When death in the simulation is death for real... loyalty is the only thing that keeps you alive.

Ariel convinces her best friend Jenna to join NASTI—Nexus Advanced Systems Technology Inc.—for the final round of beta testing before their immersive combat simulations go public. It's easy cred, full perks, no strings... except one.

Zeroed in cyberspace is zeroed for real!

As Ariel's kill count climbs and her rank surges, she begins to realize the truth: she's responsible for most of the replacement testers cycling through the system. The ripperdoc warns her:

"You've made a name for yourself. The others will be coming for you."

And Ghost—her implanted AI—delivers a darker truth:

"NASTI is grooming you. Not just for war, for command."

Now, Ariel's not just fighting to survive. She's fighting to protect Jenna—because bringing her into this world might have been a deadly mistake. And in NASTI's world, second chances don't exist.