The dim glow of the computer screen illuminated Axel's cramped room, where empty pizza boxes and soda bottles piled beneath the desk.
The air reeked of mildew, but Axel didn't care.
His bloodshot eyes, exhausted from sleepless nights, were glued to the screen, where his virtual character, "Aragon", stood at the edge of a flaming mountain in the game "Eldrath", surrounded by Iron-5 rank monsters.
"This time, I'll win… This time, I'll prove them all wrong!" he whispered to himself, his fingers dancing across the keyboard with practiced speed. But even in the game, Aragon was nothing more than a Wood-1 rank character, rusted armor clinging to his frail frame and a chipped sword barely fit for battle.
Axel, was a 20-year-old university student living in a tiny apartment he could barely afford.
Since childhood, he'd been an easy target for bullies.
In school, they called him "The Skeleton" because of his scrawny build.
In college, the nickname morphed into "The Rat", mocking his isolation and social anxiety.
Memories of humiliation stabbed through his dreams like knives.
The day in sixth grade when they tied him to a bathroom stall and drenched his clothes in red paint.
That night in the dorm when someone scrawled on his door, "The Rat lives here…Beware infection!"
Even his family offered no refuge.
His father, a truck driver drowning in alcoholism, slapped him whenever he tried to speak his mind.
His mother, exhausted from her shifts at a government hospital, would mutter,
"Be a man… Men don't cry!"
Axel discovered "Eldrath" by chance during one of his late night internet binges.
Ads promised a fantasy world where power was determined by rank, not by muscles or money.
He bought a secondhand VR headset with his meager savings and dove into the game like a drowning man clutching driftwood.
But even here, he was weak.
His character, Aragon, was the laughing stock of the server.
His Wood-1 armor could be shredded by a stray wolf.
His rusted sword barely scratched a Stone-3 rank beast.
"A joke… Even in a game, I'm a failure!" he'd sometimes scream into the empty room, tears of frustration streaking his cheeks.
That night, Axel vowed it would be his last attempt.
He read on a shady forum about a legendary treasure hidden atop Mount Volcanor, Iron-10 rank, the Sword of the Dark Emperor, rumored to catapult its wielder straight to Gold-1 rank.
"If I get it… I'll be stronger than all of them! They'll kneel!" he muttered, his hands trembling with adrenaline.
But reaching the summit was no easy feat. The higher he climbed, the deadlier the monsters grew.
Fire Imps (Iron-3) hurled blazing orbs, while Rock Drakes (Iron-5) lunged to shove him into molten rivers.
Axel was drenched in sweat, his heart pounding like a war drum.
"Just one hit… Just one!"
At the peak, he found the treasure, a black sword inlaid with gold that glowed ominously.
But before he could grab it, the Lava Demon (Iron-10), the boss of the mountain, emerged.
The battle was brief.
The demon swatted Aragorn with a massive claw, sending him skidding toward the edge.
Axel's character was one hit from death… but he refused to surrender.
"No… Not again!"
He mashed the keyboard wildly, dodging attacks.
Suddenly, he spotted a gap in the demon's movements.
"Now!" he screamed, launching Aragorn at the beast's neck.
But the demon moved unnaturally fast.
His tail slammed into Aragorn, hurling him into the lava below.
"GAME OVER"
Axel ripped off the VR headset and hurled it across the room.
"No! No! NO!" he roared, tears of rage blurring his vision.
He glanced at the clock, 4 a.m.
Outside his window, the streets were empty save for a stray dog howling in the dark.
He stumbled out to buy an energy drink, his mind fogged with despair.
As he crossed the street, he heard the roar of an engine.
A truck barreled out of a shadowy alley.
…
The blinding headlights were the last thing he saw.
Axel opened his eyes to the stench of damp earth.
The sky above burned crimson, and skeletal black trees loomed like petrified monsters.
"Where… am I?" He tried to sit up, but his body felt heavy.
When he looked at his hands, he froze.
They were clad in cracked leather gloves, Aragon's gloves!
"This… this is Aragon's gear!" he rasped.
Even the armor's foul stench matched the game's.
Before he could process it, a guttural growl echoed behind him.
He turned slowly… and froze.
A wolf the size of a bear emerged, its red eyes glowing like embers.
[Welcome to Eldrath, Aragon.]
[First Quest: Defeat the Shadow Wolf (Wood-3).]
[Reward: Iron Sword + 100 XP.]
The game had begun… but this time, real death was on the line.
…
RANKS:
1. Wood: The weakest rank, representing beginners or those with minimal power.
2. Stone: Slightly stronger than Wood, often associated with basic monsters and early challenges.
3. Iron: A significant step up, marking the transition from beginner to intermediate.
4. Bronze: Stronger than Iron, often associated with skilled players or mid-tier monsters.
5. Silver: A prestigious rank, indicating advanced skill and power.
6. Gold: Elite status, reserved for the strongest players or creatures.
7. Platinum: A rare rank, symbolizing near-legendary power.
8. Diamond: Exceptional strength, often associated with legendary figures or bosses.
9. Heavenly: A rank close to godlike power, tied to cosmic or heavenly themes.
10. Divine: The highest rank, representing ultimate power and mastery over the game world.
Each rank is divided into 10 levels.