"I fucking did it!"
The words erupted from Modret's mouth as his arms shot into the air in pure triumph.
The word CLEAR burned across the center of the computer screen in front of him, glowing like a divine stamp of victory.
He had conquered the ultimate challenge.
"Damn right! I fucking did it! I crushed this goddamn game!"
His chest heaved, breath short, adrenaline still roaring in his blood. A single tear slid down his cheek. After six agonizing months of relentless effort, failures, and retries, the taste of victory was overwhelming.
The game was called Celestial Descent.
It was a legendary turn-based strategy RPG, one of those classic titles that had endured for over a decade. In this game, players were tasked with defending a massive empire while battling through twisted dungeons infested with beasts, monsters, and ancient threats. You had to lead units, train heroes, manage formations, and make high-risk decisions with permanent consequences.
What made it infamous was its brutal design. When a hero died, they were gone forever. There were no revives. No second chances.
Once hailed as a global sensation, the game had long since faded into obscurity. So why was Modret celebrating its completion now?
Because no one had ever beaten it on the highest difficulty level.
The hardest mode in the game was named Hell, and when combined with Sage Mode, which forced automatic saving after every decision, it became a nightmare known as Hell's Sage.
While some had completed Legendary difficulty using Sage Mode, and others had beaten Hell without it, no player in the world had ever managed to clear Hell's Sage since the game's release.
Until today.
Ten years after the game launched, a true champion had finally emerged. That champion was Modret.
Conquering the impossible was hardwired into human instinct. Like ascending a forbidden mountain, it had beckoned to him from the moment he first launched the game.
And now, his success was lighting up his second monitor.
'Damn, GameFanatic finally did it.'
'Congrats!!'
'Lmao, gotta respect the persistence of the GameFanatic.'
'First in the world, well done.'
'Thanks for the grind these past six months.'
The chat exploded like a fireworks display. Thousands of viewers flooded the screen with messages, celebrating the impossible.
Modret, known online as GameFanatic, was a popular streamer who specialized in punishing classic games. His channel had a loyal audience, usually around three thousand strong. But as he neared the final battle, his viewership had surged past ten thousand. And now, even more were tuning in to witness history being made.
"I fucking told you all, didn't I? No matter how damn hard it is, games are made to be beaten!"
He grinned wildly, the glow from the monitor reflecting in his eyes.
Viewers who had made bets and pledges now followed through with their promises.
[MissionFairy has donated 1,000 dollars!]
'You can brag all you want today. As promised, I'm sending the donation.'
[ShittyGameConnoisseur has gifted 500 dollars.]
'Damn, now what am I supposed to watch for the next six months?'
[BlackBox has gifted 10,000 dollars!]
'Thought I was betting on a sure loss. You proved me wrong.'
[DogBarksAtBoringStreams has gifted 3,000 dollars!]
'No barking today. Respect earned.'
Modret let out a laugh, his heart warm with gratitude. "Thanks so much, everyone. I'll keep giving it my all!"
As he read the messages aloud, the chat room transformed into a festival. Comments ricocheted off each other like excited shouts in a crowded stadium.
For the first time in ten years, someone had conquered the game's most brutal challenge. There was no greater honor for a gamer.
The viewers who had stuck with him through every rage-filled wipe and failed attempt were now celebrating as if they had cleared it themselves.
"In the end… they all fell," Modret murmured with a bittersweet smile, remembering the dozens of in-game heroes who had sacrificed their lives on the path to victory.
The game allowed no mercy. Even with meticulous strategy, the final battle had demanded everything. Only one hero had survived.
But survival had never been the goal. Victory had.
'Hey, you freaking did it! You saved the empire!'
'Here's the clip where Lucas took down the boss solo >>link<<'
'Holy shit, that was legendary. This is going viral.'
'Now that's what I call a protagonist.'
Modret clicked the link and rewatched the final moments with his audience.
There he was. Lucas, the last surviving hero, stood tall. His blond hair was soaked with blood and sweat, his gleaming sword raised high. He had struck down the final boss, the nightmare queen known as the Sleepless Lake Princess.
When Modret returned to the game screen, Lucas remained standing. Alone.
[LAST STAGE - CLEAR!]
[STAGE MVP - Lucas (SSS)]
Behind the glowing victory message, Lucas stood silently before the corpse of the final boss, surrounded by the fallen bodies of friends and enemies alike.
Modret's smile faded slightly.
Even as pixels on a screen, Lucas looked strangely alone.
[Achievement unlocked!]
[Hell difficulty & Sage Mode conquered - Hell's Sage]
[Special privileges granted for your accomplishment!]
[Calculating global ranking...]
[Ranking updated!]
[World Rank 1st - Player: GameFanatic]
Modret quickly took a screenshot. The moment deserved to be immortalized.
The ending cutscene rolled in with soft orchestral music. He leaned back in his chair and watched it unfold. He had earned this.
'Shouldn't the developers send GameFanatic something?'
'They made it unbeatable and he beat it. He deserves more than just an achievement badge.'
'If it weren't for him, nobody would even care about this game anymore.'
'Is the company even still alive?'
Modret chuckled softly. "Nah, no need for rewards. Playing this with you all for six months was already enough."
Still, his eyes betrayed a flicker of amusement.
'He's pretending to be modest. This sly bastard totally wants a reward.'
'Wait, is the studio even around? There's no official site anymore.'
'No new titles in years. Maybe they went under.'
'So who's maintaining the server then?'
The chat spiraled into conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, Modret kept his eyes on the scrolling credits. A peculiar blend of satisfaction and melancholy filled him. Only gamers understood that feeling. The joy of completion mixed with the sudden emptiness that followed.
And then, something unexpected appeared in the chat.
"Hello, GameFanatic. I'm the director of Celestial Descent."
A single message. It caught the entire stream off guard.
The chat erupted instantly.
'What???'
'Is this real?'
'That user has been lurking since he started the game. Could it be legit?'
'Director, please make a sequel! We want to see GameFanatic rage again!'
Modret furrowed his brows and opened the sender's profile. The user had followed his streams from the beginning of his Celestial Descent journey. They had never commented before. Not once.
And now, just after the final victory, they spoke.
'I need to thank you. Honestly, I had given up. I never thought anyone could actually do it.'
'But you proved me wrong, and I am so relieved. Thank you, truly.'
Modret rubbed the back of his neck. "No, uh… you really don't have to thank me…"
Whether this person was truly the director or not, their words felt genuine.
'You have given me hope. There is still a chance.'
"...?"
Modret blinked.
Hope? What did that even mean?
Maybe the rumors were true. Maybe the company had collapsed and his livestream had reignited something. Could this be the start of a revival?
'You have proven your worth and capabilities. Please come to us and lend a hand.'
He tilted his head, confused.
Were they planning a sequel? Were they offering him a position? Did they want him to test something?
Before he could type a reply, everything around him began to spin.
The light from the monitors blurred into streaks. His vision wobbled. His hands trembled.
It was not just exhaustion. It was something else. Something deeper.
The credits on screen twisted and twisted until they merged with the chat box in a swirl of color and darkness.
He realized he had not eaten or drunk anything in hours. The final stage had taken longer than expected.
Was he about to pass out?
"Guess I overdid it..." he whispered.
His last comfort was the thought that his viewers might call for help if something went wrong.
As his mind began to slip, one final message floated before him.
Thank you for playing Celestial Descent.
Thank you for giving the gods hope.
Then… silence.
Modret fell into the void.