A seventeen-year-old boy was sitting alone inside a lavish room.
The ceiling above him was decorated with intricate golden patterns, glowing softly under crystal chandeliers that refracted light in every direction.
The walls were lined with rare paintings framed in polished gold, while the floor beneath him was layered with a deep crimson carpet that looked expensive just to glance at.
Velvet curtains hung beside tall glass windows, revealing a distant city skyline bathed in sunlight. Everything in the room screamed wealth, power, and authority.
Arthur leaned back against the luxurious couch, his brows furrowed.
"What the hell... not again."
Before he could process the thought, a sharp wave of pain exploded throughout his body. His muscles burned, his ribs ached, and his head throbbed as if he had been beaten mercilessly.
"What did this bastard do this time?"
The pain felt real. Too real for this to be a dream.
But it was only a dream—one he had seen before. It was not the first time he had dreamed of something like this.
Judging by the sensations flooding his senses, it looked like someone had beaten him up pretty badly.
In reality, Arthur had grown up in an orphanage, abandoned by parents he could not even remember. Life there wasn’t kind, but it was enough for survival. It was trashy, exhausting, and unfair, yet somehow manageable.
When he finally turned eighteen, he left the orphanage and stood on his own feet. He worked part-time, paid rent, and lived day to day. His life wasn’t good, but it was fine.
Things only started going wrong after he bought that game.
And then the dreams started.
One day, Arthur encountered a very interesting game.
What caught his attention wasn’t the graphics or the hype around it, but the characters.
They were characters he had never seen before. He first tried it just for fun, yet something about them felt strangely familiar.
So without hesitation, he bought it on the spot. Surprisingly, it wasn’t even expensive.
Ever since he started playing that game named Saga of the Mythical Warriors, the dreams began.
Arthur spent countless hours immersed in the game.
The story revolved around a group of heroes who awakened the strongest abilities known to mankind. When demons and monsters started invading the world, these heroes rose up to save it from destruction.
A typical story.
Yet the dreams followed the same narrative.
In those dreams, the body he was possessing was named Arthur.
A minor villain.
Cannon fodder.
Someone whose sole purpose was to fuel the growth of the heroes destined to save the world.
With the lowest potential in existence.
The guy inside his dreams, whose body he was possessing, was destined to be forever stuck at F-rank.
Arthur kept having dreams like this, as if he were living someone else’s miserable life, ever since he bought that cursed game.
Today was no different.
He found himself trapped in that same dream once again.
As he muttered under his breath,
"Same old dream again, huh... what is it this time?"
Suddenly, the door to the room burst open.
Two figures walked inside.
The first was a man in his thirties, tall and commanding. He had raven-black hair that fell neatly behind his ears and sharp amber eyes that seemed to pierce through anything they landed on. His features were well-defined, his face handsome and refined, carrying the dignified aura of someone born to rule.
His name was Adrian Evan Imperius.
One of the most feared existences in this fictional world.
The head of one of the wealthiest and most powerful families to ever exist.
Beside him stood a beautiful woman.
She had flowing golden hair that shimmered under the chandelier’s light and blood-red eyes that held a chilling calm. Her presence alone made the air feel heavier.
Sylvia Evan Imperius.
Before marriage, her name alone was enough to make nations tremble.
The world’s greatest assassin.
A living legend whose reputation still commanded fear.
Arthur immediately recognized them.
As soon as their piercing gazes locked onto him, the atmosphere turned suffocating.
Adrian spoke first.
"Do you finally realize what you have done this time, Arthur?"
Arthur frowned as he replied,
"Good, I was wondering the same thing for some reason. What did I do again?"
Adrian’s voice rose, sharp and furious.
"Enough games. Do you think slapping the daughter of another great family at the banquet I personally organized is something I can ignore? And then you had the audacity to insult them in public too."
Arthur let out a tired sigh.
’Tsk... why is he beating around the bush?’
"I know you didn’t come here for that," Arthur said calmly. "Hell, even if I killed her, you wouldn’t have said anything."
Adrian fell silent at that.
Arthur turned his gaze toward Sylvia.
"Care to weigh in here, Mom?"
Sylvia spoke coldly.
"She beat the crap out of you afterward in public, breaking every bone in your body. That dragged our family’s reputation through the mud. That’s why he’s upset."
Arthur murmured under his breath,
"That figures."
Adrian continued, his voice filled with contempt.
"For generations, our family has produced heroes whose names were etched into history. Always remembered by the world."
His gaze sharpened as it fell upon Arthur.
"But you, Arthur, have become my greatest shame."
"First, you failed to awaken any noteworthy talent."
"Second, you are neither proficient in magic nor weapon mastery."
"And third, you possess the lowest potential cap in recorded history."
"An F-rank."
"For god’s sake."
"An F-rank."
Adrian screamed his lungs out.
"From now on, you are forbidden from leaving this room until I permit it. Stay inside and do not show your worthless self."
Arthur lowered his head slightly.
’Let’s just wait for this nightmare to end and wake up. It’s not real anyway... and even if it were, it’s not my life.’
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure crashed down on him.
Arthur’s knees buckled as he slammed into the floor.
Adrian stared down at him.
"At least give us a little respect and say something. Or do we not even deserve that in your eyes?"
Adrian continued,
"I’ll ask you once more. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"
’Even if I want to... I don’t remember anything.’
Arthur slowly lifted his head and met their gazes.
"Yes."
Sylvia narrowed her eyes.
"What is it?"
"I’m hungry. When are we having dinner?"
For a moment, Adrian and Sylvia were baffled.
Then a sharp slap echoed through the room.
Arthur’s body was flung across the floor, crashing into a table.
Adrian’s menacing voice rang out.
"Is all of this a joke to you?"
"What’s happening to you lately? You used to tremble just by looking at us."
"Now you dare to mock us and waste our time like this."
"Explain yourself."
"We had such high hopes for you."
"Yet you have brought us nothing but disappointment."
"Since your potential was evaluated, the entire world laughs at us."
"And despite knowing that your miserable self cannot defeat even the weakest awakened, you still picked a fight with a top-ranked one."
Arthur slowly stood up and met Adrian’s gaze.
"So you’re saying I’m a failure, aren’t you?"
Silence filled the room.
After a pause, Adrian spoke.
"Among all our children... yes, you are."
Adrian glanced at Sylvia.
"Do you have anything to add?"
"No," Sylvia replied.
Arthur nodded.
"I figured you’d say that."
Without another word, both Sylvia and Adrian turned around and left the room.
The door closed behind them.
Arthur let out a hollow laugh.
"What a miserable life you live, Arthur. I think even mine is better than yours."
"Sucks to be you, man."
Just as he said that, as if heard by the world—
He was pulled backward violently—
As he jolted awake.
He was no longer in the luxurious room.
Instead, he was inside a run-down apartment with peeling paint and creaking furniture.
His body was drenched in sweat.
He gasped for air as he woke up.
"Again... one of those shitty dreams, huh?"
He wiped the sweat from his face.
"Good thing I woke up quickly this time."
Arthur poured himself a glass of water and drank it down, trying to steady his breathing.
-------
A/N: -
How was the Chapter? Tell me in the comment section.
-----