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Chapter 3 - NEW PROJECT

After spending plenty of time browsing everything the internet had to offer, Aaron began thinking carefully about everything he needed to do to maximize his chances of making a spectacular start. He decided to prepare thoroughly during the short three months he had left. He would strengthen himself physically so that he could be in peak condition on the big day. This kind of game required countless hours of daily play, so he needed a physical condition worthy of a top-level athlete to endure long gaming sessions without wearing himself down.

He also didn't know whether his real-life abilities would have any effect on his in-game character, so he had every reason to be in the best shape possible.

He intended to be at the top both physically and mentally. His new goal had opened his mind, and he was determined to prepare himself as much as possible.

He imposed a strict training regime on himself over the next two months. Every day, he trained relentlessly while keeping an eye on all the game's news. Unfortunately, the game's developers had been extremely stingy with information—there were no videos or truly useful data to be found. Aaron knew he would have to rely on his gaming experience to try to stand out as quickly as possible.

As for his physique, in just two months, he was nothing like the young man slumped in his room. His body had already developed well, and his endurance had improved considerably. He was running nearly 10 km a day and doing plenty of strength training.

The gloomy atmosphere in the small apartment had shifted to something positive and energetic, much to the delight of Lisa and Paul, who watched their friend grow stronger each day.

"You've already put on a lot of muscle," Paul said, eyeing his friend who had just finished his morning workout.

"Yes," Aaron replied, clearly pleased. "In fact, for the final month, I'm going to switch to two workouts a day—I'm ready for it now."

"Don't push yourself too hard, buddy!"

"Don't worry, I saved up so much energy during that period when I wasn't doing anything that I feel like I've got plenty to spare."

"Ha! Ha! Ha! You make me laugh," Paul said, looking at his friend's exhilarated expression. "Anyway, I know that when you set your mind to something that motivates you, you give it 200%. And this time, with what's at stake, I'm not going to be the one slowing you down."

"Thanks, my friend. I can't wait for the big day."

And so, Aaron continued his training like a top-level athlete. He was disciplined and never let up. Lisa admired his unwavering determination and made sure to prepare hearty meals so he could regain his strength quickly.

Time flew by, and there were only three days left before the game's big launch. Paul had bought two *Your Second Life* headsets two months earlier and had given one to his buddy, who was deeply grateful. Even with the 30% launch discount, the headsets still cost €350—a heavy investment for the young couple. They had discussed it at length, and although it was a big sacrifice, they decided to help Aaron so he could continue regaining his strength and motivation. And who knew—if Aaron really gave it his all, maybe he could earn some money and try to pay off his debts.

As for Lisa, she couldn't really see how it was possible to make money from a video game and wasn't at all into the guys' "thing." But Paul had been so convincing when he explained just how good Aaron was at these kinds of games, and that he might actually have a chance at pulling off such an incredible feat. Without this, Paul had no idea how Aaron could ever get back on his feet. Finding a job that paid enough to cover his massive debts was nearly impossible.

They were fully ready to start this new adventure.

Sitting on the terrace, the two friends chatted about anything and everything. Before long, the conversation shifted back to the main topic of the past few months: the new video game.

"How are you feeling?" Paul asked his friend.

"I feel like I'm boiling inside," Aaron said, trembling with excitement. "I've never been this impatient in my life. I need to make sure I keep up my physical training and get plenty of rest if I want to manage 14 hours of play a day. They put a time restriction in place so people won't risk their health in real life. Not a bad idea. Fourteen hours is just a normal gaming day for me, so it's perfect."

"You seem so motivated. I'm glad to see you like this."

"You know, I don't have a choice. Since my wife died, it's been a complete descent into hell. I absolutely have to climb back up and get my daughter back. It was the final blow when social services decided to take her away from me. I've wasted far too much time wallowing in self-pity. I need to work as hard as possible to pay off my debts as fast as I can."

"I support you 100% in all this, buddy," Paul said, deeply concerned.

"I took out massive loans to take care of my wife during her illness. It wasn't easy. Having to stop working for over a year and a half cost us dearly. The insurance was supposed to cover a large portion of her care, but they didn't—claiming there were several errors in Angélique's file. But even without that, I did everything I could to make sure she had the best care possible until the very end. I gave my all to support her and stay by her side until her last breath... unfortunately..."

"Yeah, I know," Paul said, wiping a small tear from the corner of his eye. "We've never really talked about it, but I can assure you—you were exemplary until the very end."

"Thanks, buddy... It's going to take me a long time to pay back everything I owe, but I couldn't see myself making it by getting a normal job. Without a diploma, how long would it take me to pay back over €150,000 in debt? I know it seems impossible, but when you told me about the game's release, I felt deep inside that I had to do this. I don't yet know how I'll pull it off, but I'll do whatever it takes to pay off my debts thanks to this game."

"In any case, I believe in you!" Paul said, locking eyes with his friend. "And I'll help you as much as I can to reach your goals!"

"Thanks," Aaron replied, a little moved. "I don't say it enough, but thank you for everything you do for me. You're truly exceptional. I promise that one day I'll repay you a hundredfold. Without you, none of this would have been possible, and I'd be out on the street."

"Come on, I'm your best friend—and to me, you're like a little brother. It's only natural we help each other. Besides, I have to admit, I can't wait to be in the game with you and go adventuring."

"Yeah, me too. I'm really glad you're doing this with me."

"All the better, then."

After that emotional conversation, Aaron felt lighter. He hadn't been able to talk about all this since his wife's death, and opening up had done him a world of good.

The following days were a mix of adrenaline and euphoria. Aaron was ready. His preparation had been worthy of the Olympics. Being a former athlete, he had no trouble coming up with the perfect action plan to get ready in less than three months, and he was proud of the result.

He had even done relaxation and yoga sessions to sharpen his mind and be ready for any situation. His mind and body were now at their peak—it was just a matter of starting the game and unleashing all the energy he had built up.

With the game's official countdown displayed online, he checked every day to see how many hours remained before he could finally dive into this new world. The developers had only provided vague information so far, so he didn't have much of a head start over other players—but he was determined to stand out quickly.

The big day finally arrived. Aaron and Paul were both in their rooms, eagerly waiting for the game to launch. They were lying down, headsets already in place. The start was moments away.

3… 2… 1… It was go time!

Aaron and Paul powered on their headsets.

A small voice rang out.

"Initialization!"

Suddenly, Aaron opened his eyes to find himself floating among the stars in an infinite space. It was simply extraordinary. He had never experienced anything like this before. The game hadn't even started, and he was already blown away.

The small voice from earlier spoke again:

"Body scan!"

Then:

"Synchronizing character with sensory input."

After a few seconds, a gentle voice echoed inside Aaron's mind, as though coming from the depths of his consciousness:

"Hello, my name is Filia. I am your digital consciousness. I will be by your side for your entire adventure. Your parameters have been successfully recorded. I wish you a very pleasant gaming experience."

"Th… thank you, Filia," Aaron replied, unsure if he was even supposed to answer.

"You're welcome. You can communicate with me at any time in the game if you need help with any feature."

"OK!" Aaron said, surprised and delighted by the whole thing.

"What would you like to be called in the game?" Filia asked.

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