In the dimly lit corner of an internet cafe in Akihabara, Kaito stared at the flashing cursor. He had finally found it: .

"Are you sure you want to register with the Guild? Casualties are not reimbursed."

Kaito clicked download. The progress bar crawled. 10%... 45%... 99%.

He chuckled, thinking it was a clever fan-made ARG (Alternate Reality Game), and hit "Yes."

He hadn't just downloaded a file. He had accepted a contract.

Suddenly, the smell of damp earth and old leather filled the cramped cubicle. Kaito looked down. His mouse wasn't plastic anymore; it was cold, jagged stone. Behind him, the sliding door of the cafe booth creaked open. He didn't see the neon lights of Tokyo anymore. He saw a dense, foggy forest and heard the clumsy tripping of a girl's boots nearby.