Chapter 1.1 - Eclipse Of Destiny

"Wow, what a mess…."

Inside the dimly light room, I opened my eyes only to see a familiar ceiling.

The headache assaulted me, and my eyes felt sore. The tears had already formed all around, ready to drop.

/YAWN/

"I played for too long," I mumbled to myself, feeling the tears in my eyes. It was a pretty normal reaction considering the fact that I played the game all night.

My body screamed at me to sleep more. It was saying three hours of sleep was nowhere enough to be enough.

My eyelids were eager to close once again, ready to sleep once more.

"But I can't miss today's lecture." However, I needed to wake up since I was on the verge of failing the class, thanks to the attendance.

Yes, it was thanks to the attendance, not because of my grades.

"Fuck. Why do they need to make attendance mandatory!" I cursed, remembering that attendance was mandatory for the class. "The professor can't even speak, but they want us to attend the classes."

Swearing to the school department, I dragged my body from the bed and stood up, feeling the weight of exhaustion in every step.

Though I was an avid gamer, I did my best to maintain some semblance of cleanliness in both my living space and personal hygiene. However, the lack of exercise was becoming evident as a few extra pounds clung to my waistline.

'Sigh… I really neglected my training a bit much.'

Well, the mid-terms had just ended, and I was busy fulfilling my game addiction, so it was quite acceptable for this to happen. It was also because of my diet, but let's not talk about it.

Thinking to myself, I entered the bathroom to take a shower to get rid of drowsiness.

And, then, after ten minutes, bam.

I was ready to leave the house.

In a sense, that was how most men did their daily routine, wasn't it?

And it is not like I was trying my best to look too good, either. I mean, why would I? I certainly don't need a girlfriend.

It is a waste of time….

Some of you might be saying this is what losers say.

That might be true, or maybe not.

I mean, if I liked someone, then I would want to get their attention, but sadly I didn't. Maybe my interests didn't meet the girls I met or some other reasons, but in the end, I didn't have a girlfriend after I broke up with the last one.

So, why force it?

Anyway, I just grabbed a T-shirt and shorts. Then, just like that, I left the room, grabbing my bag containing my laptop and notes.

'I guess I can at least revise the subjects of the past lessons in the lecture.' With that thought, I hurried my steps to reach the college building.

******

In a way, what is the most tiring thing for a student to do in the morning?

It is public transportation. It is filled with a lot of people ranging from high schoolers, college students, and of course, adults.

And it smells bad. Really, really bad. 'Is it that hard to just put a deodorant on and take a shower.' I thought inside my head, smelling the heavy smell coming from the youngsters in front of me.

Since my attention was already broken, I decided to close the app that I was reading novels and focused on the conversation before me.

"Finally managed to defeat that boss yesterday," one of the boys exclaimed, his face radiating a mix of relief and triumph. "Took me a whopping 24 tries to figure out the right strategy."

Curiosity piqued, I leaned in, getting closer.

"Which boss were you guys talking about?" As his friend asked the boy, he had a slight glint inside his eye.

"The Cursed Soulstealer," the other gamer replied, his voice tinged with a hint of exhaustion. "That boss fight was brutal. Two phases of relentless attacks and precision timing, man."

A smirk tugged at the corners of my lips, hidden beneath a veil of anonymity. Inside, I couldn't help but revel in their struggles. 'Git gud, bro,' I thought mischievously, knowing that overcoming the boss had required perseverance, skill, and an understanding of the game's mechanics. It wasn't just about sheer luck; it demanded strategic thinking and adaptability.

The game they were discussing was none other than a recently released RPG sensation that had taken the gaming community by storm.

Legacy of Shadows: The Hunter's Destiny.

It was a fire RPG game that had just come out to the market recently. However, from the moment the game was released, the whole community was talking about it.

Even though it was an RPG game, It boasted intricate boss fights that had become the talk of the town, especially for those brave enough to tackle the challenging difficulty level.

Ah, I misspoke earlier. There were no selectable difficulty settings in the game. If it was hard, then it simply was. That's what made the game so captivating. Players had to immerse themselves fully in the experience, adapt, and learn from each defeat.

Of course, not every fight was hard as it looked, but the important thing was to know the weaknesses of the bosses or the enemies.

And the game made its most captivating appearance right there.

The RPG elements and a huge, world-class building with a lot of details.

Legacy of Shadows excelled not only in its combat mechanics but also in its meticulous world-building. The attention to detail was unparalleled, creating a vast and immersive environment that captured the essence of an epic RPG adventure.

From sprawling landscapes to intricate dungeons, every aspect of the game had been meticulously crafted to transport players to a world of magic and mystery.

It contained everything inside, up to its little details, small evidence and tips to beat the bosses more easily, and more details….

And different from the new type of games, the game has a setting that was based on a new generic novel prompt that stemmed from South Korea.

The theme of Hunters.

The world suddenly changed as the mana appeared, blah, blah, blah…

The same setting but a different platform this time.

Since, different from a novel, it was now a game where you could interact with characters.

Adding the huge visuals and strong combat mechanics, it was a captivating experience.

And then there was me — someone that was very proficient in such games.

'You said you couldn't beat it with Cursed Soulcaster. It took me only one try to beat him, and he was fairly easy too….'

Since I was even known in the international community for my records.

'Even now, there are those waiting for my review of the game; I guess I should send it tonight.'

With that thought, I saw from the windows that I had reached the entrance of the college, bringing my thoughts to reality.

"Ugh," I groaned, stepping onto the familiar road leading to the college entrance. The day was off to a rough start, and my mood mirrored the gray skies overhead. Determined to push through, I muttered under my breath, "Here we go again..."

But before I could take more than a few steps, an unsettling sensation coursed through my body. A sudden wave of dizziness washed over me, causing my steps to falter. As my balance wavered, panic gripped me, and I struggled to regain control.

"Kurgh!" I choked out, my voice barely audible as I fought to stay upright. My vision blurred, and the world around me spun in a disorienting whirl. The once-familiar road transformed into a swirling vortex of colors, enveloping me in a bewildering display.

My gaze turned skyward, only to witness a sight that struck fear into my heart. The sun, once a radiant beacon of warmth, darkened before my eyes.

It was an eclipse—a celestial event that seemed incongruous with the time and place. Yet, there it was, casting an eerie shadow over everything it touched.

It was nothing normal. The eclipse? I was not even living in a country where eclipses could be observed.

Time seemed to stand still as I grappled with the inexplicable phenomenon unfolding around me. "What is this?" "What is happening." Questions raced through my mind, but answers never came to me.

No words poured from my mouth as I felt my body falling to the ground.

What did this sudden eclipse mean? And why was it happening now, in the midst of an otherwise ordinary day?

As the world blurred further, my consciousness began to fade, consumed by the enigmatic darkness that had befallen the sunlit morning.