Seo Jihan adjusted his headset, his eyes glued to the monitor. His character in Path of the Dead stood tall—a level 250 maxed-out warrior, equipped with the best gear the game offered. "Alright, chat," he muttered, cracking his knuckles. "Just a little more grinding, and I'll reach the final boss. Let's finish this."
Donations and messages flooded his screen, but one caught his attention.
$2 Donation: Why are you still playing this old game?
"Why?" Jihan chuckled, leaning into the mic. "Just cuz."
The dungeon grew darker and more ominous as his character approached the massive doors of the final boss room. He turned to chat, hyping them up. "Alright, guys, this is it. The final boss. The moment we've all been waiting for."
Another donation popped up:
$5 Donation: I hope you die to the boss. That'd be hilarious.
Jihan smirked, his confidence unshaken. "That's not happening. Watch and learn."
With full focus on the game, he triggered the boss cinematic. But before he could engage, a new notification lit up his screen:
$500 Donation: I like the way you play. I want to sponsor you soon. Let's see if you survive longer than the others I've sponsored. (^^)
Jihan froze, his jaw dropping. "What the—" He jumped out of his chair, nearly knocking it over. His voice trembled with excitement. "Five hundred dollars?! Are you serious? Dude, thank you so much! I don't even know how to—"
Then he remembered the game. His gaze snapped back to the screen, only to find his character lying dead on the ground. The words Game Over mocked him in bold letters.