"Alright... I can do this. No—this time, I will do it."
He said it as he mashed the controller buttons with all the enthusiasm he could muster.
"Almost... almost... almost—!"
Suddenly, the familiar sound of defeat echoed from the console, followed by a defeated groan:
"Ah, damn it... I lost again!"
The controller slipped from his hand and bounced onto the bed.
The room was dark, lit only by the blue glow of the screen in front of him.
Empty energy drink cans cluttered every corner. Garbage bags were piled near the door. Clothes were scattered everywhere.
"Why can't I beat him... even now?"
He sighed deeply, as if he had just fought a real battle.
"I've done everything... everything."
A heavy silence fell—
Until it was broken by the sound of slow, approaching footsteps.
The door creaked open, and the smell of reality wafted in.
"Eugh... What is that smell? Didn't I tell you to take out the trash?"
It was his mom.
Her voice wasn't angry—just... quiet. Quiet in the way people get when they've stopped hoping. Like she was used to this.
"I brought you dinner."
She left without waiting for a reply.
He didn't say a word—just grabbed the controller again and kept playing.
As she walked away, she added: "You haven't seen the sun in a month..."
He paused for a moment.
Then kept playing.
"It's not like I have a choice,"
he said silently to himself.
He played late into the night.
And when he finally laid down, the thoughts returned—just like they did every night:
When did I become like this?
When did I stop chasing my dreams?
When did I become... this alone?
He shook his head violently, trying to push the thoughts away.
"It's not like I hate my life... No, actually—I love it. Yeah, I love it."
Silence.
"There are people worse off than me, right? Just let me stay like this. Don't be greedy..."
Damn it.
Loser thoughts again.
He had categorized them by now... that's how often they came.
"It's not like I'm one of them anyway,"
he thought.
He looked around his room.
Smelled the stench.
"...Okay, I'm a loser. That's it."
He let out a dry laugh.
"I've actually gone insane."
He got up, picked up the controller again.
One hour.
Two hours.
Three...
Dawn was breaking.
Sleep tugged at him, but he resisted.
"I can't sleep now... I finally made it back to that bastard again... I just need that one... that one move... and I can beat him..."
His voice was barely audible, his eyes fighting to stay open.
Strangely, the filthy smell in the room seemed to fade...
He blinked.
Tried to open his eyes fully...
The screen turned green—
And he fell asleep.
---
"Sound of the wind..."
He opened his eyes slowly, only to see a vast green field stretching before him.
His face still looked stiff and groggy.
He looked right, then left.
Nothing but grass and distant mountains.
He placed a hand under his chin:
"Is this some kind of new VR tech? But when did I agree to try something like this?"
"Was I... kidnapped? But where's the kidnapper?"
"Or... did I get sent to another world? And now I can finally do all those things from the list I secretly wrote called 'Things I'll Do If I Ever Get Sent to Another World'?"
He said it all in one breath, like he'd win something if he finished the sentence fast enough.
"OH. MY. GOD."
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
"Oh wait... maybe I'm just dreaming."
He interrupted himself quickly.
He stretched his hand out as far as it could go—
BOOSH!
He slapped himself with full force.
He laughed.
"This really isn't a dream!"
"I need to pull myself together. If someone saw me now, they'd definitely think I've lost it."
"..."
"Doesn't matter anymore. I'm in another world... I need to make sure."
He paused to think.
"I hope something like magic exists here."
Suddenly, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
> "Confirmed."
"...Wh-what was that?!"
> "Permissions granted."
"Skill acquired: Wisdom of Another World."
His eyes widened. His heart began to race.
"...The system?!"
> "Request received. Due to the effect of 'Wisdom of Another World,' the system has been granted."
His eyes opened wide.
"It's real... I'm really in another world."