Ohritro

Eli Turner had perfected the art of coasting through life, gaming, lounging, and vibing with no grand ambitions beyond the next high. But his laid-back existence is upended when his laptop inexplicably transforms into a gateway to another world. What starts as a surreal escape becomes a perilous journey as Eli finds himself wielding a mysterious system that allows him to level up, fight monsters, and gain abilities beyond his wildest dreams.  

At first, the portal world feels like a haven, offering purpose and adventure Eli never knew he craved. Guided, or manipulated, by Azrael, a mischievous god orchestrating the game, Eli rises as one of the system's chosen players. But as the quests grow more dangerous and Azrael’s true intentions begin to surface, Eli struggles to balance the fantasy world with his life back home. His girlfriend, Sara, and his friends are left grappling with a version of Eli they hardly recognize, as the lines between his two lives blur.  

When the system expands to players worldwide, Eli crosses paths with others drawn into Azrael’s cosmic experiment: Yumi Tanaka, a fiercely disciplined Japanese student with a perfectionist streak, and Arjun Mehta, a charming Indian playboy with secrets of his own. Each carries their own burdens and ambitions, but all three must face the harsh truth: Azrael’s game is far more than it seems.  

As alliances are forged, rivalries ignite, and the stakes escalate, Eli must confront not only the dangers of the portal world but the growing rift between the person he is and the hero he’s becoming. In a game where every move is a test and every choice ripples across both worlds, the question remains: can Eli, Yumi, and Arjun uncover the truth before the system consumes them all?

I Got a Notification on my Laptop and Got Legendary Powers

The Hollow Grid trembled as the Guardian lunged. A towering construct of shifting plates and glowing circuitry, it was built for one purpose—eliminating intruders. Its molten-red eyes locked onto Yumi and Eli as it raised a massive arm, energy crackling around its bladed fingers.

Eli didn't need to be told twice. They dove in opposite directions as the Guardian's fist crashed down, obliterating the console where Yumi had just decrypted the crystal. Sparks flew in every direction, the ground shuddering under the impact.

Yumi scrambled to her feet, gripping the data crystal. If the information inside was destroyed, their entire mission would be pointless.

The Guardian recalibrated, its gaze flicking between them. "Unauthorized access detected. Termination sequence initiated."

Eli pulled his sword free, the steel glinting under the red warning lights. "You distract it, I'll—"

"No," Yumi cut in. "We don't have time to fight. We need to get out of here."

Eli shot her a look. "And let that thing chase us across the wastelands?"

Yumi clenched her jaw. He had a point. Even if they escaped the Grid, the Guardian would track them. They needed a way to shut it down—permanently.

Her eyes darted to the half-collapsed control panels lining the chamber. The Hollow Grid was ancient, but its defenses were still active. If she could override the system...

Another crash as the Guardian lunged, forcing them to separate again. Eli ducked under a swinging blade, rolling across the debris-littered floor. "Hate to rush you, but—"

"Cover me!" Yumi interrupted, already sprinting toward the nearest console.

Eli groaned. "Why is it always me?"

Without hesitation, he charged the Guardian, his blade slicing against its plated armor. Sparks flew, but the creature barely reacted, its attention snapping toward him.

Yumi skidded to a stop at the terminal. Fingers flying across the interface, she bypassed corrupted security layers and dove straight into the core control.

System Override Detected. Please Enter Administrator Code.

The Guardian whirled toward her, reading the intrusion.

Eli noticed. "Not good, not good, not good—"

Eli did the only thing he could. With a yell, he leaped onto its back, plunging his sword into the gaps between its armor plates.

The Guardian stumbled, momentarily thrown off balance.

Yumi didn't hesitate. She pulled up the master access log and entered a sequence she had decrypted earlier—the last recorded override by the system's original architects.

Access Granted. Manual Shutdown Engaged.

The Guardian jerked, its glowing eyes flickering. For a moment, it seemed to resist, its internal processors struggling against the command.

Then, with a deafening screech, its body locked up.

Eli barely managed to leap free before the towering machine crashed onto its knees, then collapsed entirely. Its red glow faded to black.

For a long moment, the only sound was their breathing.

Eli lay on his back, staring at the ceiling. "Tell me that's permanent."

Yumi checked the console. "It's... in deep standby. Not dead, but it won't be chasing us."

Yumi exhaled, gripping the crystal. "We need to move. If Azrael was watching, he knows what we have now."

Eli groaned, pushing himself up. "Why can't we ever get a break?"

"Because," a new voice cut in, "you're playing a game you don't understand."

A figure stood at the entrance of the ruined chamber, shrouded in a long coat, his face shadowed under the dim red glow of dying warning lights. But the moment he stepped forward, there was no mistaking him.

His eyes, once filled with quiet intensity, now carried something darker—knowledge, secrets he had no choice but to bear.

The Sentinel’s Gambit