Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The End
In a small, cluttered room dimly lit by the flickering glow of a computer screen, the sound of rapid keystrokes and mouse clicks echoed off the walls.
Piles of empty snack wrappers and soda cans were strewn across the floor, a testament to the sedentary lifestyle of its sole occupant.
Meet Hiroshi Nakamura, a twenty-five-year-old Otaku, whose entire existence revolved around the virtual worlds of video games and anime.
His once promising future had faded into a monotonous cycle of gaming and binge-watching, punctuated only by visits from his disappointed parents who had long since lost hope in him.
They had provided for his basic needs but had also distanced themselves, renting him a room away from their home in a last-ditch effort to force some semblance of independence on him.
Hiroshi was oblivious to the outside world, his unkempt hair hanging like a curtain over his eyes, hiding the depth of darkness within them. Today was no different as he sat hunched over his desk, engaged in an intense battle on his favorite online game.
"Come on, come on... Just one more hit..." he muttered, his fingers dancing furiously over the keyboard.
But fate seemed to have a different plan. His screen flashed a bright red "Defeat," and Hiroshi's patience snapped. In a fit of rage, he slammed his fist onto the keyboard, the force of his blow causing the computer monitor to flicker and go black.
"Damn it!" he cursed, rubbing his sore hand. As he prepared to reboot the system, the monitor flickered back to life, displaying a peculiar website he had never seen before.
The screen was stark and minimalistic, with a single question displayed in bold letters:
"Do you like the way you are living?"
Hiroshi stared at the question, his mind flooded with thoughts of his current existence. His parents' constant disappointment, the lack of friends, the absence of any romantic relationship, and his overweight, unhealthy body. His entire life felt like a series of failures strung together by his own lack of effort and ambition.
With a bitter chuckle, he moved the cursor and clicked on "No."
Almost immediately, another question appeared:
"Would you like to live a new life?"
A new life? The thought was absurd, yet enticing. Without hesitation, he clicked "Yes."
The final question sealed his fate:
"Even if it meant giving up your current life?"
Hiroshi's heart pounded in his chest. What did he have to lose? This life had brought him nothing but misery. He clicked "Yes" once more, his decision firm.
The screen changed back to the familiar "Game Over" message from his game. Hiroshi sighed deeply, a fleeting smile of irony crossing his face.
"I was an idiot to think that something magical would actually happen to me," he muttered to himself, glancing out the small window that let in a sliver of daylight.
He ran his fingers through his greasy hair, revealing his dark, lifeless eyes for a moment before they disappeared again beneath his bangs.
Just as he was about to resume his game, a strange sensation washed over him. His fingers twitched, and then his arms and legs went numb. Panic set in as he tried to move, but his body refused to obey.
"W-What's happening? Help! Please, someone help!" he screamed, his voice growing hoarse. But there was no one there.
His parents had long since given up on him, leaving him alone in this solitary confinement.
The numbness spread rapidly, engulfing his entire body. He toppled from his chair, hitting the floor with a dull thud. His breaths came in ragged gasps as his vision blurred. The edges of his sight darkened, and the world around him faded.
His last thought was a fleeting regret for a life wasted as his consciousness slipped away, his black eyes losing their final glimmer of life.
Hiroshi Nakamura died alone, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell and the lingering scent of stale chips and soda.
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