I'm a simple man with simple goals. One goal, in fact. I want to be the greatest video game player to ever exist. Not just in the past, but in the future, as well. That doesn't mean something easy and simple like 'how many games I've beaten'. It doesn't even mean winning all the trophies there are to win or records there are to get.

No.

Worthless easy trophies like Street Fighter championships are meaningless to me.

I'll be the greatest because I'm going to beat the hardest games with pure skill. It's not just about ambition. The challenge and excitement of taking down a boss naked, with a level one character, that's the only thrill worth having.

I'm not interested in shortcuts, either. I hate cheating. I hate those lame, cheese tactics that people with low skill use to get around playing the game the way you're supposed to. I hate the way games get easier and more casual as time goes on.

What's even the point of beating the game when your weapons don't break, your characters don't die, and your enemies don't even manage to do damage to you even when you play like a donkey?

You haven't beaten the game then.

Hell, you haven't even played it.

I stream, but only because there's no other way to chronicle my journey. I'm ThatHardcoreGuy on Twitch, and I pull decent numbers: about 2000 a stream.

I earned those with hard work, too. No shmoozing. No botting. No follow for follow, no lucky raids.

It's good, because with that income I can focus solely on my game, working on every new game worth playing, without the need of worrying about getting older or having some job I don't care about getting in the way.

My streams are long not because I need them to be, but because I'm dedicated to the grind.

They're often 8-10 hours, but today I've just finished an impromptu 28 hour stream trying to nail a tricky boss from some DLC that just dropped.

It's hard work, but it's damn satisfying to see 'VICTORY' appear on my screen finally. I fist pump, and with that shot of adrenaline I can probably go another 5 hours.

I probably will.

I just need to get some food in me to sharpen my focus. I can't remember when I last ate, and from experience I know my reaction time slows if I go too long without a shot of some kind of sugar or caffeine.

There's one more boss, the hardest one, in that DLC. If I'm going to take it down, I might as well make sure I'm fit enough to try.

Rainbow colored dancing emojis flash and spin as the chat whizzes by in celebration of my victory, and I stand up, turning to walk away from the computer.

My room is full of clutter because I just don't have time to clean it often. Maybe I'll fix it up after I finish this DLC, since I don't know what game I'll go to next after this one.

Probably just this one again but with no damage taken. That ought to buy some time until the next game worth playing drops.

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In the dim light of my bedroom I accidentally step on a discarded McDonald's cup - it's easier to get caffeine delivered to me from places like McDonald's than to waste my time going out to shop.

The cup rolls and I lose my balance, falling forward.

My hands pinwheel and briefly grasp at one of the piles of 'I don't care about these things' boxes I have - mostly sent by subscribers after I accidentally leaked my address on stream once. There's no good purchase on those boxes, though, and if I slow down at all, it's barely.

My ego and my nose are bruised when I smack into the floor face first.

"Ow."

The pile next to me shifts and groans.

For a moment, I hear the colossal crashing of the whole thing crashing down at once.

And then it all cuts out.

As the crashing sound fades away, a sudden quietness engulfs the room. My head spins, and I find myself lying on a cold, hard surface instead of my cluttered bedroom floor. Groggily, I push myself up and look around, my eyes adjusting to an eerie, luminescent glow.

"Welcome, brave soul!" A cheerful, melodious voice rings out, startling me.

I turn and see a woman standing before me. She’s ethereal, with long flowing hair that seems to shimmer in every color of the rainbow. Her smile is serene, and she radiates a calming aura.

That creeps me out even more.

All of my instincts honed from years of hardcore games tell me if I get any closer to this chick she'll transform into a hulking, drooling beast and try to eat me.

But that's nonsense. Real life isn't video games.

"Where am I...?" I squint at her.

"You are in the Hall of Heroes!" She chirped.

I'm in an empty, black room.

She giggles self consciously, "It's under renovation."

...Right.

"I am Amara!" She dutifully goes back to her script. "You, determined soul, have been hand-picked for a second chance at life!"

"...Huh?" Second chance...?

She blinks rapidly. "I am Amara. You, determined soul-"

"No." I hold up my hand. I'm absolutely not getting stuck in a dialog loop. I don't even like dialog to begin with. "Second chance. What are you talking about?"

"...You are a lucky soul who will move on to another world after death instead of the afterlife!"

"What do you mean 'after death'."

There goes that blinking again. "You. Died. Brave soul! Please, it is important you listen closely to what I say!"

I...

dead?

Me?

But I'm only 24.

I'm nowhere near done with my goals!

"Take me back to Earth, then. I'll try again."

She chuckles lightly. "Unfortunately, Earth isn't in danger right now. Please, Brave Hero. Choose from one of these! A world who needs help from one such as you!"

She holds up her hand and about two or three dozen cards float above her. I don't get most of the gibberish on them, but I understand a difficulty rating when I see one.

They appear to range from E for Easy up to S rank.

I squint. At least difficulty levels is something I'm good at.

I point at the furthest out one. "That one."

"Th-That one?!" She startles, eyes going wide. "That is SSSS rank difficulty. Brave Hero, you should choose an easy one...!"

"Not a chance." I shake my head. I'm not sure what's happening, but...I won't change my ways now. "I only do the hardest content."

"You, Ryo Takahashi, may be the bravest soul I've had the honor to meet!" She sparkles at me. "Please, take any one of these abilities to aide your in your quest to defeat the demon king!"

A character customization choice....?

Yeah, I can do that. I've never considered being the video game character, but...in whatever this delirium is...

I don't hate it.

She waves her hand, and floating cards appear in front of me, these far more legible.

I cast my gaze across them.

Absolute Defense....

Instant Mastery...

Monster Mimicry...

System Helper??

The hell!

These are all disgustingly overpowered garbage!

I wouldn't be caught dead with these!

"I don't want any of these."

"What-?" That blinking reminds me of a rapidly flashing hard drive light.

"These powers. I don't want 'em." I wave my hand. "I'll make my own way."

Somehow.

I don't know how, but I'm sure if the world is like those powers suggest I can do it with enough effort. And I don't see a point in doing it without a challenge.

Her smile widens then and she nods quickly. "You truly are the bravest, most humble hero of them all, my friend! Go forth and defeat the demon king, for you have earned the most powerful and incredible ability of all as a reward for your virtue!"

"Wait-" A light shines around me, blinding me. "What-?!"