The Clerk They Call Ceasefire

Mahiro was stocking instant noodles when a glowing panel opened above the register and ordered him to clear a hidden room for a reward that could save his shift, but cost him part of his memory if he failed. He kept smiling at the customer in front of him, even while his hands trembled, because the store stayed peaceful only when he did. A sealed stone in his locker, a broken charm in the dorm, and a ring taped inside his vest all seemed useless until the same set of coordinates kept turning up in places they should never fit. Then the system pushed him into a higher risk quest, and he had to choose between the safe path written on the panel and the ugly choice the panel could not predict. T...