Chapter 1: The Game That Chooses Its Players
Adam Steele sat hunched over in the sterile office break room, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the cold plastic of his coffee cup. It was a typical Monday morning—nothing special, just another day of staring at spreadsheets and listening to the hum of the office printer. His co-workers shuffled in and out, oblivious to his existence, as always. He was the quiet one, the one who went unnoticed in a sea of faces.
As he scrolled through his phone, his thumb stopped on an odd notification. The message wasn't from any app he recognized. It was strange—glowing, almost as if it had a life of its own. Adam frowned, wondering if he was the victim of some spam or phishing scam. But something about it felt... different.
> "Congratulations! You have been chosen. The Game awaits you. Do you accept?"
He stared at the screen, brow furrowing. What kind of message was this? He wasn't the type to fall for scams, and yet, something inside him urged him to tap YES. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was the years of dull routines, but Adam felt like he had nothing to lose. His life, as it stood, was a series of meaningless days strung together with no real excitement.
His finger hovered over the screen for a moment longer, and then he tapped YES.
The instant his finger made contact, the room around him seemed to distort. The fluorescent lights flickered out, and the floor beneath him vanished. Panic surged through him as the world twisted in on itself, like a bad dream pulling him into its depths. His vision blurred, and the air grew thick and strange. Adam tried to scream, but no sound came out.
And then, just as abruptly, everything stopped.
---
Adam opened his eyes and found himself standing in the middle of a void—endless, shimmering silver. There were no walls, no floor, just an expanse of nothingness stretching in all directions. The air felt heavy, almost oppressive. A soft, distant hum vibrated through the air, but otherwise, there was no sound.
Before him, a massive translucent sphere appeared, flickering like a hologram. Inside it, a series of strange symbols danced, changing with every passing second. He reached out instinctively, but his hand didn't touch the surface. Instead, the sphere seemed to respond to his presence, and a low voice rumbled from deep within.
> "Welcome to the Game," the voice boomed, vibrating in his chest.
Adam's heart raced as he stumbled backward, trying to make sense of what was happening. "What is this? Where am I?"
> "You have been chosen. The Game spans two worlds: your own and another. Compete, survive, and thrive to gain unimaginable power and wealth. Fail, and face the consequences."
His mind raced, but before he could form another question, the voice continued.
> "You are given two accounts. Each account unlocks a unique ability. Use them wisely."
Adam's head swam as a new interface materialized in front of him. A glowing screen, like the one on his phone, hovered in the air, displaying two accounts under his name.
---
Account 1:
Ability Unlocked: Steal
Description: Steal random items, mission cards, or artifacts from other players' inventories. Upgrades allow targeted stealing.
Account 2:
Ability Unlocked: Emotion Copy
Description: Copy a random ability or physical trait from anyone with strong feelings toward you (love or hate), usable once per day.
---
Adam stared at the abilities listed before him. Steal? Emotion Copy? Were these the gifts he had been given for agreeing to play?
He frowned, unsure whether he was being pranked or if this was some kind of elaborate simulation. But then, the voice spoke again.
> "Your first mission is simple. Climb the rankings and prove yourself worthy. You have 30 days."
The words vanished, and in their place appeared a new message.
> "Global Mission: Climb the Rankings
Objective: Achieve a position among the top ten players in both accounts before the deadline.
Deadline: 30 days."**
Adam took a deep breath. The room was spinning, and he could barely comprehend what was going on. But there was no time to think—he had to focus. The message was clear: he was part of something far bigger than he could have imagined.
As the voice fell silent, a glowing icon appeared on his phone. It was an auction icon, the symbol flickering with a strange energy. A notification popped up:
> "Unique Ability Unlocked: Store"
---
Unique Ability: Store
Description: Use auction points to purchase items from an interdimensional auction system. Items can be transferred between worlds.
---
"What?" Adam gasped. This was too much to process. But as his hands trembled, another message flashed across the screen:
> "Steal ability ready. Targets nearby. Do you wish to activate?"
His pulse quickened. A part of him wanted to refuse, to shut down the entire situation. But something inside him told him to act. To take the opportunity. Without thinking, he tapped ACTIVATE.
---
Suddenly, the world around him shifted again. The silver void fractured into streaks of color as the game environment solidified. He was no longer alone. A nearby inventory panel appeared, displaying a list of available items, some of which Adam recognized from the symbols floating around earlier. A spinning wheel materialized, showing a list of items he could potentially steal.
The wheel slowed, and when it finally stopped, it locked onto an item:
> "You have stolen: Minor Healing Potion."
Adam blinked, unable to comprehend what had just happened. A small vial appeared in his hand. It was a simple glass bottle, filled with a faintly glowing liquid. He held it up to the light, mesmerized by the way it shimmered.
The voice spoke again.
> "You may now use auction points to sell stolen items."
Adam's heart skipped a beat. He had just stolen an item—something real, tangible. And the auction points? That meant he could sell it. Make a profit.
---
A new prompt appeared. He had earned 50 auction points for his theft. The realization hit him—this was not just a game. It was a system. A marketplace. A way to make money. To gain power.
His fingers trembled as he tapped SELL ITEM. The potion vanished, and his balance of auction points updated.
> +50 Auction Points
Adam's mind raced with possibilities. This was more than he had ever imagined. He wasn't just playing for survival; he could thrive, manipulate the system, and grow stronger. There were rules here, but those rules could be bent. Perhaps even broken.
But a warning flashed in his mind—this wasn't just a game of personal gain. There were others like him. Players. Competitors. And some would stop at nothing to win.
---
As Adam processed his new abilities, another message appeared:
> "Other players detected nearby. Use caution."
His eyes narrowed. This was only the beginning.
---
The Game had just begun, and Adam Steele wasn't ready to play