The progress bar didn't crawl; it raced. Within seconds, his room began to hum. A low, rhythmic vibration rattled his keyboard. Suddenly, the screen didn't just show the game—it bled green light.

Aleksei looked down at his own hands. They were covered in fingerless tactical gloves, and a staff—identical to Donny’s—was strapped to his back.

"His metadata says he’s the one who initiated the download," Donatello said, tapping a holographic wrist-computer. "He didn't just download the game... he volunteered for the frontline."

"The Foot Clan has hijacked the local servers," Leo explained, drawing his katanas. "If we don't clear the malware by sunrise, the whole city's grid goes dark. You ready to earn that high score, Aleksei?"

"Is he a civilian or a glitch?" Raphael asked, sharpening a sai.

Aleksei reached out to touch the monitor, and his hand passed through the glass like water. With a sudden thwip , a grappling hook latched onto his desk lamp and pulled him headfirst into the digital void.

Aleksei gripped the staff, a grin spreading across his face. "Let’s go. Cowabunga!"

The glowing neon of Riga’s skyline reflected in a puddle as Aleksei stared at the strange link on his monitor. He had been searching for a way to play the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game, but the local stores were sold out. Then, he found it: He clicked "Download."