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 doors of the Master's domain slid open with a smooth hiss, the metallic chamber giving way to the chaotic sprawl of Luna Sea. Miles stepped through first, feeling the weight of the unseen eyes shifting away from him now that the trial was over. His scythe rested against his back, its presence an echo of the battle he had just survived. Kurt followed, stretching exaggeratedly as he stepped out.

"Well, that took long enough." Kurt said with a dramatic sigh. "I was starting to think I'd have to come in and rescue you. Maybe even avenge you. I already had a killer one-liner planned."

"Pretty sure I was fine." Miles shot him a flat look.

"Eh, debatable." Kurt smirked, falling in step beside him. "You looked two seconds away from getting turned into scrap metal. But I suppose you managed to pull off some last-minute miracle, as usual." He gave a pointed glance at the scythe on Miles' back. "And I'm guessing that thing's got a few new tricks now."

Ch125. Toward the Last Verse