The glow of the monitor reflected off Leon's determined face. His fingers danced over the keyboard with precision, the sounds of rapid clicking filling the room. This wasn't just a game—it was a battlefield, a trial of skill that had broken countless players.
"Just a little more… almost there…" he whispered, leaning closer to the screen.
Finally, the golden letters appeared:
Congratulations, Champion. You have completed Realm of Eternity.
Leon leaned back in his chair, letting out a triumphant laugh. "Fifth time's the charm."
Realm of Eternity wasn't just any game. It was a living nightmare of relentless difficulty, the kind of challenge only the most dedicated—or insane—players dared to take on. It demanded absolute mastery, with its labyrinthine quests, unpredictable NPCs, and punishing combat mechanics. Leon was among the elite few who could claim victory not once, but multiple times.
"Hardest game in the world, huh? Maybe for amateurs," he muttered, though his sore hands and dark-circled eyes told a different story.
As he reached for his mug of cold coffee, a strange message flashed on the screen.
"You have conquered the game. Are you ready to conquer destiny?"
Leon frowned, his hand freezing mid-reach. "What the… this wasn't in the game before."
The screen flickered, and before he could react, a bright light exploded from the monitor, engulfing the room. He tried to scream, but the light swallowed him whole.
When Leon opened his eyes, he wasn't in his room anymore.
The air was damp and cold, filled with the faint scent of decay. Leon groaned, sitting up to find himself on the floor of what appeared to be a dungeon. Stone walls rose around him, lit by the flickering glow of torches.
"What the hell…" he muttered, looking down at himself.
Gone were his familiar hoodie and jeans. Instead, he was draped in fine silks, though they were stained with wine and sweat. Heavy gold rings adorned his fingers, and his entire appearance radiated wealth and indulgence.
Leon spotted a polished steel mirror nearby. Picking it up, his breath caught as he stared at the face reflected back at him.
It wasn't his.
The man in the mirror had sharp, aristocratic features, pale skin, and cold, disdainful eyes. The reflection smirked back at him as though mocking his confusion.
Then it hit him.
"No way…" he whispered, dread creeping into his voice. "I'm… Basil?"
Basil Eryndor. The name alone sent shivers down Leon's spine. In Realm of Eternity, Basil wasn't just an antagonist—he was the most despised character in the game. The eldest son of the mighty Eryndor family, Basil was infamous for his cruelty, arrogance, and debauchery. He terrorized servants, squandered his family's reputation, and betrayed everyone who ever trusted him.
And in the game's original storyline, Basil's reign of terror came to a swift end.
Leon's mind raced as he remembered the events. Basil's death was inevitable—a punishment for his vile actions. Within a week, he was executed by his own father after the brutal beating of a maid led to her death.
A chill ran down Leon's spine.
"If I'm Basil… then I have less than a week to live," he muttered, his hands trembling.
But as fear threatened to consume him, a spark of determination ignited within him. He wasn't just Basil—he was Leon, a gamer who had mastered this world. He knew every twist, every quest, every character.
"I beat this game five times," he said, his voice steadying. "If anyone can rewrite Basil's story, it's me."
Leon—or rather, Basil—rose to his feet, a new resolve burning in his chest. He wasn't going to die a hated villain. He was going to conquer this cursed fate and rise above it all.