The soft glow of my computer monitor bathed my room in pale blue light, casting shadows across the cluttered space. Stacks of empty soda cans stood beside my desk, while notebooks filled with strategy charts littered the floor—remnants of my endless battles. This was my battlefield and refuge.
As midnight approached, I logged into *Kaiserfront*. In this virtual realm, I was no longer the awkward kid in the back of the classroom; I was a master tactician, shaping the fate of empires with confidence.
In reality, I was bullied and overlooked. My classmates laughed, mocking my attempts to engage, while I lacked the charisma that seemed to shine from the popular kids.
But with Kaiserfront*?
I commanded enormous empires, established a thriving city, and led the army with precision.
Flashbacks pierced my thoughts:
Online tournament at 2 am, dancing alone in my room.
- Dropping my strategy notebook in school, hearing classmates call it my "nerd bible."
Answering a tough question in class, only to have my voice crack.
- Stammering over words when trying to speak with a group partner, watching her walk away.
Outside my screen, rewards were rare for someone like me. But in gaming, strategy flourished and logic reigned.
With a sigh, I shut down my monitor, its glow fading into darkness. Tomorrow would bring another school day—another chance to wear my mask of indifference. The blue light illuminated my room once more, surrounded by the reminders of my battles.
DAY TWO
The classroom buzzed with morning noise—students chatting, footsteps echoing, and papers rustling. I sat alone at the back, pretending to read while my mind drifted to the supply chain I was optimizing in last night's *Kaiserfront* playthrough.
Then—
Students whispered. Chairs scraped. Pens clicked. Normal. Ordinary. Safe.
"John?"
The softness of the voice pulled me back. I blinked and raised my gaze.
Standing beside my desk was Fiona Hale, my childhood friend, her vice president badge pinned neatly to her uniform. Her brows were knit with mild worry.
"You're zoning out again," she whispered. "Are you okay? You haven't said a word since this morning."
I tightened my grip and grabbed my pencil firmly. "I'm fine. Just thinking."
"About the game, again? " she asked with a small, knowing smile.
I looked away. "Maybe."
Fiona sighed—but gently. "You know I don't mind, but you've been acting strange all week. If something's bothering you, you can tell me."
Before I could answer, a sudden sound cut through the air—
"Hey, Emperor John," Angelo said, slamming his palm on my desk. He was tall, smug, and the self-proclaimed king of the class.
Charles flicked a pen at me like a dart. "Man's got no kingdom in real life, so he hides in games."
James grinned, leaning close. "Maybe if he used that brain on real stuff, he wouldn't be such a loser."
Kim, small and thin, hovered nervously behind the group—a nerd who followed them for protection, not cruelty.
I hunched over, willing myself to disappear.
"Enough."
A sharp voice cut through the mockery. Fiona Hale, my childhood friend and class vice president, stood beside my desk. Arms crossed, eyes blazing.
"That belongs to him," she said, taking a step closer. "Return it. Now."
The others laughed. James snickered, Charles snorted, and Angelo rolled his eyes.
"Someone has to take his corner," Fiona said, undeterred.
Before I could answer, a metallic chime sounded.
DING.
One ringing, sonorous bell reverberated throughout the room, and it wasn't the usual school bell.
It sounded deeper, metallic, and somehow otherworldly.
Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. Everyone froze, their conversations abruptly cutting off. A sickly blue, translucent screen appeared before me, but it wasn't confined to my gaze.
It hovered in front of every student.
Everybody froze in the class.
Then, in front of every student—glitching into existence like a hologram—appeared a translucent notification window, floating in midair.
Messages flashed one after the other:
**YOU ALL HAVE BEEN SELECTED.
WELCOME TO THE GAUNTLET.
PREPARE FOR TRANSFER.**
There was a gasp that circled the room.
"W-What is this? " Fiona stepped back, her eyes wide. "Is this some kind of prank? "
My blood ran cold. "Fiona… this isn't a game UI. I've never seen anything like—"
The floor trembled, desks rattling.
And then—
A massive magic circle ignited beneath the classroom, spanning wall to wall, glowing with lines of runes no one could understand. Students stumbled back as the symbols pulsed like a heartbeat.
Panic ensued.
"Is this real? "
"Someone get a teacher! "
"What's happening—?! "
Fiona clutched at my wrist. "John! Stay with me! "
But then the glow brightened.
A new line of text flickered in bright gold above the magic circle:
Only 700 million were chosen among all the universes.
Survive the Gauntlet.
Earn a role.
Ascend—or die.**
Initiated Transfer
The building shook; the walls quivered as if in answer to some unseen force.
The lights danced threateningly, casting erratic shadows.
Then, a voice—deep, ancient, echoing from everywhere and nowhere—boomed:
***"Rejoice, mortals.
You have been selected to entertain the High Thrones."***
My heart raced, pounding against my ribs as a chill ran down my spine. This was not the game.
This was not anything human.
Another line appeared on the ominous floating screen:
A ring of divine energy wrapped around my wrist, its surface glowing like a searing shackle—a stark reminder of my newfound reality.
All around me, the other students were illuminated in hues of blue and gold—some screaming in fear, some crying out in desperation, and some standing frozen in shock. Out of our entire class, only twelve of us glowed.
My voice caught in my throat, inextricably tangled with confusion.
"What is this… and why us? " I managed to whisper. Suddenly, the magic circle flared brilliantly, exploding with the intensity of a supernova. The floor cracked open, radiating light, while my body was lifted from the ground, weightless and utterly helpless.
The floor trembled beneath us. A golden magic circle erupted across the tiles, pulsating with runes that seemed older than time itself. Screams echoed around the room, desks toppled, and panic swept through the classroom.
"John! Stay with me!
"Fiona! " I yelled, tugging at my wrist.
I reached for her hand, but chaos struck. Angelo shoved forward, slamming into her, and Charles collided with me. In a moment of desperation, Kim grabbed Fiona to steady himself, tearing her away from me.
"Fiona! " I screamed, fear edging my voice.
"JOHN! HOLD ON! " she exclaimed.
Light swallowed her whole.
Suddenly, I was lifted into the air, weightless. The floor, the walls, the ceiling—everything dissolved into a blinding white.
My body felt as if it was being pulled apart, scattered like starlight. The last thing I saw was Fiona's face—tearful, determined, and shouting my name. And the world vanished.