New York was gone.
The epicenter of the explosion that had unleashed the shockwave—the unlimited energy core, known simply as THE CORE—had obliterated the entire city and its surrounding suburbs. The site of devastation was now shrouded in a radiant dome of pure energy, spanning a staggering 1000 kilometers in radius. New York had been erased from the map including the population that resides within.
6 hours after the event, the world's remaining top leaders and military personnel convened in an emergency summit. Their analysis was grim: an upgrade to THE CORE had gone catastrophically wrong, resulting in mass destruction. But that wasn't the most troubling discovery.
On the dome's surface, visible from all directions, a countdown had appeared—glowing ominously against the endless expanse of energy.
"11:59:59…"
It had begun ticking down the moment the victims of the shockwave regained consciousness.
The leaders exchanged uneasy glances, their questions unspoken but heavy in the air.
"What happens when it reaches zero?"
With no answers, they issued directives to the remaining able-bodied personnel to investigate the phenomenon. The world was unraveling faster than they could respond, and every second of the countdown felt like a weight pressing down on the fragile remnants of civilization.
One perplexing detail emerged as governments worldwide scrambled to investigate the mass slumber: all the victims shared a striking commonality—they had played World of Fantasy.
This discovery initially seemed coincidental, but further evidence solidified the connection. The mysterious user interface the victims claimed to see was eerily identical to the game's welcome screen. Every element, from its design to the menu layout, mirrored the digital world of World of Fantasy.
The most unsettling feature of this interface, however, was the countdown timer displayed prominently in the upper-right corner—an exact match to the ominous countdown projected on the surface of the radiant dome that now engulfed what had once been New York.
For the investigators, this link raised chilling questions. Was the game somehow tied to the cataclysm? And if so, how could a virtual creation influence reality so profoundly? These questions loomed over the survivors and the remnants of humanity, their implications far more terrifying than anyone dared to voice.
-
An Hour After the Victims Reawaken
Jin lay in bed in his apartment after he was accompanied home by Mari, his thoughts clouded with the day's surreal events. Questions swirled in his mind, unanswered and gnawing at him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something monumental was unfolding, yet he lacked the pieces to understand it fully.
The chime of his phone interrupted his thoughts.
"Ting!"
"Hi, how are you feeling now?" Mari, his girlfriend, texted through the chat app.
"I feel fine now," Jin replied, stretching as he noticed an unusual vigor coursing through him. The soreness from earlier was gone, replaced by a newfound energy. This doesn't feel like recovery after an accident... It feels better than normal, he thought, puzzled.
"By the way, aren't you going to buy some essential supplies? You heard the government's advice, right?" Mari messaged again.
"I heard. But everything's gone already," he sighed in reply. "The stores are emptied, and people are fighting over what's left. I don't want to get caught up in that chaos."
"Well, okay. Why don't you come over instead? My sister somehow managed to grab some supplies. We're stocked. LOL."
Mari's message lightened his mood briefly, but her next words carried an undertone of worry.
"Plus, don't you think we should be together? That countdown you mentioned... It's creeping me out. What if something bad happens? I'm scared, Jin."
"Okay," Jin typed after a pause. "I'll come by. Just need to sort some stuff here first."
"Okay. Take care. I love you," Mari replied.
"I love you too," Jin sent back before putting his phone down.
But Jin couldn't leave yet. His attention kept returning to the strange interface—the one only victims of the slumber could see.
Moments earlier, a new notification had popped up:
"Welcome, Player!"
The countdown timer had shifted positions, now displayed prominently below a new message:
"The World of Fantasy welcomes you after the countdown ends."
"This makes no sense. Is this somehow connected to the game?" Jin muttered, rubbing his temple. His curiosity piqued, he grabbed his VR headset to check the game.
"Server Unavailable."
Frustrated, Jin stared at the error message. Giving up, he turned to the online community for answers. In the game's dedicated Discord group, the chatter was in full swing:
User Jack3456: "Hahaha lol the game is coming to reality woooah!"
User Cornwall48: "Idiot! This is no time for jokes!"
User Jack3456: "Oh come on dude, you must be fun at parties, huh?"
User Cornwall48: "I dare you say that when it comes true, bro. You don't know shit. LOL."
User Jack3456: "Duh, whatever, pussy. LOL."
User Frendell21: "But umm, hey guys, what do you all think about the countdown?"
User Jack3456: "Umm… didn't I just told ya. LOL >.<"
User Frendell21: "Troll. LOL, for real though. XD."
Jin joined in, typing:
User Jinx301: "So, any of you guys tried logging into the game?"
User YTuser478: "I have, but nope. Can't get in. I wonder why that is?"
User Frendell21: "Same. :("
User Jack3456: "I think everybody's having the same issue, man."
Annoyed by the lack of answers, but at least one thing is clear to him. Everybody have the same issue. Jin closed the chat and tossed his phone aside. He exhaled sharply, trying to clear his mind, but his frustration lingered.
Without realizing it, he closed his eyes, the weight of confusion and fatigue pressing down on him. In the quiet, he forgot his plans to head to Mari's place, his thoughts drifting back to the countdown and what it might mean.
-
Several Hours Later
A thunderous noise jolted Jin awake. His heart raced as he sat up, disoriented.
"Oh my god, did I fall asleep?!" he groaned, slapping his forehead in frustration.
Then, as his vision adjusted, he noticed the floating screen before him.
"Welcome, Player."
Beneath it, a subtitle blinked ominously:
"Start your journey now to protect your world."
"Protect... what? Protect from what?" Jin muttered, bewildered.
The sudden realization of his forgotten plans hit him like a tidal wave. He scrambled for his phone, dread settling in as he saw 21 missed calls and multiple messages—all from Mari.
1st message:
"Jin, where are you now? I thought you'd come?!"
Time sent: 2 hours ago.
2nd message:
"Jin, I think the countdown has ended? Something's wrong. It's almost morning—why is the sky still dark?!"
Time sent: 1 hour ago.
Jin's heart skipped a beat as he read the final message:
3rd message:
"Please help me. My sister is gone!"
Time sent: 1 minute ago.
Blood rushed to his head, panic overtaking him. His hands trembled as he quickly typed back:
"What do you mean gone? What happened? Are you okay?!"
He hit send but immediately dialed her number as well. The line rang but was abruptly cut off. Jin tried again, only to be met with the same result. A cold sweat ran down his spine, but the fact that she was declining his calls gave him a small sliver of hope—she was still alive.
"Ding!"
A notification lit up his screen.
Mari:
"Where are you? I thought you were gone too! T_T Monsters are all around. Don't call me, or they'll hear me. I'm hiding in the bathroom. Please help me, I'm so scared!"
Jin's stomach churned as he read her message.
Monsters?! What the hell is happening?!
Fingers flying across the keyboard, he replied:
"Okay, baby, please stay safe. Don't make any noise. I'm coming to you. I promise. I'm so sorry I fell asleep last night. I love you."
Her response came almost instantly:
"Please come fast. T_T"
Determination replaced his confusion as he got up and began gathering whatever he could find: a flashlight, a kitchen knife, and his sturdy hiking boots. His mind raced, replaying Mari's messages over and over.
"Monsters? What kind of monsters?!" he whispered, trying to make sense of the chaos.
As he stuffed his essentials into a backpack, Jin glanced out of his apartment window. His blood ran cold.
The city, usually bathed in warm morning light by now, was shrouded in an unnatural darkness. Flickering lights in the distance illuminated broken streets, strange shadows moving in the gloom. Faint, distant screams pierced the eerie quiet.
"I'm coming, Mari. Hold on."