Inside a dimly lit apartment, the rhythmic clicking of a mouse filled the air. A man sat hunched over his computer, eyes locked onto the screen with laser focus. Then, suddenly—
[Rick]: YES! FINALLY, THE TRUE SAINT ENDING!
Rick shot up from his chair, fists clenched in triumph. A wide grin spread across his face as he stared at the screen, still buzzing with excitement.
[Rick]: For a second, I thought I was playing a dating sim with the Demon King,
He muttered, shaking his head.
He plopped back into his seat, scanning the game's completion screen.
[Endings Unlocked: 38/100]
[Playthroughs: 299]
[Characters Stored: 47/100]
[New Game]
[Settings]
[Exit]
Rick exhaled, leaning back.
[Rick]: Damn, this ending took me half a year to get.
The game he had just conquered was Arcades, a masterpiece that had dominated the gaming world for the past decade. No other title had ever come close to its depth. Whether you wanted to build a city, engage in high-stakes RPG battles, experience intense FPS action, or command armies in RTS warfare, Arcades had it all.
And for Rick, it was more than just a game—it was an obsession.
He had been playing Arcades since the day it was released, and even after all these years, he was still hooked—just like millions of other players around the world. No matter how many playthroughs he completed, there was always something new to discover.
With a few quick clicks, Rick navigated to the game's official information site and downloaded his latest playthrough data. The moment the download finished, his inbox was flooded with messages—notifications from other dedicated players, eager to discuss strategies, theories, and newly uncovered secrets.
But he ignored most of them, his focus locked on a single message.
[From: Drewlex]
"Hey Rick, just saw that new ending you unlocked. That makes it 66 endings discovered so far!"
Rick smirked, cracking his knuckles as he typed a reply.
[To: Drewlex]
"It took me half a year, but I finally got it. Thought I was stuck in a Demon King romance route for a while there."
He hit send and leaned back in his chair. Despite all his accomplishments in Arcades, there were still 34 endings left to uncover. The challenge was far from over.
At least, that's what he thought.
Because his 300th run was about to become something he never could have predicted.
Rick opened the Endings Discovered section, scrolling through the countless titles he had unlocked over the years. Each one represented a different path, a different story he had lived within Arcades.
His eyes skimmed the latest updates.
[New Endings Discovered: The New Age of Rust, The New God]
Rick sighed, leaning back in his chair.
[Rick]: Still no academy or school-type ending or achievement or even a Playthrough,… why not try to be the first?
With renewed determination, he navigated back to the game's main interface and selected [New Game]. The familiar character creation menu loaded, offering the first set of choices:
[Past] - [Race] - [Talent]
Rick tapped his fingers on his desk, thinking.
[Rick]: I've played through almost half of these already… let's mix things up.
He hovered over the [Past] section and selected [Sold into a Lab]—a dark and mysterious origin he hadn't explored before.
Next was [Race]. He scrolled through the familiar options before settling on something unconventional.
[Rick]: Let's go with [Hybrid] and mix it up—[Half-Demon, Half-Human]... oh? What's this? [Half-Hollow]? That's new. Let's add that in too.
Satisfied, he moved on to [Talent], where his many playthroughs had unlocked rare and unique abilities. One immediately caught his eye.
[Reverse Twins] – A twin will be born, but they will be the reverse of your character. If your character is male, they will be female. If you are good, they will lean toward evil, and vice versa.
Rick smirked.
[Rick]: Now this... this could be interesting.
He still had two more talent points to spend. Scrolling through his options, he carefully considered his choices before locking in two powerful abilities.
[Great Armor Manifest] – A unique talent that allows the user to summon and wear powerful armor, formed from their will and energy.
[Magic Born – Dark] – Grants an innate connection to dark magic, enhancing spells and abilities that draw from the shadows.
Rick leaned forward, grinning.
[Rick]: [Great Armor Manifest]—the very skill that made the Demon King so feared and unstoppable. And Magic Born – Dark… this will push my dark magic to levels only true demon-blooded beings can reach.
Satisfied with his setup, he pressed [Continue], and the screen shifted.
[Character Customization]
[Skills]
A deep breath. A familiar thrill. This was the moment when his character truly took shape.
[Rick]: Let's see just how far I can push this build.
Rick cracked his knuckles, eyes scanning the customization menu.
[Rick]: Alright, let's make him male… black hair, red eyes… add one horn for style.
He adjusted the character's face, narrowing the eyes just enough to give off an air of cold calculation.
[Rick]: Something's missing… Ah, right. The ultimate villain look—sharp, narrow eyes. Now that's perfect.
Satisfied with his character's appearance, he moved on to the [Skills] menu. Ten points to spend.
Rick carefully selected his abilities, choosing a balance of offense, defense, and utility.
[Dark Dart] – Fires condensed dark energy at high speeds. A simple yet effective ranged attack.
[Shadow Veil] – Cloaks the user in shadows, muffling their presence and movements.
[Northern Demon Swordsmanship] – A ruthless and efficient combat style used by demon warlords in the north.
[Poison Creating] – The ability to craft deadly poisons, toxins, and antidotes.
[Demonic Knowledge] – Grants insight into ancient demon arts, history, and forbidden rituals.
[Beginning Curses] – Allows the user to place basic hexes and maledictions on their enemies.
[Demonic Frenzy] – Temporarily boosts strength, speed, and aggression, at the cost of control.
[Forge Hands of Ifrit] – Summons burning, spectral hands modeled after the legendary fire spirit, Ifrit.
[Aura of Bloodshed] – Exudes an aura that unsettles enemies, increasing intimidation and fear effects.
[Imp Tongue] – Allows communication and to make deals with lesser demons and trickster spirits.
Rick leaned back, a satisfied grin on his face.
[Rick]: With this setup, I can carry myself straight to the endgame if I play it right.
Satisfied, he pressed [Continue] and stretched, glancing at the clock.
[Rick]: Alright, just one last thing before bed. Gotta be up for work tomorrow.
Two new options appeared on the screen:
[Add Character]
[Story]
Rick tapped his chin.
[Rick]: Since I want a solid playthrough, let's avoid adding any purely evil characters this time.
He carefully selected ten supporting characters—some allies, some rivals, but none outright villains—before moving on to the final step.
[Story]
Now came the real challenge. The backstory.
Rick's fingers moved across the keyboard, shaping the foundation of his new life in the game.
He and his twin were sold to a secret lab by their own family at the age of seven.
They escaped after three years of cruel experiments, surviving on the streets until they were ten.
With no real names, they adopted the titles given to them in the lab: Project Zero V (Rick) and Project One H (his twin).
By sixteen, they managed to open a small pharmacy, using the medical knowledge they had gained through hardship.
At eighteen, their talents and high grades earned them a place in the prestigious Grand Arcane Academy.
Rick smirked as he reread the story.
[Rick]: This should be interesting. I'll stop here for now.
With one final click, he selected [Start].
The screen flickered.
Then—darkness.
A strange sensation washed over him, like his body was being pulled apart and reconstructed at the same time. His vision blurred, and his head spun.
Something was wrong.
Before he could even react, his world vanished.
[???]: Wake up brother