In a bedroom that was neither too big nor too small, no lights were turned on. The only thing illuminating the dark room was the glow of a computer screen.
The computer was on, sitting on a desk, and in front of it sat a young man around twenty years old. He had messy black hair and eyes of the same color. All his attention was focused on the screen.
Yawn~
"What time is it?" he asked himself.
He checked the time on his mobile phone, which was lying just beside the keyboard.
He double-tapped the screen, and it lit up, displaying the lock screen.
"It's 1:24 A.M.," he muttered while looking at the time.
Why was he awake so late at night?
Nothing much, just the usual. He had read some web novels for a while, then watched a few series, and finally started playing games on his computer. It was practically his nightly routine.
At that moment, he was waiting for a new game to finish downloading.
Yeah, a new game. He was really excited to play this one. The game was relatively new, having launched just a few weeks ago. However, he hadn't bothered to try it until now.
It wasn't that he didn't want to. He had simply been quite busy with university. Well, perhaps not so much with his studies. Rather, he had been spending more time with his friends.
Aron wasn't much of an outgoing person. He preferred staying at home and spending his time comfortably reading comics, watching anime, and reading web novels. Sometimes, he played games as well.
But what could he do? His friends were too stubborn and always dragged him outside. So, he occasionally enjoyed their company as well. However, they were all one hell of a bunch of bastards.
Every time he went out with his friends, they always tried to—no, not tried to, but actually did it. They insulted each other constantly. Oddly enough, Aron liked that. It was really fun to tease one another. So, it would be a lie to say that he didn't enjoy going out with his friends.
It was really good to go outside from time to time rather than staying at home all day. But then again, he also liked staying at home, reading and playing games.
Beep!
Beep!
Just then, Aron's computer made a sound, informing him that the game had finished downloading and was ready to be played.
"Finally!"
He was excited to play this game.
Aron straightened in his chair, his fatigue momentarily forgotten. The loading bar had vanished, replaced by a sleek black icon etched with golden letters. The sleepiness that had been creeping over him vanished instantly.
Odyssey of Eternal Gods' War
Just the name alone sounded heavy. Like the kind of game that involved gods dying, worlds burning, and heroes screaming their last breaths in glorious slow motion.
The game did have an academy as the starting point of its story. Major events would take place within that academy. Later, however, the story would shift its focus to the world outside the academy in future updates.
At least, that was what Aron had learned from the internet.
He cracked his knuckles.
"Well... let's see what all the hype is about."
Aron wasn't a hardcore gamer by any means. He didn't grind rankings, didn't chase leaderboards, and definitely didn't spend money on skins. Games, for him, were just another way to relax. Much like reading web novels, watching anime, or binge-watching a series at 3 A.M. when he definitely shouldn't have been awake.
But now, it had become a habit of his.
The screen went black.
Boom!
A low, ancient horn echoed through his headphones.
The darkness split apart, revealing a ruined battlefield drenched in blood. Broken banners fluttered in the wind. Corpses, both human and monstrous, littered the land. Even the sky seemed cracked, with crimson lightning crawling through dark clouds.
Space shattered around them under the influence of an unknown force.
Aron blinked.
"...Damn."
A deep, almost divine voice resounded.
«When gods wage war, mortals become ashes.»
"The graphics are peak!" he exclaimed joyfully.
The cinematic unfolded like a movie. Armies clashed. Dragons fell from the sky. A radiant figure was pierced by a black spear, their light shattering like glass. Somewhere in the chaos, a lone silhouette stood atop a mountain of corpses, gazing at the heavens with cold, defiant eyes.
Goosebumps rose on Aron's arms.
"Okay," he muttered, leaning closer. "This is actually kinda sick."
The scene faded.
[Welcome to Odyssey of Eternal Gods' War]
A lobby appeared.
There was a gallery option containing a list of important characters from the story.
He clicked on it before starting his first playthrough.
Dozens of names scrolled down the screen, each accompanied by a small portrait and a title.
«Damien Ashworth»
«Lyria Sunweave»
«Kaelan Nightfall»
.
.
.
....
Aron scrolled lazily.
He wasn't planning to start playing seriously tonight anyway. It was already late, and his eyelids were getting heavier by the second.
They had provided a list of the main character and side characters, along with their respective information. After a while, Aron decided to read through their profiles. So, he casually went through them one by one.
While reading, one name made his finger pause.
«Noah Eldritch – ???»
"...Huh?"
That name caught his attention.
The portrait belonged to a very handsome young man. Perhaps the most handsome male character he had seen so far. Even more handsome than the protagonist. He possessed snow white hair and glacier like blue eyes.
The title slot was empty. There was no description about him. No information about his powers or abilities.
No, there was actually one piece of information in the description.
A single word.
"Extra? That's... weird. Why would they have a character image of an extra? Is it because he has some small but important role?"
Maybe it was the default name? Or perhaps some kind of placeholder character?
He shrugged. New games always had bugs.
Before he could click anything else, another window popped up.
[Prologue: The Beginning of the End]
[Start Cinematic?]
He hesitated for a moment before clicking Yes.
The screen dimmed once more.
This time, the view shifted to a grand city of white stone and towering spires. People walked along the streets, laughing, trading, and living peacefully. They were completely unaware of the shadow creeping toward them.
A young man stood on a balcony, staring at the sky.
«Fate is a cruel thing.»
The narrator spoke softly.
«Especially for those who do not know they stand at its center.»
The boy turned.
For a split second, his face became clear.
Aron's breath hitched.
"...He's a pretty handsome guy."
The boy had short black hair and a pair of striking golden eyes.
He was the protagonist of this game. The playable character.
The young man's lips curved slightly, as if he were smiling directly at Aron.
'What?!'
Before he could process that thought, his vision blurred. The cinematic cut abruptly, replaced by the game's main menu once again.
[Servers Online]
[Enter World]
Aron stared at the screen for a few seconds before yawning heavily and rubbing his eyes.
"Okay... yeah. That's enough for today."
He didn't save anything or select a character. He simply closed the game.
Tomorrow, he told himself. 'I'll actually play tomorrow.'
He shut down his computer, and the room plunged into darkness. Crawling onto his bed, he didn't even bother setting an alarm. His mind was already drifting, with fragments of the cinematic replaying behind his eyelids.
Yawn~
'I will play it properly tomorrow night.'
Gods, war, and those characters.
He started thinking about them. He had read through all the characters' information, so he wouldn't have any problems later on. While thinking about such things, sleep slowly claimed him.
The thought barely finished before slumber took him.
This would be the last time he would sleep in his room.
Then, something began to feel wrong.
A faint, unfamiliar scent reached his nose.
Metallic.
It was a sharp smell, like blood.
Aron's brows knitted together. His body felt heavy and unmoving, as if he were sinking into something cold and endless. The darkness behind his eyelids shifted, no longer peaceful or empty.
Then, pain exploded through him.
It was scorching, violent, and all-encompassing.
It tore through his limbs, his chest, his very core, as if his body were being ripped apart and reforged at the same time. His breath caught in his throat, but no sound came out.
His senses screamed. This wasn't a dream.
Then, slowly, he forced himself to open his heavy eyelids.
Only to find himself in an entirely different place.