Ren Kuroda rolled his shoulders as he sank into his chair.
He grinned as the sound of the fan in his CPU reached his ears, his custom gaming rig booting.
It had been a long day of classes and researching at the college library for a presentation, and all he wanted now was to unwind.
He leaned forward as his monitor lit up, illuminating his dark room. This was just the way he liked it. No outside light. Just him and his screen.
He wore his headphones and logged into his favorite RPG, Eternal Souls: Last Judgment.
The game, which was known for its punishing difficulty and almost endless content, had been his obsession for years.
Many players called it impossible to beat, but Ren was never one to back down from a challenge like this.
And tonight was a special night. After thousands of hours, he was finally at the final quest. The endgame.
His character, a battle-scarred warrior named Valen, stood at the edge of a sprawling and everburning battlefield, a result of the Devouring Star, the second Great Calamity.
Across the expanse stood the third and final Great Calamity, Lilith Underwood.
Her dark aura rippled, distorting the air around her as her haunting theme music began to play.
Ren cracked his knuckles, took a deep breath, and dove in. "Game on."
The fight was everything he had hoped for.
Lilith's attacks were almost overwhelming and her patterns unpredictable. His fingers flew over his keyboard, activating combos.
With every dodge and every counterattack, he could see himself getting closer to victory. He gritted his teeth as his health bar teetered on the edge, barely managing to heal in time.
Hours passed in what felt like minutes and his world narrowed to the screen in front of him, his focus absolute.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Lilith let out an ear-piercing scream as her health dropped to zero.
The screen exploded with a dazzling array of lights as the words "Victory" flashed across it.
"Fuck yeah!" He screamed in joy, his heart pounding.
He had done it. He had defeated Lilith Underwood.
He leaned back in his chair, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. However, the thrill of victory quickly washed away his fatigue.
He took a screenshot of the final screen with a wide grin on his face and posted it online with the caption: "After 3,000 hours, I did it. Completed Eternal Souls and beat Lilith on the second try. AMA."
The responses were immediate. Comments flooded in, with some in disbelief and others in admiration.
"No way! Screenshot or it didn't happen!"
"Legend."
"What's your build?"
Ren grinned as he replied to a few of the comments, enjoying the feeling of becoming a new celebrity in the game's fandom.
After scrolling through a few more comments and enjoying himself, he turned back to the game.
This time, there was a prompt on the screen, overlaying the victory design.
"Congratulations, Champion. Would you like to unlock the bonus stage?"
Ren's brows rose in curiosity. He'd never heard of a bonus stage in all his years playing the game. He'd never once seen a mention of it in the official forums, and he had scoured every piece of lore.
Was this some kind of secret content? An easter egg?
His gamer instincts kicked in and without hesitation, he clicked "Yes."
The screen went black.
"What the…?"
For a moment, he thought the game had crashed. Then, a strange sensation washed over him.
The already dark room around him darkened, and his vision blurred. His fingers slipped off the keyboard as his consciousness began to fade.
Then the world fell away.
When Ren opened his eyes, he was lying in an unfamiliar bed.
The ceiling above him was made of wooden beams and he could smell the faint scent of herbs and candle wax in the air.
He blinked, his head pounding as disjointed memories swam through his mind. Slowly, he sat up, his hands gripping the rough wool blanket covering him.
"Where in the heavenly hells am I?" He groaned.
The room was small and rustic, with a single window letting in soft morning light. A simple wooden wardrobe stood against one wall, and a basin of water sat on a nearby table.
Everything looked… medieval.
Ren clutched his head as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His body felt strange, smaller somehow. He caught sight of his reflection in the basin and froze.
Staring back at him was not Ren Kuroda, the college student. It was a boy, no older than ten, with unruly brown hair and wide green eyes.
Panic gripped him as fragmented memories began to flood his mind.
This wasn't his body. This wasn't his world. But as the memories pieced themselves together, his eyes began to widen in horror.
He was in the world of Eternal Souls: Last Judgment. And not as Valen, his heroic warrior.
No, he was Terence 'Ren' Ross, the third son of a minor noble family. A background character. A nobody.
Ren unconsciously began to breathe heavily as he tried to take in this new reality.
He was inside the game he had just completed and it was real.
The threats he had spent years overcoming as a player were now something he'd have to face in the future, whether he liked it or not.
And the worst part? He wasn't the hero. He wasn't even close.
A soft knock at the door startled him. Before he could respond, the door creaked open, and a kind-looking woman in her fifties entered.
She wore a plain dress and carried a tray of bread and soup.
"Good morning, Master Terence." She said warmly. "How are you feeling today?"
Ren stared at her, his mind worked on identifying who was in front of him.
This was Margaret, his nanny. The memories of her flooded his mind, mingling with his own. She had cared for him since he was a baby, treating him more like a grandson than a charge.
"I… I'm fine." He stammered, his voice trembling slightly. "Just a headache."
Margaret frowned as she set the tray on the table. "You've been having those a lot lately. Maybe we should call for the physician."
"No! I mean, no, thank you. I'll be fine." He said quickly, forcing a smile. The last thing he needed was for someone to examine him and find out that he wasn't the real Terence.
Margaret gave him a concerned look but didn't press the issue. "Alright, but you let me know if it gets worse. Now, eat up. You have lessons with Master Halford this afternoon."
Terence nodded absently as she left the room, his mind already spinning.
He needed to think, to plan. This world was on the brink of disaster, and he knew exactly what was coming.
The Seven Minor Calamities, each one capable of wiping out entire regions. And beyond them, the Three Great Calamities, ending with Lilith Underwood, the girl he had just defeated in the game.
Except here, she wasn't just a final boss. She was real.
Terence groaned, burying his face in his hands. This wasn't just a game anymore. This was his life.
And if he wanted to survive, he'd need to start preparing.
"Alright." He muttered to himself, sitting up straight. "First things first. I need to figure out what's different in this world and what's the same."
He pushed himself to his feet, wobbling slightly as he adjusted to his smaller frame. The wooden floor creaked beneath him as he walked to the window.
Outside, the Ross estate stretched out before him. Fields of wheat swayed in the breeze, and a small village bustled in the distance.
It was peaceful for now, but he knew better. This was the calm before the storm.
Terence clenched his fists. He had spent years mastering this game, learning its every secret and strategy. Now, those skills would be put to the ultimate test.
If he wanted to survive the calamities he knew were coming, he couldn't stay a background character.
He needed to become more. Stronger. Smarter.
He needed to change the story.
Taking a deep breath, Terence turned away from the window.
This might be an uphill battle, but he had one advantage.
He knew this world inside and out.
And if he played his cards right, he might just have a chance.
"Game on."