"YOU DIED."Once again, the same words appeared on the screen.
"Fuck… this is my eighth attempt, and I still couldn't do it," Lucien said as he angrily threw the controller aside.
He lifted his head and looked around to calm himself, only to notice sunlight filtering through the window."Is it already morning? Man, I'm exhausted… and I still have to go to school?"
After muttering to himself for a while, he slowly stood up from the computer. When he checked the clock, it was already 7 a.m. He got ready and quietly headed out to school without anyone noticing.
The school was a thirty-minute walk away, but Lucien didn't mind. Without his morning walks, he wouldn't be able to shake off the fatigue from his long gaming nights.
As he walked toward school, he glanced at the paper he was holding. Faded letters on it read: "Career Plan.""A career, huh… I don't have any dreams. I just want to play games and stay at home. At least there, I can escape the bullies."
Still thinking about what he could possibly write on the blank paper, he approached the school. Just as he stepped through the school gate, something hard struck the back of his head, and he fell to the ground.
When he looked up, Rowan was standing in front of him.
Seriously? I haven't even entered the school yet, and I already ran into Rowan. This is going to be a horrible day.
"Hey, Luci."The mockery in his voice and the grin on his face made it clear this wasn't an accident.
"You were standing where my soda can was. Now kneel and apologize to my soda can," Rowan shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear.
The morning crowd watched—some laughing, others silently thankful they weren't in Lucien's place.
Lucien stood up and looked around. Inside, he wanted to resist, to fight back heroically like in a game. But in reality, he knew he'd just see another "YOU DIED" screen. And this time, there would be no retry.
With slow, timid steps, he walked over to the empty soda can and knelt down.
"I'm sorry for standing in your way, Mr. Soda Can."
Lucien felt humiliated, unsure of what to do. Then he felt a sharp pain in his head—Rowan was pressing his foot down on it.
"Hey, hey, that's not just any soda can. That's MY soda can. You should show it more respect, got it? You pathetic, game-addicted loser."
Lucien clenched his fists in anger, on the verge of tears—but he couldn't cry. That would only humiliate him more.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I apologize for standing in your way, Mr. Soda Can. That was my fault."
Lucien closed his eyes. Everyone was laughing at him.
It can't get any worse…
Then he lifted his head—and saw her.
The beautiful Elara.
At that moment, Lucien wished he could disappear.I wish I was never born.
Why now? Why does it have to be now—when Elara is watching?
Rowan and the others laughed as they walked away.
After everyone left, Lucien slowly got up. His clothes were dirty, his hair was a mess, and his pride was shattered—especially in front of the girl he liked.
The bell rang, signaling the start of class, but he didn't want to go. Everyone would stare at him all lesson, laugh at him, maybe even throw things at him.
All he wanted was for everything to end—to be back home, in peace, playing games, free from all this nonsense.
He looked at the now-empty schoolyard, then at the school gate. He couldn't run away. Going home wasn't an option.
His career plan paper had fallen to the ground. It was covered in mud. He picked it up and cleaned it as best he could. Right now, thinking about it was the only thing he could do.
With slow steps, he began walking toward the school building, not caring where he was going—just letting his feet carry him somewhere.
Before he realized it, he found himself in front of the door leading to the school rooftop.
He cautiously opened it and checked the rooftop. Running into bullies smoking or students doing something inappropriate would only make his day worse.
The rooftop was empty.
Relieved, he stepped outside.
The sunny weather from an hour ago was gone. Dark clouds had gathered, and it looked like rain could fall at any moment.
"Great. I couldn't beat the boss I tried all night, I got humiliated in front of the whole school, Elara saw me at my most pathetic… and now it's going to rain on my only escape. Guess the gods really hate me today."
He muttered as he sat down under a partially covered area on the rooftop and examined the career paper.
"What will I even become? It's too late to be a doctor. I'm not enough of a liar to be a lawyer. Engineering? No—too many guys."
He went through nearly every profession one by one.
"I only like playing games… maybe I could go pro. Or become a trader. Maybe even a streamer."
As he thought about all this, a question surfaced in his mind.
"What's my favorite game genre?"
"If I want to go pro, I need to focus on a single genre. I can't become professional by playing everything."
Lost in thought, he flinched when the bell rang again. He needed to leave—now. A teacher might come, or worse, Rowan and his crew.
Just as he was about to go, his fear became reality.
He hurried toward the door, opened it quickly—and it slammed straight into Rowan's face.
Rowan fell to the ground, his nose bleeding.
At that moment, Lucien realized this was the closest he had ever been to seeing "YOU DIED" in real life.
"Rowan, I'm sorry—I didn't know you were there!"
Rowan lunged at Lucien in rage, grabbing him by the neck and pushing him toward the edge of the rooftop.
"I'll fucking kill you with my own hands!"
Rowan's friends laughed, which only made him angrier and louder.
Amid the chaos, the short, poorly maintained wall at the edge of the rooftop gave way.
Before anyone could react, Lucien began to fall.
Time seemed to slow down.
What's happening? Am I falling? Is this how I die? I still had so much I wanted to do…
As the ground rushed closer, Lucien clenched his teeth in desperation.
No… it can't end like this. If I just had one more chance. Just one more.
"What would you do?"
Time seemed frozen. Lucien felt his soul being compressed, crushed by immense pressure.
"If I had one more chance… if I could try that boss one more time, I could beat it and finish Dark S."
After the words left his mouth, a deep silence followed—then laughter.
"You're about to die, and that's what you're thinking about? I like you. Maybe you deserve a chance."
"I hope you'll be one of the ones who come to me."
"Genre Master, Lucien."
The darkness vanished.
Lucien slammed into the ground.
Just before losing consciousness, he saw a transparent screen floating in front of him.
Before his eyes closed, he managed to read one final line:
"Congratulations. You have fulfilled the requirements to become a Genre Master."