It was Friday afternoon meaning there was no school tomorrow. Soraru happily sighed as he walked home knowing he could play games the whole weekend with no one there to scold him because he lived alone in an apartment.

Recently, there was a new game that he started playing called The Ones Within Genome. It was a quite convenient game with all genres making it famous for many let's players.

Although there was a rumor that some players disappeared before finishing the game but he didn't care. There was no way that it was because of the game. Everyone was just too paranoid.

Soraru swiftly took out his keys and opened the door. After he grabbed a bag of chips and a bottle of cola upstairs he turned his computer on.

"Hello everyone. This is Soraru. This will be part 53 of The Ones Within Genome. Thanks to this game the viewers have increased so thanks for watching up till now.", Soraru started his stream. He was about to continue his game then a site popped out all of a sudden. "What is this?".

"Congratulations!
We are offering you, a charismatic uploader that we've chosen to play in the closed beta of "The Ones Within Genome". Furthermore, this privilege cannot be rejected or transferred. We look forward to meeting you!"

"Woah. Thank you as well. I'm honored to play this. Then we should play it now...", Soraru said as he clicked to continue to play it but before he could even see its content everything went black.

When Soraru opened his eyes again he was surrounded by trees. Not believing it he sat up and looked around but he was indeed not dreaming after confirming it by pinching himself.

He was in a forest even if he was in his room just now playing his game. He was about to stand up when he noticed a boy lying next to him. He had white hair and laid there unconscious.

"Oi. Wake up.", Soraru said shaking the boy slightly. When the boy didn't make an attempt to wake up Soraru decided to check his pulse by laying his head on his chest to check if his heart was still beating.

It was beating steadily and he sighed out in relief until the beating suddenly fastened its pace.

Confused Soraru lifted his head to see the boy awake with wide ruby eyes and a blushing face which was so red that it was almost as bright as his beautiful eyes. Soraru quickly shook off that thought and kept his face straight.

"So you are finally awake. Took you long enough.", he complained. "Wh-what were you doing?", the boy asked him.

Soraru realized that it was pretty confusing waking up with another person laying their head on your chest so he decided to explain.

"You were sleeping next to me when I woke up but didn't wake up even after I tried to wake you up so I decided to check your pulse by listening if you still had a heartbeat.", Soraru explained already tired of everything here.

"So that's what you did! Thank you for staying here until I woke up!", he thanked him.

"It's fine. Do you know by any case where we are?", Soraru asked. "No... I was hoping you could answer me that. And why am I wearing a school uniform? I swear I was in my pyjama when I played the game. But this is pretty comfy as well...", the white-haired boy twirled around looking at his uniform and Soraru noticed that he did as well.

"Creepy. Anyway, do you remember anything before you woke up here?", Soraru asked him. "I only remember that I played a game and suddenly I blacked out while playing it... I was so close to finishing it, too!", he pouted and Soraru found that gesture to be cute but he put his thoughts to the situation right now instead.

Soraru held his front bangs with crossed arms thinking everything through. Soraru has always had a habit of holding his front bangs with crossed arms whenever he is in deep thought.

Suddenly, he remembered the rumor and even if he didn't want to believe it, it was the most plausible answer in the moment.

"Did you by any chance play The Ones Within Genome before you blacked out?", Soraru asked him and the red-eyed boy widened his eyes in surprise. "Yep! I've always wanted to try it out and the viewers were so excited when I got to play the hidden level!", he nodded excited.

"I knew it... we—", Soraru was interrupted by a big foot of a bear stomping exact in front of them making the boy jerk up and clung to Soraru. Soraru unconsciously shielded the younger boy.

The white-haired boy was about to open his mouth but Soraru stopped him by putting his hand over his mouth and putting his finger to his mouth signaling him not to talk.

"The bear is taking a walk. I don't know about the snail and the rat but.... As long as we stay quiet we should be able to escape.", he whispered and the albino nodded his head in understanding.

Suddenly the boy next to him sneezed and the animals walked to their direction so they had to run away. Soraru searched for a weapon but the only thing he had was a pocket knife which could only distract the panda a bit.

He kicked the snail away swiftly so it wouldn't die and stepped on the eyes of the rat before keeping to run. The only animal still following them was the panda. "Do you have any weapons?", Soraru asked him but the albino shook his head.

"I don't. But you wouldn't want to hurt it, would you? It's a living being as well!", he told him. "...Then give me another idea.", Soraru told him. He stayed quiet before climbing up the tree making Soraru raise his eyebrow.

"Hey! Panda-san!", he called out to him. "Are you an idiot?!", Soraru shouted as he realized what that boy was about to do.

He took its attention to him. "We are only here to find a way to get out. So could you please spare us?", he asked the panda.

"Oi! Are you an idiot?! As if he would leave us alone when you just ask him!", Soraru shouted as he climbed the tree up as well.

The panda opened his mouth in response and it looked like it was about to eat the albino but before it could do so he moved out of the way pushing Soraru with him.

At the same time the panda sneezed in the direction the albino stood just before.

"Ohh... So you have allergies as well, Panda-san?", the albino said in realization. He patted the panda in pity before he walked away leaving only the two of us. "...Ok? What the heck was that? I didn't know talking to it would help at all.", Soraru said.

"Anyway, who are you? I'm—", the albino was interrupted by someone clapping. They turned towards the source and saw a man with a deer mask walking towards them.

"Wonderful. You have successfully cleared Stage 1. I am from the monitoring post of The Ones Within Genome. I'm in charge of the 12th Avenue and my name is Retrodot.", he introduced himself.

"Are you supposed to be a deer?", the albino asked. "I'm Retrodot. Stage 1 "Animal Battle". You've successfully cleared it. The score depends on how you dealt with the large animals.

But I've never seen someone trying to befriend it instead of killing it. That was splendid indeed. But that you've tried to restrain them instead of killing them was wonderful as well, Soraru-sama.

Now then would you please give your attention to your left wrist?", he instructed and they did as told. There were digital numbers in their wrist and they couldn't get it off even after rubbing over it over and over again. "Oi! What is this?", Soraru asked slightly ticked off.

"The digital numbers are counters designed for the skin. We embedded a nanochip into you all while you were asleep.", Retrodot explained.

"It is here to show you the view counts to you.", he explained. "View counts?", the albino repeated unsure. "Yes. It should be familiar to you right, RPG uploader Mafumafu-sama?

And you as well mystery uploader, Soraru-sama.", he turned towards Soraru.

"I never told you my name? How did you find it out?", Mafumafu asked surprised.

"And put down that mask. It's ticking me off.", Soraru ordered. "Unfortunately, that is not possible.", Retrodot said and Soraru sighed not even trying because it would be useless.

"If you don't have any other questions I will explain your situation now. There is only thing you need to accomplish here. Keep the counter running until it reaches 100 Million. In other words you have to attain 100 million total views within this live stream of The Ones Within Genome.

Furthermore, the play time is infinite and there is no time limit but... I would like to ask you to stream as if you are willing to die.", Retrodot said and the two of them looking at him in shock and distraught.

Mafumafu held onto Soraru's sleeve and Soraru stood in front of him.

"Well then, now that everything is clear I will show you your other classmates. They are in the tower so if you would please follow me.", Retrodot motioned then to walk and Soraru followed him knowing that they couldn't do much right now.

Mafumafu quietly followed Soraru still holding his sleeve. Soraru let Mafumafu hold onto his sleeve but he turned his attention to the forest and burned everything he saw into his brain.

Because he played many mystery games before he had to look at every little detail showed before him and so he did it now as well.

He burned every image, every tree and the path into his mind in case they would need it someday when they had the chance to escape.

They were forced to play this live stream of The Ones Within Genome and reach 100 million views if they didn't want to suffer the consequences that would probably come.

But now they would meet their other classmates first who will have to suffer with them.

It's better to get to know them if they wanted to escape together after all.

Stage 1 Clear
000869869