The moon shone brightly, casting a dim glow over the alleyway as a tired-looking man in a black suit walked through the narrow path. The distant hum of the city buzzed faintly in his ears, fading with every step. Graffiti covered the brick walls on both sides, the colors smudged and old.
His footsteps echoed as he moved forward until he stopped in front of a rusted metal door, its paint chipped and forgotten. Without hesitation, he pulled out a key, inserted it into the lock, and turned. The door creaked open, revealing a pitch-black room. With a familiar motion, he reached to the side and flipped a switch. A single bright light came on, revealing a small, worn-out apartment.
Zach stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He let out a tired sigh, loosened his tie, and quickly removed his clothes, leaving only his pants on. Then he turned to the other side of the room.
There, standing out like gold in the dirt, was a sleek gaming setup. Triple monitors, high-end rig, glowing keyboard, noise-canceling headphones, and a chair molded perfectly to his form — completely out of place in the worn-down apartment.
Zach walked over and pressed the power button. The soft hum of the machine filled the room. Then he turned off the main light, leaving only the glow of the monitors to light up the space. He smiled as he cracked his knuckles and sat in the chair.
Looking at the setup, he muttered, "Just how I like it. No bright light. Helps me focus."
He rolled his shoulders, adjusted his position in the chair, pulled on his headphones, and reached for the mouse. Then he double-clicked the icon for his favorite game — Calamity's Crown, an RPG he never got tired of.
The game followed the plot of his favorite webnovel, Ashes of Valeria. The webnovel came out six years ago and became a massive hit. Millions of people across the world read it. It was known for its intense story and characters. The setting was a world called Valeria, one already ravaged by seven of the ten world-ending calamities. The story followed the last heroes desperately fighting against the final three.
But just when the story was hitting its peak, right before the final arc, the author disappeared. No update. No news. Nothing.
The fans were furious. Forums exploded with anger. Reviews dropped. People demanded answers. No one got any.
Then, as if out of nowhere, Calamity's Crown was released — a game based fully on the webnovel. Some believed the author made it so the fans could finish the story their way. Maybe that was the plan. Either way, it worked. The game sold millions of copies in its first month and only grew more popular from there
The graphics were impressive. The world was immersive.
But it was hard. Brutally hard. Players struggled to survive. Over time, most quit. Many couldn't even get past the middle of the game. Some didn't defeat a single calamity.
Now, three years later, only a handful of diehard players were left. Zach was one of them.
He had gone further than most. He had finished almost every quest, beaten dozens of bosses. And now, he was standing at the final step — the last calamity.
As the game loaded, his save point appeared on screen. His character, a battle-worn hero in shining gold armor, stood before a massive, ruined cathedral.
The sky above was red. Ash drifted down like snow.
Zach leaned in, his face serious.
He had done everything to prepare for this. There was no going back. This time, he would finish it.
His eyes moved to the top corner of the screen.
One heart left.
In Calamity's Crown, players had five lives. Once they were all used up, it was game over — a full reset from the beginning. That alone made most players quit. But not Zach.
He stared at the screen with focus and calm.
"Let's get this over with."
He moved his character forward. The moment the hero touched the cathedral gate, the screen went black.
Then the scene loaded.
He was now inside the cathedral — a wide, ruined space filled with broken pillars and shattered structures. Debris covered the floor, signs of a brutal battle that had torn everything apart. And right at the center stood his final opponent.
The last calamity.
The final boss.
Scarlet Curse — Lucien Thorne.
Lucien sat on a throne made of hardened blood. He wore a torn black robe. His skin looked dark and withered. A black mask covered most of his face, but two glowing red eyes shone through. His long white hair floated gently, like it was drifting in water.
"Terrifying," Zach muttered.
As if responding, Lucien stood up from the throne and turned toward him.
"I have been waiting for you… great hero."
Zach didn't waste time. He skipped the cutscene. No need for dramatics.
Lucien's throne melted into blood, which flowed to his hand and shaped into a massive broadsword. Without warning, he dashed forward. His blade slashed out, sending a wave of red energy.
Zach's fingers moved fast across the keyboard — dodging, countering, attacking. He knew this fight well. He had lost to Lucien many times, but every loss had taught him something new.
Minutes passed.
About an hour into the fight, Zach finally landed a perfect combo. Lucien's health dropped to zero.
But Zach didn't relax.
He knew what was coming.
This was only phase one.
Lucien roared as his body changed. The black robe disappeared. A red armor made of blood formed around him. Its surface pulsed and rippled.
Then a second, larger health bar appeared.
Zach's own health was already low. But he was ready.
He used a potion. His stamina recovered. And then, next to his character, a floating fuzzy creature appeared — the Earth Spirit.
It glowed and dropped a beam of white healing light, fully restoring his health.
"Glad I got this guy," Zach muttered. "Cost a life to get him, but worth it."
The spirit vanished. The fight continued.
Lucien's patterns were faster now after the power up, his attacks harder to dodge. Blood-based skills came at random. The worst was Blood River, a move that had wiped Zach many times before.
Still, Zach kept going.
His hands didn't shake. His eyes stayed locked on the screen.
One hour passed. Then two. Then three.
Finally, he landed another perfect combo.
Lucien's health dropped to zero again. The boss screamed, then collapsed.
The word [Victory] appeared across the screen.
Zach froze.
He stared at the monitor, barely breathing.
He had done it.
He had beaten the game.
The game no one thought could be cleared. The one that drove nearly every player away.
A slow smile appeared on his face. He was ready to post it, ready to show the world.
He laughed and reached for the keyboard.
But then — a message popped up on the screen.
> [Congratulations on beating the game. You are the first.]
[Calculating reward...]
Zach squinted.
"A reward?"
Did the devs add a secret prize for the first person to win?
He leaned forward, interested.
Then the screen went black.
Seconds passed.
Nothing happened.
Then — the screen flickered back on.
A giant skull appeared on the screen. Its hollow eyes stared directly at him.
Zach flinched.
"What the hell?"
He frowned.
"Is this the reward? A stupid jump scare?"
But then he saw the text below the skull.
> [Reward: You become what you hunt.]
He blinked, confused.
"Is this some kind of joke? A developer prank?"
Then —
BOOM!
The monitor exploded.
The blast sent Zach flying back. He crashed into the wall behind him. The entire room shook.
Then everything went black.
Zach was dead.