"HOW DARE YOU TRY TO EMBEZZLE THE COMPANY'S MONEY?! AREN'T YOU GRATEFUL FOR WORKING HERE? IT SEEMS YOU'RE NOT. YOU'RE FIRED!!!"
The room trembled with the sheer volume of the stout man's voice. He was red in the face, jowls quivering as he shouted at the young man standing silently in front of him.
Kael blinked, confusion etched across his face.
"Huh...?" he muttered.
His eyes weren't on the furious man, but on the gaudy gold nameplate on the desk that read Harold Blithe - Manager, HR. His heart skipped a beat.
'Harold Blithe?' Kael thought. 'But he died during the first alien disaster break... I remember watching his head get crushed by a Hellion brute.'
He looked down at his hands—unscarred, youthful, and trembling. Not from fear, but realization. The chaos of betrayal, the agony of being stabbed by his best friend, the final thought of wanting another chance...
It had all been real.
'Then this scene... It's familiar. Right after I lost my job. After being framed by this fat-ass for stealing funds. That bastard Luca even planted evidence to make it look real.'
Then it hit him.
'Don't tell me... I regressed.'
The idea was almost laughable, absurd, yet his surroundings screamed truth.
Harold was still yelling, sweat flinging from his bald head like rain. But Kael no longer cared.
"You finished?" Kael said coolly.
Harold paused, blinking.
"I said, are you done?"
Without waiting for a response, Kael grabbed his rucksack and calmly walked past the sputtering man.
"H-Hey! Get back here! YOU'RE STILL ON PROBATION!"
Kael didn't look back.
Outside, the world buzzed with life. Neon lights flickered on buildings in the evening haze, the streets of Stellar City a mixture of high-rise opulence and grounded grime. Flying cars zipped by overhead while food vendors grilled meat on skewers, smoke trailing like ghostly fingers. Street performers played digital violins, their holographic dancers spinning to their rhythm. It was Friday, and the city thrummed with weekend energy.
Yet Kael saw none of it. His mind was racing.
'The game. It gets released tonight. 12AM. That means I still have time.'
He weaved through the crowd.
'With my savings... I should still be able to buy a capsule. It'll wipe me out completely, but if I remember right, there's a way to heal mum through in-game materials.'
War of Hegemony.
A game that changed the world. Nicknamed "Second World," it was more than just immersive—it was real. NPCs had true personalities, quests affected entire regions, and the world was divided by race and territory.
Each race had its own master server, with dozens of mini-servers operating underneath. Players fought not just for glory, but for control. Territories meant resources, resources meant power, and power meant survival. Humanity, for all its ambition, had been the weakest. At least, initially.
Players couldn't change their race. Everyone started as human. That singular limitation, ironically, became humanity's catalyst.
Unknown to the masses, War of Hegemony wasn't just a game—it was a gateway.
When powers from the game began appearing in reality, when Earth multiplied in size and alien races appeared en masse, humanity barely stood a chance. And Kael's only goal now...
Was to change that.
After pushing through the crowded transit lines, Kael arrived at the Stellar Gaming Nexus, a futuristic center glowing with blue neon veins and holographic signs. The receptionist barely spared him a glance before double-taking at his torn sleeves and tired eyes.
"You... want to buy a top-tier capsule?" she asked.
Kael pulled out his Union card and slid it over.
"Install it at this address. ASAP."
She hesitated, but the screen confirmed his payment. 100,000 Alliance Coins disappeared from his account in an instant, leaving only a sad little "100 AC" blinking on the bottom corner of the display.
'Two years of my life... gone in one swipe.'
But he didn't regret it.
He took a cab to Stellar Public Hospital, the city's only government-sponsored clinic for chronic and rare illnesses. The sterile scent hit his nose as he entered, sterile white lights humming overhead.
"I'm here to see Silia Rivenstar. Kael Rivenstar. Her son."
"One moment please," the nurse said politely, tapping away. "You may proceed to ward 255."
Kael nodded with a quiet "thank you," his throat dry.
He stepped into the ward. It was quiet. The only sound was the soft beep of monitors and the faint whoosh of an oxygen tube. Silia lay still in the bed—a woman with faded grey hair, frail limbs, and translucent skin. Even unconscious, there was an aura of grace about her. Her past beauty lingered like a fading sunset.
"Hey, Mum," he said, voice barely above a whisper.
He set down two small bouquets—one of gardenia, the other of soft red roses—on either side of her bed.
"I know they're your favourite. Thought I'd bring them while I still could."
He pulled up a chair, resting beside her. His hand gently brushed her forehead, where a slight warmth remained.
"I... I lost my job today. Again."
A bitter chuckle escaped his lips.
"Only this time, I don't care. Because I know what's coming, Mum. I know what's coming, and I promise... I won't let you suffer anymore."
His hand curled into a fist.
His voice cracked.
" I swear. I don't care what I have to become. I will find a cure. I will protect you. Even if the world turns into hell again. Even if I have to walk that hell alone."
Kael leaned forward, pressing his forehead gently against hers.
"Rest well, Mum. Let me carry the weight now."
He stood, paid the ward bills with the last 100 AC, and stepped out of the hospital into the cool night.
The sky above Stellar shimmered faintly as midnight approached. Back in his apartment—a run-down but clean unit in the older district—Kael found the capsule already installed. Sleek, black, humming with faint neon veins. The future.
He showered quickly, dressed in simple lounge wear, then stepped inside.
The lid sealed shut.
His heart beat faster. Cold air kissed his skin.
This is it.
"In this life... I'll make sure not to repeat my previous mistakes."
His gaze hardened. His voice was ice.
[Ding!]
[Welcome to the Game: War of Hegemony]