The automatic doors slid shut behind Daiki as he stepped out of the convenience store, the cool night air brushing against his face. The street was quiet now, only the occasional car passing by in the distance.
Yuki had already left, waving a casual goodbye before heading off in his own direction. Daiki hadn't responded beyond a small nod, but Yuki didn't seem to mind. He never did.
Daiki shifted the plastic bottle in his hand before taking a sip, his steps falling into a steady rhythm as he walked. His mind flickered back to the strange sensation from earlier—the distinct feeling of being watched. He glanced over his shoulder once, just to be sure.
Nothing.
The presence that had followed him earlier was gone.
A small sigh left his lips. Maybe it really had just been Yuki all along. That would be the logical answer. And yet, a lingering sliver of doubt curled at the edges of his thoughts. He knew when someone was watching him. And if it wasn't Yuki, then who?
Still, the detour was worth it. His home was close to the convenience store, but taking the long way around was a habit by now. A good way to shake off unwanted attention, just in case.
The quiet hum of streetlights buzzed overhead as he reached his apartment complex. It wasn't anything fancy—just a modest, two-story building with a row of identical units. As he walked up to his door, he fished his key from his pocket, fingers brushing against cool metal.
With a quiet click, the lock turned.
Daiki stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. The outside world faded, swallowed by the silence of his apartment. No voices. No lingering stares. Just him.
The faint hum of the refrigerator filled the stillness, a quiet reminder that the world outside hadn't completely vanished. He exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off the last remnants of tension.
For now, at least, he was alone.
And that was enough to disperse his doubts.
Daiki set his bag down by the entrance, the soft thud of fabric against the floor marking the transition from one world to another. He stretched his arms over his head, rolling his shoulders as he kicked off his shoes. The tension from the day clung to him, but at least he was home.
Without wasting time, he headed straight for the bathroom. A shower was non-negotiable—he didn't like feeling grimy after a full day at school. The warm water cascaded down his back as he ran a hand through his damp hair, exhaling slowly.
"Fifteen minutes of walking is good and all, but damn, I need to start stretching more," he muttered to himself. His body wasn't built for bulk—he liked staying lean, defined just enough to be athletic, but not enough to stand out. His diet reflected that, too. High protein, controlled portions, nothing excessive.
After toweling off, he slipped into a simple black T-shirt and sweatpants before heading to the kitchen. His fridge was neatly stocked—another habit of his. A quick meal was the best option. He pulled out a prepped portion of grilled chicken and steamed vegetables, reheating them with practiced ease.
Sitting down at the table, he absentmindedly scrolled through his phone while eating, skimming through headlines and notifications.
"Nothing interesting today, huh?" he mumbled, taking another bite.
Once his plate was clean, he washed his dishes and wiped down the counter. It was routine—keeping his space tidy helped keep his mind clear.
Finally, he made his way to his bedroom, turning on his laptop as he settled into his chair. Time to work. He pulled up the document for his history project, scanning the empty sections that still needed sources.
"This should be easy," he muttered. "Just need a few credible sources, summarize, and be done with it."
Simple, in theory.
Thirty minutes in, however, he was starting to feel the frustration creeping in.
"Seriously? Why is every site either too vague or trying to sell me something?" He sighed, rubbing his temples. Some articles contradicted each other, some were clearly written without proper research, and others were locked behind paywalls.
He leaned back in his chair, when his eyes caught a glimpse of an open tab--his channel dashboard.
Just a quick check.
With a single click, the world of KZ unfolded before him. His latest post had raked in millions of views, the chat replay still scrolling with messages—some fans theorizing about his next video, others just excitedly discussing his content.
A smirk tugged at his lips.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard, debating whether to reply to a few comments. Just for a moment. Then he'd get back to work.
Or at least, that was the plan.
Before he knew it, he was already setting up his virtual world, and he quickly logged into his streaming platform and began to set up for his next broadcast.
"Alright, here we go." he muttered to himself, slipping into his KZ persona.
In what seemed like a split second, Daiki fixed himself up. His posture straightened, his voice became even more confident, and an unexpected charm clicked into place, and most importantly, he styled his hair. The transformation was seamless, like stepping into a suit that always fit perfectly.
It was like the person that was in the room just a while ago vanished.
"Good afternoon, everyone!" he greeted his audience, smiling as the view count ticked up. "Today, we're clearing a dungeon! Im gonna need a few people to join in to meet the requirements, so im just going to..."
As he continued to address his stream viewers of what they'll be doing today, the weight of his dual life seemed to lift, even if only for a little while. Here, he didn't have to worry about Haruka or anyone else. He was KZ, the internet celebrity everyone looked up to. No one expected him to be anything like the gloomy and seemingly invisible kid from **** High School's class 2-B.
"meeeeeeeeee"
"wheres the link"
"your game links are luck based"
"PIN THE LINK"
"rah"
He looked at the chat section for a bit, and Daiki couldn't help but laugh a bit internally.
Oh how I've missed this, He thought.
It had been a little while since his last live stream, and he enjoyed every single second. He delighted in the feeling that he could be who he really wanted to be, and no one would know it was him, the Daiki Akezawa from class 2-B.
"Alright, then!" Daiki shouted, "Let's start the raid."
The game loaded in, its dark yet vibrant landscape stretching out before him. Crumbling ruins bathed in eerie moonlight, overgrown with twisted vines, while monstrous, centaur-like demonic creatures prowled the outskirts of the dungeon entrance. A haunting melody played in the background, heightening the tension.
Daiki—no, KZ—grinned as he adjusted his grip on the controller. His character, a sleek warrior clad in lightweight armor, stood poised at the dungeon gates alongside the viewers who had managed to snag a spot in his party.
"Alright y'all," KZ said, his voice brimming with energy. "Dont any of you die on me, it'd be sad if only I got all the loot," He chuckled.
"ill push you into the lava"
"OMG i got in the sERver"
"its so lag wtf"
"ill stay in the back im lv6"
There were 14 other players with him, and about more than half of them had access to voice chat.
KZ chuckled, leading the group through the entrance.
The first few enemies were fodder—slow-moving ghouls that lunged predictably. KZ effortlessly weaved between them, his character's attacks cutting through their rotting forms with power. His teammates followed suit, though one player hesitated a little too long.
"Oh—uh, Shibadoge81, dont fall behind."
"alright th—"
The unsuspecting low level player got tackled from behind by a Red Ghoul, a rare and stronger variant of a Ghoul. KZ let out a dramatic sigh, shaking his head.
"F in the chat for Shiba," he said, watching their health bar drop to zero, as Shibadoge81's icon reappeared at the very entrance of the dungeon.
"someone come back for him lmaoo"
"shiba lock in bro"
"bro went out like a horror movie victim"
"we'll remember you o7"
"ill come back for shiba, so dont worry, " One player shouted.
"goat"
"mfw good team"
Meanwhile, KZ and the other 13 players headed for the staircase leading deeper into the dungeon.
As they ventured deeper, the enemies grew faster and more aggressive. Fiery hounds that leapt across the battlefield, shadowy figures that flickered in and out of existence—each encounter pushed their teamwork to the limit.
KZ thrived in the chaos. Dodging at the last second, landing perfect counters. Even if he was hit, they dealt little damage that his natural regeneration immediately recovered the lost health points. He continued leading the charge through winding corridors. He was completely in his element, and for a while, the world outside didn't exist.
Then, they reached the third floor.
The music shifted, a low, ominous hum vibrating through the speakers. A thick fog rolled in, obscuring visibility.
The chat started spamming messages.
"boss time"
"KZ good luck lol"
"this boss is an absolute nightmare"
"shiba please dont die again"
KZ let out a slow breath. "Alright, team. This is where things get serious. Stay together, and whatever you do, do not run ahead."
He could already hear the distant growl of something massive lurking in the mist.
The real challenge was about to begin.
The fog thickened, curling around the party's feet as they moved forward. The torches lining the dungeon walls flickered weakly, barely holding back the suffocating darkness.
KZ's grip on his controller tightened. He'd run this dungeon before—he knew every ambush, every hidden chest, every shortcut. But something about this run felt… off.
"Stay close," he instructed, his voice calm but firm. "The boss doesn't trigger until we move into the center. Get into position first—no sudden moves."
The chat buzzed with anticipation.
"shiba boutta die again fr."
"Watch someone mess up the setup lmao" "KZs gonna solo anyways whats with the formality"
Then, a little thought came to Daiki's mind.
"Why do I feel like something's about go wrong?"
They advanced carefully, forming a loose semicircle near the usual trigger point for the boss fight. But just as KZ was about to call the final setup, something unexpected happened.
The torches along the dungeon walls suddenly flickered—then extinguished.
Darkness swallowed the cavern.
"Uh… was that supposed to happen?" one of his teammates, Ryuchin0ko, asked through voice chat, her character stopping in place.
"No," KZ replied, brows furrowing. "I've never seen this before."
The chat exploded.
"hacker trolling again"
"Did they update the dungeon?"
"Secret boss??"
"rah wtf this is dope"
A low, mechanical hum vibrated through the game world. KZ could feel the bass from his headphones. The ground beneath their characters pulsed—almost like it was breathing. Then, out of nowhere, their screen flashed a dark red.
KZ's pulse quickened. His character wouldn't move. None of them could.
Then, slowly but surely, the screen turned white.
A split second later, the flash disappeared and their characters were lying on the floor, signifying their deaths.
[YOU DIED.]
The game kicked them all to the lobby.
For a moment, silence filled the voice chat. Then—
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"
Chat went insane.
"HUUUUH?????"
"yall jus got THANOS'D"
"NEW LORE DROP???"
"KZ YOU BROKE THE GAME LMFAOOO"
KZ blinked, still processing what had just happened. He'd played this game for years. There was no record of anything like this happening before.
"This wasn't in the patch notes…" he muttered, clicking back onto the server. The dungeon was still there, unchanged. As if nothing had happened.
He went quiet for a moment, staring at the loading screen. Then, with a deep breath, KZ turned to the mic again.
"Alright," he said, voice steady despite the shock. "We're going back in."
But the mood was different this time. The energy wasn't what it usually was—chat had already started to speculate wildly. He could feel the tension in the air, even though it was just through the screen. Something had shifted.
He led them back into the dungeon with renewed purpose, the excitement of the mystery overshadowing the usual rhythm. The players followed his lead, but there was a nervous edge to their actions now. This time, however, the game didn't glitch, and the boss fight triggered just like it was supposed to.
They breezed through the encounter without incident, defeating the boss without breaking a sweat. The chat was still filled with confusion, but there was no more talk of the secret scene. The glitch was gone, like it never happened.
He got the drop that he wanted from that dungeon, so he had nothing to do after this. And then he, as Daiki, remembered, "The project!"
KZ leaned back in his chair, his hand hovering over the end stream button. He looked at the camera, eyes lingering on the chat as the last few messages rolled in. A faint smile tugged at his lips, but there was a heaviness behind it—something fleeting, like a weight he couldn't shake off.
"Well... that was an interesting run," he said, his voice softer than usual. "Thanks for playing, everyone. That was... uh... wild. I'll catch you all next time."
He paused, eyes scanning the chat for one last time. KZ lingered for a moment, eyes scanning the chat one last time, the flow of messages slowing to a trickle. The screen felt quieter now, almost like a farewell. His fingers hovered over the button to end the stream, and with a decisive press, the numbers began to fall. The stream window on his second monitor blinked and then faded to black.
Silence settled in the room, only the hum of his computer filling the void. His smile—still faint, still there—slowly slipped away, replaced by an unfamiliar weight. His fingers rested on the desk, unmoving, as if frozen in time.
It always felt like this after a stream. The buzz, the connection, all of it fading into an empty, hollow quiet. He'd lost himself as KZ for a while, built a world that felt real, a place where he could shed everything. But once it ended, that world was gone, and so was the feeling of being truly… himself.
With a deep, almost imperceptible sigh, Daiki turned his attention back to the project. It was easier now, faster. The research flowed more naturally, the words came together smoothly. He finished quickly, compiling everything he found into a neat, final script and sent it off to Yuki.
For just a moment, he'd been himself—the real version, not the one he hid behind.
But as the screen went dark and the night stretched on, Daiki knew what came next.
Tomorrow, he'd put the mask back on.
The mask he wore as Daiki Akezawa.