"Ninety-seven… Ninety-eight… Ninety-nine…"
"One hundred!"
Miles collapsed with a grunt, sweat dripping off his chin as his chest slammed against the hardwood floor. His arms shook like they were made of rubber bands stretched to their limit. For a few seconds, he just laid there, blinking up at the ceiling like it had wronged him.
"I hate my life.." he wheezed.
His dark brown eyes burned with exhaustion, strands of damp locks hanging in his face like battle flags. Every inch of him screamed with soreness. Muscles twitched. Joints ached. And yet… a tired smile tugged at his lips.
"Miles Cannon," he muttered to himself, rolling over onto his back, "you dumb bastard… you actually did it."
He'd hit his daily benchmark:
100 pushups
100 bicycle crunches
100 pullups
100 jump ropes
20 minutes of straight boxing
He called it Solo Saitama training. A bootleg mashup of Solo Leveling ambition and One Punch Man discipline—except this version didn't come with cheat codes or plot armor. Just blood, burn, and bruises.
Most people would've spent Spring Break partying, sleeping, or catching up on shows.
Not Miles.
He didn't have parents waiting to see him. No siblings. No home cooked meals. Just a dorm, a phone, and a burning need to become something more than just average.
"Stronger," he mumbled, dragging himself to the wall and using it to stand. "Gotta get stronger."
He staggered over to the table, grabbed his phone, and checked the time.
9:45 PM.
"Not bad," he said with a breathless grin. "Set a personal record."
As the adrenaline cooled and soreness crept in, boredom returned like an unwelcome guest. That's when a thought floated up—half curiosity, half desperation for distraction.
'That game… what was it called again?'
He squinted at the icon on his phone screen.
The Forever Eclipse.
Supposedly the latest craze. An indie game that exploded into mainstream with crazy claims like "the first fourth-wall-breaking gacha RPG" and "a game that plays YOU."
Sounded like bullshit. Looked like bullshit. But the constant ads finally wore him down.
"Fine. You win, algorithm," he muttered. "Let's see what all the hype is about."
He made a quick detour to shower—he couldn't stand sitting in his own sweat—then dropped into bed with a towel over his shoulders and clicked on the app.
The screen instantly cut to black.
Then… a cinematic intro rolled.
[The Forever Eclipse]
"Ten years ago, a cataclysm known as The Forever Eclipse engulfed planet Gia in perpetual twilight."
"From that shadow, came the Wisps—shimmering portals connecting this world to others."
"At the same time, a rare genetic mutation dubbed the Z-Gene XYZ awakened latent powers in humanity, creating a new breed of gifted warriors."
"Some used it to protect. To fight. To become heroes."
"But others? They saw the end of the world as a beginning. Warlords. Monsters in human skin. Villains who wore chaos like a crown."
"And now?"
"Now we're at war."
"Heroes versus Wisps. Justice versus corruption. Light against the shadow that never fades."
"This is the new age."
"The age of gods… and monsters."
[What path will you choose?]
[START GAME]
"Huh… not bad." Miles blinked, impressed. "It reminds me of one of those power fantasy novels. Let's hope it lives up to the hype or this will be a huge ass waste of time."
He hit Start.
[Create a character?] [Yes] or [No]
"Oh cool, custom creation?" He grinned. "I'm starting to like this already."
He clicked Yes.
[Purchase this option for 100 Z-Coins.]
"…Bruh." His grin died instantly. Of course it would have microtransactions.
He checked the store.
[10 Z-Coins = $500 USD.]
Miles stared.
Then laughed. "You lost your damn mind."
He canceled out.
[Avatar will default to your appearance. Importing images… Complete.]
A glowing 3D model of himself spun onto the screen. Six feet even. Lean muscle. Light brown skin. Locks hanging just above his brows. White Forces and white shirt, black jacket, jeans. Casual, but clean.
"Never seen a mobile game do that before..interesting."
[Your player will be granted a Talent ranking E-SSS]
[All new players are granted a free randomized roll for a Talent.]
[Rolling for Talent Rank…]
"I pray it don't be a lame ass power.." he dearly hoped it didn't. This was going good so far.
[Roll complete. Talent: SSS-Rank!]
Miles blinked. "No way…"
Six stars spun into a golden storm. Lightning flared across the screen. White letters sparked as if seared by divine code.
[Supreme Extraction LV.1]
☆☆☆☆☆☆
Allows you to extract abilities, powers, or traits from enemies, fallen foes, legendary items, etc. Extracted traits can be stored, upgraded, or evolved. Each extraction creates a Residual Bond—offering the chance to summon, fuse, or upgrade the source again.
"SSS Rank?! Damn I've never been that lucky before. Considering I sucked ass at Genshin Impact..hm think it's best to try my luck."
[Would you like to purchase a sub-Talent for 1 Z-Coin?]
[Purchase 1 Z-Coin for 50 USD?]
"50 dollars..for a coin? This shit better be worth it."
He purchased the coin.
[Z-coin used! Rolling for sub-Talent..]
Just like last time, it rolled through many Talents.
[Complete!]
[Your sub-Talent is SS Rank!]
[Transcendant Upgrade LV.1]
☆☆☆☆☆
Miles just stared at the screen.
Grants the ability to upgrade, evolve, and combine Talents, items, and systems using Z-Coins earned through combat, bonds, and quests. Also unlocks blueprints for Talent crafting and rare fusions.
Miles let out a low whistle. "So not only can I steal abilities… I can upgrade them? And craft new ones?"
He leaned back in bed, smiling to himself.
"This game's already better than life."
Then the screen flashed again.
[Would you like to summon a Male or Fem—]
Click. He didn't even hesitate to choose females.
[(Wisp Uncomplete) You must complete at least a C-Rank Wisp to summon Superheroines.]
"C-Rank? Okay… and how the hell do I even start that?"
[By entering the game, Miles.]
His eyes widened. "Wait… what?"
Suddenly the screen pulsed.
Then the room pulsed.
Everything trembled. His lights flickered violently. The phone in his hand glowed—no, throbbed—with an electric blue pulse, like a heart hooked up to lightning.
The air shifted. Not with heat. Not with pressure. But with something else.
Data. Living. Breathing. Wrapping around his body like a digital fog.
[Entering The Forever Eclipse…]
[Loading: ??]
[WARNING: This is not a simulation.]
Miles tried to let go of the phone. His fingers wouldn't obey. His body jerked—eyes wide, breath stolen—as if invisible wires pulled him forward.
"What the fu—!"
But the scream never left.
The world exploded into light, and Miles shattered—his body scattering into thousands of luminous pixels, swallowed whole by a glowing blue void.