Gone.

In a small, dimly lit apartment room, a boy with golden hair and striking blue eyes sat in front of a glowing computer screen, his headphones snugly covering his ears.

The faint hum of the computer and the occasional clatter of keys were the only sounds filling the otherwise silent room.

On the screen, the title Legends of Aldoria displayed in bold, glowing letters as he navigated through the game's interface.

His fingers moved with practiced precision, clicking and typing at a speed that spoke of endless hours spent perfecting his craft.

Hours passed like seconds as he immersed himself deeper into the virtual world. His eyes never wavered from the screen, completely focused on the characters and battles unfolding before him.

His memory was sharp, almost unnaturally so, allowing him to recall every attack pattern, every hidden mechanic, and every detail about the sprawling world of Aldoria.

This wasn't just any hobby; it was an obsession. A way to escape reality. Over 8,000 hours poured into the game, and with his exceptional memory, he had become a walking encyclopedia of Legends of Aldoria. To him, the game was second nature.

Boss fights, intricate puzzles, and strategies that would leave most players struggling were easy for him. His mind processed every move and counter-move effortlessly, as if he were playing a game that was specifically designed him.

As the game entered its final stage, the tension in the room became almost palpable. The boy's hands moved with lightning speed, his fingers dancing across the keyboard and mouse as if they were an extension of himself.

His golden hair clung to his forehead from hours of concentration, but his piercing blue eyes never wavered from the screen.

This was it. After thousands of hours of dedication, countless failures, and endless retries, Wayne was closer than he'd ever been to achieving the perfect ending—something that was rumored to be nearly impossible in the worldwide gaming community.

Wayne's smile widened, a mix of excitement and pride tugging at the corners of his lips. Every move was calculated, every decision flawless.

The boss's health bar dwindled as he executed combos and dodged attacks with precision that would leave anyone in awe.

"Finally…" he muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with exhilaration. The climax of Legends of Aldoria, the perfect ending, was within his grasp.

For the first time in years, the boy felt an adrenaline rush unlike anything he had ever experienced—not just because of the game, but because this victory was his alone.

"Yesss!" the boy shouted, pumping his fists into the air, his chair spinning slightly from the force. His grin stretched from ear to ear as the final credits rolled across the screen.

He had done it—achieved the elusive perfect ending in Legends of Aldoria. The golden light from the game's conclusion bathed his face, and for a moment, he felt invincible.

He was ecstatic. All those sleepless nights, countless hours of strategizing, memorizing attack patterns, and perfecting his builds had finally paid off. It wasn't just a win; it was a testament to his unwavering determination and skill.

"I actually did it," he murmured to himself, leaning back in his chair, still basking in the glow of his triumph. His heart was pounding in his chest, his breath shallow with excitement.

For a brief moment, he stared at the screen, the names of the developers scrolling by, and let the victory sink in.

However, just as he was about to celebrate further, the computer screen suddenly blacked out.

"What the—" he muttered, leaning forward to check if the system had crashed. But before he could do anything, a translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes, hovering in midair, it startled him as he almost fell from his chair.

But in the next moment the boy froze, his heart skipping a beat. "What... is this?" he whispered, waving his hand through the screen, only for it to remain unaffected. It wasn't a part of the game, nor was it a system feature. It felt real.

___________________________________

100% progress completed.

Initialising the integration process.

Breaking the ancient seals.

Soul Integration process started 1%..2%...

Welcome Back, Azhrael.

___________________________________

As the boy read the screen in confusion, he didn't have time to react before a sharp, searing pain erupted throughout his body.

"Arghhh!" he screamed, clutching his chest and falling from his chair onto the cold floor.

The agony was beyond anything he had ever felt—it wasn't just physical; it felt as though his very soul was being torn apart, ripped forcefully from his body. The sheer intensity of the pain made his vision blur, his breaths shallow and desperate.

In his writhing agony, Wayne failed to notice two ominous occurrences happening simultaneously.

First, the world outside his small apartment was in chaos. The clear sky had darkened, turning into an ominous swirl of purple and blue.

Winds roared violently, tearing through the streets, uprooting trees, and sending debris flying in every direction.

Thunder boomed, and lightning cracked across the heavens, illuminating the unnatural, swirling clouds.

The atmosphere felt heavy, as though something forbidden and otherworldly was breaking through.

Second, Wayne's own body began to glow faintly, his skin illuminated with eerie light. Then, intricate seals—ancient and otherworldly—started appearing all over his body, pulsating with power.

One by one, the seals began to crack and shatter.

Crack.

The first seal broke, unleashing a wave of energy that pulsed through the room.

Crack.

Another seal broke, and Wayne's screams grew louder, his body convulsing on the floor.

Each shattered seal released energy that reverberated through the room, shaking the walls and scattering his belongings. The power within him, long contained, was being unleashed.

Then, in the middle of the room, a rift appeared—a tear in reality itself. The swirling black-and-purple void radiated an unholy aura, the kind that made it impossible to look away.

Wayne's body, now limp and glowing faintly, hovered toward the rift. His consciousness faded completely, his last thoughts drowned in the excruciating pain.

With one final pulse of energy, the rift enveloped his soul entirely. The room went silent, save for the distant crackle of thunder.

And just like that, only Wayne's body remained and he was gone.