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 streets were quieter than usual, but Miles and Sarissa moved with urgency, navigating through the maze of ruined buildings and dimly lit alleys. The air was thick with dust and the lingering scent of burning ozone, a reminder that the world outside was still unstable, still changing.

After Sarissa's initial – mild – shock at the news Miles had given her, she knew they needed answers as badly as Miles himself did, and she knew, also, that there was only one place in town that they could get that kind of information from.

Mara's workshop was not far now. Nestled between reinforced buildings unmarked by the [Safe Zone] system tag, the shop stood untouched by the game, yet well-guarded by forces that no player had dared to challenge.

The neon sign flickered against the darkened sky.

Mara's Crafting & Enchantments.

Miles was the first to step inside, and Sarissa followed, her sharp gaze scanning every inch of the cluttered space.

Ch83. Pain as a teacher (7) - The Black Market