Kiryu woke to the sound of shattering glass, his eyes snapping open to the sight of his alarm clock in pieces on the floor. He let out a groan, rubbing his temples as he realized he'd once again succumbed to his habit of hurling the clock against the wall in his sleep.

"Great," he muttered to himself, swinging his legs over the edge of his futon. "Off to a fantastic start."

Dragging himself out of bed, Kiryu stumbled his way to the bathroom, squinting against the dim light as he splashed water on his face. But as he gazed at another clock on the wall, it quickly reminded him that he was already running late. Panic immediately settled in as he rushed through his morning routine.

Grabbing a packet of instant noodles from the cupboard, Kiryu hastily boiled water and tore open the package. Breakfast wasn't exactly gourmet, but it was quick, and right now, that was all that mattered. Slurping down the noodles, he winced at the scalding heat but pushed through, knowing he didn't have time to waste.

With another a glance at the wall clock again, Kiryu realized he hadn't even had time to shower properly. Grimacing, he turned on the cold water, wincing as it hit his skin like icy needles. He scrubbed quickly, although it barely manages to wash away sweat and body odor he had last night, at least it woke him up from the grogginess of sleep before shutting off the water.

Dressing in a hurry, Kiryu bolted out of his apartment, nearly colliding with his landlady in the hallway.

"Morning, Risu-san," Kiryu said, forcing a smile as he tried to sidestep the older woman.

The landlady's expression was anything but friendly.

"You're late on your water bill again, Kiryu," she snapped, her voice laced with irritation. "I warned you last time. If you don't pay up soon, I'll have to cut you off."

Kiryu's heart sank. He knew he was behind on his bills, but he hadn't realized it had gotten this bad.

"I'm sorry, Risu-san," he said, feeling a pang of guilt. "I promise I'll have the money for you tomorrow. It's payday."

The landlady's glare softened slightly, but the threat still hung in the air.

"You'd better," she grumbled before stomping off down the hallway.

Feeling the weight of his obligations pressing down on him, Kiryu hurried out of the building, his mind racing with thoughts of overdue bills and looming deadlines. Today was off to a rough start, but he knew he had to keep pushing forward. With a deep breath as pass through people, he squared his shoulders and headed out into the bustling community that was also starting their day. He was determined to reverse his situation. He sprinted through the crowded streets, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he tried to catch the train.

Adrenaline kicked in as he ignored his aching knees as he rushed inside the train station. He quickly paid his ticket and thank his fate that the way to the platform was still empty.

But as he reached the train platform, he watched helplessly as the doors slid shut, the train pulling away without him.

"Of course," he muttered under his breath, feeling the frustration building in the pit of his stomach. It was already 7 am, and he already accepted the inevitable reality that he was now late for work. With a resigned sigh, he pulled out his phone and dialed his supervisor's number, bracing himself for the inevitable backlash.

"Hey, it's Kiryu," he said, trying to keep his voice steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through his veins. "I missed the train, so I'll probably be a bit late..."

He was met with a string of expletives from the other end of the line, his supervisor's voice dripping with annoyance. Kiryu gritted his teeth, his frustration mounting with each word he heard. He wanted to argue back, to defend himself, but he knew it would only make things worse.

"Yeah, I deeply apologize sir. But don't worry," he said tersely, cutting off his supervisor mid-rant. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

Ending the call, Kiryu felt a surge of anger mixed with exhaustion wash over him. He needed something to help him stay awake, to push through the overwhelming fatigue that threatened to drag him down. Spotting a convenience store nearby, he made a beeline for it, desperate for a caffeine boost to get him through the morning.

Grabbing a can of energy drink and a pack of cigarettes, Kiryu headed back out into the platform, popping open the can and taking a long sip. The sweet, fizzy liquid burned its way down his throat, jolting him awake with its sharp caffeine kick. He lit a cigarette, the nicotine helping to soothe his frayed nerves as he trudged along the sidewalk.

As he walked, Kiryu noticed a group of teenagers loitering outside of another grocery store, their laughter loud and carefree. Despite still being early in the morning, they were passing around cans of beer, their youthful faces flushed with excitement. Kiryu couldn't help but feel a twinge of bitterness as he watched them, envy gnawing at his insides.

"Must be nice," he thought bitterly, taking another drag from his cigarette. "No responsibilities, no bills to pay. Just living in the moment."

But even as he envied their carefree lifestyle, Kiryu knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before the harsh realities of adulthood caught up with them. The world was a cruel and unforgiving place, and sooner or later, they would learn that the hard way. Soon they would be like him, living a mundane life and dying as a nobody.

As Kiryu passed one of the station's concrete pillars, he couldn't help but overhear a conversation taking place nearby. Two office workers stood just a few feet away, their voices hushed as they smoked cigarettes and exchanged complaints about their respective jobs.

"I'm already giving up, man," one of them said with frustration. "I just know I'm gonna be one of the ones they lay off. It's like they don't even care about loyalty anymore."

Kiryu couldn't help but nod in silent agreement, his own experiences with corporate layoffs all too fresh in his mind. Despite being one of the best agents at his former companies, he had found himself on the chopping block more times than he cared to remember. In today's cutthroat business world, it seemed that loyalty counted for little, and even the most dedicated employees were expendable in the eyes of their employers.

With a grimace, Kiryu took another drag from his cigarette, the bitter taste of the smoke lingering on his tongue. It was a habit he had picked up years ago, a way to cope with the stress and uncertainty of his job. But even as he smoked, he couldn't shake the feeling of resignation that settled over him like a heavy cloud.

In a desperate bid to escape the cycle of layoffs and uncertainty, Kiryu had made himself busy with the virtual game. The only thing that's stopping him from going insane in this world. As would always Kiryu find himself caught in a never-ending cycle of phone calls and complaints, his days blending together in a monotonous blur.

And unlike many of his former colleagues, Kiryu had no family or relatives to worry about, no one depending on him for support. It was a lonely existence, to be sure, but in some ways, it made him glad. He didn't have to answer to anyone but himself, didn't have to worry about letting anyone down.

Shaking his head, Kiryu pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on the task at hand. He had a job to do, bills to pay, and responsibilities to fulfill. There was no time for envy or self-pity. Taking one last drag from his cigarette, Kiryu crushed the butt beneath his heel. Then he noticed a sign that actually warned him for smoking in the area.

"Follow the rules," he muttered to himself. Sarcasm befalls on his mouth. "Yeah, right. That'll get you to the top."

Kiryu reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, intending to distract himself from his frustrations with a quick scroll through his Yutube feed. But as he flicked through the app, his heart sank as he realized that he had forgotten to charge his phone the night before. The battery was dangerously low, and he knew it wouldn't last much longer.

Glancing up at the electronic display board, Kiryu saw that the next train wouldn't be arriving for another thirty minutes. With a resigned shrug, he made his way over to the corner of the station, where a row of charging booths lined the wall. Settling down onto a nearby bench, he plugged in his phone and settled in to wait.

As he waited for his phone to charge, Kiryu idly scrolled through his Yutube feed, his mind drifting as he watched videos on everything from cooking tutorials, news about the outbreak of war in Europe and Africa then to cat memes. But it was a trailer for a new video game that caught his eye, a flashy montage of swashbuckling pirates and daring adventures on the high seas.

Rolling his eyes, Kiryu clicked on the video, his lips curling into a smirk as he watched the dramatic footage unfold.

"Revolution and liberty," he scoffed, shaking his head in amusement. "More like chaos and lawlessness."

Despite his mockery, Kiryu couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia as he watched the trailer. He had always been drawn to stories of rebellion and defiance, to the idea of throwing off the shackles of society and carving out a life of freedom on his own terms.

But as the video came to an end, Kiryu's thoughts turned back to his own virtual adventures, to the time he had spent playing as a raider in the game with his online friends. It had been a thrilling experience, plundering stations and evading the authorities with reckless abandon.

But eventually, the thrill had worn off, and they had returned to their mundane lives as farmers, builders, and traders in his favorite game's vast virtual world. Something that he saw to be the reflection of their personality. Now, as he sat in the charging booth, watching the world go by outside, Kiryu couldn't help but wonder if he could recapture the excitement of those days gone by. The idea of playing as a pirate once again intrigued him, and he made a mental note to give it a try the next time he logged into the game.