Adrian yawned deeply, his body suddenly feeling as though it had been drained of all energy. The adrenaline from leveling up and unlocking Tier 1 Physique had faded almost instantly, leaving him unsteady on his feet. He swayed slightly where he stood, the snow beneath him seeming to tilt unnaturally. For a moment, he thought he might collapse right there in the clearing.
"What's going on?" he muttered under his breath, blinking rapidly to clear his vision. His mind raced with possibilities—was this some kind of side effect from reaching Level 10? Or perhaps an unforeseen consequence of unlocking Tier 1 Physique?
Before he could dwell further, another wave of exhaustion hit him like a freight train. His legs buckled slightly, but he managed to stay upright by leaning against a nearby tree. The glowing notification about magic compatibility still lingered faintly at the edge of his awareness, yet Adrian couldn't bring himself to process it fully. All he wanted was rest.
"I guess the excitement has an after-delay," he murmured, shaking his head. "That's… new."
With great effort, Adrian logged out of the game, the world around him dissolving into light. As consciousness slipped away, he felt himself being pulled back into reality—or so he assumed.
When Adrian opened his eyes again, he found himself lying face-down on what appeared to be… not his bed. At least, it wasn't the messy tangle of blankets and pillows he remembered from earlier. Instead, the surface beneath him was smooth, cold, and unfamiliar. Groaning softly, he pushed himself up onto his elbows and took in his surroundings.
His room—or rather, what used to be his room—was completely transformed. Gone were the scattered gaming gear, half-empty soda cans, and stacks of old notebooks piled haphazardly on every available surface. In their place was an eerie emptiness: pristine white walls, a neatly made bed, and barren shelves devoid of any personal belongings.
"What the hell is this?" Adrian whispered hoarsely, rubbing his temples. "Am I dreaming? And where the hell is my stuff?"
Confusion gripped him tightly as he stumbled to his feet, his movements sluggish and uncoordinated. The silence of the room pressed down on him, amplifying his unease. Just as he was about to call out for Sarah or Alice—hoping they'd somehow explain what was happening—a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Are you serious?"
The words startled him, jolting him out of his daze. Without thinking, Adrian followed the sound, moving toward the doorway that led to the living area. What he saw next left him utterly speechless.
Standing in the middle of the apartment were two people who looked startlingly familiar—and completely foreign at the same time. One was Sarah, though her demeanor was far removed from the playful, sarcastic friend he knew. Her expression was unreadable, her posture stiff, as if she were holding something back. Beside her stood… himself .
It was unmistakably Adrian—same height, same build, same tousled dark hair—but something about him felt… off. His mannerisms were different; there was a determination in his gaze that Adrian didn't recognize. More unsettling still was the fact that neither of them seemed to notice him standing there. It was as if he were invisible.
"What the heck?" Adrian muttered aloud, though no one acknowledged his presence.
The scene unfolded before him like a movie, one he couldn't pause or rewind. Past-Adrian (as he mentally dubbed him) was packing a box filled with headphones, cables, and other miscellaneous items. He spoke quickly, his tone tinged with urgency.
"Come on, Sarah, I need this. This could be my chance to start something serious, something worth more than just sitting in this room."
Sarah crossed her arms, her brows furrowed. "Adrian, it's just… this is such short notice. You're deciding to up and leave without even talking to us properly."
"I'm sorry I wanted to tell you sooner, but I thought it'd be a quick 'see you later' thing," Past-Adrian replied, zipping up the box with finality. "Look, these guys I met online—they've already scouted some high-tier bosses. If we nail them, we can make serious gold. Enough to get our own place, maybe even set up a team."
Sarah opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, Alice entered the room. She nearly collided with Past-Adrian, who was carrying the box toward the door.
"Oh, sorry!" Past-Adrian said hastily, sidestepping her.
Alice frowned, clearly confused. "What's going on? Why are you leaving?"
Sarah sighed, running a hand through her hair. "He's moving out. Going to live with his new buddies."
Past-Adrian nodded, glancing at his phone impatiently. "Yeah, but I'm planning to build up cash first. Once I've got enough, I'll have my own setup. Maybe invite you guys over when things settle down."
Alice stared at him, her surprise evident. "Wait—you're just leaving? Like this?"
"It's not forever," Past-Adrian insisted, though his tone lacked conviction. "Besides, you're way behind on levels anyway. Some of these bosses can only be killed once. If I wait around for you to catch up, we'll miss everything."
Invisible Adrian watched the exchange with mounting disbelief. Memories began flooding back to him—fragments of a dream-like past life where this exact conversation had taken place. But now, witnessing it firsthand, the emotions tied to the moment hit him harder than ever. The atmosphere between the three friends felt heavy, strained. There was none of the warmth or camaraderie he associated with his memories of Sarah and Alice. Instead, there was only tension and resignation.
As Past-Adrian prepared to leave, Alice grabbed him gently by the shirt, her voice trembling slightly. "Wait. Can we talk about something? Please?"
Her plea caught everyone off guard, including Invisible Adrian, who leaned forward instinctively, curious about what she might say. However, whatever thoughts Alice had mustered died before they reached her lips. She released him slowly, shaking her head.
"Never mind," she said quietly, stepping back.
Past-Adrian hesitated for a moment, guilt flickering briefly across his face. "We'll talk later, okay? Right now, they're waiting for me."
And with that, he turned and walked out the door, leaving Sarah and Alice standing silently in the wake of his departure. Invisible Adrian felt a pang of sorrow as he observed their expressions—hurt, frustration, and a sense of abandonment etched plainly on their faces. These weren't the carefree, teasing interactions he cherished; this version of events felt hollow, wrong.
Despite his desire to stay behind with Sarah and Alice, Invisible Adrian found himself inexplicably tethered to Past-Adrian. Against his will, he was dragged along as his former self exited the building and climbed into a waiting taxi. Thirty minutes later, they arrived at a nondescript building nestled in the heart of the city.
As Adrian entered the building, the scene unfolded with a strange familiarity. The room was warm, filled with the faint aroma of takeout containers and cheap coffee. Inside, three figures awaited them. One was a tall man with piercing gray eyes and jet-black hair, exuding charisma despite his casual stance.
Beside him stood a young woman, barely twenty-two, with sleek black hair framing her sharp features. The third figure wore a hoodie, his brown hair sticking out messily from beneath the fabric.
Invisible, Adrian clenched his fists, frustration bubbling within him. Whatever force had brought him here wasn't letting go anytime soon. As the group exchanged introductions and began discussing plans, he realized one thing with chilling certainty: he was trapped in a memory, one that held secrets.
Three pairs of eyes turned toward him—or rather, toward the past version of himself that Invisible Adrian was tethered to. It felt surreal, watching his former self interact with these people as though they were old friends.
Michael, the hoodie-wearing guy with messy brown hair sticking out from beneath his hood, greeted Past-Adrian first. He leaned casually against the back of the couch, a half-eaten burger in one hand and a soda in the other. "Yo, you're late," Michael said around a mouthful of food, his voice carrying an easygoing charm that masked something deeper—something Adrian couldn't quite place yet.
The girl named Ember sat cross-legged on the floor, picking at a small container of salad. Her ember-colored eyes flickered up briefly before returning to her meal. She sighed dramatically, poking at a cherry tomato with her fork. "I'm starving, but I didn't want to order anything greasy or loaded with carbs," she admitted, her tone tinged with frustration. "There's this place down the street that smells amazing, but... ugh, I can't stop thinking about how much weight I've been putting on lately."
Ace, the tall guy with piercing gray eyes, let out a low chuckle. Without hesitation, he reached over and pinched the skin on Ember's upper arm playfully—but not gently. There wasn't much fat there; just smooth skin pulled taut over muscle. "Yeah, sure," Ace drawled, smirking. "Your diet is a load of nonsense, Em. You're fine. Stop stressing." His words carried a teasing edge, but there was also an underlying firmness, as if he'd grown tired of hearing her complaints.
Ember rolled her eyes, though a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. "Easy for you to say," she muttered under her breath, stabbing another piece of lettuce with unnecessary force. Despite her annoyance, she seemed to relax slightly after Ace's comment, leaning back against the couch cushion with a resigned sigh.
Ace stood up then, brushing crumbs off his jeans before turning to greet Past-Adrian properly. His movements were fluid, confident, and deliberate, like someone who always knew exactly where he stood in any given situation. Extending a hand, he offered a crooked grin. "Welcome aboard, man. We've got big plans ahead."
Invisible Adrian watched all of this unfold with mounting unease. Memories continued to trickle back, fragmented and disjointed, but enough to stir emotions he'd long buried. When Ace spoke, his name echoed sharply in Adrian's mind—not with warmth or camaraderie, but with bitterness.
"Ace," Invisible Adrian whispered aloud, the word laced with malice. The sound of it sent a shiver down his spine, though no one else could hear him. Pieces of their shared history began surfacing: snatches of arguments, moments of betrayal, decisions made out of selfishness. But none of it came fully into focus—just flashes, shadows of events that had clearly left scars.
Past-Adrian shook Ace's hand without hesitation, oblivious to the storm brewing within his invisible counterpart. For now, everything appeared normal—a group of gamers coming together to chase adventure and fortune. Yet Invisible Adrian knew better. Something darker lurked beneath the surface, waiting to reveal itself when least expected.
And with that thought lingering heavily in the air, the scene froze, leaving only unanswered questions and simmering tension.