Seven Senses of the Reunion

A digitally-constructed alternate world.

This electronic otherworld is accessible to only a select few.

It's filled with medieval towns and castles housing over ten thousand inhabitants.

The colors of the trees change with the seasons.

An endless expanse of ocean cradles these continents.

Stars twinkle their way across the dark night sky.

Three moons and iron airships adorn the sky.

Floating continents cast their shadows on the ground below.

There are dense jungles teeming with darkness.

Dragons and monsters so large they could engulf entire towns roam the wilderness in search of prey.

This new world is a harmonious blend of vivid nature and fantasy.

The game that created this reality was known as Union.

It was a unique MMORPG where a player's life was determined by their Sense.

Some players forged legendary swords, defeated monsters and lived out their own mythologies.

Others, armed with their mysterious spirits, had the power to obliterate mountains with otherworldly flames.

Some players took to the skies, exploring the world like a gentle breeze.

Others manipulated the laws of physics in order to rule the earth.

The game system was deliberately straightforward and yet profoundly intricate, its true depths a mystery.

It was a concept that captivated every gamer almost instantly.

Adventurers flourished, driven by their courage, wisdom, and Sense.

In this world, there was a unique party.

They were an unbeatable group of six, each one having mastered one of the six Senses available in Union.

While each member was powerful in their own right, when they worked as a team, their Sense could defy the game's very system itself.

They overcame trials posed by renowned experts.

They defeated countless legions of monster hordes that roamed the land.

They battled formidable boss monsters created by the game administrators.

Quests and challenges that were considered explicit threats to other top-ranking guilds were merely child's play for them.

In time, this invincible party became known as the Constellation of Six Stars Shining in the Night Sky. Otherwise known as . . .

Subaru.

Other players regarded the name Subaru with awe and passed down their tales as living legends.

That was until tragedy struck, leaving the services of Union to be halted.

Man, no one else can do it but you! Come on, please, Amou.

The cicadas outside the window were unrelentingly loud.

The day's temperature neared its peak as the sun climbed higher and higher in the sky.

Summer vacation had started, and Haruto Amou, who had been peacefully cooling off in his room, got a call on his all-in-one computer tablet, the "With".

For Haruto, any calls during the holidays were nothing but annoyances, as most of them were either solicitations, pranks, accidental calls, or wrong numbers.

The rarest and worst kind of call he could ever receive were calls from classmates inviting him to hang out.

No way.

Come on, don't be like that. It'll be fun!

His classmate Tamo's voice seeped into his ears through the speaker.

Haruto was barely friends with Tamo. In fact, he was more often than not annoyed at Tamo for his childish pranks, being that they typically targeted Haruto.

Just think about it, you and me going on an adventure. It'll be so cool, I swear!

Stepping back into that "world" was completely unthinkable for him.

I said no! Why the hell would I want to play Union now?

Man, that's the old game's name. It's been Re'Union ever since the service got rebooted. It's a completely different game now. Have you been living under a rock for the past six years or what?

Whatever. Can I hang up now? Even though we're not exactly friends, I appreciate the random call in the middle of summer vacation, though. Guess I'll see you when school starts. Later.

Just as he was about to hang up, another irritating voice resonated from the With.

Hey, Amou, can't you do us a solid?

It was Hiyane, a girl who hung out with Tamo. She was a classmate of his, but they hardly ever interacted. He knew so little about her that he barely remembered her at all. Had her name not popped up on the With's display, he would not have even recognized her voice. When he tried to picture what she looked like, all he could think of were blurry images. Did she have long or short hair? He couldn't even remember that much.

Ask all you want, but the answer's still no.

Oh c'mon, what's your problem? You're not still mad about that time we teased you during gym, are you? Or that time we made a huge mess when it was your day to clean? Or when we hid your indoor shoes?

So you two were the ones who hid my indoor shoes, huh.

Whoops, my bad . . .

You two are impossible! You play all these childish pranks on me and then have the gall to ask for my help?!

Jeez, you're so whiny. And you call yourself a man.

That's enough. I don't need to hear any of this from delinquents like you.

Damn, I had a feeling you'd say that . . .

. . . Can I hang up now?

He started to question why he had kept this call going for more than five minutes.

Wait, wait! Amou, we promise we won't tease you in class anymore! So, please, help us out just this once!

You guys have tons of friends, why do you even need me? Just ask someone else.

We've already asked everyone else! You're our last hope. You know how limited the logins are in Re'Union, right? You should know, you used to play Union!

They're still doing that?

Listen, the deadline for the quest is today! If we don't do it now, it'll be too late and we still need at least three people to finish it!

The desperation in his voice was clear.

Still, Haruto was not convinced that he could trust him.

If they were more thoughtful people, they wouldn't be trying to force him into doing something he didn't want to do. Given how flighty they were, they’d probably forget about all of this by tomorrow. Any promise from them would be meaningless . . .

. . . But fine.

What? Seriously?

Wait, for real?

Their surprised voices echoed in unison.

Tamo and Hiyane must have been surprised, given the trajectory of their current conversation.

Just so you know, this is a one-time thing. Don't try to bother me in class after this.

Alrighty then!

Great! We'll text you the location later.

Their noisy conversation came to an end, and Haruto let out a long sigh.

Maybe it's time for them to get a taste of their own medicine.

He had agreed for one reason and one reason only: for the chance to sabotage them during their quest and make them fail. It was the perfect opportunity for revenge.

Perhaps it was because he never fought back, or because he was always quick with a comeback, but Haruto had always been the butt of their jokes. Those two had spent the entire school year teasing and tormenting him, and he had had enough.

What kind of face would they make once they realized he had gotten them back?

He could not wait to see it.

But . . . why Re'Union?

He sighed, scratching his head.

Well, maybe it's for the best. It's about time I moved on.

It was about time he never let the past hold him back again . . .

Haruto sat at his desk and put on a opaque jet-black headset. Despite its bulky look, it was incredibly light.

The device was a modern game console that had evolved from stationary hardware called an Encephalon. The Encephalon was equipped with a Brain-Machine Interface (BMI), allowing it to also function as a standalone personal computer.

It was an old model that he had originally bought six years ago. The next-gen version was already out, but this was the one he still kept in his room.

Access.

The machine powered up in response to the voice-activated command. A deep hum pierced his eardrums, and the manufacturer's logo was projected onto each of his retinas.

Just above his right ear, the CCFL indicator lamp flickered on with a blue light, indicating an active internet connection.

Update Union.

Checking the operating environment's performance . . . All required conditions are met. Upgrading Union to Re'Union.

A progress bar appeared in front of him, steadily climbing from 0% on the left to 100% on the right.

As the progress bar reached the far right, the personal identification software activated, reflecting his eyes in the UI.

Initiating iris verification . . . connecting to server . . . authentication successful. Registered name: Haruto Amou. Old World account confirmed. Sense compatibility examination underway.

Once the announcement concluded, the spotlight navigator projected onto his retinas.

The delightful fairy navigator suddenly appeared before him and slightly bowed her head. She hovered so close to him that she seemed to reside within his eyes.

Welcome back, brave Old World warrior. We've been eagerly awaiting your return.

Alright, let's get this over with. My in-game appearance won't differ from reality. There's no need to change anything.

Understood. Haruto Amou, please save the girl trapped within this world.

After briefly touching upon the storyline, the navigator girl vanished.

The images reflected on his retinas faded and transformed instead into bustling city filled with people.

Welcome to the world of Re'Union, a realm of fantasy . . .

The indicator lamp's red light started to flash, signalling the Brain-Machine Interface's activation.

The landscape displayed on the monitor lens within his brain began to merge with his field of vision, drawing him further in.

Haruto's senses had left the real world behind.

Everything about him had been drawn into the digital world - into Re'Union.

▼ ▼ ▼

Haruto surveyed his surroundings, taking note of all of the neatly arranged stone houses.

Behind him, a fountain adorned with a statue spurted a powerful stream of water, casting stray droplets near and far, lowering the temperature around it. The water cascaded down into a storage tank beneath the statue's pedestal and flowed along the city's gutters in a radial pattern, babbling soothingly as it did so.

A vast mountain range loomed in the distance just beyond the town. An iron airship darted through a mountain gorge with a dragon in hot pursuit.

A gigantic continent floated at the edge of the western sky, casting its shadow over the land as though it were the ruler of the world. To the east, heavy, dark clouds hung low, shrouding the area in a dome of darkness despite it being broad daylight.

People emerged one after another around the fountain, materializing with a dazzling light effect, before disappearing into the city's hustle and bustle.

A player, dressed like a warrior and armed with a sword, headed south on foot. Another, garbed like a wizard with a staff in hand, levitated northward. Some rode beasts toward the west, while others boarded floating platforms heading east.

The city was bustling, filled with players who had escaped from reality into this world.

There was talk all around him, with conversations varying from monster information, quest rumors, tips to enhance their skills, boasting about their weapons, to discussions about their everyday lives in the real world.

Some people were even engaged in business transactions. Numerous players had laid out their items on cloths spread along the roadside in order to operate a makeshift flea market.

This town was known as Altogarden, the location where players landed after their initial account registration. It was the capital of one of the six continents, the fertile land of the Noaxis Continent.

The town sure has changed since the old days . . . There are people wearing gear I've never seen before. But it seems like the eight main streets have stayed the same.

As Haruto tested his body's range of motion within this new world, he took a moment to examine his new appearance as well.

As for gear . . . I'm stuck with the basic stuff with no bonuses. Let's check my stats . . .

Haruto lifted his right hand, drawing an L-shape in the air with his index finger, which was adorned with a simple ring.

Player rings, which were given to all adventurers, allowed players to call up various interfaces with a single gesture.

As the gesture came to an end, a square interface holograph popped up in front of him. It displayed Haruto's image, the names of the weapons and armor he was equipped with, and his status.

I'm back at level one, huh? Well . . . levels don't really matter anyway.

In this world, levels were just a record of how long one had been playing.

This was because of the unique game system of this world.

Here, one's Sense was the only thing that mattered.

A player's Sense could be converted into power.

This was a rule in the old world—Union—and it had carried over into Re'Union as well.

A player's Sense could determine the outcome of even the toughest enemy battles.

At the start of the game, every player was granted a single Sense category as a divine gift. There were six Sense categories: Fighting, Sorcery, Heart, Transformation, Dream, and Heaven.

The Fighting category was known for its "Fighting Spirit". This Sense enabled you to manipulate the power coursing through your body at will. The Sorcery category was synonymous with wizardry. This Sense allowed a player to control spirits and the powers they wield. The Heart category was also known as "Heart Play". This Sense granted players the ability to perceive people's feelings and influence their souls. Transformation referred to morphing. This Sense granted players the ability to alter the form or nature of things. Dream referred to the "Dream". This Sense granted the power to manifest dreams and fantasies into reality. Lastly, the Heaven category was also known as "Heaven's Law". This Sense gave players a deep understanding of the world's laws and the capacity to manipulate them temporarily.

Players used all of these unique Senses to survive in this world.

Well then . . .

In the old world, Haruto's divine gift had been in the Fighting category.

That much had not changed, either.

As Haruto tamed the power flowing within him, he felt a sense of nostalgia that did not exist in reality wash over him.

The status displayed on the interface steadily increased.

However . . .

. . . How weak.

He was painfully aware that the Fighting Spirit within him was significantly lower compared to six years ago—back when he was in his prime, during elementary school.

It was commonly believed that one's Fighting Spirit was directly proportional to their overall strength. Especially in battles between two players who possessed the Fighting Sense, the one with the more powerful Fighting Spirit typically emerged victorious.

So it's true, your skills really do decline as you age.

Haruto touched the interface with his fingertips and casually slid his hand across it, causing it to vanish without a sound.

Well, whatever. I'm just here to crunch numbers . . . It's not like I'll ever be coming back, anyway.

After spending 500 Yuros on a reasonably priced sword and armor from a shop, Haruto made his way towards the meeting point with his classmates.

As he walked through the city, he was overcome by a feeling similar to being homesick.

. . . I guess this place still makes me feel uneasy . . .

This world felt suffocating.

Haruto's brows furrowed slightly as memories of the past threatened to resurface.

Oh, there he is. Wow, Amou, you can even look miserable in a video game!

What's with that old-ass gear? Don't you have anything more stylish?

They did not even bother greeting him, jumping instead into their usual mockery as soon as he arrived.

Even inside the game, they appeared exactly as they did in reality. Had they been back in their classroom, they would have just looked like they were dressed up in costumes.

Tamo was wearing simple leather armor. Hiyane was dressed in a wizard's robe that she had decorated with gaudy feathers and frills that offered no practical advantages. It was a common rookie error to prioritize style over function.

He felt like laughing in their faces, but knew that he was not in any position to be belittling new players.

I'm leaving.

Haruto wore a stern expression as he turned his back on them.

Whoa! Sorry about that! We were just kidding!

I mean, you just started the game, didn't you? Of course you wouldn't have the hottest new gear.

Tamo and Hiyane scrambled to correct themselves, all while laughing nervously.

Neither of them looked the least bit sorry. They were only apologizing because they could not complete their quest without their precious third party member.

Haruto shot the two of them an annoyed look, clearly irritated. They continued to grin foolishly, silently and desperately begging for his forgiveness.

Come on, it's just this once. Let's have some fun, okay?

That's right, smile, smile! Keep smiling!

Tamo and Hiyane grabbed his arms, preventing him from escaping.

There couldn't have been anything more annoying. The only thing keeping him going was the promise of getting to see their disappointed faces when they inevitably failed their quest.

So, Amou. No matter what, no losing before we complete the quest. We don't have anyone else to take your place, so we won't be able to take on quests anymore either.

Does this game still delete your account when your HP hits zero?

Yup, it's Game Over. A newbie like you could be taken out in a second, so watch out.

So the old rules still stand . . .

Also, there's something called Sense Over. It's one of the Three Constraints. Make sure to remember that, too.

The unyielding rules of Re'Union were inherited from the old game.

Breaking them meant a forced return to reality—essentially, account termination.

Game Over.

Safety Over.

And the newly incorporated Sense Over.

Amou, you aren't trying to cheat, are you? You seem like the type to know about all this stuff already, and not to mention that you look like a cheater.

Hiyane looked at him suspiciously, narrowing her eyes in an accusatory fashion.

Are you accusing me of something? I don't even know how to cheat. And what's this 'Sense Over'? Sounds like something that could get my account banned.

It means you can't slack off when it comes to honing your Sense. Ugh, I just want to play without having to worry about any of that crap.

What? Why would they even add in something like that?

I don't know. I heard it has something to do with an issue from the old game.

No matter how unfair they might seem, the rules were absolute. Players who break them were permanently banned from Re'Union.

There were no exceptions. No matter how legendary or accoladed a player was, they would lose access to the game as soon as they broke a rule.

Well, it doesn't seem like Sense Over is something that can be solved overnight. As long as I'm aware of it, I should be good. Let's just get going.

Hold on, there's no need to rush. We can finish up today, but we won't be able to take any quests for the next couple of hours. We should prepare instead.

What kind of preparation do we need for a beginner's quest, anyway?

Haruto did not really care, given that his goal was to make their quest fail no matter what. He wanted to leave this world as soon as possible.

Haruto turned away from them and started walking with determination, causing the other two to rush after him.

Hold on a second. Are you sure you know where you're going, Amou?

Of course I do. We have to go to the Adventurer's Guild to accept a quest, right?

Wow, you really know your stuff. Guess you really did play the old game, huh?

How could I not know? It's all in the tutorial.

Haruto cast a bewildered glance at his two companions before making his way towards the Adventurer's Guild building.

Once they had successfully secured a quest, the trio left the city.

Their surroundings comprised of vast grasslands bisected by a well-kept stone highway. Given that the area was close to the city, it was devoid of active monsters. Hybrid creatures that resembled a blend of sheep and cats grazed peacefully on the grass under a cloudless blue sky, painting an idyllic picture of a fantastical summer day. In the distance, towering mountains watched over the players with an imposing grandeur; a view befitting of an adventure.

As they trekked along the highway, they came across several other adventurers. Experts, intermediates, beginners—beings of all races dressed in various armor mingled about.

They all wore lively expressions, seemingly immersing themselves in the game's vast fantasy world. In fact, there were quite a few players who spent their entire lives logged into this world.

Hey, what should we do with this dragon meat?

Let's make a stew out of it. It should boost our magic power.

We can't make stew without the other ingredients.

Then we should dry it and turn it into a healing item . . .

But it's such a high-quality meat, what a waste. We'd be better off selling it.

Haruto heard bits and pieces of their conversations as he passed the other parties.

Speaking of which, Amou, you've never cooked before, have you? I've heard it's pretty simple, but what do you think?

. . .

Hey, Amou. Did you hear me?

. . . You can make simple things by just combining items. Whether or not you get what you want depends on your Sense and luck. The rest is practice.

What about grilling or boiling?

You can do that if you have fire and a pot. You'd know that if you bothered to look it up.

His words made Tamo pout in dissatisfaction.

Seriously though, you've been acting super cold. Why do you seem so annoyed? Is hanging out with us really all that bad?

It's pretty awful. I just wanna be left alone.

What? You like being alone? Is your head alright?

It's a lot better than being bothered by people like you all the time.

Haruto displayed his annoyance by waving his hand dismissively.

He wasn't necessarily annoyed that they kept trying to engage him in conversation. It was more so the fact that they always looked down on him and bullied him so relentlessly. There was no way for him to enjoy company like that.

Besides, they were only using him as a place-filler, so there was not a reason for him to be in a good mood either.

But Amou, you hate this place way more than you hate us, don't you?

. . . As annoying as Tamo was, he had hit the nail right on the head.

Haruto had another goal in mind.

His plan was to deliberately lose all of his HP so that he would lose all access to this world.

Haruto had the privilege of logging in solely because he had an account left over from the old game.

Because of his veteran status, he always had the choice between entering and not entering the game. Every time he was faced with the option to return, it stirred up old memories.

The invisible chains weighing him down would not disappear unless he eliminated that option.

Why do you hate Re'Union so much? It's such an amazing world, isn't it?

Tamo asked him loudly. Hiyane was also looking at Haruto with her eyebrows furrowed.

For them . . . no, for anyone who could step into this world, there was not a single reason to dislike it. From the moment they logged on, players were recognized for their Sense—they were the chosen ones.

Did you feel this way in the old world?

That was not the case.

This place was mesmerizing for players.

Of course, the otherworldly fantastical landscapes were part of the allure, but the intricate system driven by the Senses was what truly offered a dream-like experience.

The feeling of freedom when you explored a different world, the thrill before engaging in battle, the omnipotent feeling when everything went according to plan—none of these things could be experienced in the real world.

Haruto was no different. There was a time when he loved this world as much as everyone else did—no, he loved it even more.

But all of that ended six years ago.

. . .

Haruto closed his mouth and fell silent. It seemed like he did not want to answer.

I don't get you at all.

Honestly, you're so annoying.

They both snickered at him, mockingly.

They could say whatever they liked, Haruto did not care. In fact, it would have been worse if they pitied him.