The venue remained lively and full of energy.
While celebrities mingled, sipping wine and exchanging pleasantries, a group of unruly children kicked around a football in the center of the hall.
Their noisy behavior irritated so of the guests, but once they recognized who those children were, most bit their tongues.
After all, among the gathered second and third-generation elites, these kids belonged to the most powerful families in the nation.
(If the future of Japan rests on the shoulders of these children... there's really no sha in exploiting them.)
Finishing an autograph for a young girl in a satin dress, Hayashi Yoshiki looked over with a faint smirk.
The children had been mocking the Detective Boys and Mōri Kogorō—the infamous "sleeping detective" whose wife had long since left him.
Yet when Suzuki Sonoko passed by, the boys straightened up and acted with perfect manners. Typical.
Among them was Hideki Moroboshi, the grandson of Toshio Moroboshi, Deputy Commissioner of the Tokyo tropolitan Police.
Deputy Commissioner... Just half a rank below the Commissioner himself—Hakuba's father.
Yoshiki had heard of Toshio Moroboshi. A man whose reputation split opinion.
Scheming, sharp, and results-oriented. A morally ambiguous figure in a world where most "heroes" are pristine.
In short: a rare breed.
Frankly, Yoshiki had once considered writing the na Moroboshi Toshio into his Death Note, using his credentials to secretly access Red Team files...
But the right opportunity hasn't co yet.
Suddenly, a staff mber rushed up to him.
"Mr. Hayashi, please co this way."
Without hesitation, Yoshiki nodded and followed.
The staff led him to a crowd of dia personnel, where Kudō Yusaku was already in the middle of an interview.
"Tadaki Kashimura, the lead developer of Cocoon, was my best friend back in university," Yusaku was saying with his usual calm confidence. "This project gave us a chance to reconnect."
"Yes, this is my first ti collaborating with Yoshiki-kun," he continued. "But it's been a truly delightful partnership. As a fellow mystery writer, I've found him incredibly inspiring. I'm already brimming with ideas for my next novel... Oh, here he is now."
Yusaku turned as the reporters looked over.
Hayashi Yoshiki, immaculately dressed and composed, stepped forward with a flawless smile.
At once, the sound of cara shutters and flashes erupted like a wave.
"What Yusaku-san said is too generous," Yoshiki replied modestly. "In truth, I'm the one who's benefited most. I'm incredibly grateful to him for the opportunity to participate in such a fascinating project."
He paused, then added with a knowing look:
"As Mr. Kudō just ntioned, due to the involvent of Noah's Ark, the AI might have made so unexpected changes to the ga script. I'm really looking forward to seeing what it ca up with."
"Can you give us a hint?" a reporter asked.
"We've heard rumors the ga is set in 19th-century London?"
"Indeed," Yusaku confird. "Late 1800s London—over a century ago. And it features so characters the audience will definitely recognize."
"Is this a crossover between the Jintian series and the Dark Night Baron?"
Yoshiki laughed lightly.
"Let's just say... we certainly discussed the idea during developnt."
The interview went on for nearly ten minutes.
Then, just before 8:00 PM, the venue lights dimd.
The press conference was finally about to begin.
Yusaku began walking off, heading to reconnect with so of his old university friends.
As for Yoshiki, the mont he left the dia's view, a staff mber approached him and whispered sothing.
Surprised, Yoshiki nodded.
He unclipped the access badge from his chest and handed it off to the staffer.
It was ti.
Ti to experience Cocoon for the first ti.
A group of excited children passed through a security checkpoint and dashed toward the futuristic, capsule-shaped ga pods lined up onstage.
Among them were Genta, Mitsuhiko, and Ayumi, who had traded so of their beloved Kan Uzumaki cards for a chance to join.
They cleared the security check and hurried into their assigned pods, giddy with anticipation.
"But... where did Yoshiki go?" Ran asked aloud, glancing at the badge that had just been pinned to her chest by a staffer.
"No idea," Sonoko shrugged. "But hey! Now you can play with . That's a win, right?"
Ran laughed softly, unsure how she really felt.
Soon, all 50 chosen participants were seated in their cocoon-like devices.
"Brainwave transmission system: initialized."
"Protective hood: sealed."
"Primary hardware: online."
"Neural coordinate synchronization: complete."
"Screen active. System startup."
"The ga begins—"
A brilliant white light pierced the darkness.
And then, silence.
The players slowly opened their eyes.
They stood in a world that felt so real, it took their breath away.
"This is amazing... It's like being inside a dream!" Ayumi cried joyfully, twirling on the spot.
"Quite the opposite," Haibara Ai said flatly.
"Huh?" Ayumi blinked.
"What do you an by freedom?" Ai continued. "Our senses—sll, taste, touch, even ti—are all simulated. We're completely under computer control. We can't even wake up unless it lets us."
"Hey, brat!" Sonoko scolded, walking over. "Can't you just enjoy the ga for once?"
"..."
Ai ignored her, glancing around instead.
"Where's Brother Yoshiki?"
Oddly, calling him that felt natural now.
"I don't know," Ran replied. "He gave this badge through a staffer... then vanished."
Ran's expression tightened.
She was starting to worry.
Just then, a figure appeared.
Noah's Ark, the AI behind Cocoon, manifested before the players.
With a chanical yet oddly human voice, it announced:
"Choose from five scenarios:"
Viking Saga – Beco a Viking and journey across the seven seas.
Paris Rally – Compete for glory in the world's greatest race.
Roman Colosseum – Enter brutal, ancient arena combat.
Solomon's Treasure – Adventure and solve puzzles in search of lost treasure.
London, 1888 – Jack the Ripper stalks the streets. Your mission: uncover and stop him.
Hayashi Yoshiki didn't have a choice.
When he entered, the system placed him directly into Scenario 5.
He found himself inside a lavish room—Victorian London.
The fog outside the window drifted past ornate curtains.
The furnishings were exquisite: gold-trimd furniture, a marble fireplace, and intricate wallpaper.
Yoshiki turned toward a mirror by the window.
In the reflection, he saw his new in-ga appearance.
"...Well then."
He let out a short laugh.
"This should be interesting."
He didn't yet know what he'd uncover in this world.
Or how deeply it would pull him in.
But for now—
Let's just call it entertainnt.
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