In a cramped room lit only by the fluorescent light from outside the window, a young man sat silently in a rickety chair, staring blankly at a long-dead computer screen.
On the cluttered desk in front of him, empty energy drink cans lay scattered, instant noodle wrappers piled high, and a single gold trophy stood crooked, covered in dust. The trophy was once a symbol of glory. Now it was only a painful reminder of a past that would never return.
The man's name was Ares.
Once, he was a legend. The "King of the Arena." A world e-sports champion cheered by thousands. His every move was broadcast to millions of viewers, his every victory was adored, his every smile an inspiration.
But that was then.
Now? He was just a forgotten loser, cursed with a single, despicable label that stuck across the internet: cheater.
It all started two years ago. The night his life was mercilessly snatched away. The teammates he trusted like brothers betrayed him, releasing doctored footage that made Ares appear to be deliberately selling matches. The world swallowed him whole. Sponsors left. Teams kicked him out. Fans cursed.
Since that night, the golden trophy was no longer a symbol of victory, but a tombstone that constantly reminded him of how low he had fallen.
Ares lifted the trophy with trembling hands, staring at his dull reflection in its opaque metal surface.
"All this… is just trash," he muttered softly.
He slumped back in his chair, covering his face with his hands. His breathing was heavy. Every night was the same: silent, lonely, and haunted by old voices. The crowd cheered, applauded, then turned to jeers. Like a never-ending nightmare.
His phone vibrated on the table, making him jump slightly. He reached for the thin device reluctantly, almost wanting to leave it alone. But the notification made him frown.
An email.
Sender: Eclipsed Realm Official.
"Eclipsed Realm…?" he whispered. The name was familiar. For the past year, the gaming world had been talking about only one thing: a revolutionary MMORPG that would supposedly erase the boundaries between the real and virtual worlds. A game that claimed to have human-level artificial intelligence could even create a world that felt alive.
Ares tapped the screen, reading the message.
[Congratulations, you have been selected as one of 10,000 Final Beta players.]
[This invitation is exclusive and non-transferable.]
He froze. His heart beat a little faster.
"Why me?" he muttered. His hands trembled.
The irony. The real world had kicked him out, and now the virtual world was inviting him back.
Memories flooded in. The stage lights, the headset pressed tightly to his ears, the commentator's voice calling his name, millions of eyes staring at him.
In an instant, the feeling returned. Adrenaline. A racing pulse. The sensation of being someone important.
But the memory was quickly shattered by the bitter whispers in his head: cheater, traitor, loser.
Ares squeezed his phone. "I'm done with all of this…" he said, but his voice sounded weak, unconvincing.
He looked at the golden trophy once more. The symbol of victory that now only laughed at him.
And whether out of despair, or because the remaining fire in his heart still refused to go out, he finally pressed the accept button.
Three days later, a package arrived at his apartment door. An elegant black box, with a glowing crescent moon logo in the center: Eclipsed Realm.
Ares opened the box with mixed feelings. Inside was a next-generation VR helmet. Sleek, futuristic, with a shiny black coating.
His hands hesitated. "Do I really want to do this again?"
An answer never came. Only silence enveloped his apartment. And in that silence, Ares put on the helmet.
The machine hummed softly. A subtle electrical sensation spread across his scalp.
"Initializing neural sync…"
"Synchronizing brainwaves…"
"Connection stable."
His eyes closed. The black screen turned into a blinding white light.
When Ares opened his eyes, he was silent.
He stood in a vast meadow. A gentle breeze touched his face, carrying the fresh scent of grass. The blue sky stretched endlessly, white clouds drifting gently. In the distance, majestic mountains stood, their snow-capped peaks glistening in the sun.
Ares bent down, touching the ground. He could feel the rough texture of the soil, the dampness of the wet grass. His breath caught.
"This… is crazy," he whispered.
A transparent window appeared before him.
[Welcome to Eclipsed Realm: The Last Beta.]
[Class Selection Pending.]
The class options floated in the air: Warrior, Mage, Assassin, Cleric.
Without much thought, Ares's finger touched the Warrior icon. Light armor immediately enveloped his body, a simple steel sword hung at his waist.
He felt the weight of the sword as he drew it. It felt… real. Too real.
The sound of soft footsteps approached. Ares turned his head.
A girl stood not far from him. Her shoulder-length blonde hair flowed down, her eyes soft, though a hint of nervousness. A simple wooden staff was clutched in her hand.
"I'm… Lyra," she said quietly. "I think I'm a Cleric. You're a Warrior, right?"
Ares simply nodded curtly.
Before they could speak further, the sky echoed with a mechanical sound.
[Player detected. Tutorial quest begins.]
[Objective: Defeat the Beast of Dawn.]
The ground shook. Trees toppled one by one. From the shadows, the creature emerged—a giant wolf with fur as black as night and eyes as red as embers.
A transparent window appeared in front of Ares.
[Tutorial Boss: Beast of Dawn]
[Level: ???]
The beast's roar shook the air. The wind alone made Lyra's knees tremble.
"Ares…" Lyra said softly, "that… isn't just an ordinary monster, is it?"
Ares gripped his sword, trying to suppress his fear. "I don't know. But if this is a tutorial…"
He stared at the wolf, who was slowly crouching, ready to pounce.
"…then I can't imagine what this game will be like."
The Beast of Dawn darted at him at lightning speed.
Ares raised his sword, trying to block. But as soon as the giant claw struck, it wasn't just the sound of metal clashing—it was a sharp pain that shot up his arm.
His eyes widened. "What—!? Why can I feel it?!"
The pain was real. Too real.
In an instant, Ares realized something horrifying.
This wasn't just a game.