In the underground research center of Aegis Industries, a quiet tension settled over the room after Zaria pointed out their greatest obstacle. Zen and Zaria both stared at the three-dimensional hologram of the "Runic Power Core" floating before them. It was a perfect theory, a flawless equation, but it was something they could not bring into reality with the technology they had.
"Engraving circuits with nanometer-level precision... and it has to understand the 'weight' and 'depth' of the inscription..." Zen replayed Zaria's words in his mind. It wasn't just an engineering task; it was artistry that required a superhuman "touch."
"So..." Zaria spoke, breaking the silence. Her eyes were fixed on Zen, full of expectation. "This friend of yours, 'Karess'... are you sure he can be trusted? This technology... it could change the world, Zen."
Zen looked up, meeting her gaze with confidence. "I trust him... maybe more than I trust myself in some things. The problem is... how do I talk to him about this? He's all the way on Virelya, and this is top secret. Talking through the game chat is too risky."
"Don't worry about that," Zaria replied. "Our company has the most secure 'Quantum Entangled VR' system. We can create a 'virtual meeting room' that simulates any environment, as long as you can get him to join a private session."
Zen nodded. "I'll give it a try."
...
Within the familiar world of the online game, Zen, in the form of the magic swordsman "Kalis," immediately sent a private message to his best friend.
[Whisper to: Karess][Kalis]: "Karess, you there? Got something I need to talk to you about. It's big. Can't talk here."
The reply came back almost instantly, filled with the usual humor. [Karess]: "Hah? What big deal, Kalis? You gonna borrow money to buy a warship or something? Or did you get yourself into gambling debt again!"
[Kalis]: "This isn't a joke, Karess. I'm serious... I have a 'project' I want you to see. But we have to talk somewhere completely secure. It involves... my research with Zaria."
When Zaria's name and the words "research" were mentioned, the atmosphere of the conversation shifted instantly. The reply this time took longer than usual, and the tone Zen could imagine was no longer that of his playful friend.
[Karess]: "Hold on... something that requires the labs of 'Aegis Industries'? This isn't a game anymore... And why me? Why at my place?"
The instincts of a cautious assassin were awakened. Zen could feel the distrust through the text.
[Kalis]: "Because it isn't a game. That's why I need to talk to you... the person I trust the most."
Silence fell once more. Zen waited, his heart pounding. He knew he was asking for the impossible. Inviting an outsider into the "space" of an assassin who worked in the shadows was forbidden. But then... a reply appeared.
[Karess]: "...Sigh... Fine. Just because it's you... But on one condition... I will choose the 'channel' and 'protocol' for the connection myself. Your only job is to connect according to my instructions. No other signals are to leak out. Understood?"
[Kalis (Zen - typing back while thinking)]:"Understood... (Man... he's really leaning into this mysterious assassin role, isn't he? I'm just asking to talk about a secret project, not inviting him to raid a military base.)"
He quickly relayed Karess's "strict" conditions to Zaria. Zaria simply nodded in understanding. "Just like someone from that family... always cautious," she said briefly, before ordering her research team to prepare Aegis Industries' best VR system to receive the "protocol" from a destination over two light-years away.
Before long, the "invitation" from Karess arrived. It was a complex string of code with multiple layers of encryption that even Aegis's analysts took time to decode in order to connect.
"He's using a private protocol we've never seen before, Miss Zaria," Lina, the team's AI analyst, reported with awe. "The security is incredibly dense... it would be nearly impossible for anyone to eavesdrop or intercept the signal."
"Good," Zaria replied. "Initiate the connection."
Zen put on the full-sensory neural interface. When the connection was complete... the image before him didn't change to a constructed VR world. He was seeing a "real" image, transmitted directly from a holographic camera on the planet Virelya... At the same time, he could feel that his "presence" had materialized in that place.
The slightly translucent Holoforms of Zen and Zaria slowly took shape in the middle of an outdoor training ground of an ancient Japanese-style mansion, perched on a high cliff. The atmosphere was one of perpetual night. A sky of ink held two moons, one casting a silver light, the other a pale blue, bathing everything in long, sharp shadows.
They saw the real Karess, leaning against a wooden pillar not far away, arms crossed. He wore a pitch-black combat suit that seemed to swallow the light. And most importantly... his face was covered by a jet-black Oni (Japanese demon) half-mask, revealing only a pair of eyes that were sharp and cold. He was no longer just a game avatar.
Dr. Aris, who had also connected, murmured softly through a private communication channel, "Miss Zaria... the material of that suit... it has sensor-absorbent and refractive properties... It's military-grade technology that hasn't been released to the public."
Zen swallowed hard, the amused feeling from before completely gone. (Zen's thoughts: Wait a minute... what's with this crazy suit and mask... This isn't 'role-playing' anymore...)
Through the mask, Karess's cold, flat gaze swept over the luminous forms of his best friend and the young woman he had never met before. He spoke, his voice imbued with an authority that controlled the entire situation:
"Welcome to my world... You have fifteen minutes."