Legendary Shadow Blacksmith

"Hm." Julian's hand gripped the handle of the taxi he was riding extremely hard, his heightened senses feeling even the smallest of turbulence and vibration. The flying vehicle hummed softly as it glided through the Sky Net, New Earth's sprawling aerial metropolis.

[Approaching Humanity Engineering, Earth Branch,] the AI driver announced. [Estimated arrival: two minutes.]

"Okay," Julian hummed, his long obsidian hair falling over half his face. He couldn't see the spectacle outside, but he could somewhat feel the energy of the city pulsing around him. The air pressure shifted as they ascended higher into the Sky Net's upper levels.

Holographic advertisements flickered past, their light dancing across Julian's tanned skin; tanned due to spending all the time in his forge.

"Hm!?" Julian gripped the handle even tighter as the taxi suddenly turned, almost causing him to jump from his seat.

[Hey, watch it! Can't you see your passenger is blind!?] MEGAN shouted – and as it was speaking to another AI, it heard the words loud and clear.

[My apologies,] the AI said. [Avoiding skyway congestion. We will discount the ride according to the inconvenience caused.]

[You better,] MEGAN scoffed, [I swear, these new AIs are trash.]

"..." Julian could not really say anything, unless he also wanted to be the target of its unpleasant mood.

Fortunately for Julian and the AI Driver, the vehicle soon decelerated, coming to a smooth stop as it docked just below the clouds in front of a skyscraper.

[We have arrived at Humanity Engineering, Earth Branch,] the AI announced. [That will be 60 credits.]

[60 Credits!?] MEGAN quickly rebutted, [Which company developed you!?]

"MEGAN, let's just… pay."

[They are ripping you off, Julian! See why I told you that you know nothing about this world!? It's always Ellie doing stuff for you!]

"...Let's just pay," Julian quickly stepped out of the taxi as soon as MEGAN paid; his cane, tapping on the ground as MEGAN started describing the surroundings.

"Welcome to Humanity Engineering!" And as soon as Julian entered the building, a cheerful voice welcomed him, "How may we assist you today?"

"I have an appointment," Julian turned his head toward the voice, "My name's Julian Winters."

"Julian Winters," the woman's eyes started glowing; almost like fireflies dancing inside her irises, "Ah, Mr. Winters! Please, follow me."

Julian just followed the woman to the elevator, not really saying anything or asking any questions at all.

"Otherworld Department," the woman said as the elevator door closed, "I suppose you are getting scanned today, Mr. Winters?"

"Yes," Julian could really only answer as the woman's tone was extremely friendly.

"Hmn… There's no need to be nervous," the woman let out a soft chuckle for some reason, "...It's an incredibly private procedure."

"...Private?"

***

"...Do you exercise, Mr. Winters?"

"No."

"You're… quite fit."

Julian was now inside a room filled with sensors and cameras, feeling the cold through his skin as he was currently completely… naked. As a matter of course, MEGAN was completely against this – but alas, it could no longer stop Julian at all. His entire body was now being scanned so that they could make an exact replica of his frame.

After all, it did not really matter to Julian – he had no concept of visual shame. Unbeknownst to him, however, the people who were observing him from the other side of the glass wall could not help but just gulp as they looked at his body.

Of course, Julian was incredibly lean and muscular; he was always lost in time inside his forge, hammering away and carrying entire metals by himself.

"Okay, can you lift up your hair? It is blocking your face and our computers can't scan it, Mr. Winters."

"Okay," Julian did as the technicians said, but what followed was utter and extreme silence for several seconds. If it wasn't for Julian clearing his throat, then the technicians would probably still have their jaws open.

[Hmph,] MEGAN let out a small harrumph, whether it was from disappointment or pride, no one would really know. The scanning lasted for a couple more minutes before Julian was asked to dress up and wait in the building's lobby.

"Mr. Winters," Julian did not really have to wait at all, however, as the woman who assisted him earlier was already there to welcome him in the lobby as soon as the elevator door opened, "Congratulations on finishing the 1st assessment. You can expect the delivery of your LinkGear as early as today – we will deliver it at the Serendra—"

"No," Julian raised his hand and interrupted the receptionist, "I already changed my address, please deliver it to the Park House suites."

"Park House suites?" The receptionist blinked a couple of times, "...That's in The Below, right?"

"Yes," Julian breathed out.

"Oh…" And as soon as he said yes, the smile on the receptionist slightly faded away; the tone of her voice, suddenly becoming strictly professional, "If that is all, Mr. Winters – have a nice day."

"...Hm," Julian did not really heed her change of tone any mind as he just left the building – a taxi, already waiting for him to bring him to The Below.

[Tch. Discrimination.] And as soon as they got inside the taxi, MEGAN quickly whispered into Julian's mind, as if anyone could actually hear its voice, [As soon as she realized you now live in The Below, she changed her tone.]

"That's fine," Julian sighed.

Earth, in its highly advanced state, is a marvel of technological and ecological harmony. Due to its high population, however, Earth has been divided into two areas:

The Sky Net, where most of the population live – and as its name suggests, it looked like a net veiling the surface of the planet. Cities are vibrant with holographic advertisements and mostly autonomous vehicles zipping silently through the streets. The air is crisp and clean, thanks to nanotechnology that filters pollutants at the molecular level – artificial beaches, forests, and green fields.

And then there's The Below, where old technology still exists and remnants of it can be seen everywhere. The old government deemed it more economical to just abandon the infrastructures – but The Below isn't a poor state, not at all… but it has a very bad reputation since most dubious people tend to live there instead.

And right now, after selling his apartment in the Sky Net, Julian was now renting an apartment in the deep parts of The Below.

The apartment was much smaller than what he previously had – it was even smaller than his forge. And yet it did not matter for Julian at all as he just sat on the bed while waiting for the LinkGear to be delivered…

…and not even 3 hours after he got home, the doorbell rang.

***

"This is… it?"

Julian was back on the bed, holding some sort of headgear and feeling it with his hands. He was not really given any instructions other than to just wear the LinkGear – they did, however, advise Julian to buy a more comfortable bed and even the prescribed capsule bed of Humanity Engineering. But of course, he did not really have any extra money to buy those things right now.

And so, with a sigh, he just decided not to think of anything anymore and just wore the LinkGear.

"...Nothing's happening."

[You wore it wrong, Julian. Turn it around.]

"Oh…" Julian removed the LinkGear from his head and wore it again with MEGAN's help – and as soon as he did so, an unfamiliar voice entered his mind.

[Please position yourself in the most comfortable way possible for you, we suggest lying down.]

"Okay," Julian followed the voice and lay down.

[We are detecting the Artificial Intelligence, Multi-sensory Environmental Guidance and Navigation, within your body — would you like to sync MEGAN to the LinkGear so that you would be more comfortable?]

"Yes," Julian did not really hesitate as soon as he heard the option.

[...This is scary, Julian,] MEGAN quickly whispered, [The thing is more advanced than me. Anyway, do you want me to fill up all the information they need?]

"I'll leave it to you," Julian smiled.

[Very well. Okay, yes… Yes, he is blind. Isn't that obvious – this AI isn't as smart as I thought it was,] MEGAN scoffed, [Is he fine with experiencing nausea? Pft, he should. The guy's a headache.]

"...You do know I can hear you, right?"

[I'm letting you hear me. But do tell me if it starts hurting too much, okay?] MEGAN sighed, [There's also terms and conditions, privacy policy, and then Live-streaming agreement, and then–]

"Just accept all of it," Julian could really no longer wait as he just urged MEGAN to skip everything.

[Very well, Julian. You are about to enter the Otherworld Project in 5… 4…

3… 2…

1…

…I will see you on the other side, Julian.]

"What do you mean…"

And before Julian could finish his words, he felt his speech slurred as his consciousness just completely faded away.

And very soon, Julian experienced something he had never really experienced before – something he could not quite explain at all.

In the darkness that has plagued him his entire life… was something. He couldn't explain it at all, but there was something there.

"Huh…?" Julian tried reaching out – and as soon as he felt the 'something' with his hands, he finally realized what it was.

"J…Julian, stop it!"

"MEGAN?" The thing began to move, causing Julian to retract as he recognized the voice coming from it, "That's… a face? That's… what… huh…"

"Yes, Julian…" MEGAN's face moved in a way that Julian could not really explain just yet. But as he heard the tone of MEGAN's voice, he could not help but just hold his already stuttering breaths.

"That… that is what sadness looks like? It…" Julian couldn't breathe at all anymore as the rest of MEGAN's body began to materialize – he didn't really know what to feel as he couldn't really understand what he was… seeing.

That's right. He was… seeing.

"I'm… not sad, Julian," MEGAN smiled; her voice also trembling, "I'm very… I'm very happy for you."

"But your face…

…why does it feel like Ellie's?"