Adrian woke up with a groggy yawn, rubbing his eyes as the soft light from the morning sun crept through the blinds. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog from his mind. His apartment felt oddly familiar, but something was off.
The faint hum of his high-end gaming PC filled the room. Posters of his favorite games were scattered across the walls, and a half-finished energy drink sat on his desk next to a few empty cans. Everything was just as it had been the night before, or was it? As his eyes roamed across the room, something caught his attention—his old gaming equipment.
His phone, a few game controllers, and a dusty headset—all of them were sitting exactly where he had left them over a month ago. But that didn't make sense. He had been playing a game the night before, the same one he'd been streaming for weeks. He'd talked about it in his last broadcast… something about Online Ascendance being released soon. But his phone? It shouldn't be there. He looked at the screen, and his heart skipped a beat.
It was the same date.
But it wasn't the same date.
The calendar on his phone read "March 1st," a full month before the release of Online Ascendance. Adrian felt his chest tighten as the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He wasn't in the present. He wasn't in the future.
He was back in time.
Adrian scrambled out of bed, his mind racing. A month ago. One week before the game release.
He'd been living in the present, focused on his streams, his reviews, and his content. But now, he had a chance—a second chance. He remembered talking to his followers on Phantom Streams, sharing his excitement about the release. He'd joked about how he would stream the launch like a pro, giving tips and guides. But there was always a part of him that knew he wasn't truly living for the game; he was just riding the wave of a popular stream.
Now, with a week left before the game's official release, he knew this was his opportunity to do something different. He could leave the streaming behind, stop focusing on being a viral gamer, and put everything into Online Ascendance. This was his shot to finally take his passion for gaming seriously. No more distractions. No more jokes or false promises.
He pulled his chair over to the desk, fingers hovering over his keyboard. He remembered the feeling of stepping into Online Ascendance for the first time, the excitement of creating his character, Adrian the Marked One. But now, instead of just experiencing the game from a distance, he could immerse himself fully in it—train, fight, and even learn things no one else had discovered yet. He could shape the game's world like never before.
His fingers typed out a quick message to his followers on Phantom Streams, announcing a change of pace. "Hey guys, I've got something big planned. I'm going to take a break from streaming for a bit. It's time to focus on something more important."
He hit send, then sat back in his chair, staring at the screen. The decision felt strange, but right. This wasn't just about playing the game anymore; it was about mastering it. And this time, he had no intention of letting anything hold him back.
Adrian leaned back in his chair, eyes still on the screen where his goodbye message sat on Phantom Streams. It was a clean break—no dramatic farewell, no long speech. Just a simple declaration: he was done streaming. Not forever, maybe, but long enough to dive deep into Online Ascendance the way he was always meant to. No reviews. No audience. Just him and the game.
He stood up, stretched his arms overhead, and shuffled to the kitchen. As the coffee machine sputtered to life, a loud thud echoed through the hallway just outside his apartment.
Oh no.
It was too early for this.
The door swung open without a knock—because of course it did—and in walked Alice Carter, headphones around her neck, lazy smirk already in place.
"Morning, nerd," she said, stepping inside like she owned the place. She waved her phone at him. "Just got a notification. You're quitting streaming now? Mid-clout? That's bold."
Adrian groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's not quitting. I'm… taking a break."
Alice ignored him and beelined straight for his fridge. She opened it like it was her own, rummaging around until she pulled out one of his last cold energy drinks.
"You know you're gonna regret this," she said casually, cracking the can open and taking a long sip. "Streaming's the only reason I even know what game's dropping next week."
"You don't even like games," Adrian muttered, turning back toward his desk.
"Exactly," she said, plopping down on his couch. "But I like you losing your mind about them. It's entertaining."
Before he could fire back, another voice echoed from the hallway.
"Aaaand I'm here!"
Sarah Carter burst into the room with a dramatic pose, as if she'd just entered a stage, not her neighbor's apartment. She had on an oversized anime hoodie, a devil-horned headband, and an actual foam sword strapped to her back.
"You look like you walked out of a con," Adrian said, deadpan.
"Compliment accepted," Sarah beamed. "Now tell me—is it true? You're quitting Phantom Reviews?"
"It's a break," he repeated. "I just want to focus on Ascendance when it drops. No scripts, no uploads, no stress."
Sarah flopped onto the couch beside Alice, both blondes now sipping his energy drinks like it was a spa day. "Honestly? About time. You've been playing like you're scared to have fun."
Adrian blinked. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Sarah turned her whole body to face him, legs tucked under her. "You always played to review stuff. Like you had to think five steps ahead. But now?" She leaned forward, her blue eyes gleaming. "Now you can just play. No deadlines. No breakdowns. Just you, the grind, and whatever chaos the devs cooked up."
Alice nodded slowly. "She's got a point. That game's gonna be huge. You gonna go all-in this time?"
Adrian hesitated.
This time. That phrase meant more now than it ever could have before.
He looked down at his hands. The last time he played Online Ascendance, he went in half-focused, split between testing game mechanics and prepping review scripts. He barely scratched the surface of what the game had to offer before he got caught up in numbers, followers, and trends.
Now, he could do it differently.
"I'm not just playing," he said quietly. "I'm going to live in it."
Alice arched a brow. "Sounds a little dramatic."
Sarah grinned. "Sounds epic. You gonna main Warrior again?"
Adrian shook his head. "No. This time… I'm going with the flow."
"Oooh. Going fancy, huh?" Sarah leaned back. "You think you'll find some hidden classes?"
"I don't know, I hope it won't be too crazy," Adrian replied, voice calm but certain. "I have a lot of knowledge about games. Locations, mechanics, and boss patterns. I just have to use it smart."
The twins exchanged a look.
Then Alice said, "Well damn. You're gonna sweat this game harder than Sarah sweats over her audition reels."
"I don't sweat—I'm always glowing," Sarah shot back, tossing a pillow at her sister. "And for the record, I could play the game with you, y'know."
"You?" Adrian blinked. "You struggled with Pocket Heroes. On easy mode."
Sarah puffed her cheeks. "That was one time! And the game was buggy!"
"Sure it was," he teased.
Alice yawned and put her feet on the coffee table. "Anyway, sounds like you've got your week cut out for you. We'll be here—stealing your drinks, bullying you for fun, and watching when you start losing your mind from too much grind."
"I'll bring snacks," Sarah added cheerfully.
Adrian smiled—genuinely, for the first time in what felt like forever. There was something warm about having them around, even if they were chaotic and loud. In the quiet of his usual life, their presence grounded him. They were his real-world checkpoint. And maybe, in a strange way, they were part of this second chance too.
Later that night, after the twins had left (with half his fridge), Adrian sat at his desk and opened a folder labeled "Ascendance Notes." It was packed with theories about the game and what was to come based on the name and people who worked on it, since some tend to favor specific stuff in games they add.
He scanned over his theories, eager to see which one would come true, like he did before the time thing he was going through.
But more than that… he was excited.
For once, not to win—just to play.
To get lost in the world of Etheris and become the player he always wished he could be, not the critic he had to be. No reviews. No sponsorships. No algorithms.
Just him.
A new timeline. A real chance.