Tap! Tap! Tap!
"Come on! Come on!"
Tap! Tap! Tap!
"Yes! Finally, I got the Dragon Armor! My hours of grinding have finally paid off!"
With a sigh of relief and satisfaction, I leaned back in my old, patched-up stool. But just as I did, the stool gave way, sending me crashing onto the cold floor.
"Ack! Damn it! The stool broke. I knew the tape wouldn't hold forever, but I didn't think it'd break this fast."
As I scrambled to my feet, I noticed the light streaming through the window.
"What time is it?" I glanced at the clock. "6:30 AM?! Oh no! Mom's medicine!"
Keukkk!
"Ugh, the door! I forgot to fix it again." Pushing it open, I called out, "Mom? Are you already awake? Did the noise wake you?"
"Oh, Reito, you're up too. Don't tell me you stayed up all night playing games again. You know it's not good for your health," Mom said, coughing harshly.
"MOM!"
"I'm fine, don't worry about me."
"No, you're not fine. Lay back down right now!"
"Don't fuss over me, Reito. You know your mom is strong."
"Stop acting tough, Mom. The doctor said your body is weak. Now lie down. I'll get your medicine."
"Alright, alright," she muttered, smiling faintly.
As I handed her the medicine, she sighed. "If only your father had stayed with us, you wouldn't have to live like this."
"Mom, don't bring him up. Just thinking about him makes me sick."
"Butâ"
"No buts. Take your medicine and rest."
She nodded, her face softening. "You've grown into such a fine man, Reito. I'm so proud of you. I just hope I get to see my grandchildren someday."
"M-Mom! What are you even saying? I'm nowhere near ready for marriage!"
"Oh, I know how kids like you are these days."
"Mom, enough of that! Just take your medicine!"
"Fine, fine," she chuckled.
After she drifted off to sleep, I sighed. "Finally, she's resting. Man, I really need to fix that door. Yawn... But at least I got the Dragon Armor. I can't wait to test it out in the AFK mining area."
Ding!
"Huh? Who could it be at this hour?"
I shuffled to the door. "Excuse me, your parcel is here," a voice called out.
"Parcel? At this hour? I don't remember ordering anything... Did Mom order something?"
Ding!
"Coming! Hold on!"
When I opened the door, no one was there. "Weird... Did I mishear?"
Just as I was about to close the door, I noticed a cardboard box on the ground.
"Huh? Someone was here, but why did they leave this behind?"
Opening mysterious packages wasn't usually my thing, but curiosity got the better of me. It's not every day you find a random box at your door.
"Let's see... Neverland Enterprises?" My eyes widened. "Wait, that's the game I play!"
I unfolded a letter inside:
Dear User,
We, the developers of Neverland, are thrilled to celebrate the game's 10th anniversary. As one of our most loyal players, we deeply appreciate your dedication.
However, we regret to inform you that we are shutting down the servers permanently. Thank you for your support over the years. Inside this box is a token of our gratitude.
"Neverland is shutting down, huh? I guess it was only a matter of time. Not many people were playing anymore. Still, it's kind of sad."
I sighed, a bittersweet feeling settling in. "But wait... How did they get my address? I don't remember giving it to them."
Shrugging, I turned my attention back to the box. "Well, let's see what they've sent me. Maybe some merch? Ooh, I hope it's a Tsukumi action figure!"
But as I opened the box, I froze.
"What the... It's empty?"
I stared at the void inside. "Is this some kind of joke?!"
Before I could process what was happening, a bright window popped up in front of me, glowing with familiar colors.
"Welcome back, player, to the world of Neverland!"