In a dimly lit space resembling a bedroom, disorder reigned. Wrappers, snack remnants, and empty bottles filled one corner of the room. A young man sat in front of a computer monitor, completely absorbed in an RPG game. He was 21 years old—just an average guy, blending into the background of the world. His disheveled black hair hung down to his ears, and his dark eyes seemed half-closed, indicating a lack of emotion. His fingers moved rapidly across the mouse and keyboard. After a long stretch of gameplay, he finally decided to take a break.
He let out a quiet sigh, the sound less relief and more... deflation. "And they called that hard?" he muttered, voice low and flat.
He'd just defeated the final boss of the newly released game'Aethelgard Chronicles', the one touted by reviews as a 'brutal masterpiece of difficulty'. The final phase had offered a flicker of resistance, perhaps demanding a shred of focus he hadn't needed until then, but it crumbled like the rest. His eyes were vacant as the obligatory "VICTORY!" splashed across the screen.
He leaned back, unimpressed. A faint frown touched his lips, directed not at the game, but at the wasted anticipation. After a cursory glance at the ending scene, He sighed deeply. After staring at the screen for a moment longer, he reluctantly exited the game.
---
A notification pinged from his phone, and he glanced at it without much enthusiasm. The screen was filled with messages, but he ignored them for now and opened a random app.
An advertisement flashed across his screen—a brightly colored ad for a Japanese mobile game, complete with cartoonish characters, dramatic battles, and flashy powers. *"Experience the thrill of the new *Samurai: Shadow Warriors*!"* it read, along with *"Download now for limited-time rewards!"*
He scrolled past it with a bored expression, thinking about how many times he'd seen ads like this. Nothing ever seemed new anymore—just recycled ideas and flashy graphics trying to lure in new players.
---
Glancing at the time, he saw it was 8:30 PM,He realized it's getting pretty late.
"Hmm, it's getting late. I need to eat something," he muttered to himself.
It hit him then—he had been playing for six hours straight.
---
His stomach growled loudly—he was hungry.
"Let's see if I have anything in the fridge..."
Yawning, he rose from his desk with little energy, his movements slow and deliberate. As he stepped into the room, he shifted his foot and felt the crunch of an empty can beneath his shoe. He barely stumbled, catching his balance effortlessly before continuing.
"Ha, I really need to clean up this mess sometime..." he mumbled.
Making his way to the kitchen, he was greeted by an even bigger mess—dirty dishes stacked high in the sink and trash bags cluttering the floor.
"Sigh..."
He stood there for a moment, weighing his options, before reluctantly heading to the fridge.
He opened it, hoping for a miracle. But, as expected, it was empty.
"Ha... guess I need to go shopping," he muttered, disappointment lingering in the air.
---
He decided to leave the kitchen mess undisturbed for now and made his way to the bathroom. Standing in front of the sink, he splashed cold water on his face, the sensation waking him up a little. As he looked at his reflection in the mirror, he grimaced.
His eyes were lifeless, heavy with sleep, dark circles beneath them. His hair was a tangled mess, sticking up in all directions.
"I look like a zombie…" he muttered with a dry chuckle.
After a moment, he took a deep breath, wiping the sleep away. The sharp sting of the cold water jolted him awake just a little. He stared at his reflection, trying to shake off the grogginess.
---
He grabbed his wallet and mobile phone and walked back to the kitchen, his eyes scanning the room. He noticed a few stray pieces of trash lying around. With a quick motion, he grabbed a trash bag and stuffed the trash inside, ready to dispose of it.
With the bag over his shoulder, he stepped out the door and made his way toward the convenience store to buy something to eat. His stomach growled in protest as he stepped outside, the fresh air doing little to shake off his grogginess.
After tossing the trash into the bin outside, he stepped into the cool night air, the crisp breeze brushing against his face. With a deep breath, he made his way down the sidewalk toward the convenience store, dim streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement. The night was eerily quiet, and his footsteps echoed in the emptiness of the street.
---
He made his way down the sidewalk toward the convenience store, the dim streetlights casting long shadows on the pavement. The night was eerily quiet. His footsteps echoed in the empty street, and after some walking, the convenience store came into view.
When he reached the store, he walked in with his usual relaxed pace, the door chiming softly as he entered. The cashier, a woman in her mid-twenties, glanced up as he approached the counter. She offered a tired smile, her eyes a little glazed from the long shift.
He returned a small smile of his own.
After grabbing his snacks and drink, he walked up to the counter. The cashier, a young woman with a tired smile, scanned his items. He gave her a lazy grin, leaning on the counter slightly.
"Long shift?" he asked, his voice carrying that usual casual tone. "Looks like you could use a nap."
She laughed softly, scanning his items. "You could say that. I've been here since early morning."
He shrugged, a lazy half-smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Probably just crash on the couch, watch some stuff. You know, the usual. Nothing special."
Her eyebrow quirked as she handed him his change. "Doesn't that get old? Just... doing nothing?"
"Nah," he replied with a relaxed chuckle. "Being lazy is an art form. You should try it sometime."
She let out a soft chuckle as she bagged his items, her tired eyes never quite leaving his face. "I'll pass. Someone has to actually work around here."
He shrugged again, grabbing his bag with a casual smile. "Not everyone's cut out for hard work. I'll take the easy life."
With that, he walked out of the store, the door chiming softly behind him. But as soon as he stepped outside, his casual smile slowly faded. The carefree, friendly demeanor he showed in the store disappeared, replaced by a neutral, unreadable expression.
He wasn't the kind of person to let others see what was really going on behind his eyes. Beneath the lazy exterior, he was calculating and intelligent, constantly observing, always analyzing. His demeanor shifted in an instant as he began walking back home. The world around him felt different now—sharper, more noticeable.
His face remained neutral as he strolled down the street, his thoughts shifting gears. That was a fun little interaction, he mused, but his mind quickly turned to more pressing matters.
The familiar sights of his neighborhood greeted him. His building loomed ahead, and for a moment, he thought about how the night would go. What to do now? He absentmindedly muttered to himself as he walked. "Clean up the place... or just eat and sleep... Maybe play a game or something..."
Just as the thought crossed his mind, the air around him shifted. There was a sudden hum, like static in the air, and before he could react, a brilliant flash of light erupted from nowhere, surrounding him completely.
"Wha—?" he began, his voice trailing off as the light swallowed him whole.
For a brief moment, he felt as though the ground had completely disappeared beneath him. He could hear the distant rush of wind, and the city noises faded into nothing. Then, without warning, the flash of light intensified, and the world twisted around him. It was as if the fabric of reality had bent itself, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished completely.
---