Chapter 5: Reality Check

The bright light from the sun-filled sky vanished as Les pulled off his VR headset, blinking as the familiar dim glow of his apartment filled his vision. The silence was deafening compared to the constant pulse of adrenaline that fueled his time in Ancient Arena Online. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, feeling the transition from game to reality hit him harder than usual.

Sitting up, Les rubbed his tired eyes and glanced around his small, cluttered living room. His holo-pad blinked from the corner of the table, a reminder of the messages he'd been ignoring. Bills piled up, job rejections filling his inbox—he'd been stuck in the same rut ever since leaving The Hub. No, not leaving. Being kicked out.

The bitter thought gnawed at him again, pulling him out of the high he'd felt after the dungeon victory. For a moment, in that virtual world, he'd felt powerful—like he had control over his destiny. But the moment he logged out, reality reminded him of the mess his life had become.

Les pushed himself up from the couch, his joints stiff from hours spent in the game. His small apartment was a far cry from the sprawling offices he used to manage when he was a top manager in The Hub. The window on the far side of the room barely let in any light, mostly covered by a thick layer of dust. He hadn't bothered to clean or care for the place since he'd lost his job. Without purpose, without direction, he'd let himself slip into isolation, using VR as an escape.

He shuffled over to the kitchen, opening the fridge to find nothing but a few cans of energy drinks and some leftovers from days ago. Sighing, he grabbed a drink and popped it open, taking a long sip as he leaned against the counter.

"Pathetic," he muttered to himself, staring at the floor.

There was a time when he was on top of the world, handling a professional team in one of the most popular VR games. But Ancient Arena Online was different. Here, he wasn't a manager or some figure behind the scenes. He was a player—a nobody starting from the bottom. And strangely, he liked that. It gave him something to fight for. The pressure to be perfect wasn't there; he could learn and grow at his own pace. But in reality, the pressure of failure still weighed heavily on him.

As he stood in the kitchen, the low hum of his holo-pad caught his attention. Les set the drink down and walked over, flipping the device on. A notification flashed across the screen.

"Unpaid bills due in 3 days."

He winced. That familiar sinking feeling returned. Money was tight, and it had been months since his last real income. Managing in The Hub used to pay well—very well—but that was over now. He had been blacklisted, his name tarnished by the scandal Kyle had orchestrated. It didn't matter that the accusations were false. Public perception was everything in the gaming world, and once the rumors started, it was almost impossible to recover.

The holo-pad pinged again. This time, a message.

Mira: "Hey, haven't heard from you in a while. Everything okay?"

Mira. The one friend who hadn't completely abandoned him after the fallout. She had been on his side during the whole mess with The Hub, but after he'd been kicked out, Les had withdrawn from her too. He didn't want pity, didn't want to be seen as some washed-up failure clinging to past glories. Still, Mira had always been persistent, checking in even when he didn't respond.

He stared at the message for a long moment before typing back.

Les: "I'm fine. Just busy with some new things."

A lie, but the truth was too depressing to share.

After sending the message, he dropped the holo-pad on the table, feeling the weight of everything bearing down on him again. Les ran a hand through his hair, pacing the small room. He could hear the sounds of the city outside—the distant hum of traffic, the occasional blare of a horn. It was all too normal, too mundane compared to the excitement of Ancient Arena Online.

He needed to get his life back on track. But how?

Returning to Ancient Arena Online was tempting. The game gave him a sense of freedom, of purpose that he couldn't find in the real world anymore. But logging out and facing the crushing reality of his current situation made it clear he couldn't just hide in VR forever.

The rent was due, his savings were almost depleted, and job prospects were non-existent. No one would hire someone with his reputation, not in the competitive world of VR team management. Not after what had happened. He had tried applying for smaller gigs, managing amateur teams or consulting on strategies for up-and-coming players, but it wasn't enough to keep him afloat.

Les took another swig of his drink, his thoughts drifting back to Ancient Arena Online. There was potential there, he knew it. Players who got in early on new games like this had a chance to carve out a name for themselves. Even if it was just in-game currency or rare loot, it was something.

As he stared out of the window, watching the neon signs flicker against the night sky, an idea began to form. He didn't have to be trapped by his past, by the life that had been taken from him. In Ancient Arena Online, he could be anyone, build anything. Maybe the key wasn't just in playing for fun or escape, but in leveraging his real-world experience. Sure, he wasn't managing a team anymore, but he could still use the same skills—leadership, strategy, knowledge of the game.

This could be his way back.

His holo-pad pinged again, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Mira: "You know, if you ever need help or just want to talk, I'm here. Take care of yourself, okay?"

Les stared at the message, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Maybe he wasn't completely alone after all. Maybe there were still people who believed in him, even when he didn't believe in himself.

With a deep breath, Les set the empty can down and walked back toward his gaming rig. He slipped the VR headset over his head, his heart steadying as the familiar hum of the game's interface buzzed to life.

This time, he wasn't just escaping reality. He was stepping into a new one, determined to rewrite his story.

And as the world of Ancient Arena Online enveloped him once again, Les felt a surge of purpose, a burning desire to reclaim not just his honor, but his future.