Haseo, a new player in the online game The World R:2, is killed on his first day and rescued by the mysterious Ovan, who insists he is special and must grow stronger. Drawn into Ovan's guild, the Twilight Brigade, Haseo befriends the gentle Shino while the guild contends with the larger player factions around it. The setup precedes the events of the .hack//G.U. games.