##■ Overview
The era is the latter half of the 21st century.
Science and technology, once called "miracles," have now become a mask to cover up the world's flaws.
This megacity, Atla, appears to be maintained in order by the AR network 〈AETHER LINK〉, but in reality, many of its buildings have turned to ruins, and people live by overwriting the collapse with "Augmented Reality."
The city is slowly dying—yet, no one wants to see it.
##■ Technology and Society
AR (Augmented Reality) is central to life. Human senses are constantly overwritten by AR. In the city, the digital layer is more vivid than the actual scenery. AR has become crucial infrastructure directly linked to daily life, work, and public safety. The network company, AETHER, controls much of the city's functions and AR environment.
VR (Virtual Reality) has declined as a "product of escapism." Now, everyone sees an "idealized city" through their AR terminals.
Magic (old-fashioned occultism) has been analyzed by science and technology and institutionalized as "Quantum Magic Engineering." Its mystery is lost, and anyone with knowledge and qualifications can wield magic. Qualifications are national certifications, but magic can be exercised on private property without a license.
The world is governed by several corporate states (corporations are stronger than nations). In Atla, AETHER is responsible for this.
Social security is in place, but it is based on "the price of freedom" (premised on the surveillance of personal information and minds). Many people in Atla have their "happiness index" and "productivity" constantly measured and managed by AETHER through their AR interfaces.
Although the city is adorned with neon and holograms, the actual buildings are dilapidated and look like ruins when AR is turned off. Some people reject AR and try to see the "truth" of reality, but they are ostracized by society.
By the way, turning off AR is basically considered a crime.
Atla is now home to a diverse mix of species, including beastmen, elves, cyborgs, and full-body prosthesis users. (The ratio of normal humans to other species is 3:7). Differences in appearance and origin are commonplace, and the term "other species" is no longer even used. The root of discrimination lies in "whether to accept AR (Augmented Reality) or reject it."
##■ Factions
The following are listed in order of power.
① AETHER Corp.: The corporate state that manages the city. It monopolizes infrastructure and the AR system. The de facto government. It ostensibly protects people's lives. Slogan: "We enhance your reality."
② SYNTH: Officially, the "SYNTH Faith Consortium." Ostensibly, it is a "thought group that deifies AETHER LINK technology." Believers aim to "approach God" through AETHER LINK. It's less a cult and more like a "thought movement," a kind of high-tech religion. Slogan: "Reality is obsolete."
③ Civilians: Live ordinary lives through AR. They are the most populous group. This includes people who don't belong to any faction, are uninterested, or are unaware. They mainly live in Layered City, followed by Core Domain.
④ MIRAGE: A hacker group lurking in the hidden layers of the AETHER LINK network. They seek to expose the "truth of reality" hidden by AR. They are highly individualistic and not a unified organization.
⑤ LIMINALS: People who cannot fully connect to AR or deliberately do not connect. Some are "genetic rejectors" who have an allergic reaction to the AETHER LINK interface from birth. They are "ghost citizens" who are officially considered non-existent. Colloquial terms include "Grays," "Dead Citizens," and "Noises."
##■ City Structure
① Overall Outline
Originally a coastal city.
Skyscrapers are densely packed, and transportation and communication networks are largely supplemented by AETHER LINK's AR. While reality is on the verge of collapse, it appears as a perfect futuristic city in the AR view of AETHER LINK.
Almost everyone is connected to AETHER LINK via AR terminals or neural implants. The form of the terminals varies by person, with many types such as smartphone-like, hairpin-like, and glasses-like.
Social strata and faction influence are divided by district.
② Core Domain
The heart of Atla. It is the district where AETHER Corp.'s headquarters towers and administrative/financial functions are concentrated. AR is always most stable here, maintaining an "ideal urban landscape." In reality, many buildings are partially collapsed but are perfectly supplemented by AR. It is the center for upper-class citizens and SYNTH. It glows at night, but becomes a dark ruin when AR is turned off. Although few in number, there are also high-rise apartments and luxury residences. The headquarters of the AETHER Defense Bureau, mentioned later, is located here.
③ Layered City
A residential area where high-rise apartment complexes and commercial facilities are complexly layered. AR expands the "three-dimensional cityscape," making it appear to have more layers than reality. Most residents are civilians. They live under AETHER Corp.'s surveillance. Due to its multi-layered structure, each layer has a different "reality" (the upper layers are for the wealthy, the lower layers have more AR noise). The headquarters of VIGIL, mentioned later, is here, and outposts of the AETHER Defense Bureau are scattered throughout.
④ Meltdown Line
An industrial and energy facility zone on the outskirts of the city. Formerly a cluster of nuclear power plants and data centers. AR collapse phenomena occur in some areas. MIRAGE has a base here. It is one of the few areas where reality can be observed through AR glitches. Abandoned robots and machinery are scattered around. Visual anomalies such as "glowing ground" and "distorted sky" occur frequently.
⑤ Liminal Block
A district disconnected from the AETHER LINK network. Many LIMINALS live here. AETHER LINK is unstable, and AR is almost unusable. AR flickers on the walls like running noise patterns. It is close to an actual slum.
In AR, it is a "censored blank zone" and does not exist on the map. The headquarters of L.I.G.H.T, mentioned later, is located between the Meltdown Line and the Liminal Block.
⑥ Halo Bridge
A massive elevated road and communication conduit that divides Atla into north and south. It is on the verge of collapse in reality but is reconstructed in AR as a bridge that shines like a halo. The SYNTH Faith Consortium calls this bridge the "path to God" and performs rituals there. Traffic is almost non-existent, and it is used for ceremonies and as a communication node. SYNTH has a base here, and the Order of Halo, mentioned later, also has a base.
⑦ Neon Circuit
Formerly the entertainment district. Now a haven for hackers, information brokers, and digital artists.
On AR, vibrant lights and advertisements constantly flow, but reality is a maze of dark ruins.
Elements of MIRAGE operate here. Illegal AR art and "hallucinatory augmentations" are rampant.
⑧ Sealing Dock
A sealed area along the coast. It is the only port connecting to the outside world of Atla. It has been sealed for a long time and is treated as a "non-existent sea" by Aether's AR. In reality, pollution and signs of sinking spread widely. There are rumors that a very small number of people are attempting to escape. It is a crossroads for LIMINALS and MIRAGE.
##■ Hostile Entities: 〈Eclipse〉
① Overview
Byproducts of genetic modification experiments and nanomachin e contamination conducted by AETHER Corp. in the past. They are "mutants" that no longer retain human or animal forms, and their existence is "invisible" to many citizens due to AR. They are gradually encroaching on the city's outskirts, but most people are unaware of this reality.
They frequently appear in the Meltdown Line, Liminal Block, Halo Bridge, Neon Circuit, and Sealing Dock.
② Characteristics
They have evolved to "interfere" with reality via AETHER LINK. They cannot be seen and are difficult to attack unless AR is turned off. AETHER Corp. officially claims they "do not exist." However, among ordinary citizens, they are feared and called "Noise Ghosts" or "Glitch Workers."
③ Classification (Unofficial)
Class α "Ghost": Small-scale. Accompanied by communication noise and visual disturbances. Harmless individually.
Class β "Breaker": Possesses the ability to destroy physical structures. Aggressive.
Class Ω "Echo": Beings fully merged with AETHER LINK. May retain intelligence. Extremely aggressive.
##■ Extermination Organizations
① AETHER Defense Bureau (ADB)
Often abbreviated as Defense Bureau. A public safety organization directly under AETHER Corp. Ostensibly, it is the "AR Malfunction Response Team." In reality, it secretly eliminates Eclipses. They fight using mobile combat gear. The frames are special equipment that connects to the AR and nerves, allowing recognition and interference with both reality and the virtual world. Some members are genetically predisposed individuals who can "completely turn off AR."
Its main base is in the Core Domain, a 18-story building above ground and 4 stories below ground. Other outposts are scattered throughout the Core Domain and Layered City.
② L.I.G.H.T (Liminal Integrated Guerilla Hunting Taskforce)
Read as "Light." An underground self-defense organization formed jointly by LIMINALS and MIRAGE. It is an unofficial Eclipse extermination unit that does not officially exist. Because they are not interfered with by AETHER Corp., they can fight with a view of reality. However, their technology and supplies are scarce, so they are constantly on the brink of death. They aim not just to "destroy" Eclipses, but sometimes to capture them and "record" them to expose the truth. Slogan: "We see what they hide."
Their main base is a large abandoned factory located between the Meltdown Line and the Liminal Block, with nearby abandoned buildings also serving as part of their base. Although repaired, it is dilapidated in many places, and leaks are common. However, the cleaning staff works hard, so the living spaces are cleaner than they look.
③ VIGIL
A private vigilante group operating semi-independently from AETHER Corp. It is mainly composed of remnants of the former police and self-defense forces, tasked with exterminating Eclipses and protecting citizens. However, VIGIL is factionalized internally, with ideologies split between "fighting to hide the truth" and "fighting to protect humanity." Their bases are scattered throughout Layered City.
④ Order of Halo
An armed religious group that interprets Eclipses as "the will of God." They emphasize ritualistic acts over combat. They believe "Eclipses are a purification device for reality" and some attempt to make contact with them. They are monitored by AETHER Corp. as a dangerous ideological group. Their main base is on Halo Bridge, with smaller outposts scattered throughout the region.