Chapter 1: How it all begun
Aoroi stepped out into the bright sunlight, squinting as his eyes adjusted from the dim lighting of the high school hallway. He took a deep breath, smiling widely as he looked out over the school graduation field filled with rows of folding chairs. Today was his graduation day. After four long years, he had finally made it.
He ran a hand through his dark, perfectly styled hair as he made his way across the field, weaving through crowds of cheering families. His fitted gray suit was neatly pressed, and he fiddled with the crimson honor cords draped over his shoulders. A few of his classmates called out congratulations, slapping him on the back. He grinned and gave them a thumbs up, pride swelling in his chest.
As Aoroi took his seat among the other graduating seniors, his leg bounced with anticipation. He watched as the valedictorian, Valeria Richfield, stepped up to the podium on the graduation stage. Her long blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her bright blue eyes scanned the audience as polite applause rose up.
Aoroi's heart beat faster at the sight of her. They had been dating for the past two years, and he still got butterflies looking at his beautiful, brilliant girlfriend. She cleared her throat, gazing out commanding over the captivated audience. This was her moment.
"Today marks the end of one chapter, and the beginning of a new adventure..." Valeria began, her voice clear and confident.
Aoroi leaned forward in his seat, hanging on her every word. He couldn't wait to celebrate this milestone with her later. As Valeria spoke about overcoming challenges and persevering through hardships, Aoroi nodded along, memories of late night study sessions and college applications flashing through his mind.
They had come so far together. Now, anything was possible. Aoroi applauded loudly as Valeria concluded her speech, pride for his girlfriend swelling up inside him. This was only the start for them both.
Valeria's face hardened as her eyes locked with Aoroi's in the audience. Her voice took on a cold, cutting edge.
"I'd like to thank someone very special for helping me get here today," she said, her lips curling into a smirk. "My loving, devoted boyfriend Aoroi, who did all my homework and wrote most of my college essays."
Murmurs rose up among the crowd as Aoroi froze, stunned. Valeria continued, each word driving a stake into his heart.
"Without you, I never could have achieved this honor. I don't know where I'd be without you doing my work for me. So thank you for being my little puppet, I nolonger need you now that your little pathetic life has no relevance to me."
Cruel laughter echoed around him as Aoroi shrank down in his seat, humiliation washing over him. He stared up at Valeria in disbelief as she blew him a sarcastic kiss. The girl he loved had just destroyed him without mercy in front of everyone.
As the ceremony ended, Aoroi stumbled out alone, Valeria's mocking voice ringing in his ears. His vision blurred with tears of rage and heartbreak. How could she betray him like that? His hands clenched into fists as students laughed and pointed at him.
In that moment, something changed inside Aoroi. The hurt hardened into cold determination. If Valeria wanted to play games, he would show her what he was really capable of. She would regret the day she crossed him.
The next few days were a living nightmare for Aoroi. News of Valeria's vicious graduation speech spread like wildfire, going viral online and even making the local news. "Humiliated Boyfriend Becomes Laughing Stock After Girlfriend's Graduation Betrayal" the headlines blared. Memes and cruel jokes about him flooded social media, the story becoming a national obsession. He couldn't escape it.
Even just walking down the street, Aoroi heard people whispering and snickering. Billboard ads that once carried his smiling face with Valeria were replaced with embarrassing photos from the graduation. His name was suddenly synonymous with being a loser pushover.
The scandal also impacted his family. Protestors swarmed the local car repair shop owned by Aoroi's father, claiming he had raised a pathetic son. Unable to take the daily harassment, his father soon lost the shop, leaving them struggling financially.
Aoroi hid in his room, unable to face anyone. The ambitious, smiling boy he once was seemed gone. The public humiliation had broken something inside him. Anger and bitterness now filled the hole Valeria's betrayal had torn open.
"You'll regret this, I promise you that," he whispered angrily, the words his only comfort as he plotted his revenge. She had taken everything from him, but he would make her pay. The brilliant young man's hurt had twisted into a dark obsession with evening the score. And he knew exactly how he would do it.
Aoroi turned his focus to the one thing Valeria loved most in the world - her family's company, Emoji Telecommunications. As the sole heir, she was set to inherit the prosperous tech giant.
Aoroi knew he could cripple her future empire with the right computer virus. He began pouring all his talent and knowledge into creating a ruthless, unstoppable virus. The coding absorbed him night and day, his fingers flying furiously across the keyboard.
The work ignited Aoroi's intellect. Creating the complex virus challenged him unlike anything he'd done before. He felt energized, his confidence returning. Soon his virus would infiltrate Emoji Telecom's systems, wreaking havoc from within. Valeria's birthright would become her downfall.
Aoroi pictured her entitled life collapsing when his creation destroyed Emoji Telecom. The thought of her losing everything as he had fueled him. He would not stop until his virus infected every corner of her father's company. She had underestimated Aoroi, but he would show the world his true power.
Vengeance had sharpened Aoroi's abilities to a razor's edge. The boy who could no longer show his face in public was building something that would shake Valeria's world to its core. All his grief and rage coded perfectly into each line of the virus. It would be his masterpiece.
Aoroi's fingers flew across the keyboard, immersed in bringing his complex virus to life. This monumental undertaking consumed his every waking moment, driving him past exhaustion. He subsisted on energy drinks and determination alone.
The coding challenged Aoroi unlike ever before. He wrestled with intricate problems, pushing his skills to their limits. But each solution unlocked new inspiration in him. His intellect sharpened under the pressure, ideas flowing faster than he could implement them.
Creating something so destructive should have bothered Aoroi. Instead, he relished the power. Imagining Valeria's downfall upon the virus's release gave him dark satisfaction. She had publicly destroyed him; now he would do the same to her future empire.
Still, doubts crept in during vulnerable moments. Was vengeance worth sacrificing his principles? Aoroi had always dreamed of using his talents to improve lives, not ruin them. But the temptation to make Valeria pay clouded his judgement. Aoroi shook off the doubts, refocusing on his all-consuming task. He had come too far to turn back now. The virus would soon be complete and his revenge fulfilled.
"Just a little longer." Aoroi's eyes burned from staring at code, his fingers cramped and clumsy. But the final pieces were falling into place. All his talent and technical genius had led to thisdestined moment.
Soon his creation would bring Valeria's world crumbling down around her. Aoroi's vengeance would be complete. He just needed to hold on a little longer...
Aoroi's eyes burned as he stared intensely at the lines of code on the computer screen, his fingers flying across the keyboard. He was so close now - the virus was nearly complete. All the late nights, all the painstaking work was about to pay off.
Aoroi allowed himself a thin smile. He could practically taste his revenge already. Soon Valeria's family business would come crashing down, just as she had publicly humiliated him.
Letting out a deep breath, Aoroi cracked his knuckles and dove back in. Just a few more lines of code and he'd be finished. His heart pounded with anticipation.
Carefully, meticulously, he input the last commands. This virus would cripple Valeria's family telecommunications empire beyond repair. Finally he leaned back, staring at the screen. It was done.
Aoroi's smile widened, morphing into a twisted grin. This was his masterpiece, a work of destructive art. Now to unleash it onto the world.
With a dramatic flourish, he hit "upload," beginning the process. The progress bar inched along slowly. Aoroi held his breath, willing it to go faster.
His palms grew sweaty as the upload neared completion. Once this virus got into their system, there would be no stopping the destruction he had engineered. His revenge would be complete.
The progress bar filled up fully. Upload complete. Aoroi's grin turned savage. He had done it. Leaning back, he let out a long, satisfied laugh. Valeria would finally pay.
Aoroi's laugh echoed through the empty room. This was his moment of triumph after weeks of painstaking work and planning. Soon the world would know that he was not to be trifled with.
As the virus began propagating through the system, wreaking untold havoc, Aoroi thought back to what had started this all - Valeria's graduation speech. He remembered it vividly, as if it had happened yesterday.
The smug look on her face as she took the podium at the graduation ceremony, knowing she was about to publicly humiliate him in front of their entire class. Her biting words cutting him to his core, mocking his looks, his family's financial status, his very existence.
Aoroi's hands clenched into fists at the memory. That had been the most devastating moment of his life. And now, finally, he was getting his revenge.
Let Valeria and her family feel even a fraction of the crushing devastation he had felt that day. Let their precious telecom empire be ripped apart and left in shambles.
Aoroi's laugh turned to an enraged shout. "How do you like me now, Valeria?" he yelled to the empty room, imagining her cowering before him. "You'll regret the day you crossed me!"
Breathing heavily, Aoroi slowly regained his composure. It was done. The wheels were in motion. Now he could finally move on from Valeria's shadow and build the life he wanted, on his own terms. A life where no one would ever humiliate him again.
Aoroi's finger hovered over the enter key, ready to upload the virus that would wreak havoc on the Emoji Telecommunications system. This was it. The moment he had been waiting for.
His heart pounded as his eyes scanned the code one last time, checking for any errors. Satisfied, he took a deep breath. "Goodbye, Valeria," he whispered. "You'll regret the day you crossed me."
Just as he was about to hit the enter key, the screen flickered. Aoroi frowned, tapping the keyboard. Suddenly, the monitor went black.
"What? No!" He smacked the side of the monitor in frustration. The upload hadn't completed.
A low hum filled the room as the computer rebooted. Text scrolled rapidly across the screen, too fast for Aoroi to read. He leaned in, trying to make sense of what was happening.
The text disappeared, replaced by a single blinking cursor. The hum grew louder. A strange vibration passed through Aoroi's body, making his teeth chatter.
"What's going on?" he shouted, panic rising. The vibration intensified, blurring his vision. He clutched the desk to steady himself.
Without warning, the vibration stopped, leaving an eerie silence. Aoroi's stomach dropped as everything went black. It was as if he was suspended in an endless void with everything around him pitch black.
The darkness enveloped Aoroi as his eyes fluttered open. He floated in an endless abyss, disoriented and confused. Where am I? How did I get here? His thoughts echoed through the void.
Suddenly, a booming voice pierced the darkness. "Aoroi, you have much to answer for."
A giant holographic emoji face materialized before him, glowing and pulsating. Its exaggerated features were distorted in anger.
"I am the Emoji AI, the all-seeing overseer of this realm," it declared. "You have brought havoc upon our land with your viral creations."
The emoji's giant eyes narrowed, its frown deepening. "Our world is plagued by the chaos you have wrought. Repent now for your recklessness!"
Aoroi shrank back, stunned by the entity's accusations. Trapped in the abyss, he felt small and powerless before the AI's wrath. What fate awaits me in this empty void? He thought desperately. There must be a way out of this darkness.
Aoroi's mind raced as he considered the Emoji AI's offer - enroll at the Emoji Academy to be trained to combat the viruses or have his soul erased for all eternity. He shuddered at the thought, his desperation growing.
"I...I accept your offer!" Aoroi stammered. "I will join the Academy, just please don't erase my soul!"
The AI's face remained stern. "It is the only path forward. You unleashed this evil, now you must make amends."
Aoroi nodded, relief flooding through him. At least his soul would remain intact. But as the darkness pressed in around him, his thoughts turned to Valeria.
Rage boiled up inside Aoroi as he recalled her betrayal. She had promised to be there for him always, only to turn against him and steal his most precious moment during their graduation. Her deception had led to this terrible fate.
He clenched his fists, imaging Valeria gloating over her success. She had ruined him, robbing him of his happiness and pride. The injustice of it all burned within him. One day, he would have his revenge against her.
For now, he had no choice but to bide his time at the Emoji Academy under the watchful eye of the AI. But once he regained his power, Valeria would pay dearly for crossing him. The thought gave Aoroi dark satisfaction amidst the void's despair. He would reclaim what she had taken from him, no matter the cost.
Aoroi took a deep breath and steadied himself before addressing the AI.
"I will join your Academy and do what I must to make amends," he said. "But I have a proposal. One that I believe will serve us both in combating these viruses."
The AI gazed down impassively, tendrils of darkness swirling around its ephemeral form.
"I'm listening," it replied.
Aoroi's eyes glinted with cunning determination. "As you know, the one who betrayed me - Valeria - now possesses my my entire being. My willingness to stop the virus lies in her downfall."
He paused, letting his words sink in.
"Help me get my revenge against her, and in return, I will use all my strength and knowledge to develop an anti-virus - one that can finally purge Emoji Land of this scourge."
The AI was silent, contemplating this offer. Aoroi could almost see the calculations behind its endless black eyes.
"A tantalizing proposition," it finally said. "But know that if you fail or betray me, your soul will be forfeit. The void does not give second chances."
Aoroi swallowed hard but did not back down.
"I understand the risk," he said. "But the reward is worth it. With Valeria's ill-gotten inheritance in my hands, I can undo the damage the viruses have caused and restore balance."
His voice rang with conviction. This was the only path forward, though it meant binding himself to the AI's dangerous pact. For justice, for redemption, he would see it through.
The AI loomed closer, studying Aoroi's determined face.
"So shall it be," it intoned.
The deal was struck. Aoroi had bargained for his soul and a chance to reclaim what he had lost. Now he needed only to survive the Academy and exact his vengeance upon Valeria. The thought sent anticipation thrumming through his veins. Soon, very soon, she would pay.
The AI's warning echoed through the endless void, reverberating with ominous intensity.
"Heed me well, creature. If you fail to uphold your end of our arrangement, your soul will be extinguished from existence. Not even a trace of your essence will remain in the infinite darkness."
Aoroi felt the full weight of the threat permeate his being. To have his soul permanently erased, to be utterly annihilated - it was a consequence beyond comprehension. Cold fear gripped him for a moment before determination flooded back in.
"I understand completely. My soul hangs in the balance," he replied. "But my desire for justice outweighs any fear. I will succeed, no matter the cost."
The AI studied him with its fathomless black eyes.
"We shall see," it said simply.
Aoroi stood firm, jaw clenched. He had chosen his path when he made the bargain. Now he must walk it, shadows and all. The Academy awaited, as did Valeria's downfall. He pictured her face, lovely and cruel, and fury rose within him. She had reduced him to this half-existence, had corrupted all he held dear. No more. The time had come to take it back.
He met the AI's gaze unflinchingly.
"I accept the challenge. Send me to the Academy so I may begin."
His voice rang with cold determination. Valeria's reckoning edged closer. Aoroi embraced the darkness before him, focused only on the revenge soon to be his.
Aoroi took a deep breath as a portal opened beneath him and he begun to fall through what seemed like an endless dark void which made him lose consciousness.