Volume 2, Chapter 2: What Happens in 2021
You are reading the official Taiyouverse light novel, Reset!!! We Tried to Run an Anime Convention… and Broke the Universe!!! Volume 2: The Controversy Game. Follow Sunny and the Sun Squad as they navigate a new reality at a school academy where popularity, reputation, and mystery shape the future. The Taiyouverse is a fictional story universe connected to Taiyou Con. Each volume takes place in a different reality. For convention news and updates, visit our Updates section.For real convention event updates, go to our Updates.)
Previously on… Volume 2: The Controversy Game! Sunny discovers that the Solis Core had changed reality and now, Taiyou Con Academy exists! However, she has no idea where her friends are, and how no one else remembers the previous reality. More importantly, the cactus species that invaded Earth is now part of the native population with humans! While Sunny was on her own, Ash wakes up in a strange place and finds even stranger things in this world.
Ash felt disoriented as he opened his eyes. One moment he was walking with his friends, but the next moment, he ended up in this big room full of people. He had no idea how he got there. His thought was that he must have spaced out and wandered off. As he looked around, he couldn’t remember exactly what he was doing there, but he did recall he was walking with his friends in the parking lot earlier and half-listening to someone argue about where to eat.
“Where am I?” He said to himself as he looked around.
There were tables all around with people surrounding them and yelling quite loudly. Sounds of cheers and disappointments rumbled at different stations around this gigantic room with wooden pillars and beams.
Ash noticed that these people were wearing school uniforms. The girls were wearing red pleated skirts and white sailor style tops, the type of school uniforms you would see in Japan or anime. The guys wore blazers and pants with colors that coordinated with the girl school uniforms. However, Ash was surprised that these students were not just playing a game at the table, they were gambling.
He began to look closely at the other tables. It was the same setup, and those students were having a great time playing different games. These tables stretched across the dimly lit room in organized rows, each one surrounded by students leaning forward with focused attention or leaning back with utter confidence. Some of them looked calm as they waited for the results of their gamble while others looked like they were about to break down.
“I can’t believe I lost again!”
The girl next to that player leaned closed and whispered, “You always lose.” She laughed before going back to check her phone.
“I was really hoping to win some CP before heading to class,” he cried. “Next time, I’ll just bet money instead.” The male student picked up his bag and walked away from the table while the girl followed him from behind. As she walked by Ash, she stopped and smiled at him.
“Hi, Ash!” She put her phone away and fixed her hair. Then she smiled and said, “What are you doing here? I didn’t think you would be here playing the games like the rest of us.”
“I somehow just ended up here,” he replied. The two of them stood there for a moment while Ash looked at her face. He noticed subtle smokey makeup, the shiny lip gloss and her cute round face. “Well, you…”
“Oh, I am Mickaela.” She said suddenly. “Everyone calls me, Miki! It’s nice to meet you.” She blushed while her eyes looked away for a second. “But now that we know each other, you should text me when you come here again.”
She quickly pulled a piece of paper and scribbled something on there.
“Here’s my number.” She handed the paper to Ash and smiled as she backed away. “Hit me up!”
Ash thought she was cute and smiled to himself as he put the paper in his jacket’s side pocket. As he did that, he noticed he was wearing a blazer. The blazer was the same blazer as all of the other students. He looked at the emblem on the blazer, and it read: Taiyou Con Academy.
“Oh, this is definitely not right.” He looked up and started slowly walking. “I have to get out of here!”
Ash started weaving between tables as he searched for an exit. The further he went, the more gambling he saw. Blackjack tables. Dice games. Dealers were moving with smooth, efficient motions, unaffected by whatever tension built around them.
Two students brushed past him, barely slowing down. One of them turned around and said, “oh wow, that’s Ash.”
The other saw that it was Ash and waved. “Hey, Ash! Gotta go, late for class.” Then they both went on their way.
“Hi, Ash.” Another girl said casually from another table.
Ash turned slightly and waved as he walked by. “Hey, good luck!” He didn’t know what else to say since he didn’t know anyone there. Ash hesitated for a moment and then continued walking.
Another student caught sight of him from across a table and lifted her hand to get his attention. Unlike all of the other female students, her sailor style top was different. It was a short sleeve version of what he previously saw.
“Well, if it isn’t Ash. Didn’t think you were the type to show up here. Are you playing today?” she asked. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she looked too young to be in a place like this.
Ash acted confidently and said, “…Just watching.”
“Suit yourself,” she said, already turning back to her cards. Then she put her cards down face up. “Full house.”
Her face became serious as she looked at the other players and then gave off a little grin. Everyone at the table folded their hands, and she let out a loud scream.
“Yes! I win again.” She threw up her arms in pure happiness.
Ash kept moving making his way through the crowd trying to find an exit. He found it strange that everyone seemed to know him yet they speak of him like they didn’t know him personally. He caught glances and whispers from students as he continued to trek to the exit.
Just as he turned the corner into the second part of the room, he saw something very strange on the counter with two pairs of scissors next to it. It was a small wooden contraption with four vertical strings on opposite ends. The eight strings were attached at the bottom and ran upwards where each string was holding a heavy sharp blade. As Ash examined the object, it reminded him of a guillotine except this one looked like four mini guillotines on each side of this thing. Below the strings were holes only small enough for fingers to fit.
“What is this?” Ash looked confused. At the same time, a chill went down his back. It was probably better for him not to find out. The entire place seemed like a creepy gambling den in horror movies.
That image of the contraption stayed in the back of his mind as he stopped beside a blackjack table. The dealer finished a round, flipping the final card with a clean motion before pushing a stack of chips toward one of the players. The student exhaled in relief, collecting the winnings while the others at the table reacted signed with defeat.
The dealer looked up at Ash. “Want to sit in?”
Ash shook his head.
The dealer gave a small, understanding nod and moved on without another word.
Ash stood there, watching for another second before pulling his attention away to the far wall. It looked like an exit door.
Finally! I need to find Sunny and the rest of the crew. Maybe they know what is going on.
A strange thought had entered his mind. He theorized that this could be the effects of the Solis Core, the reality changing crystal that Sunny destroyed a few days ago. However, only she knew if the crystal was truly destroyed. He realized he must find Sunny quickly.
“Assuming she is here… wherever here is,” he said to himself. “All right. No more distractions. Find Sunny and everyone else.”
He moved on and made his way toward the door on the far side of the wall. It seemed like the wall was not getting any closer even though he frantically walked and avoided the crowds. Sometimes, he had to squeeze in between a group of people blocking the walkway as they watched the games being played.
That was when the large digital screen on his left peripheral caught his attention. It was impossible to ignore as it hung from the ceiling. The bright sign against the darker low-tech room backdrop constantly updated the lines of text on the screen.
At the top of the screen, a bold and unmistakable title appeared:
2021 Games
Ash slowed down as he read the different games listed on the sign.
- A home team wins championship this year
- Gas prices reach $10 by end of year
- A previous Elite 12 student gets expelled next month
- Naruto anime gets a live action adaptation before Jujutsu Kaisen
- Spring talent show exceeds projected attendance
The text updated to the next page.
- The cryptocurrency Japan coin will rise to a record of $1000 in by end of semester
- Oil prices reach $100 by end of year
- Real life aliens confirmed before school presidential election
- Meteor crashes into the earth during talent show
- Sunny survives controversy
The text updated again to another page. The updates went by so fast that Ash could barely read everything in one glance.
“What does 2021 have to do with this place?” Ash said aloud. “Could this be Taiyou Con Academy in 2021? No, that doesn’t make sense.”
It appeared that people weren’t betting on cards or dice alone. They were betting on outcomes of events. Anything that hadn’t happened yet, but there was a possibility. However, some of these bets seemed outrageous to Ash.
Ash stepped closer, trying to make sense of it, but a sudden burst of noise cut through his thoughts.
The eruption came from behind him, louder than any cheering he had heard so far. The noise pulled his attention in its direction like a magnet. A cluster of voices rose all at once and then followed by intense applause.
Someone had just won. Someone had won big enough for everyone else to start looking in that direction. The crowd around that table was thicker than the others with bodies pressed close as people leaned in to see.
Ash saw something that made him curious. He made his way through the students and came to something that he recognized instantly.
Red hair with curly pigtails, distinctly unique.
Honoka stood at one end of this massive craps table. Her left hand rested on the edge while the other held a pair of dice. Her posture was relaxed, but her confidence was oozing. Her eyes locked on the table surface in front of her, and the faint smile on her face made it clear she was enjoying herself.
“Come on,” someone near the table yelled.
“Keep it going,” another energetic girl added.
Honoka rolled her shoulders once and gave the dice a violent shake before letting them go across the table. They bounced and bounced before striking the table’s edge on the opposite end before settling into their final placement.
One die read 4. The other die displayed a 3. The total was 7 which meant she had won again, and the crowd went wild.
Cheers broke out around her louder than before. A few people jumped and clapped enthusiastically. Someone behind Ash let out a gasp like they had just watched something unbelievable happen.
Honoka leaned back slightly satisfied smile across her face. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
Ash stepped up beside her. “Honoka, what are you doing?”
She turned to face the voice calling her name and saw that it was Ash. “Ash! I’m so glad to see you!”
“I’m so glad to see you too! But what are you doing?” Ash repeated.
She glanced down at the table. “I guess I’m playing a game of dice. I think they call it craps or something.”
“Why?”
Honoka shrugged like she didn’t know herself. “I was with you, Sunny and the others walking in the parking lot heading to get some lunch. The next thing I knew, I was in the middle of this game, and I was winning. I kept playing, and I kept winning repeatedly.”
“How long have you been playing here?”
“Not that long. Maybe a few minutes? How long have you been here? Where is everyone else?” Honoka started looking around trying to see if Sunny, Kenji, Leon or anyone else was around. “What’s up with that school uniform you’re wearing?”
“Don’t know. Apparently, it belongs to Taiyou Con Academy,” Ash said as he looked at his school uniform again. The uniform did fit him nicely with perfect measurements everywhere. He looked at Honoka’s outfit too. “Seems like you have something similar to everyone else’s uniform too but not quite. All of the girls here have sailor scout tops but you just have a crop top and a bomber jacket although you’re wearing the same skirt as them.”
Honoka started checking out her outfit and stared at it for a second. The pleated school uniform skirt complemented her sneakers. Her slightly oversized bomber jacket almost looked like official merchandise from the gift shop. “I am looking fresh though.”
The dealer spoke up calmly despite the ruckus at the table. “Shall we continue the game? You have been doing exceptionally well.”
Ash gave him a curious look. “How well?”
The dealer gestured toward the screen on the table. It read Honoka Winnings: 3900 CP.
Ash followed his hand to the screen and then asked, “Is that like money? What’s CP?”
A dealer was a little surprised by the question. He didn’t know if Ash was playing a trick on him or joking with him. He let out a small laugh and decided to humor Ash since all of the people have left the table to venture elsewhere. “Well, here at 2021, you can wager money or your Cred Points. Honoka has been using Cred Points as the wager, and therefore, she wins Cred Points.”
“Oh darn, so no money for me.” Honoka snapped her fingers.
The dealer smiled. He started resetting the table as he talked. “I would say Cred Points are more important than money. It keeps you from getting expelled from the academy.”
“Um, what academy?” asked Honoka.
Another laughter came out of the dealer. He looked at both Ash and Honoka with amusement and said, “You two are hilarious! I didn’t think students in the Elite 12 had that much of a sense of humor. Shall we continue for another round?”
The table had been reset. The dice were ready. All that was needed was Honoka to start playing again.
Ash looked at Honoka and gestured with his head toward the door. There were more important things to discuss at the moment than winning more of these Cred Points the dealer mentioned. He gestured toward the door again with his head and cleared his throat.
Honoka looked at Ash for a moment and turned back to the dealer to excuse herself. “I think I will stop for now.”
“Very well. Your winnings will be added to your CP total.” The dealer went back to managing his station and waiting for the next players.
“By the way, what is my CP total?” she asked.
“If you pass the next three tables, you’ll can access the 2021 terminal on the right and see your ranking with everyone else and as well as your total,” replied the dealer without looking up and cleaning the table spot in front of him. “You are still ranked number one the last time I checked, Honoka. That has not changed for quite a long time, so your lucky streak has not been broken.”
The two of them thanked the dealer and headed over to the terminal. Once Honoka tapped the touchscreen for 2021 Winner Circle, a list of names popped up. Her name was at the very top of the list for best winning percentage. To her surprise, the stat said she has won 583,987 CP lifetime. The person in second place was not even close to Honoka at only winnings of 201,342 CP lifetime. The third rank was at 143,222 CP.
“Wow, that seems like a lot. Tell why I am not using money? We would be so rich!” Honoka looked down on the list of names. “I don’t see anyone else I know on here. Ash, do you recognize anyone?”
Ash leaned closer. “Nope. These are all new names to me.”
“You know what? I have a strong feeling that someone got to the Solis Core and changed reality,” she said as she turned to face Ash. “But wasn’t destroyed by Sunny?”
“That’s what I was thinking too, but even if it wasn’t, why would anyone change it to where students are gambling in this place… whatever this place is. What’s the point of putting us here and what’s this Taiyou Con Academy thing?”
Honoka turned off the screen and put both of her hands on Ash’s shoulders. She said in a low voice, “Whatever is happening, we have to find the others and figure it out.”
That was when a person approached and greeted both of them, “Good afternoon. How may I be of service?”
Ash and Honoka turned to face this new stranger. They looked at him, but neither of them recognized the person standing in front of there.
The man with glasses didn’t look out of place, but something about him stood out anyway. His posture was relaxed, his expression polite, but there was precision to the way he carried himself that didn’t match the casual chaos of the room.
“It’s an honor to have two members of the Elite 12 with us today,” he added.
Ash’s eyes focused onto his name badge. “…Mr. Aryman. We were just about to leave.”
The man smiled slightly and said, “You may call me Sal.” Then he gave a slight bow. “I know this is your first time in 2021, Ash. I hope you have found everything satisfactory.”
Ash let out a giant smile. “I’m having a great time!”
Sal’s smile didn’t change and shifted his attention to Honoka. “And as always, you continue to impress,” he proclaimed.
She put her hands on her hips as her head tilted to one side. “Of course I do.” She glanced at Ash. “I mean, we are Elite 12, after all.”
Ash looked at her and nodded. He knew that she clearly had no idea what they were talking about, but Sal returned his attention to Ash.
“Why don’t I show you around really quick? Make you get the whole picture of 2021,” Sal said as he started to walk away. “Come! I will end the tour at the exit so you can be on your merry way.”
Honoka and Ash exchanged looks with each other. Then they proceeded to follow Sal across the room. This was a perfect opportunity to get to the exit while learning a bit more about this place.
“Honoka, I know you have been here many times, so you’ll have to forgive me for repeating things you already know,” Sal said to her directly.
“It’s all right. I don’t mind.” Honoka put her arm around Ash’s shoulder. “Ash should get the full story.”
Sal pushed the glasses slightly on his face. “Excellent,” he said. He motioned Ash to walk beside him and started heading in the direction of the exit door.
“In my opinion, 2021 is one of the most prestigious clubs here at Taiyou Con Academy. It allows students to not only have some fun and win some money, but most importantly determines their future’s success. A prime example is Honoka! The number one ranked student in the entire academy, and it is largely due to the enormous amount of CP she has won here. It is a game changer!” Sal said proudly.
“Taiyou Con… 2021…” said Ash as he absorbed the information. The thought of 2021 being a club at Taiyou Con Academy did not occur to him.
“Do you know the story for the name 2021?” Sal asked. “Before the club became as popular as it today, it used to only do betting for things that had a 20 to 1 odd. High risk, high reward. Of course, over the years, we have offered lower stake games such as cards and dice among other things. But as you can see on that giant screen there, the 20 to 1 odds betting games are still the mainstay of 2021.”
The three of them looked at big screen as they walked by. It was one of the several big screens that displayed the 2021 Games throughout the club.
Sal led them away from the noise of the tables and toward the far end of the room. The energy shifted the further they walked. The cheers and frustration faded into something more controlled, more distant, until the conversations around them became quieter and more deliberate. The exit stood just ahead and was framed by heavy wooden doors that match the rest of the room’s illegal gambling feel.
Ash walked beside him, glancing back once at another massive digital screen on the wall.
“So this place… it’s just games?” he asked. “People come here to gamble and that’s it?”
“Not quite,” Sal said. “2021 is more… strategic than that. It’s not about the games themselves. It’s about what you choose to bet on.”
Ash looked at him and paused for a second. “Isn’t that gambling?”
“It depends on your perspective.” Sal continued walking as if he answered the question.
However, nothing was answered in Ash’s mind, but he kept the thought to himself. “I will keep that in mind.”
They passed another table. It was much quieter than the others. Two students sat across from each other, barely speaking. Both of them watched their cards like they were waiting for something more than a simple win or loss.
Sal continued, “Most people stay with the standard tables. Safe bets. Predictable outcomes. They gain a little, lose a little, and move on.” He paused just slightly. “But if someone is looking to move up quickly… they tend to look elsewhere.”
Ash already knew where this was going.
“The 20 to 1 games,” he said.
Sal gave a small nod. “Exactly.”
Honoka folded her arms, glancing toward one of the digital screens and asked, “That’s the longshot stuff, right? The ones people don’t expect to win?”
“The ones people underestimate,” Sal corrected.
Ash’s eyes started scanning the games until something caught his attention.
“…Sunny Survives Controversy.” He said while pointing at the listing. “What is that one?”
Sal read the list until he found what Ash was referring to, and there was a faint amusement in his expression.
“I’m not entirely sure,” he said. “That one appeared earlier today. I haven’t had the chance to read up on it. There are just so many things to do these days managing such a large operation.”
Ash gave Sal a confused look. “You are not in charge?”
“Me? No. I make sure things are run smoothly for everyone. I talk to the guests, supervise the games and handle the details. New games and approvals are introduced at the discretion of our curator,” Sal replied.
“Curator?” Ash asked.
“Mr. Blocking.” Said Sal. He pointed to a video camera on one of the columns. It was small and rotated back and forth scanning the room. “He’s is in charge and knows everything.”
Honoka tilted her head slightly and snickered. “Sounds very mysterious.”
“And where is he?” Ash asked.
Sal’s expression didn’t change, but something about his tone settled into something firmer. As he took a breath, Sal answered, “He prefers to remain private.”
Ash followed up with another question. “So nobody knows who he is?”
“Some may speculate,” Sal said. “But Mr. Blocking does not entertain requests. He does not take suggestions. He observes, and when necessary, he intervenes.”
“Intervenes how?” Honoka asked.
“He can approve a game,” Sal said. “Or prevent one from taking place entirely.”
Ash glanced back at the board again and then looked at Honoka. “So everything on that screen… he approved it.” Then he turned back to Sal, “Well, I’m sure he knows what he is doing.
“Yes, the games will play as they will,” replied Sal who started to walk again toward the exit door.
There was something in the way he said it that didn’t sit right with Ash. Everything seemed more mysterious than it needed to be. However, the whole experience had been anything but ordinary.
They finnally reached the doors. Up close, they looked heavier than they had from a distance. Solid wood, reinforced with large metal hinges. This was the kind of thing that felt like it came from a Harry Potter movie.
Sal opened the door for the two, and a bright light came through opening. Ash stopped just before stepping through.
“So let me get this straight,” he said. “You can walk in here, gamble on whatever this is, and lose everything. Money, points… all of it.”
Sal looked at him and gave him a faint smile. “Money,” he said with a bigger smile, “is replaceable.”
Ash didn’t respond, and Sal held his gaze.
“Your points are not.” Sal continued. “You should never talk about points so casually. They influence your grades, your rank, your access, and ultimately… your eligibility to stay enrolled. Of course, you know that so I apologize for the lecture. Anyway, I have took enough of your time.”
“Got it,” confirmed Ash and pointed his index finger up confidently. “Don’t lose all of your points.”
“I do believe your friends are just beyond this point,” Sal interjected. “Let’s not keep them waiting.”
Ash and Honoka exchanged a look. Neither of them had heard or seen their friends with the door open. They both stepped through the doorway into the hallway.
“If you ever find yourself in need of something,” Sal said, stepping aside, “you are always welcome here.”
“With a proper wager,” Sal added, “anything can happen.”
Honoka gave a small, amused smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
The two of them stepped through, and the doors closed behind them with a dull, final sound.
The hallway was lit with natural sunlight. Clean floors, a few benches and giant vases with colorful flowers filled the corridor.
Ash could hear the quiet echo of footsteps down the hall. An opening leading to a courtyard appeared just twenty feet from him. Then he saw the Sun Squad. Kenji stood a few steps from the large opening looking up into the sky, arms crossed, and taking in the fresh air. Leon leaned against the wall nearby like he was taking a nap while Sakura sat on a seat next to him looking through a book. He grabbed Honoka and led her toward the courtyard. As they stood in the opening, they saw Solar flying around while Luna followed along.
“Hey guys!” said Ash.
“Ash?” Sakura replied in surprise. “Honoka! You’re here too!”
Leon stood up straight and started walking toward the two. “You’re not going to believe what happened.”
Kenji stepped forward next to Leon. “Where were you two?”
Ash glanced back at the doors club 2021 for a brief second, then returned his attention to the group. “A very long and strange story.”
Leon looked at his school uniform and then at everyone. “We were just about to say the same thing. These are Taiyou Con Academy uniforms, but when was Taiyou Con ever a school?”
Honoka interjected, “Where were you guys?”
“We all appeared down the corridor on the other side of this courtyard and were very confused about what happened,” Kenji answered. “After trying to figure out what to do next, we decided to explore a bit and ended up in this courtyard. However, we didn’t want to wonder too far in case you, Honoka and Sunny were nearby.”
“Is Sunny with you two?” Sakura added quietly.
“No, she is not. If she is not with you guys, then we should go look for her,” suggested Honoka. She walked to the end of the courtyard and looked down the hallway. Then she ran across to the other side of the courtyard and looked through the other opening. “Well, she is not down this way either.”
Leon put his arm on Kenji’s shoulder and looked at the surrounding walls. “We could go exploring this place, whatever this place is. I assume this is Taiyou Con Academy since we saw a few people walk by in the same uniform. A walk in the park. A piece of cake!”
Kenji looked at everyone and cautioned, “This place could be bigger than it looks. We don’t exactly know anything about this place so let’s not get separated. Hey Solar, can you fly straight up and see what it looks like up there?”
“Good idea! That should give us a better understanding of the place” Solar concluded. “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Solar flew straight up and high into the sky for a few moments and scanned in the entire area. After a few moments, he descended back down to the group and explained what he saw. “You’re not going to believe this, but we are in downtown Mesa.”
“We are?” everyone gasped.
“Downtown Mesa seemed to have grown exponentially to a few square miles,” Solar confirmed. “However, it looks like this place we are in is about a square mile, right in the middle of everything. A lot of buildings and towers and surrounded by a wall.”
For a moment, nobody spoke. Then Leon broke the silence and chuckled, “I guess finding Sunny won’t be a piece of cake, after all.”