The forest fell silent. Not the natural hush of dawn, but a suffocating stillness, as though the world itself held its breath.
Alex's grip on the wooden sword tightened until his knuckles ached. The glowing eyes multiplied, blinking into existence one after another, forming a ring of eerie golden light around the clearing.
"Uh," Alex whispered, forcing a weak laugh, "you're seeing this too, right? This isn't a streamer-only hallucination?"
Kael didn't answer. His body was coiled, every muscle taut, dagger gleaming faintly in the dim light. His gaze locked on the shifting shadows.
[Viewer1]: BRO IT'S A RAID BOSS][Viewer2]: Turn the lights back on, Alex 😭[Viewer3]: Kael about to solo this while Alex screams.
Pixel's voice cut in, sharper than usual:[Pixel]: Warning. Anomaly classified as 'Fragment of the Abyss.' Estimated difficulty: high. Survival rate without mentor: 4%.
"FOUR PERCENT?!" Alex hissed. "That's not a number, that's a death sentence!"
[Viewer4]: LMAOO 4% speedrun any%][Viewer5]: Don't worry streamer, we believe in Kael, not you.
The Shadows Take Form
From the gloom, a shape tore itself free—a hulking creature of writhing darkness, its body shifting like smoke but solid where it struck the earth. Its eyes burned with molten gold, locking directly onto Alex.
His breath hitched. "Why does it always look at me?!"
Kael stepped forward, blade raised. "Because you shine brighter than you realize. Stay focused."
The monster lunged.
Kael moved like lightning, intercepting with a slash that tore across its shoulder. Shadows hissed like steam, reforming instantly.
Alex stumbled back, streaming HUD flickering with red warnings.
[Pixel]: Viewers engaged. Combat Mode activated. Audience interaction may generate buffs.
[Viewer6]: CHEER BUFF LET'S GO][Viewer7]: PRESS F TO PAY RESPECTS BEFORE HE DIES][Viewer8]: ALEX USE EMOTES TO ATTACK 😂
Forced Into the Fight
Kael shouted, "Alex! Sword up!"
Alex froze. "Wait—you expect me to fight that?!"
"Yes!" Kael barked, parrying another strike. "You will not learn by hiding."
The monster shifted suddenly, lunging not at Kael, but at Alex.
Panic surged. Alex swung wildly, eyes squeezed shut. His sword connected—just barely—scraping across the creature's arm. The impact sent shock up his arms, but the shadow recoiled, leaving a smear of darkness sizzling in the air.
The chat erupted.
[Viewer9]: HE HIT SOMETHING OMG CLIP IT][Viewer10]: ALEX FINALLY DID DAMAGE!!][Viewer11]: Small victories babyyy.
Pixel chimed:[Pixel]: Achievement unlocked: 'First Blood.' Buff applied: +5% courage.
Alex blinked. "Wait, I get buffs for achievements? Why didn't you say that sooner?!"
[Pixel]: You never asked.
Coordination
Kael barked orders between strikes. "Do not swing wildly. Watch its movements. Anticipate, then strike!"
"Easy for you to say!" Alex yelled, ducking as a claw slashed overhead.
But he forced himself to focus, remembering the blindfold drills. Listen. Feel. Anticipate.
The shadow hissed, charging again. Alex sidestepped clumsily, swinging low. His sword grazed its leg, slowing its momentum. Kael darted in, delivering a clean slash across its torso.
The monster howled, dissolving into mist before reforming.
[Viewer12]: COMBO MOVE LET'S GOOO][Viewer13]: Kael carrying HARD but Alex got an assist. Respect.][Viewer14]: Is this the tutorial boss??]
Stream Buffs
Suddenly, glowing text scrolled across Alex's HUD:
[Audience Hype Reached 80%! New Buff unlocked: 'Adrenaline Rush.' Speed +10% for 5 minutes.]
Alex gasped as energy surged through his body. His movements felt lighter, quicker, like the air itself carried him forward.
He grinned. "Oh… now we're gaming."
Chat screamed:
[Viewer15]: STREAMER MODE ACTIVATED][Viewer16]: Bro's about to hit his first montage clip.[Viewer17]: WOOOO GO ALEX.
He charged alongside Kael, their strikes landing in rhythm. Kael's precision cut deep, while Alex's frantic swings distracted and forced openings.
For the first time, Alex wasn't just surviving—he was fighting.
The Monster's Wrath
But the shadow wasn't finished. Its form convulsed, growing larger, sprouting jagged limbs of pure darkness. The clearing shook as it slammed the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth.
Alex was thrown off balance, crashing into the dirt. His sword skittered away.
"Alex!" Kael shouted, deflecting a massive strike. "Get up!"
The monster's golden eyes locked on the fallen streamer.
Pixel screamed in his ear:[Pixel]: Critical threat! MOVE!
Alex scrambled, crawling toward his sword. The shadow lunged, claws descending.
Chat spammed panic.
[Viewer18]: NOOOO][Viewer19]: GET UP STREAMER][Viewer20]: IF HE DIES I UNFOLLOW.
A Desperate Move
At the last second, Alex rolled, snatching his sword and thrusting upward with all his strength.
The blade pierced the monster's chest. For a moment, golden light flared—then the shadow screeched, writhing violently.
Kael seized the opening, leaping high and driving his dagger deep into its head. With a final, ear-splitting howl, the creature burst into fragments of darkness, dissolving into the night air.
Silence returned. The golden eyes vanished.
Alex lay panting on the ground, heart hammering. "I… I did it?"
Kael landed gracefully, wiping his blade. He looked at Alex for a long moment, then nodded. "We did it. Together."
Aftermath
The chat went insane.
[Viewer21]: HE DID A THING OMG][Viewer22]: STREAMER FIRST BOSS DOWN][Viewer23]: Clip that! Someone clip that right now!![Viewer24]: 4% survival rate btw.
Pixel's voice rang out:[Pixel]: Quest Complete! Rewards granted: +1000 Experience, New Skill unlocked — 'Defiant Strike.'
A notification flashed:
Skill: Defiant StrikeChannel desperation into power. When health <30%, next attack deals +50% damage.
Alex's jaw dropped. "That's… actually kind of awesome."
[Pixel]: Consider it a reward for not dying.
Kael's Acknowledgment
Kael sheathed his dagger, expression unreadable. "You are reckless. Undisciplined. Weak in many ways."
Alex bristled. "Thanks for the confidence boost."
"But…" Kael said, finally allowing a faint smile, "you are not without courage. That counts for more than you think."
Alex blinked. Then grinned tiredly. "So… I passed my first test?"
Kael nodded once. "Barely."
Chat spammed laughter and heart emojis.
[Viewer25]: DAD APPROVED][Viewer26]: Kael slowly becoming a proud papa.[Viewer27]: Streamer glow up arc loading.
Pixel's Warning
As Alex caught his breath, Pixel's tone shifted, serious.
[Pixel]: Alert. The Fragment you defeated was only a scout. Stronger manifestations are inevitable. Prepare accordingly.
Alex's stomach dropped. "Wait. That was just the tutorial?"
[Pixel]: Correct.
Chat erupted in laughter and panic simultaneously.
[Viewer28]: TUTORIAL BOSS LMAOO][Viewer29]: If that was the easy one you're screwed.[Viewer30]: Season 1 about to be wild.
Alex groaned, burying his face in his hands. "I hate this world."
Kael stood, gazing into the dark forest. "Then you must learn to survive it. And quickly."
The sun finally broke the horizon, casting light over the clearing. The first real battle was over—but the war had just begun.