> Nolvet, the supreme being, lounged lazily on his throne in the golden sky-palace. Purple grapes hovered at his fingertips, feeding him one by one.
"Haha… I am so powerful," he chuckled. "No one dares challenge me. Is there nothing fun left in this boring world?"
He yawned, bored beyond godhood.
> "Liu!" he called.
A graceful figure shimmered into view—Liu, one of his loyal mistresses and divine assistants.
> "Yes, Your Majesty?" she bowed. "What would you like?"
"Bring me the globe of the human world," Nolvet said. "Let's see what my little creations are doing."
> "The humans?" Liu blinked. "Why do you keep checking on those mere mortals?"
Nolvet leaned back, a soft smile curling on his lips. "They're mine. I created them, remember? Watching them used to be fun. They're part of me, after all."
Liu nodded with admiration. "You're so omnipotent… and yet you still care for your subjects. Amazing."
She handed over a glowing, floating orb—the globe of Earth. Nolvet touched it, and images bloomed in the air around him.
> "Hmm…" he muttered, watching scenes of daily life. "Same thing. Wake, work, repeat. They've built a boring matrix around themselves… they've forgotten how to live."
Suddenly, something flickered on one of the globe's screens.
> A digital voice boomed:
"Welcome, humans! This summer, escape your reality and enter our revolutionary new game—VIBRO.NATION! Raid dungeons, form teams, level up, and experience a world beyond your imagination! Register now!"
> All over the world, people began clicking the register button, curiosity turning to excitement.
Nolvet's eyes lit up.
> "Liu. I want it."
> "Majesty?"
> "That game. Get it for me. Register me, too. You know I don't have human networks up here."
Liu blinked but nodded. "As you wish."
She brought a floating tablet, already set up.
> "Welcome to VIBRO," it chimed. "Click to begin."
Click.
> "Game loading… please wait 2 minutes."
Suddenly, the globe began shaking violently.
> News reports exploded across its surface:
"BREAKING: In Tokyo, Japan—users of the new game are disappearing. Over a million people have vanished after launching it. We're… we're not sure if this is a cyberattack, a glitch, or something else—"
Nolvet jumped to his feet. "Wait—I just clicked it! Cancel the launch! Cancel it!"
He raised his arm, blasting the tablet with a divine beam—but it didn't break.
> "Congratulations, player," the screen said. "You have completed all registration steps."
> "NO—LIUUUUU—!"
A brilliant blue light engulfed him.
---
Everything went dark.
> SQUEAK.
> SQUEAK.
Nolvet gasped. "W-Where am I?"
He blinked. Everything was… huge.
Cold stone. A cave. Shadows dancing around him. He staggered forward, disoriented. His feet—no, paws—slapped the ground awkwardly.
> "Where are my robes? My hands… what's—?"
He stumbled toward a shimmering puddle.
> "No. No no no no…"
A reflection stared back at him—a tiny, fur-covered face. Beady eyes. Twitching nose. Whiskers.
> "WHAT IN THE HOLY—I'M A MOUSE!?!"
He screamed—well, squeaked—but it echoed pathetically through the cave.
Then… a chilling sound.
Click. Skitter. Click.
> Something dripped from above. A foul, thick saliva.
Nolvet slowly looked up.
> A giant spider loomed in the shadows, red eyes glowing like coals.
And it was hungry.
---
End of Chapter 1