Seven years. Gone in an instant.
Yone stared at the glowing screen, his fingers trembling around the glass tablet. His coffee had long gone cold, but he barely noticed. The words in front of him blurred, but no matter how many times he blinked, they didn't change.
"Your services are no longer needed."
"Assassin squad leader Ravyn Requiem, you have been a skilled and intelligent leader throughout the seven years of your service under Guardians Angel guild, ranked seven on Eclipse Online central server."
Eclipse Online wasn't just a game, it was the world's most advanced and newest full-dive VR, an economy of its own if you were to describe what it actually is in the current date and age.
The top guilds controlled resources, dominated high-level dungeons, and wielded influence even outside the game. Corporations, investors, and even real-world governments paid close attention to the shifting power struggles in Eclipse Online's entirety.
And among these top guilds stood Guardians Angel, who ranked seventh. They were ruthless, efficient, and cutthroat, their reputation was built on discipline and results. Mistakes weren't tolerated. Losing a mission wasn't just about a failed quest since massive amounts of money were at stake on every single one of these missions, it instead meant the guild's prestige took a hit, and in Eclipse Online, prestige was currency.
"Unfortunately, we regret to inform you that your services are no longer needed. However, in accordance with the terms of your contract, you will receive full pay for this month and the next four months until you find a job with another guild or in a different industry.
Wish you luck on your journey."
He thought he had finally achieved his goal. After seven years of hard work and dedication, Reaching Tier 3 should have secured his position.
Seven years.
Seven fucking years he had spent nurturing newbies, leading his assassin squad through countless successful missions.
I have suffered, tried hard in the game, did whatever I could, did everything at my disposal to get as good as possible at the game.
Yet all of it was casually forgotten and dismissed just because I failed one single mission.
At this moment, Yone let out a hollow chuckle. His body trembled, and his vision blurred as he gazed blankly at the screen in his hand. He was still deciding whether to keep this tablet or smash it on the wall.
He had neglected his life for the sake of gaming, money, and fame.
He sacrificed unimaginable time, effort, and sweat just for the sake of getting better, just for the sake of improving the guild's newbies even further, just for the sake of getting his squad to one of the top ten on his guild. Yet all of his efforts, his time, and his love for the guild and game had been torn apart merely because he failed one single mission.
That NPC wasn't ordinary. How is it even my fault that he could effortlessly detect our whole squad from tens of kilometers away and stealthily track us to our main force without even our squad noticing anything?
He then looked at the final line of the message of his guild council decision.
"Your account has been deleted given the Contract terms. You can create another and join any other guild you wish that isn't a direct enemy of Guardians Angels. Good luck in your journey."
Bam!
Yone threw the tablet on the wall, shattering into pieces as he placed his coffee on the table. He then stood up, washed his face three times and sat on the bed.
With this, a book has been closed and a new one will open up for me.
I won't give up on my dream no matter how hard it gets.
No matter how unfair it gets.
No matter how late I am into Eclipse online and how late I'll be into the game once I create the account.
I'll still go back and do all of it again.
Yone's eyes flashed with determination as he laid down on the bed, deciding to close his eyes for some time before he started all over again.
Bip! Bip! Bip!
The phone call sounded continuously ringing relentlessly over and over again.
Yone dazedly woke up, his mind still not processing what had happened the whole night and in the morning.
Without much thought into it, he helplessly reached for his phone by the bedside.
"Big brother, you told me to inform you if any news were announced about Eclipse Online, and here I am!" His young brother's voice sounded excited from the other end of the call as he continued," At midnight, Ecliple Online will launch, go ahead and make me proud in front of all my friends and our family members!"
"Hmm? Shen...Shen, what are you talking about? I have been kicked out of my guild, and my account got deleted. What launch and game? Everything is over." Yone smiled as he delivered the news to Shen, thinking that his young brother would be shocked and rage at him like he always did.
"Big brother Yone, don't tell me that you spent the last night awake and drinking four to six coffees like you always do. Were you that eager to hear the game's announcements, then slept on them and only woke up a few minutes ago?"
Shen's voice was playful, but he didn't push Yone for an answer. "Just log in after an hour. I still have a year before I can get an ID, so I can't play yet. I'll give you a head start like I always do, hehe. See you later, noobie."
With that, Shen shut the phone without letting Yone reply, confident that his brother had just spent the last night drinking coffee after coffee as he waited for the game's launch.
Yone was slightly confused as he heard his words," Did my brother get a shock after the news reached him from our guild's executives?" He shrugged and opened the door to the room next to the kitchen. Then, he headed in to sit in his virtual gaming cabin, ready to create another account.
"I'll make sure to tell mother and father to take care of his mental health later on, I'm useless and worthless but they both know that my younger brother is leagues above me."
"Hmm?" Yone rubbed his eyes several times as he observed his surroundings.
The room was usually filled with energy drinks, multiple documents, and files containing information about newbies, dungeon and raid guides, famous PvP players' gear and skill level, and influential NPCs.
And most importantly, his virtual gaming cabin.
All of it was gone!
"Is brother playing a prank on me after getting kicked to lighten me or what?" Yone found it hard to believe given his brother's busy schedule and several other important missions that he was constantly tasked with.
Yone stretched his arms but then froze. Something was off with his body. It felt stiff, as if his body had never endured years of harsh training in one of America's top-tech gyms. His strength and reflexes… felt weaker and even unfamiliar to him.
Gulp!
Turning to where the mirror was, Yone was shocked to find out that he was back at his 20-year-old body, dark circles under his eyes, his skin pale, his frame lean and almost frail, exactly how he looked before starting to take the energy drinks and working on his physique out on the gym.
Exactly how he looked before Eclipse Online launched to the world.
Yone looked at the time on his phone.
7th-Mars-2177.
"Don't tell me I have been reincarnated?" Yone's face revealed a bitter smile as he gazed at the time and then the room, the room and then the time.
"My brother wasn't pranking me, but was truly informing me about the game's release date one hour from now!"