Project Nexus : Beyond Reality
Episode 14: The Great School Panic
After spending nine straight hours in the game, Renji was completely immersed in their journey through the Forgotten Ruins. He had lost all sense of time, battling stone guardians, solving puzzles, and dealing with a mysterious rogue named Rael.
Then, as the team prepared to move deeper into the dungeon, something hit him like a lightning bolt.
Renji froze. His eyes widened in horror.
"Wait… WAIT A SECOND!"
His heart started racing. He checked the in-game clock.
9:00 AM.
His stomach dropped.
"SCHOOL! I'M LATE FOR SCHOOL!"
The others in the party turned to him, confused.
Leon frowned. "Renji, what are you—"
But before Leon could finish, Renji instantly opened the logout menu and slammed the "Exit Game" button like his life depended on it.
Leon barely got to finish his sentence before Renji's character vanished into thin air.
A moment of silence followed.
Kai blinked. "...What just happened?"
Eve shrugged. "Something about school?"
Seiji, ever calm, adjusted his glasses. "Considering how long we've been playing, he must've lost track of time."
Rael smirked, resting his dagger on his shoulder. "Guess we're down a member. Wonder if he'll survive the real-world dungeon called school."
The Real-World Dungeon: Panic Mode Activated
The moment Renji logged out, he shut down off his nanochip set, gasping for air as if he had just fought a final boss in real life.
He sat up in bed, his room still dark, sunlight barely seeping through the curtains.
Then he snapped into action.
"CRAPCRAPCRAPCRAP—"
He jumped out of bed in pure panic mode. His hair was a mess, his clothes were wrinkled, and his brain was running on emergency instincts.
Step 1: Change clothes.
He ripped off his pajamas like he was shedding armor after battle and grabbed his uniform.
Step 2: Brush teeth.
He rushed into the bathroom, almost slipping on the floor, grabbed his toothbrush, and violently brushed his teeth like he was trying to erase a bad save file.
Step 3: Shoes! Bag! GO!
He stumbled back into his room, grabbed his school bag, shoved in random books without checking, and practically threw his shoes onto his feet.
Time check: 9:05 AM.
"Okay, okay, if I run like my life depends on it, I can make it before the second period starts!"
Without a second thought, he bolted out of his house.
The Ultimate Speedrun: Home to School in Record Time
Renji sprinted down the street, dodging people like an NPC weaving through obstacles in a game.
A grandma walking her dog? Dodged.
A businessman holding a cup of coffee? Barely missed.
A random street cat? Almost tripped over, but survived.
He cut through alleys, leaped over a small fence, and even did a slide-dodge under a closing shop shutter.
Speed: Maximum.
Panic Level: Over 9000.
Finally, he burst through the school gates, panting like he just ran a marathon.
Students were casually chatting and walking to class.
Wait.
Casually?
Renji frowned. Something was off.
No one was rushing. No teachers were shouting at late students. The vibe was way too relaxed for a school day.
Then he saw it.
A student carrying a soccer ball.
Another wearing casual clothes.
And then, as if the gods themselves wanted to mock him, a giant banner near the entrance read:
"HAPPY SATURDAY! NO CLASSES TODAY!"
Renji's soul left his body.
He just stood there, completely frozen, as realization hit him like a truck.
"…No way."
No.
No.
No, no, no, no, no.
After a whole speedrun escape sequence, after sacrificing his in-game progress, after risking his life dodging NPCs in the streets—
IT WAS SATURDAY.
Renji fell to his knees, staring at the ground in defeat.
Some passing students looked at him with confusion.
"Uh… is he okay?"
"Maybe he just realized he forgot his homework?"
"Poor dude."
Renji didn't even hear them.
He was too busy screaming internally.
The Walk of Shame: Returning Home
After standing in complete silence for a solid minute, he slowly got back up.
His legs felt heavy. His soul was shattered.
With lifeless steps, he turned around and started walking back home.
His mind replayed everything that just happened.
The unnecessary panic.
The near-death morning routine.
The ultimate speedrun to school.
The realization that all of it was for nothing.
He felt like a clown.
No—
A whole circus.
As he walked back, an old man sitting outside a shop called out to him.
"Back already, kid? Forget something?"
Renji let out a deadpan sigh. "Yeah. My dignity."
The old man blinked. "Huh?"
Renji didn't respond. He just kept walking, his heart heavy with regret.
Back at Home: The Aftermath
When Renji finally got home, he collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling in complete defeat.
Then, a message popped up on his phone. That created earlier in game.
[Leon]: Hey, what happened? You vanished mid-sentence. Everything okay?
Another message followed.
[Eve]: Lol did u oversleep?
Then Airi joined in.
[Airi]: He probably panicked about school. I bet it's Saturday.
Renji stared at the messages.
Slowly, he typed a single reply.
[Renji]: Shut up.
Then he rolled over and screamed into his pillow.
To be continued...