The hospital room was suffocating, the air thick with the sterile scent of bleach and the hum of machines that sounded like a ticking clock. "I'm sorry, Han-Seong," the doctor said, his voice heavy with a pity that made my skin crawl. "With your condition, you have three years at most. If the mana-like anomalies in your blood continue to spike, it could be much less."
Three years. I'm twenty-four and I've been handed an expiration date like a carton of sour milk, Han-Seong thought, staring blankly at the dust motes dancing in the sterile light.
A sharp, stabbing pain flared in his chest, making him gasp as he clutched his thin hospital gown.
It felt like his ribs were being crushed by an invisible hand, a constant reminder of the deadly illness eating him from the inside.
Following the news, a deep, soul-crushing depression settled over him. He stopped answering texts and stopped looking at the sun. His world shrank until it was just a small room, a pile of instant ramen bowls, and the warm glow of his mobile screen. His parents were gone—taken by a sudden car crash years ago—and now, he was just waiting for the same darkness to claim him.
To drown out the silence, he poured his life into Aethelgard Online, a hardcore fantasy RPG. He wasn't just a player; he was a legend, a master of the "99th progression." If he was going to die in the real world, he was going to be a God in the digital one.
He opened the character creation menu for his final run. He didn't want a generic, shining hero; he wanted someone who looked like he'd survived a war.
Let's make him look sharp. Black, smooth hair, a jawline that could cut glass, and eyes that look like they've seen the end of the world, he thought, sliding the customization bars to match his own ideal image.
Then came the attributes. He wasn't going for a balanced build; he wanted a glass cannon.
Intelligence: 7
Agility: 4
Stamina: 4
Looks: 9
Sword Mastery: 10
[System Warning: High-tier skill selection detected. Equipping more than one 'Divine' grade skill will result in the 'Physical Collapse' debuff. Do you wish to continue?]
Gemini saidChapter 1: The Villain's Final Countdown (Revised)
The hospital room was suffocating, the air thick with the sterile scent of bleach and the constant, rhythmic hum of machines that sounded like a ticking clock. "I'm sorry, Han-Seong," the doctor said, his voice heavy with a pity that made the young man's skin crawl. "With your condition, you have three years at most. If the mana-like anomalies in your blood continue to spike, it could be much less."
Three years. I'm twenty-four and I've been handed an expiration date like a carton of sour milk, Han-Seong thought, staring blankly at the dust motes dancing in the sterile light.
A sharp, stabbing pain flared in his chest, making him gasp as he clutched his thin hospital gown.
It felt like his ribs were being crushed by an invisible hand, a constant reminder of the deadly illness eating him from the inside.
Following the news, a deep, soul-crushing depression settled over him. He stopped answering texts and stopped looking at the sun. His world shrank until it was just a small room, a pile of instant ramen bowls, and the warm glow of his mobile screen. His parents were gone—taken by a sudden car crash years ago—and now, he was just waiting for the same darkness to claim me.
To drown out the silence, he poured his life into Aethelgard Online, a hardcore fantasy RPG. He wasn't just a player; he was a legend, a master of the "99th progression." If he was going to die in the real world, he was going to be a God in the digital one.
The Last Character
He opened the character creation menu for his final run. He didn't want a generic, shining hero; he wanted someone who looked like he'd survived a war.
Let's make him look sharp. Black, smooth hair, a jawline that could cut glass, and eyes that look like they've seen the end of the world, he thought, sliding the customization bars to match his own ideal image.
Then came the attributes. He wasn't going for a balanced build; he wanted a glass cannon.
Intelligence: 7
Agility: 4
Stamina: 4
Looks: 9
Sword Mastery: 10
[System Warning: High-tier skill selection detected. Equipping more than one 'Divine' grade skill will result in the 'Physical Collapse' debuff. Do you wish to continue?]
I'm already dying. What's a little more 'Collapse' going to do to a guy with three years left? Give me everything, he thought, a manic grin twitching on his lips.
He locked in two Divine Skills: [Divine Sword Master] and [Heavenly Mana Sensing]. For passives, he chose [God's Intuition] to predict every move and [Heart of the Void] to keep his mind steady.
[Warning: Your character's lifespan has been drastically reduced to 1 year due to 'Mana Overload Syndrome'.] [Do you wish to proceed?]
"Hell yes. Let's go out with a bang," he muttered, slamming his thumb onto the 'Play' button.
The room didn't just fade; it shattered. A blinding, violet-white light erupted from the screen, swirling into a vortex that pulled his very soul forward. A voice, sounding like grinding tectonic plates, echoed in the void.
"Get the true ending, my dear friend. We will talk soon."
"What the fuck...?"
His head throbbed with a rhythmic, pulsing agony that felt like a hot needle being driven into his brain. He sat up, clutching his forehead, only to realize he wasn't touching a thin hospital pillow. He was on a bed of silk and velvet.
He stumbled toward a full-length gold-rimmed mirror. The man looking back was him, but better. He wore a heavy black trench coat with gold embroidery, and his black hair was perfectly swept back.
Wait... who is this? And where am I? He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to pull up a memory—anything. But there was a massive, terrifying hole in his mind.
I remember the car crash... I remember the doctor telling me I was dying... and then nothing. I don't remember a single thing from the last three years. Did I just rot in that hospital bed for three years? [System Initializing...] [User Identified: Julian von Blackwood]
Julian? Are you kidding me? He's the third-class villain of the first arc! He's supposed to be killed by the Hero in the first ten chapters just to show off the Hero's new sword! he thought, his heart racing.
He quickly pulled up his status window.
Name: Julian von Blackwood Title:
Terminally Ill Side-Character Status: Mana Collapse (Stage 4)
Remaining Lifespan: 364 Days, 23 Hours, 58 Minutes.
Physical Condition: Paper-Thin (Fragile Bones)
Skills: [Divine Sword Master (Rank: Divine)], [Heavenly Mana Sensing (Rank: Divine)]
"I traded a three-year death sentence for a one-year death sentence?" Julian whispered, a hollow laugh escaping his throat. "And I'm still terminally ill? What kind of shitty isekai scam is this?!"
He went to slam his hand against the mahogany desk in frustration, but the moment his palm made contact, a sickening CRACK echoed through the room.
"ARGH! MOTHERFUCKER!" * Julian collapsed to his knees, clutching his right hand, which was now bent at a very unnatural angle.
His bones felt like they were made of dry graham crackers.
You have got to be shitting me. I can't even throw a tantrum without breaking my own hand? Suddenly, a golden screen flickered into existence in front of his teary, pained eyes.
[Side Quest Triggered!] [Quest: Survive the Night] [Description: Your personal maid, Elara, has been paid by the 'Hero' to poison your midnight tea. If you drink it, your 1-year lifespan becomes 1 minute.] [Reward: Minor Bone Reinforcement & 100 System Points] [Failure: You die. Obviously.]
A soft knock came from the door. "Young Master Julian? I've brought your favorite herbal tea."
Julian looked at his broken hand, then at the door. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," he hissed under his breath.