MrBoness

-- WSA 2025 Entry --

“Five… Four… Three… Two… One…”
As the countdown towards the new year went on to the last second, Miles looked up to the sky, just as everybody else did.

In the middle of the crowded street, Miles for once felt like he belonged. Being a teenage gamer, living with his parents, and trying to build a life as a streamer, he did not feel like leaving his room every day.

But there, in the middle of that crowded street, with everyone around him paying attention to the sky, the countdown on the digital billboard, and mostly anything else but him., Miles felt like a ghost.

A welcomed ghost, but a ghost, after all.

With a smile on his unseen face, he looked up as the countdown reached one, and everybody sang in unison.
‘HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

But Miles’ eyes widened as he watched in utter horror, and curiosity, even, hovering above him, a holographic screen with a few lines of text written in it.

All around him, although he did not pay much attention to it, a few other people seemed to experience the same situation.

[Updating home-world 39515’s version]

[Version 20.25 update brings a lot of fun and games with the new and improved survival mode]

[Do you want to convert your previous avatar to home-world 39515’s latest version?]

[Yes] [No]

“Survival… Mode?” Miles’ lips quivered.

Before he could think of anything else, though, the people around him began to scream…

Mad Hatter's Guide to Clearing The Game

The moon hung low over the ruined wasteland, its pale light casting eerie shadows across the battlefield.

The ground beneath Sarissa's feet was littered with the remains of the [Fallen Puppets] she had already cut down, their mangled forms twitching occasionally before going still. Her breath came in short, controlled bursts, flames still flickering at her fingertips, casting a faint glow over her sweat-drenched face.

All the while trying to avoid Shinji's deadly attacks.

His violet robes waved in the wind, his katana gleaming under the moonlight. There was amusement in his expression, along with the calm killing intent behind his gaze.

"You're not nearly as strong as I thought you'd be, Sarissa." His voice was smooth, almost lazy. "Should I be worried that the mighty leader of the Union Guild is hiding something up her sleeve?"

Ch45. RE: [World Quest] (3) - Unexpected