Chapter 6: Real World Ripples

The soft hum of Zihad's full-dive pod faded as he slowly opened his eyes, the familiar ceiling of his dimly lit bedroom greeting him. The vibrant world of Dream Land Fantasy was gone, replaced by the quiet stillness of reality. He sat up with a slow breath, his body feeling refreshed despite the hours he'd spent in-game. The pod worked flawlessly.

He glanced at the digital clock on his desk. 2:18 a.m.

Zihad stepped out of the pod, stretching. The faint glow of his triple-monitor setup dimmed as the screens entered sleep mode. His desk was cluttered with papers, half-drunk coffee, and sketches of game mechanics and systems—his blueprints for Dream Land Fantasy.

Before he could sit, the door flung open.

"Bro! You're finally out!" Zidan burst in, hair messy and eyes wide with excitement.

Zihad blinked. "I didn't lock the door?"

Zidan ignored him. "You missed everything! Twitter, Insta, TikTok—Phantom Reaper is trending like crazy. That boss kill you did? Everyone's calling it the cleanest execution in the game!"

Zihad tilted his head. "Already?"

Zidan shoved his phone in front of him. "Look! Thousands of shares. Streamers are reacting to it. And no one knows it's you."

Zihad's expression didn't change much. He nodded once. "Good."

"Also, everyone's going crazy over the difficulty. They say it's harder than anything they've played. Some are already rage quitting."

Zihad sat at his chair, glancing at the muted feeds on his monitors. Forums were exploding with speculation and praise. Players loved the combat system, the freedom of choice, and the hidden classes. He knew this would happen—but seeing it unfold was still surreal.

"You haven't slept, have you?" Zihad asked.

Zidan grinned sheepishly. "I couldn't! I was watching streams and forums the whole time. Oh! And people are making memes about you."

Zihad finally allowed a tiny smile. "Good."

Zidan raised a brow. "You like memes now?"

"No. But memes mean people care."

A silence settled between them. Then, Zidan looked at him seriously. "You're not worried?"

"About what?"

"Being found out. That you're the one behind all of this."

Zihad leaned back in his chair. "No one will figure it out. Not yet. And when they do... it'll be too late."

Zidan shivered at his tone. "You sound like a villain."

"I'm just a developer," Zihad replied calmly. "Letting the game speak for itself."

7:00 a.m.

News networks across the world were covering the launch. Headlines buzzed with excitement:

"Dream Land Fantasy Shatters VR Records with 12 Million Players in 10 Hours!"

"Hardcore Mode? Players Say It's The Most Brutal Game They've Ever Touched!"

"Who is Phantom Reaper? The Mysterious Player Dominating Day One."

Clips of Zihad's in-game battle circulated everywhere, his fluid movements and precise strikes mesmerizing viewers. People speculated he was a pro player or a hidden developer.

At school, Zihad returned to his silent routine. Sitting in the second row, window seat, he kept his book open while the class buzzed around him.

"He soloed a boss in nightmare mode with a dagger!"

"He's gotta be Korean or something. No way a casual could play like that."

"Maybe he's a beta tester."

Zihad made no move to correct them. He simply underlined a sentence in his book and kept reading.

His classmates admired him as the school's top student—always first, always calm, always quiet. No one ever imagined that the boy with perfect grades, who never spoke unless spoken to, was the architect of their new addiction.

Later that night, Zihad sat back at his workstation, headphones on, reviewing footage from popular streamers. Everyone had a different experience—some stumbled into hidden quests, others discovered class evolutions, a few even died in hilarious ways.

He made notes silently, tweaking variables in the background. Buffing some monsters, nerfing others. The balance of the game was a delicate thing, and he preferred to keep it dynamic.

A small smile tugged at his lips.

The world had entered Dream Land Fantasy. And no one knew its creator was walking among them.

Zihad glanced at the screen again. Players were progressing fast. The top-level average was now four. He was already far beyond that. But his identity would remain hidden—for now.

The real test was coming.

And Zihad was ready.

End of Chapter 6