*>Level 2:*

 

The screen generated a new landscape - this level was slightly harder.

"There's more things you need to dodge," the boy said. "But that's not the only thing."

"Is that so?" Jisha said.

"Yes, as you can see..."

He drew a line through the map just as he did last time. However, this time, when the car followed the path...

 

*>Game Over.*

 

"... the car's too wide to fit between those two rocks."

"I see. This isn't a bad warmup, then."

Navigating confidently through uncertain terrain was one of the many skills required to obtain a license. It made sense, though. If the DMV had minigames here, they likely had some purpose.

"Warmup? You..."

"Ah, it's nothing," Jisha said as she drew a green line from start to finish.

 

*>Level clear!*

*>Level 2:*

 

"The first levels are basically just tutorials. This game gets surprisingly complicated down the line..."

 

*>Level clear!*

*>Level clear!*

*>Level clear!*

 

*>Level 5:*

*>Time remaining: 60s*

*>Time remaining: 59s*

*>Time remaining: 58s*

*>...*

 

"There's a time limit now?" Jisha asked.

"Yeah... you can't drive without being able to make quick decisions, right?"

"That's true."

 

*>Level clear!*

*>Level clear!*

*>Level clear!*

*>Level clear!*

 

60 seconds was more time than necessary for these levels, but the uptick in difficulty was apparent.

"You're getting the hang of this," the boy said.

"Hehe, thanks."

 

*>Level clear!*

*>Level 10:*

 

"Careful here, though. Level 10's the first time I died."

"Hm..."

At first glance, this level seemed like the easiest one so far. The game did introduce one new thing, though - an intersection. Every couple of seconds, a car drove along the other road crossing horizontally through the screen.

*He probably did this, then...*

Jisha drew a green line from bottom to top, pressed play, and...

 

*>Game Over.*

 

"So it got you too, huh? That's understandable... The time limit makes it so stressful," the boy said, sighing.

"What did I do wrong?"

"That's..." the boy sheepishly turned away.

*He kind of reminds me of Castle.*

She'd already gotten extremely lucky in this life by meeting someone like Castle on day 1 of Synergy's launch. If the boy in front of her actually was Castle, then it was practically direct proof that some higher power was dictating the course of her life.

*It's not him, though. He's too old.*

The game had automatically restarted upon death, and the boy speedran through the first ten.

"You're so fast!" Jisha praised.

"Naturally. I'm here almost every day," he said.

 

*>Level 10:*

 

"So... it's just about timing..."

To demonstrate, the boy waited several seconds. A car periodically whizzed through the intersection.

"See... every two and a half seconds... Now."

With one more brief wait time, he pressed play.

The player's car drove up the screen.

Another car drove across.

And the player's car rolled safely through the intersection.

"It's easier here than there so far," he said, gesturing towards the reception desk. "But this game, if you play long enough, gets even harder than the real thing."

*Interesting. This game on the wall is even harder than the test itself?*

"Do you have a license?" Jisha asked.

"That's..." the boy averted his gaze again. "The test is too hard."

"Really? I saw you get a high score in this game."

"Yes, but... there's other things, too."

"Hm. Like what?"

"Physical tests."

"Hm..."

"The centrifuge made me too sick to stand. I couldn't eat for the rest of the day."

"Do you have a permit?"

*The physical tests for license and above might be too strenuous for my current body, but the ones for the preliminary exam shouldn't be too bad?*

"Yes, even I have at least that much."

"What do you mean 'even' you?"

"..."

*Another sensitive subject? How shy can you be? ... Actually, wasn't I supposedly even worse than this?*

"You can't possibly mean you're not good enough for something, right?"

"..."

Jisha sighed. "Don't you have the all-time high score for this game?"

"Well..."

"Look, how many people have ever tried this? A lot, right?"

Whereas the real tests cost money, simply walking inside the DMV and experiencing its attractions was free. There should have been no shortage of people trying their hand at these games.

"Show me the top scores," Jisha said, tapping at the screen.

*Let's see... main menu... here.*

"Wait, stop!"

The boy tried to grab Jisha's arm in an effort to stop her, but she was too slick.

With the press of a few buttons, a list of names and numbers scrolled into view.

 

*>Leaderboard: All-time*

*>1 - AJ : 478*

*>2 - AJ : 475*

*>3 - AJ : 473*

*>4 - Prisci : 472*

*>5 - AJ : 472*

 

The boy froze.

"What are you looking at me like that for? Don't tell me you're ashamed of these scores, 'AJ'?"

"Don't-! Don't say that out loud..."

"What are you so embarrassed for? You told me you're here all the time, and your name's plastered across the top of this list for the public to see. Whoever you're afraid to show this to... you know very well they can see it, right?"

"I..."

"You're the game's number 1 player out of how many people?"

 

*>Leaderboard: Global*

 

Jisha's eyes nearly popped out of her sockets.

*Top 1 global???*

Where was the hype? She looked around, but everyone continued minding their own business. Only one or two people stopped for several seconds to observe before moving on with their lives.

"Why is no one interested? This is incredible!"

"What do you mean?" the boy scoffed. "What's so incredible about a game like this?"

He turned away and restarted the game in a shallow attempt to ignore her.

*This kid...*

"Look, AJ," she said, softening her voice. "Being the best in the world, even for something as trivial as this, is no minor feat."

*The labels "best in the world" and "greatest of all time"... It's difficult for most people to grasp the true power behind these words.*

"See, even you admit that it's trivial," AJ argued.

"There's nothing trivial about being number 1."

"Really? Look around us and see how many people care."

"Agh... How do I get this across to you?" Jisha scratched her head in frustration. "Look at the players below you. Have you spoken to any of them?"

"Well... I know 'Prisci'."

"And?"

"The only thing she ever asks is how to beat level 472."

"And... what do you think about that?"

"I keep telling her, but she doesn't stop asking. She's annoying."

"Do you know why she asks that?"

"Obviously because she wants to beat the level...?"

"Yes, but what else?"

"I... don't know?"

"It means you can do something no one else can. Prisci has accomplished something millions of others couldn't, and she *still* asks *you* for help."

"..."

"Think of how many people want to be like her. Do you think she's trying her hardest to win?"

"Of course."

"Do you think thousands of others are trying their best as well?"

"I don't know."

"Well let me tell you the answer, then. It's *yes*. They are trying just as hard, if not harder than you are."

"... That can't possibly be true."

 

"Why do you think that?"

"Isn't it obvious. It's just a minigame..."

The phrase "just a game"... was uttered by outsiders looking in. But to those who spent large amounts of their time on these games... it became their lives.

*The infamous "no-lifers."*

Even games as trivial as this one oftentimes had their own small community of members. When there was a community, there was likely a competitive scene. This competitive scene was home to players who spent countless hours honing their craft.

"What makes you come back to try this again and again?"

"I..." the boy bit his lip. "... am addicted. Just a little."

Sure, some may say it was useless. In fact, most would. Those who were addicted to games were ruining their lives. An addiction to games was no different than an addiction to drugs.

But that wasn't always the case.

"Why? If it's a sensitive subject, that's alright."

Was he running away from his family? Was he a social recluse like she was? Or...

"No, I just really like this game."

"Pfft... So it was none of the above?"

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing."

This was the most potent type of addict. Not one that was running away from any problems, but one who was immersed in a world inside their head.

*I know this all too well.*

From a young age, everyone around her always criticized her for inadequate socialization. Instead, her head was filled with shapes and colors of her own imagination. When she turned 16, this addictive personality turned towards combat and Synergy.

"I knew I shouldn't have told you..."

"Don't be ashamed. This is actually a good thing, you know?"

"Why?"

This type of addiction was a double-edged sword. Some may call it addiction, but others would call it...

"Passion."

"Huh?"

"You're really passionate about what you do."

"Passionate... That sounds way too good of a word?"

"Maybe. But isn't it true?"

"..."

"It would be one thing if you just came here to avoid something else. It's another to see your name on top of a leaderboard... above millions of others. Is it not?"

"I don't know."

"Of course you won't know right away. Besides, if no one else will accept you... I will."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Play Synergy and join my guild."

"What's that?"

"A new VR game."

"I don't really like VR games..."

Jisha shook her head. "Unfortunately, that doesn't really matter. Soon enough, the whole world will be playing it."

"..."

"You're understandably doubtful, but you'll see soon enough. You're gonna play, right? What's your username gonna be?"

"Wh- I didn't even say I wanted to play."

"That's an interesting username. I'll keep it in mind."

She turned away and focused on the bot receptionist.

 

*>14:28*

 

*It's almost time.*

"Wait-! My username... it's Ajota."

Jisha turned back slightly to acknowledge Ajota's presence. "Perfect. Expect a friend request from me as soon as you're online."

She left the boy bewildered. Nobody in real life was interested in the same thing as he was until today. The girl he met... Well, she wasn't exactly interested in DMV Frogger, but it was the first time anyone had acknowledged his accomplishment face-to-face.

*Though he shouldn't have been able to recognize me. This robe hood thing is a lot more useful than I expected it to be.*

Conveniently, it had an "anonymous mode" where the color scheme turned to something that wasn't associated with Slyker - this time black and gray.

"14:30 up next. Right this way, young one," the bot receptionist said as she approached.

The attention of the gamblers on the couch was immediately piqued.

"Is that girl actually attempting prelims?"

"She looks too young. No way, right?"

"I suppose their family is wealthy enough to have her take practice attempts before the real thing..."

*Practice attempt... Right.*

Though she wasn't close to the youngest person to have passed the DMV preliminaries, most who tried were at least 18.

*It's a shame I can't attempt the Gold license test right away.*

Learner's permit? Such a thing wasn't even in Jisha's eyes, but there was no way to skip levels.

*Maybe it's a good thing, though. My body's not fit enough to guarantee success anyway.*

She shelved her concerns for the future and cleared her mind. The only time that mattered was now.