko to Michael. Aiko requests for him to channel his emotion from the Town Square to use the Special Skill, called Chronocease. When Michael does this, blue electricity forms around his hand. Suki then tells Yoona to bring Michael to his quarters and asks her to be his guide. While they head for Michael's quarters, he shows concern over Hachiyo's cold nature, but she assures him that it is how she usually acts. Yoona asks Michael why he didn't start playing CyberWorld sooner, prompting Michael to recount how he broke Issac's headset.

At nightfall, Michael views the Resistance's Headquarters the deck of the *Musashi* where Yoona approaches him. Michael jokes at the lack of water in the base, to which Yoona explains the Resistance is running out off it. Michael asks Yoona why she has been relegated to a shopowner despite knowing more than she lets on. She explains that her family owns a business in New Korea they want her to take over, a role she has no desire to take on.

After composing herself, Yoona blames her outburst on her thirst. She gives Michael dark Japanese robes and a training schedule, telling him he needs to be prepared for the upcoming attack.

### Chapter Five: *Kendo Kid*

Outside Michael's room on the *Musashi*, a Modder brings him to the *Natsukashii*, the Resistance's flagship Stratoskimmer where Suki is waiting for him. She passes him a Kineblade before telling Michael to "hit her". Michael begins their training duel with an aggressive swing, but Suki pushes him away. They size each other up before Michael goes for her legs, but Suki knocks him back. Upon her prompts, Michael activates Chronocease and propels himself towards Suki but fails to stop in time, launching himself over the ship's edge.