I stand in the center of Jessica’s factory, disoriented after Ethan’s teleport, surrounded by the soft hum of machinery. It’s like being inside an industrial cathedral—a place where metal and circuits replace stone and stained glass. The screens, the control panels, even the mechanical arms that move the animatronic parts around—all of it feels alive in a way that the pizzeria never did.

Jessica’s fingers glide over the control panel, quick and decisive. She funnels her newly acquired credits into the system, and the machines respond with a low whir as they come to life. Conveyor belts move, and from the depths of storage, the empty animatronic shells are brought forward, clanking onto the belt like hollow sentinels. They’re eerie, motionless for now, just waiting for their cores.

The cores, glowing spheres of light, pulse softly as they take form. Each one hovers briefly, suspended above the conveyor before sliding into the chest cavities of the waiting shells. It’s fascinating to watch—these lifeless machines becoming something more with each passing second. Soon, they’ll be soldiers, not just for my army but for Jessica’s dream of building a new life here. They’ll work in my pizzeria, sure, but most of them will fight.

“We need to specialize,” I say, my voice breaking the rhythmic hum of the factory. Jessica looks up, still focused on the animatronics, but I know she’s listening. “Heavy units and light units.”

“Heavy ones with batons, shields, and as much plating as we can afford. And the lighter ones with crossbows, if we can find any.” I continue, seeing her nod.

I watch as the first batch of animatronics flickers to life, their eyes glowing a dull red. They stand there, waiting for commands, perfectly still.

Jessica makes them walk, turn, raise their arms. Simple tasks. They obey without hesitation. It’s almost chilling how quickly they respond, how perfectly they mimic human movements despite being made of metal and wires. I can’t help but think of what they’ll become as they get more and more intelligent.

I turn back to the table, where the remains of Type As and Type Cs lie scattered. Their broken parts still hold a strange allure—like puzzle pieces that might unlock some greater mystery. I idly tinker with a loose joint, feeling the weight of Alexander’s words pressing on me again. The threat he mentioned, the one coming for both Earth and the Net, it lingers at the back of my mind, gnawing at me.

“Let’s head out,” I say, pocketing a small bio-mechanical muscle I’ve been toying with. Jessica nods, satisfied with the first batch, and we step out into the streets.

The human sector is overwhelming from the moment we step into it. It’s like stepping into a parallel world where the familiar and the futuristic clash head-on. Towering skyscrapers gleam with mirrored windows, stretching impossibly high into a sky that doesn’t seem to care about physics. Meanwhile, smaller, more Earth-like shops—brick and mortar things you’d find in an town—line the streets below. It’s like walking through a dream; everything is both familiar and alien all at once.

And the people... The crowd is even stranger. At first glance, it seems like the whole population here is human, but then you start to notice that half of the people have subtle differences. Across the street, a guy’s pale blue skin glows with faint, almost electric veins running down his arms. A woman passes us with an extra pair of eyes, all perfectly aligned and focused forward, like she’s seeing more than the rest of us. Some people are taller, leaner, their skin tight over long, sinewy muscles, and scars crisscross their bald heads.

What’s crazy is how seamlessly they blend in. After a few minutes, you almost forget how bizarre this place is.

Jessica nudges me, her eyes twinkling as she points to a small shop on the corner. “Bet you that one’s selling something like a VCR.”

I laugh, even though it seems ridiculous. A VCR? Here, in the Net? “Come on, no way. I bet it’s something high-tech. Maybe a holographic projector or something cool.”

“High-tech or not, I bet you there’s a VCR buried back there somewhere,” she insists, her grin wide.

We keep walking, passing by more shops with strange mashups of old Earth-style logos and futuristic designs. I spot a Microsoft sign above one door, Apple across the street, and—Google?

Jessica and I start making a game out of guessing what each shop is actually selling. Some are obvious—holographic tech is displayed right in the windows. Others are less clear, selling things like prosthetics that enhance eyesight or strengthen arms. And then there are the shops with signs that promise to sell even more exotic wares—scrolls that promise to conjure fire, create illusions, or even make someone invisible.

We figure out a few of the easier ones, but most of them leave us clueless. Every time we think we’ve got a handle on this place, it throws something else at us that’s just out of reach. It’s a good reminder that we’re still so new here.

Despite the confusion, it’s fun. A stupid game, but it distracts me from the gnawing urge to level up. To get stronger, faster. It’s always there, a hum in the back of my mind. But for now, this is enough.

We turn a corner and suddenly, the mood shifts. A funeral procession crosses the street in front of us, the crowd parting to let them pass. The mourners are draped in dark robes, walking slowly, their heads bowed. A chill runs down my spine.

This is the first time I’ve seen true, permanent death here in the Net. No respawn. No reboot. Just... gone. The finality of it makes me uneasy, and I hear Alexander’s words echo in my head.

You better start toughenin’ up real quick if you wanna make it through what’s comin’—both here and on Earth.

I glance at Jessica, who’s still caught up in the game, pointing out shops and grinning at families walking by. She has this hopeful glow about her, like being here is proof that people can start over. That they can live freely in the Net, away from the mess of Earth. She’s fighting to bring her family here to get them out of debt and give them a fresh start.

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But I haven’t told her about what Alexander hinted at. About the threat. I’ve kept that to myself, even though she’s been helping me from the start. I can’t shake the guilt. She deserves to know. Hell, she’s risked so much for me, and I’ve done nothing to help her dream of getting her family out of that trap. It’s time I did something about it.

“Hey,” I say, stopping mid-step.

She turns, eyebrows raised.

“How about we meet in real life? There’s something I need to talk to you about. Away from the System.”

Her brow furrows, but she nods slowly. “Yeah, sure. Where?”

“There’s an arcade halfway between us, right? We could meet there, maybe hang out for a couple of hours.”

“Sure, but we’ ll have to wait a couple of days. Need to get my bike fixed.”

We agree on a day, and my stomach knots a little, knowing what I’m going to tell her. But it’s time. She deserves to know what’s coming, both here and on Earth.

As we continue walking, we pass through an entertainment street. Kids run past us, laughing and chasing each other toward a huge building that advertises ‘100% real simulation dives’. Bright holographic signs advertise alien games, 3D movie centers, amusement parks, and virtual roller coasters.

Jessica’s face lights up, and for a moment, I see the hope in her eyes again. “Look at them,” she says softly, pointing towards a group of kids running toward an arcade. “They’ve made it work. People really do live here.”

I hesitate, feeling like I’m about to ruin her moment. “Don’t get too attached,” I say, my voice low. “I mean, they might just be logging in for the day, you know? Even if every base has living quarters, it doesn’t mean everyone’s here full-time.”

Her smile fades just a little. I hate that I keep bringing her down, but she needs to be realistic about this place. No matter how perfect it seems, it’s still part of the Net.

We make our way to the Training Grounds, a massive open square that stretches for what feels like miles. The place is alive, buzzing, as if the air itself is charged with energy. It’s not just the people—it’s what they can do. At the center, huge domed arenas sit like giant bubbles ready to pop. Sparks crackle in them, flickers of light, heat, and electricity flaring up as fighters clash. Inside the domes, it’s all abilities on full display: people bending water, summoning lightning, moving faster than my eyes can track.

I can’t help but stare at one fight happening to my left—some guy with metal prosthetics where his arms should be. He conjures up a whirlwind, flinging it at a woman wielding a massive hammer. She blocks it, then slams her weapon down, causing the earth to split open like it’s nothing. And these people—they're just sparring. It's not even a real fight.

Jessica nudges me, her face set in a neutral expression, but I can see the tension in her posture. “Keep walking, Gregory. We’re nowhere near ready for that level.”

I grunt in agreement, still watching the fights out of the corner of my eye. It's a brutal reminder of how far we have to go.

Around the square, shops line the edges, each with glowing signs advertising things like stat boosts, ability upgrades, training guides. Some look sleazy, others more legit, but all of them are geared towards getting stronger. It’s a marketplace for power, and I get the sense that everyone here is desperate for a slice.

We approach a small shop near the back of the square, tucked away from the noisier vendors. A middle-aged woman sits calmly behind the counter, her graying hair tied back in a loose knot. Beside her, a boy—probably her son—scribbles furiously on a tablet, glancing up every now and then as if he’s keeping track of something. The woman catches sight of us and gives a curt nod.

“We’re looking for basic manuals,” Jessica says, stepping forward. “For crossbows and war hammers.”

The woman reaches under the counter without hesitation and pulls out two small rectangular crystals, faintly glowing. “Seven credits each,” she says, her accent crisp and unmistakably British, but there's a sharp edge to it, like she's been through more than her fair share of battles.

Jessica pays for both of us, handing over the credits wordlessly. I open my mouth to protest—because I hate her always paying for stuff—but she gives me a look that says, not now. So I just close it again and take the crystal.

The woman stands up and motions for us to follow her. She leads us through a narrow corridor lined with doors, the walls smooth and unnervingly clean. The air has this weird metallic taste to it, like it’s been filtered too many times. It’s quiet back here, away from the chaos of the square, which makes me feel on edge.

As we walk, Jessica speaks up. “Do you and your son live here full-time?”

The woman glances over her shoulder. “We do. Not by choice though.” Her voice softens, but there's still that bitterness in it.

I frown, not quite understanding. “Why not by choice?”

She sighs. “Lost my base to a damn challenge token, didn’t I?”

I blink, confused. “But can’t you just, I dunno, use someone else’s base to log out?”

She stops dead in her tracks and turns to look at me, her expression hard. “No, love. Once you lose your base, you lose the ability to leave. Ever.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. Can’t leave? Ever? I glance at Jessica, and her expression mirrors my own shock. The idea of being stuck here forever—it’s more terrifying than any fight. And that damned Ethan didn’t even mention it.

“But why would anyone risk that?” I ask, my voice coming out more panicked than I intend. “Why even mess with a challenge token?”

“Because,” she says, starting to walk again, “to reach Tier 4, you need a monopoly. A majority in a certain market. You can’t get that without challenging someone. And you always want to challenge someone a tier below you—that way, you have more abilities, more tricks up your sleeve.”

“So... people at Tier 3 are stuck challenging Tier 2s?” Jessica asks, frowning.

The woman nods. “It’s the only way up. That’s why most of the Net’s full of Tier 2s and 3s.”

I swallow hard, trying to process what she’s saying. The thought of my own upcoming challenge token duel soon is again gnawing at me, twisting my stomach into knots. And the fact that losing means you’re stuck here—forever? It makes things so much worse.

Jessica, of course, remains calm. “What happens if you lose the duel?”

The woman’s lips tighten. “Well, love, you did be stuck there, trying to scrape together enough credits or wins to pay off your debts. And if you start coming up short, you will end up having to join a faction and run dangerous dungeon raids just to survive.”

We walk in silence for a few more minutes, the weight of her words settling over us like a heavy fog. Eventually, we reach a door at the end of the hall. The woman stops and gestures for me to step inside. “This is where you’ll do your training. Sit in the middle of the circle, place the crystal in the center, and let the magic do its work.”

I hesitate for a second, but then step inside. The room is small and bare, except for a large ritual circle drawn on the floor, marked with runes that are made of jagged lines and embellished curves. I sit in the middle of the circle, heart pounding, and place the glowing crystal down in front of me.