Seven years. Gone in an instant.
Yone stared at the glowing screen, his fingers trembling around the glass tablet. His coffee had long gone cold, but he barely noticed. The words in front of him blurred, but no matter how many tis he blinked, they didn't change.
"Your services are no longer needed."
"Assassin squad leader Ravyn Requiem, you have been a skilled and intelligent leader throughout the seven years of your service under Guardians Angel guild, ranked seven on Eclipse Online central server."
Eclipse Online wasn't just a ga; it was the world's most advanced full-dive VR, an economy of its own if you were to describe what it actually is in its current date and age.
The strongest guilds controlled everything, from valuable resources to important dungeon maps and even real-world investnt. It reached a point where governnts and corporations were following their every move.
And among these top guilds stood Guardians Angel, which ranked seventh. They were ruthless, efficient, and cutthroat. Their reputation was built on discipline and results. Mistakes weren't tolerated. Losing a mission wasn't just about a failed quest since massive amounts of money were at stake on every single one of these missions. Instead, it ant the guild's prestige took a hit, and in Eclipse Online, prestige was currency.
"Unfortunately, we regret to inform you that your services are no longer needed. However, in accordance with the terms of your contract, you will receive full pay for this month and the next four months until you find a job with another guild or in a different industry.
Wish you luck on your journey."
He thought he had finally achieved his goal. After seven years of hard work and dedication, Reaching Tier 3 should have secured his position.
Seven years.
Seven fucking years he had spent nurturing newbies, leading his assassin squad through countless successful missions.
Seven years of sacrifices. And for what? Just for a single mistake to destroy everything he had worked so hard for.
Yet all of it was casually forgotten and dismissed just because I failed one single mission.
Yone let out a hollow chuckle. His body trembled, and his vision blurred as he gazed blankly at the screen in his hand. He was debating whether to smash it against the wall.
He had neglected his life for the sake of gaming, money, and fa.
He sacrificed unimaginable ti, effort, and sweat just for the sake of getting better, just for the sake of improving the guild's newbies even further, just for the sake of getting his squad to one of the top ten on his guild. Yet all of his efforts, his ti, and his love for the guild and ga had been torn apart rely because he failed one single mission.
That NPC wasn't ordinary. How is it even my fault that he could effortlessly detect our whole squad from tens of kiloters away and stealthily track us to our main force without even our squad noticing anything?
He then looked at the final line of the ssage of his guild council decision.
"Your account has been deleted given the Contract terms. You can create another and join any other guild you wish that isn't a direct enemy of Guardians Angels. Good luck in your journey."
Bam!
Yone threw the tablet on the wall, shattering into pieces as he placed his coffee on the table. He then stood up, washed his face three tis and sat on the bed.
With this, a book has been closed and a new one will open up for .
I won't give up on my dream no matter how hard it gets.
No matter how unfair it gets.
No matter how late I am into Eclipse online and how late I'll be into the ga once I create the account.
I'll still go back and do all of it again.
Yone's eyes flashed with determination as he laid down on the bed, deciding to close his eyes for so ti before he started all over again.
Bip! Bip! Bip!
The phone call sounded continuously ringing relentlessly over and over again.
Yone dazedly woke up, his mind still not processing what had happened the whole night and in the morning.
Without much thought into it, he helplessly reached for his phone by the bedside.
"Big brother, you told to inform you if any news were announced about Eclipse Online, and here I am!" His young brother's voice sounded excited from the other end of the call as he continued," At midnight, Ecliple Online will launch, go ahead and make proud in front of all my friends and our family mbers!"
"Hmm? Shen...Shen, what are you talking about? I have been kicked out of my guild, and my account got deleted. What launch and ga? Everything is over." Yone smiled as he delivered the news to Shen, thinking that his young brother would be shocked and rage at him like he always did.
"Big brother Yone, don't tell that you spent the last night awake and drinking four to six coffees like you always do. Were you that eager to hear the ga's announcents, then slept on them and only woke up a few minutes ago?"
Shen's voice was playful, but he didn't push Yone for an answer. "Just log in after an hour. I still have a year before I can get an ID, so I can't play yet. I'll give you a head start like I always do, hehe. See you later, noobie."
With that, Shen shut the phone without letting Yone reply, confident that his brother had just spent the last night drinking coffee after coffee as he waited for the ga's launch.
Yone was slightly confused as he heard his words," Did my brother get a shock after the news reached him from our guild's executives?" He shrugged and opened the door to the room next to the kitchen. Then, he headed in to sit in his virtual gaming cabin, ready to create another account.
"I'll make sure to tell mother and father to take care of his ntal health later on, I'm useless and worthless but they both know that my younger brother is leagues above ."
"Hmm?" Yone rubbed his eyes several tis as he observed his surroundings.
The room was usually filled with energy drinks, multiple docunts, and files containing information about newbies, dungeon and raid guides, famous PvP players' gear and skill level, and influential NPCs.
And most importantly, his virtual gaming cabin.
All of it was gone!
"Is brother playing a prank on after getting kicked to lighten or what?" Yone found it hard to believe given his brother's busy schedule and several other important missions that he was constantly tasked with.
Yone stretched his arms but then froze. Sothing was off with his body. It felt stiff, as if he had never endured years of harsh training in one of Arica's top-tech gyms. His strength and reflexes... felt weaker and even unfamiliar.
Gulp!
Turning to where the mirror was, Yone was shocked to find out that he was back at his 20-year-old body, dark circles under his eyes, his skin pale, his fra lean and almost frail, exactly how he looked before starting to take the energy drinks and working on his physique out on the gym.
Exactly how he looked before Eclipse Online launched to the world.
Yone looked at the ti on his phone.
7th-Mars-2177.
"Don't tell I have been reincarnated?" Yone's face revealed a bitter smile as he gazed at the ti and then the room, the room and then the ti.
"My brother wasn't pranking , but was truly informing about the ga's release date one hour from now!"
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