It was the cat.
The one that stole my childhood triumph.
And now—it had stolen my quest.
Frustration bubbled in my chest, and I almost lunged at it without thinking... until I stopped.
Wait a second... how the hell is Whiskers even here?Yeah, Whiskers—that's the name of the smug little black furball my mom brought home. We hated each other at first, but eventually, we became inseparable. That cat's practically family now.
So how could he be here?
That's when it hit me—hard.
This wasn't Whiskers. It wasn't even a real cat.
This was a trick.
A damn illusion.
And standing behind that illusion... was something far more dangerous.
My blood ran cold as the fake Whiskers faded away, replaced by a monstrous figure cloaked in shadow. Its form flickered, constantly shifting like a glitch in reality.
I was staring at a monster—no, something worse.
A manipulator.
It laughed, a slow, sinister sound that echoed through the stillness around us.
"I am Alkom," it hissed, its voice like glass breaking. "Master of illusions. Feaster of fear. You've given me quite the feast, little human."
I clenched my jaw, weapon trembling in my grip. "You've been messing with my head this whole time…"
The creature's form twisted again, swirling like smoke. "And you believed it all. The nostalgia. The failure. The despair. Delicious."
My fear slowly morphed into anger. I wasn't going to be a victim. Not here. Not again.
"You won't feed on me anymore," I growled. "I'm ending this now."
With a burst of adrenaline, I charged.
I swung my sword at its shifting form—but every strike missed. Alkom danced through my attacks like a phantom. Nothing hit. Nothing stuck.
"You can't beat me," it chuckled. "You're weak. Level one. You don't belong here."
Its claws slashed across my arm, tearing fabric and flesh. I staggered back, pain screaming through my body. My HP? Down to 2.
I was bleeding. Dazed. Outmatched.
Why am I even here?
Why did I think I could win this fight?
Why did I enter this damn game at all...?
Because I wanted a break from real life.
Because in real life, they laughed at me. Mocked me. Bullied me.
And now, even in this world—a virtual world—a monster was trying to break me.
No.
Not again.
I tightened my grip on my sword, even as my vision blurred. My chest heaved.
I wasn't going to lose to this nightmare.
Then... something clicked.
An old lesson. Something from school—about illusions.
They're not real. They're tricks. They rely on what we expect to see… or what we fear to see.
Illusions can be broken.
They can be played with.
I had an idea. A stupid, reckless, possibly suicidal idea.
But I went for it.
I changed.
My posture softened. My grip loosened. My voice turned... reverent.
"Wow," I said, dropping my sword and falling to one knee. "You're amazing."
The monster froze.
"What?" it asked, confused.
"I surrender," I said. "You win. I can't compete with you. You're just too good."
It stared at me, suspicious. Then curious.
"Why?" it asked.
"Because you're brilliant," I said, eyes wide like I was genuinely in awe. "You created a perfect illusion. You tricked me, scared me, broke me."
It tilted its head, eyes narrowing—then slowly, it smiled.
A wicked, smug smile.
"Yes. Yes, I did," it said, voice swelling with pride.
"Tell me," I said, leaning in like a student begging a master for wisdom, "how do you do it?"
The monster puffed up, basking in its own ego. "I use my mind. I shape the world with my thoughts."
"Seriously?" I gasped, feigning amazement. "You're incredible."
"I am, aren't I?" it chuckled darkly.
"And you do all that with just… your thoughts?"
"Oh no," it said, lowering its voice dramatically. "I speak the magic word."
"The magic word?" I echoed, playing along. "What is it?"
Alkom leaned in, eyes gleaming, ready to share his ultimate secret.
And just as his mouth opened—
I drove my sword through his throat.
The creature choked on its own surprise. A gurgle escaped its lips as thick, dark blood poured out.
It staggered back, looking at me in horror, betrayal in its eyes.
"You…" it rasped.
And then it collapsed.
Dead.
The illusion shattered.
Around me, the world flickered—replaced by a cold, dim cave littered with bones and broken dreams. The monster had lured me here, feeding off the illusions it wove.
But now, it was over.
You have slain Alkom, Master of Illusions.
The words floated across my vision, glowing.
I had outwitted it.
I'd flipped the illusion against the illusionist.
I tricked the trickster.
And for once in my life… I won.
Breathing heavily, heart still pounding, I pulled off my VR headset.
Back in my room, sweat clung to my skin. My hands trembled slightly.
But inside?
Inside—I felt stronger than I ever had before.