On the rooftop, where sleek, minimalist skyscrapers blended seamlessly with nature, Mirai and Takara sat on a bench that adjusted automatically for optimal comfort.

In the distance, a pagoda stood gracefully amidst lush greenery — aged stone against a skyline of glass and steel.”

“So,” he began, tilting his head toward her. “Still coming to the Sun Circles tomorrow evening?”

She smiled, a soft giggle escaping her lips. “Of course, it’s tradition.”

“Just checking,” he said, his tone casual but considerate. “If you feel pressured, you don’t have to. You've had a lot on your plate this year.”

She leaned back against the bench, her smile fading slightly as she gazed at the distant horizon. “I’d never miss it. It’s one of the few times where I don’t have to think about any of that.”

The Sun Circles were a cherished tradition in the Sun Nation, a time for friends and family to gather in open spaces, form a circle, and share their achievements, challenges, or whatever was on their minds.

The evening always brought a mix of joy, reflection, and connection, made even more special by the sun setting over the cities in warm hues of gold and red.

“Besides,” she added with a knowing grin, “It wouldn’t feel right if I wasn’t there to remind everyone why you always take the longest to share something.”

He smirked. “Hey, I'm just building suspense. Can’t rush greatness, right?”

She raised an eyebrow, her grin widened. “Please, the only thing you’re building is everyone’s patience. I should start charging you for the extra time.”

Mirai grinned. “Oh, so you’re admitting I’m worth it?”

“Annoying,” she laughed, shaking her head.

After a moment, her tone shifted slightly. “So, did you catch the rumors earlier?”

He paused, furrowing his brow as he tried to recall the morning buzz.

“Rumors?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “Oh! About the next F-Series game being in development. Yeah, I opened the link you sent.”

Takara leaned in slightly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. “-And?”

“Thought they’d never get around to it, honestly. Fifteen years ago we weren’t even, what, four?”

He shrugged casually, then broke into a grin. “But of course, I’m excited. We’ll kill it in that game too.”

Her grin widened, a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Since I’m heir to my parents’ company, I get the insider scoop. That article I sent you? 100% real.”

“You’re serious?” He exclaimed, his eyes widened.

She nodded, her grin widening as his excitement began to grow.

He could barely contain his enthusiasm, his eyes lighting like a growing fire. She giggled softly, watching him with amusement.

“Nice,” he said, shaking his head with a grin.

“First F-game dropped thirty years ago, but fifteen years between games? Bit of a stretch, but hey, guess we were born lucky—two F-games in our lifetime? Can’t complain about that.”

She added onto his statement, her tone casual but tinged with curiosity.

“They’ve done a great job keeping it under wraps. Upper management is just as passionate about the project as the developers. It’s all hands on deck at every level.

“Though…” she paused, her lips curving into a faint smile. “Some of the QA testers went missing last weekend. Guess they’re really getting immersed in their work.”

Her light tone couldn’t quite mask the oddity of her words.

“You sure you should be telling me all this?” He asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking. “I mean, I’m not gonna have men in black knocking on my door tonight, right?”

Takara rolled her eyes, a playful look flashing across her face. “Don’t worry, all of this went public this morning. I’ve known about it for a little over two weeks now.”

“Well,” he said, leaning back with a grin, “If I suddenly go off the grid, you know why. But seriously, fifteen years? They must be creating god or something.”

“I’ll be there to bail you out, mister,” she replied, shaking her head but unable to suppress a chuckle. A small smile grew on her lips.

Mirai glanced at her, then toward the skyline, the city’s glow reflecting in his eyes. “Yeah,” he said with a softer tone.

She leaned back, letting the soft hum of the rooftop garden’s wind turbines fill the silence.

A gentle breeze flowed through the buildings, ruffling their hair. Mirai, however, remained still, his eyes fixed on the distant pagoda.

“That long for one game…” The thought weighed on him. He fidgeted with his watch — an unconscious habit when doubt crept in.

“Can I even do something like that someday? Could I handle that kind of pressure? What if I get there and realize I’m not good enough?”

The breeze carried a faint scent of blooming flowers, but he barely noticed, his mind tangled in doubt.

Takara’s voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. “You’re awfully quiet for someone who just acted like a total know it all,” she teased, leaning forward slightly, her tone light but curious.

He blinked, startled out of his daze. “Oh, sorry,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Just… thinking about how wild it all is. If we’re lucky, this new game’s going to be our biggest shot yet.”

“More than a shot,” she replied confidently, clenching her fist with determination. “We’re going to dominate.” Her voice carried a certainty that seemed to push away any loose thoughts.

He smiled at her enthusiasm, but the lingering doubt gnawed at him, like a shadow he couldn’t shake.

She noticed the shift in his expression, her brows knitting slightly as if to silently ask what was wrong.

But before she could say anything, a loud ping echoed from Mirai’s watch. His eyes widened as he glanced at the screen, the headline glaring back at him:

Breaking: Official ‘FNL’ Reveal Trailer to Release 2170, October 11! Just 2 Days Away!

She leaned over, catching sight of the notification. A sly smile spread across her face.

“Guess I wasn’t supposed to tell you about that part, huh?” she teased, her tone playful.

The soft murmurs grew louder, a ripple of energy spreading across the rooftop. Mirai looked around, catching glimpses of glowing watch screens and wide-eyed expressions.

The doubts lingering in his mind were drowned out by the rising tide of anticipation in the air.

The rooftop erupted. Some students screamed, others fell to their knees in disbelief. A few even crawled dramatically, overcome by emotion.

“This isn’t even the trailer, and I’m shaking bro, oh my god!!” someone shouted, their voice cracking under the weight of excitement.

“Finally! Competition’s way too far ahead. FNL is my era!” another declared, punching the air with fiery determination.

“They did it… they finally did it…” a quieter voice murmured, as tears streamed down their face, unashamed and unrestrained.

Mirai stood frozen in the center of the storm, his expression unreadable as the chaos swirled around him. But deep inside, something shifted.

An intense, burning flame began to ignite — a surge of adrenaline and purpose, growing stronger with every passing second.

Takara watched him carefully, a grin widening smile a glint of mischief in her eyes as if she could see the gears turning in his mind. Subtly, she braced herself for what she knew was coming.

“LET’S GO!!” He suddenly roared, his voice raw and guttural, a pure, unrestrained explosion of energy and hype.

The rooftop roared back, voices blending into a cacophony of cheers, shouts, and clapping. The collective excitement reached its peak, a crescendo of pure anticipation.

She burst into laughter, shaking her head at his infectious energy. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel her own excitement surge as his enthusiasm spread like wildfire.

For a brief moment, the world felt like it had stopped, every student united in their shared anticipation of what was to come.

With the break ending soon, the rooftop began to settle, though the excited chatter persisted.

They both made their way back into the sleek building, stepping into a hallway seamlessly integrated with cutting-edge biotech.

The walls reflected soft, fluid patterns of light, scattering sunlight in mesmerizing shapes while optimizing the temperature.

Mirai’s watch buzzed with a steady stream of notifications, his lingering excitement pushing him to open the group chat Sephoric used daily for gaming updates and liFe banter.

His adrenaline still coursing, he glanced at the messages hurriedly:

[ xSaiya: I know you guys saw the news. Headache already. ]

Mirai chuckled, his fingers flying across the screen:

[ > mirai-rai: Already? We haven’t even seen anything yet

> xSaiya: don’t need to. I can feel the chaos coming. nerf all the baby mode phantom steppers into oblivion.

> Issan_Eternal: Are you saying you’re not ready for this, Saiya?

> xSaiya: I’m saying I don’t want to deal with u losing ur mind over it. ]

Takara peeked over his shoulder, her curiosity piqued. “Let me guess, Saiya’s already complaining?”

“Yep,” he replies, laughing softly as he types another message:

[ > mirai-rai: Guess we’ll just carry you through this one too huh?

> xSaiya: Honestly can we kick Mirai? What is he even here for? ]

He chuckles, shaking his head:

[ > mirai-rai: I mean, hey, if you kicked me who would’ve landed that parry over the weekend

> xSaiya: Play me in a money match.

mirai-rai: Nope lol

> xSaiya: Die. Coward. Whatever. Anyway—

> Issan_Eternal: If you’re out, Saiya, that means I get top billing. Suffice to say I can work with that.

> xSaiya: I will personally log out of life before I let that happen. ]

Mirai grinned, savoring the familiar banter. The group chat continued to buzz, its playful energy filling the hallway as Takara’s laughter joined in, light and infectious.

Beyond their circle, the rest of the world felt distant — a blur of soft light patterns and faint murmurs that faded into the background.

They strolled through the sunlit hallway, soft light rippling across the floor like water.

Takara began, adjusting the strap of her bag with a small smirk, “You think she’s actually going to let you live down that parry message?”

He smirked, his stride unbothered. “Nope. She’ll probably challenge me again tonight.”

She chuckled, nudging him lightly. “She’s lucky you don’t take her bait. I’d probably lose my mind if I had to deal with her comebacks all the time.”

“Eh — you’d get the hang of it,” he replied with a shrug. “It’s all about timing and not taking her too seriously.”

She smiled, her tone softening slightly. “Still, you’ve helped me get better at it. I don’t feel as awkward trying to keep up with her anymore.”

He chuckled. “It’s just how we do things. She’s like the sister I never had.” His tone softened, a flicker of warmth threading through his words. “You already know she’s a big softy underneath all that attitude.”

“Unbelievably true,” she said with a laugh, shaking her head. “I still find it hard to wrap my head around. She wears all black like she’s in a rock band and has an ice-cold glare that could freeze lava.”

He grinned. “She probably thinks it makes her look more intimidating. Gotta keep up that ‘fearless leader’ image.”

“But we know,” she added, smiling knowingly, “Saiya would drop everything in a second to help someone she cares about.”

“She’d never admit it, though.” He said, nodding in agreement

Their laughter mingled as they walked, the echoes of other conversations fading into the background.

For a moment, the weight of his earlier doubts seemed lighter, the companionship of his friend steadying him.

He checked his watch once more, scrolling for any updates regarding the earlier announcement.

His eyes narrowed as he stumbled across a strange, minimalist site with cryptic messages sprawled across the screen:

A new dawn rises.

The boundaries of reality are blurred.

Step forward. Awaken. Become eternal.

The air seemed to grow heavier. A low, disembodied voice whispered — faint, otherworldly:

The threads of destiny weave tight—

A cycle reborn. 
Day bleeds to night.

In time… 
fate shall mirror thee.

forgive me…

C̷H̴A̵O̸S̶ ̴B̸I̴R̵T̶H̷S̸ ̵E̴T̶E̷R̵N̸I̷T̴Y̶

He froze, heart pounding. “That voice again…” he thought, his breath catching. I heard it this morning. What the hell is going on?”

“Mirai?” Takara’s voice broke his spiraling thoughts, pulling him back to the present. He turned to face her, his confusion evident.

“Uh, did you hear that?” he asked, his voice edged with unease.

“Hear what?” she tilted her head, her expression puzzled. “It’s silent. Did something happen?”

He hesitated. When he looked back, the site was gone — replaced by a blank Error 404: Page Not Found.