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

As soon as Miles stepped out of the portal, and Diego fell on his rear, the rift in space closed, separating them from the Queen's horrors in the throne room.

"Ah… Ah… Ah…" Miles panted heavily. "Damn it… What the hell was that?"

"I'm the one to ask, you, big bro!" Diego got up, rubbing his rear. "And why did she call you a thief?"

Diego fell silent for a moment, and before Miles could answer his question, he interrupted.

"No! More important. Didn't you tell me you were at level one?"

"Yeah, why?" Miles nodded, tilting his head.

"Then how come you're able to move like that, and kill so many of those things like… Like it's a piece of cake?" Diego furrowed his brow, crossing his arms. "I swear to the gods, if you're kidding I'll-"

"I'm not." Miles cut him mid-sentence. "You felt it, didn't you? You noticed it, right?"

Diego fell silent, tilting his head, as though Miles left him with no arguments to debate.

Ch59. Two shadows