My name is Haruto Kisaragi.
Seventeen years old. Average grades. Weak build. Social standing? Rock bottom.
I'm not the type who stands out—unless you count being the perfect punching bag for the school's resident thugs.
Our school, Kurogane High, is split into two worlds. The world of the popular—the bright, laughing, confident people who always seem like they belong—and the world of the invisible. Guess which one I live in.
"Oi, nerd!"
I barely had time to turn before something hard slammed into the back of my head. My vision blurred for a second, but the laughter that followed was crystal clear.
"Can't you even walk straight?" sneered Riku, my personal tormentor. His dyed hair, cocky grin, and expensive sneakers screamed trouble.
I muttered, "Sorry…" and kept my eyes down. I'd learned long ago that looking him in the eye was just asking for more pain.
By the time school ended, my body ached from the casual shoves and "accidental" kicks. I trudged home, praying Mom wouldn't notice.
Our small apartment felt warmer the moment I stepped in.
"Welcome home, Haruto," Mom called from the kitchen. Her hair was tied back, and her apron was dusted with flour. She always smiled, even when she looked exhausted.
From the living room, a voice rang out. "Yo."
It was my little sister, Ayaka—two years younger, same school as me, and part of the other world. She was pretty, athletic, and popular. And she didn't talk to me at school.
Not because she hated me. At least… I think not. She just didn't want to lose her place in the social food chain. She didn't even know I was getting bullied.
The next morning, I left early, hoping to avoid Riku. No such luck. I spotted him and his goons at the school gate and quickly ducked into a side path.
But fate wasn't on my side.
"Behind the school. Now," he ordered later, cornering me during lunch.
I obeyed.
When I got there, Ayaka happened to walk past.
"Haruto? What are you doing here?" she asked, frowning.
I forced a smile. "Just… hanging out with a friend."
"Oh. Well, don't be late for class." She waved and left.
The moment she was gone, Riku smirked. "Your sister… she got a boyfriend?"
"Leave her out of this," I muttered.
He ignored me. "Introduce me to her tomorrow."
The next day, before I could even reach my classroom, Riku dragged me into the bathroom.
"Why do you want to meet my sister?" I asked.
His grin widened. "'Cause she's got a nice body."
My fists clenched, but I stayed silent. He left, laughing, and I stayed behind—angry at him, angry at myself.
"I'm such a coward…" I whispered. My palm struck my cheek once, twice, three times. The sting wasn't enough to drown out the shame.
And then—it happened.
A faint shimmer appeared before me, like sunlight caught in glass. The air twisted, and a translucent window floated in front of my eyes.
> [Welcome, Player.]
[System Initialization Complete.]
I froze. My breath caught. This… this was straight out of the novels I read.
A grin crept onto my face. "It's real… It's actually real…"
By the end of the day, my fear had curdled into something else.
As the final bell rang, I walked up to Riku's desk.
He looked up, amused. "What is it, nerd?"
I met his gaze for the first time. "Fight me. Tomorrow."
His smirk turned into a laugh. "You? You've got guts now?"
No, I thought. I don't have guts. But I've got something better.
Tomorrow… everything changes.
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