MrBoness

-- WSA 2025 Entry --
READ THE SYNOPSIS BEFORE JUMPING INTO THE STORY

“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

Diego's light flickered like a candle drowning in blood.

Miles dropped to his knees as soon as he got near his best friend, his little brother, catching his fall, the world narrowing to the boy's trembling frame.

Dee's hands were raised, still glowing faintly with the echo of his [Holy Light], but it was fading fast, the color bleeding out into nothingness.

"Hey, hey-Diego-" Miles grabbed his shoulders, but his hands came away slick. The boy's clothes were soaked in red, torn, and seared where the stitched-eyed man had touched him.

"B-big bro…" Diego's eyes fluttered open, and he smiled. It was a weak, cracked thing. "You made it."

"You're going to be fine…" Miles lied, his voice hoarse. "We've got you. Just hold on."

The glow in his ring changed from blood-red to orange, Diego's eyes turned towards it, and he chuckled amidst a coughing fit.

Ch165. [World Quest] (25) - The real story (6)