Chapter 22: A Game That Became Reality

(Ethan's POV – Before Transmigration)

For the first time in years, I had something close to peace.

A fragile peace, built upon the ruins of a world shattered by war.

After countless battles, endless bloodshed, and years spent surviving, I had done the impossible—I had created a haven.

A place for those who had no home.

A sanctuary where the weak did not have to live in fear.

And at the heart of it all, there was her—Sofia.

---

Life in the Haven

Sofia was many things—a healer, a protector, a woman who refused to let the world crush her kindness.

But above all else, she was the only person who reminded me of what it meant to be human.

When I had built this place, I had expected it to be a military fortress, a last bastion against the endless war of superhumans.

Instead…

It had become a place filled with life.

Not just survivors clinging to existence, but people laughing, playing, and living.

And Sofia was the one responsible.

She refused to let me be the cold-hearted war machine I had become.

Which was why—despite everything—I found myself sitting on a couch, controller in hand, glaring at a game screen.

"Again?" I muttered.

Sofia sat beside me, a satisfied smile on her face.

"Yes, again. You've been working too much. Now shut up and play."

I exhaled sharply.

It wasn't like I had a choice.

Once Sofia set her mind to something, there was no escape.

---

The Game – A Relic from the Past

The game was an old RPG, something she had retrieved from one of the ruins before we established the haven.

A piece of the old world, long before war had consumed everything.

And apparently, it was one of her favorites.

"Sword and magic again?" I grumbled, flipping through the in-game menu.

The title screen flickered—a grand fantasy setting, filled with towering castles, mythical creatures, and, of course, a chosen hero standing against darkness.

I recognized it immediately.

I had played this game when I was a child.

Before my world had collapsed.

Before I had lost everything.

A flicker of nostalgia surfaced, but I buried it beneath irritation.

"This protagonist is a cliché bastard."

Sofia rolled her eyes. "You haven't even started yet."

"I don't need to. I remember."

---

The Most Generic Protagonist Ever

The moment the game started, I was proven right.

The protagonist was a young man with spiky hair, a generic tragic backstory, and an unnatural ability to attract every woman within a ten-mile radius.

From the very first scene, he was already saving a random girl from bandits, which, of course, led to her falling in love with him instantly.

I sighed. "Yeah. Exactly as I remember."

Sofia giggled. "You just don't like the romance."

"I don't like the stupidity." I corrected.

"Every woman he meets falls for him. Nobles, assassins, princesses, elf queens, literal goddesses—it doesn't matter."

"And yet, the guy has the emotional intelligence of a rock."

Sofia smirked. "It's cute."

"It's unrealistic."

She shot me a look. "You can regenerate from getting shot in the head, and you're worried about realism in a video game?"

I scowled.

"Common sense just doesn't work around him."

"Every enemy underestimates him. Every ally worships him. Every woman he meets wants to be part of his growing collection."

"He is the most oblivious, overpowered, plot-armored protagonist in existence."

Sofia chuckled. "It sounds like you admire him."

I nearly threw the controller at her.

"I admire the world-building."

If there was one thing the game did well, it was the world itself.

The kingdoms, the history, the intricate magic system—everything about the setting was masterfully crafted.

It was a world built with care.

A world that felt alive.

Too bad the protagonist was a walking stereotype.

---

Hours of Forced Gameplay

Sofia made me play for hours.

We went through dungeons, defeated monsters, met powerful warriors—all of whom, naturally, were beautiful women eager to follow the protagonist.

I sighed for the hundredth time.

"This is why I stopped playing."

Sofia nudged me. "But you're playing now."

"Because you're forcing me."

She grinned, completely unapologetic.

And despite my complaints…

Despite my endless frustration with the protagonist…

It wasn't the worst way to spend time.

For a brief moment, I almost forgot about the world outside.

The war.

The death.

The fact that everything we had built could be destroyed in an instant.

It was just Sofia and me, sitting on a couch, playing a dumb game.

A rare moment of peace.

---

The Last Memory Before Everything Changed

That night was one of the last peaceful nights I ever had.

Because war did not stop for anyone.

Not even for us.

Not even for Sofia.

When she died in my arms, all that remained was rage.

A hunger for power so strong that it consumed everything else.

I did not care about right or wrong.

I did not care about morality.

All that mattered was strength.

Because strength meant survival.

Because strength meant that no one could take from me again.

And then—I had died too.

And everything had ended.

---

Reawakening in a Game That Shouldn't Exist

(Present Time – Alistair's POV)

After last night of soul merge.

The shock of memory hit me like a hammer.

I gasped, eyes snapping open, body trembling from the sheer force of the revelation.

My mind spun, memories colliding—my life as Alistair Vaelthorne, my memories as Ethan Kael.

Two lifetimes.

Two existences.

And now—they had merged.

I pressed a hand against my temple, breathing deeply.

"No… This isn't possible."

But it was.

Because I knew this world.

I had lived in it.

Not as Alistair.

Not in reality.

But in a game.

The very same game Sofia had forced me to play.

The world with magic, swords, a broken power system, and a protagonist who defied logic itself.

The realization struck deep.

This world—Eldoria—was the very same world from that RPG.

The same game I had played as a child.

The same game Sofia had forced me to endure.

The same game that had felt like nothing but a distraction from reality.

And now—it was my new reality.

I clenched my fists, my breathing heavy.

This changed everything.

This world wasn't just another fantasy realm.

It had rules.

It had systems.

It had a future I already knew.

And if that was true…

Then the protagonist—the ridiculous, cliché, overpowered fool—existed here too.

A smirk crept onto my lips.

"Well then. Let's see how much of your story I can ruin."

Because this time?

I wasn't just a spectator.

I was Alistair Vaelthorne.

And I wasn't going to let this world play out like a scripted game.

Not when I had the power to change it.

---