Meanwhile, as Alan and his friends were deep into the release of the ZAGE game Silent Hill, a young man in New York was making his way home from the ZAGE official store with three brand new games clutched in his hands: Silent Hill, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Nascar Rumble. That man was Ben Powell.
Ben Powell was a college student who worked part-time as a baker. More than anything, he loved playing video games. In fact, his entire reason for going to college was to learn how to create them. His fascination with games had sparked a deep interest in coding, which quickly became a personal passion. Though his family was quite well-off, Ben preferred to earn his own way. He took pride in buying games with the money he earned from his part-time job, seeing it as a reward for his independence and dedication.
Not long after arriving at his small apartment, Ben dropped his backpack, kicked off his shoes, and set the three newly purchased games on the coffee table. He stared at them with a satisfied grin, like a king admiring his treasure. His eyes scanned the titles: Nascar Rumble, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Silent Hill. His expression changed the moment his gaze settled on the last one.
He frowned. "Nah man, I'm way too lazy to play this right now," he muttered, trying to sound casual. "But hey, it's ZAGE. Of course I bought it." He nodded sagely, as if his decision had been based purely on loyalty to the brand.
In truth, he didn't have the guts to play it. The mere look of Silent Hill's game cover was enough to unsettle him. That misty, haunting town with something just barely visible in the fog—it had already started playing tricks on his mind. But there was no way Ben would admit that. Not even to himself.
He picked up the game case, turning it over in his hands, pretending to inspect the details while carefully avoiding making eye contact with the terrifying imagery. "It's just a game," he told himself under his breath, though his tone betrayed his doubt.
To distract himself, he looked back at the other two games. "Castlevania, though... that's what I've been waiting for," he whispered, already pushing Silent Hill aside like a cursed relic best left alone—for now.
Then he grinned and looked at the cover of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. "Now this is what I've been waiting for," he said to himself, feeling a wave of excitement. Ben had been a Castlevania fan ever since he discovered the series a few years ago. He had played nearly every title in the franchise, from the early 8-bit entries to the more polished adventures that followed. The combination of gothic atmosphere, haunting music, and monster-slaying action had hooked him right from the start.
What thrilled him most was the world of vampires, demons, and legendary hunters. The mythos, the combat, the lore—it all pulled him in. It wasn't just entertainment. It was a passion. He remembered late nights with his handheld console under the covers, trying to beat Dracula before school the next day.
Now, with this new entry in hand, he felt that same excitement rush all over again. "A full-blown vampire epic with RPG elements, and I get to play it on my ZEPS 3? Let's go!" he said, voice rising with energy.
"Heh, I heard you play as Alucard in this one. The cover even shows him front and center," Ben said with a grin. He picked up the game case with anticipation, gave it a final glance, and then slid the disc into the ZEPS 3. With a quick press of the power button, the console whirred to life, and the screen began to glow.
Then the game started. After a brief introduction and moody cutscene, the player took control of a Belmont character—specifically Richter Belmont—and Ben frowned in surprise. "Hmm? Another Belmont? Hmm... well, let's play first," he mumbled with a hint of skepticism.
As the game opened inside the dark, ornate halls of Dracula's castle, Ben began exploring. The gothic aesthetic immediately impressed him. He moved through towering stone corridors, breaking candles for hearts and discovering hidden sections behind crumbling walls. He stumbled into a secret room and grinned when he found several useful items, including healing potions and power-ups.
"Nice! Early loot!" he said, eyes wide with anticipation. He pushed forward with Richter, absorbing the atmosphere: stained glass windows, flickering torches, and the ominous soundtrack that set the perfect mood.
Then suddenly, he entered a grand chamber—and there he was.
Dracula.
"What? Fighting Dracula already?" Ben said in surprise, but then grinned. It seemed obvious this was just an introductory boss fight, a kind of prologue to the real adventure. As he moved Richter closer, the screen shifted to a cinematic sequence.
Dracula stood tall on his throne, arms crossed, his crimson cape billowing from some unseen wind. "What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets. But enough talk—HAVE AT YOU!" he roared, and with that, the battle began.
Ben's grin widened. "Ohhh, its been a while bastard!," he muttered, gripping the controller.
The fight was intense. Dracula teleported across the room, launching fireballs and summoning dark orbs. Richter's movements were strong, but the timing was tight, and Ben had to dodge and attack with precision. Despite struggling at first—taking a few heavy hits—his experience with older Castlevania games paid off. He learned Dracula's patterns quickly, jumping over flame waves and striking during brief windows of vulnerability.
Then Dracula transformed. His monstrous second form towered over Richter, a grotesque hybrid of demon and shadow with piercing eyes and clawed wings. The battle grew even more chaotic. The room rumbled, the music escalated, and Ben sat forward, his face tense with focus.
After several near-death moments and a clutch use of a healing item, Ben landed the final hit.
"YES!" he shouted as Dracula let out a final roar, disintegrating into swirling darkness. A cutscene followed, showing Dracula's banishment.
The narrator's voice echoed: "And with Dracula sealed once more, Richter Belmont vanished without a trace... Yet darkness stirred again, and Dracula's castle reappeared, as if drawn by fate. From the shadows, a lone figure approaches—the son of Dracula. A new hunter, seeking to purge his cursed bloodline."
Ben's eyes widened with excitement.
Ben leaned forward. "Yeeaah! I knew it—we're playing as Alucard now!"
Then, after a brief loading screen, the game transitioned smoothly into a striking sequence: Alucard sprinting through the dark, misty forest with supernatural speed. Trees blurred past as he dashed effortlessly, cape whipping behind him. Within moments, he leapt across the towering castle bridge in a single, fluid arc—cloak billowing, boots gliding just inches above the crumbling stone.
Finally, control returned to the player, and Ben grinned with anticipation. "Let's go," he whispered, gripping his controller tighter. As he began moving Alucard, he was immediately taken aback by how fluid and elegant his animations were. The character glided rather than stomped, his movements smooth and effortless compared to the heavier, more rigid feel of the Belmonts. Everything—from his jumps to his backdashes—carried a sense of grace and mastery.
Even though it was still a 2D platformer, the attention to detail stunned Ben. The way Alucard's long white hair trailed behind him and his cloak rippled dynamically as he moved made the entire experience feel more immersive. "Man, even the physics on his cape look incredible," he muttered. "Not like the Belmonts... they feel powerful, sure—but this? This is like poetry in motion."
Within seconds, a snarling wolf lunged at him, guarding the entrance to the castle gates. With a quick reaction, Ben pressed the attack button, and Alucard slashed the beast down with precision. The creature crumpled before even landing a hit.
"Damn! The movement is insanely smooth!" Ben said aloud, nodding to himself as he continued deeper into the game, already hooked by the sheer polish and grace of Alucard's introduction.
Inside the castle, Ben quickly encountered a swarm of enemies—shambling zombies and hulking, aggressive wolves. But Alucard was a powerhouse. With every swing of his blade, he decimated enemies in a single hit. Ben smirked, watching bodies crumble under the impact. "Damn, he's overpowered!" he muttered, slashing through another group with ease.
Then, as he entered a wide hallway with ornate columns and towering windows, the music began to swell. It was none other than the iconic "Dracula's Castle" theme. The haunting yet energetic melody echoed through the pixelated halls, perfectly matching the game's gothic setting. Ben's eyes widened with joy. "DAMN! The soundtrack is insane!" he shouted, nodding along to the beat.
He stop moving the game briefly, just to listen. "This is absolute fire," he said, letting the music wash over him. "It fits the mood so perfectly. Creepy, badass, and elegant all at once." He bobbed his head and jammed to the rhythm for a few more seconds before diving back in.
Alucard's starting gear made things even more ridiculous. He had a sword with long reach, a powerful shield, a cape that boosted stats, and even great armor at his disposal. "Man, these starting items are absurd," Ben said with a laugh, breezing through enemies like a storm. It felt almost unfair.
But then, the game turned. As Alucard ventured deeper into the castle, he encountered a familiar figure cloaked in shadow: Death. A cutscene played, and Ben leaned forward. "Oh crap... this is gonna be bad."
Death floated ominously toward Alucard, and in a few lines of dialogue, stripped him of every powerful item he had. His sword, his shield, his cape—gone. The animation showed Alucard being reduced to a basic, vulnerable form. Just like that, he was weak again.
Ben sighed. "Yep. Makes sense. Those were just starter items to get you hooked. Now the real game begins."
With a fresh challenge ahead, Ben pushed forward. But it wasn't easy. Without his gear, Alucard was significantly weaker, and the castle was crawling with enemies. Some charged in groups, others used ranged attacks, and a few caught him off-guard with ambushes from above. The difficulty spike was real.
"Man, this game isn't holding back," Ben said, wiping his palms against his jeans. Despite the struggle, he was fully immersed, his focus sharper than ever.
That's because Zaboru had tweaked the game slightly based on his experiences from his previous life. He made the mobs stronger, giving them more complex attack patterns and additional moves to make combat more engaging and challenging. One of his key improvements was fixing Alucard's dash mechanic. In his past life, the dash felt awkward and clunky, often breaking the fluidity of movement. But in this version of the world, Alucard's dash had been refined into a smooth, responsive animation—both forward and backward—that matched his elegant style. The motion now carried a graceful flair that complemented the game's atmosphere perfectly, adding both utility and visual polish.
Then Ben continued playing until he reached what appeared to be his first major boss fight. He entered a grand, torch-lit chamber, and from the shadows emerged two monstrous figures. One was a strange serpent-like creature wielding a large spear—its body hunched, eyes glowing with menace. The other was a winged demon with sharp talons and leathery wings. Its none other than: Slogra and Gaibon. And they weren't here to play nice.
The moment the battle began, chaos erupted. Slogra, the spear-wielding beast, rushed toward Ben with aggressive jabs, forcing him to backdash rapidly. The creature may not have been able to fly, but it made up for it with relentless speed and brutal power. Meanwhile, Gaibon soared through the air, launching streams of fireballs from above, creating a nightmarish barrage that kept Ben constantly dodging.
"What the hell! These bosses are nuts!" Ben shouted in frustration, nearly falling out of his seat. Gaibon didn't just hover and shoot—he dived suddenly at high speed, slamming down right in front of Alucard. Then, in one brutal tag-team move, Gaibon grabbed Slogra mid-battle, lifted him high into the air, and dropped him directly onto Ben's character like a living missile.
Ben was overwhelmed. The screen was a flurry of fire, dashes, and piercing spear attacks. "This isn't fair! Damn! how do i even Killed that flying bastard" he grumbled. This because Zaboru are enhanching the diffculty of each boss!.
Still, even while cursing under his breath, Ben couldn't help but admire the intense choreography and smart AI patterns. He wasn't just being attacked randomly—these enemies were working together. And that made the fight feel even more epic and cinematic.
"AGHH!" Ben screamed in frustration as Alucard died again. The run back to the boss was long and filled with dangers—he had to retrace his steps through hordes of enemies, and sometimes, he didn't even make it that far. He often found himself falling victim to mobs that he had once breezed through. "This game is so damn hard!" he grumbled, gritting his teeth as he reloaded the save yet again.
But giving up? That wasn't in Ben's vocabulary.
Each attempt made him better. He memorized Slogra's lunge timings and Gaibon's dive patterns, slowly perfecting his dodges and spacing. Over time, he refined his strategy: taking down Slogra first while baiting Gaibon to use safer attacks. The adrenaline was real. His focus sharpened with each run, and he barely blinked between sequences. Every mistake made him hungrier to win.
Ben wiped his palms on his jeans, gripping the controller tighter. His heart pounded in sync with the game's intense soundtrack. Then—finally—after a heart-pounding showdown filled with dodges, slashes, and last-second escapes, the two bosses fell in a fiery explosion of pixels.
"YEAGH! F*CK YOU BASTARDS!" Ben shouted, throwing his fists in the air in triumph. His whole body slumped with relief, and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. The post-battle silence was almost surreal, like the calm after a storm.
A few seconds later, the game rewarded him. The Sharp Bastard Sword appeared on the ground, glowing faintly. He snatched it up, eyes wide. "Oh hell yes... wait, stats—ooooh, pretty strong, but a bit slower," he noted, scrolling through its description. The sword looked wicked—long, jagged, with a deep crimson tint. It had power written all over it.
He tested it out immediately. Alucard's new swings were heavier, more deliberate, but each hit landed with a satisfying thud. "Yup, bit slow... but this thing hits like a truck," Ben muttered with a sly grin.
Then he leaned back slightly and chuckled to himself. "Hehehe, there's so much to do. I've barely even scratched the surface!"
The game was far from over. In fact, this was just the beginning. With more bosses, hidden weapons, and sprawling castle sections ahead, Ben knew he was in for an unforgettable ride.
Without wasting another second, he stepped into the next corridor, ready for whatever madness lay ahead.
To be continue
AN : Do you guys feel weird when dashing with Alucard in SOTN? Because i really did lol.
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