Niko’s bouncing slowed—only slightly—at the mention of “no going back.” He watched the goggles float in front of him with wide eyes, his reflection visible in the tinted lenses. His Digivice looked like something out of a limited-edition anime box set: round pink frames with star-shaped lenses.

He reached out and took them gently, as if afraid they might vanish. “These are so me!” But then the angels’ words sank in. No way back. Not until the job was done. His grin faltered for a second.

He looked at the others. None of them looked particularly ready. And honestly? Neither was he. This wasn’t a game or a dream. This was real. He could die here, right? Or worse—fail. What if he wasn’t strong enough? What if he let everyone down?

The doubt started to creep in. Just like it always did. Just like at school. Just like with his dad. Just like every time he tried to be himself and it backfired. But then, Niko tightened his grip on the goggles and took a deep breath. This was his chance. The kind of chance people like him never got. He couldn’t let fear take it from him. He slipped the goggles around his neck like a necklace, stood tall (well, tall-ish), and forced a smile back onto his face. “I’m in,” he said. “I mean… if the Digital World needs help, then I wanna help.”