A soft chime stirred Ryu from unconsciousness.
"Game Completed. Please select one of the following powers."
Ryu's vision sharpened, revealing a dazzling menu that floated in midair. A long list scrolled endlessly before him: Physical Stat, Green Skin, Powerful Punch, Goblin Language... and dozens more. But one item stood out: Physical Stat—repeated many times.
He frowned. "Wait a minute..."
He thought back to the goblins, to the hobgoblin. A theory formed in his mind. 'Are these traits from the monsters I killed? If so... then finishing a game lets you choose one of their powers? That's huge.'
Curious, he looked around and noticed a cluttered pile of gear tucked into a corner of the selection chamber. He approached it and inspected the worn equipment. Most of it was garbage. Rusted daggers, cracked boots, tattered armor—all had poor stats.
But then a thought hit him. "My Trait."
He grabbed three pairs of worn goblin boots, focused his will.
"Combination successful: Hunter Boots."
The newly formed boots shimmered faintly.
Hunter Boots: Boosts speed and stealth.
A grin split his face. He repeated the process:
Hunter Pants: Increased agility.
Hunter Gloves: Enhanced accuracy and dexterity.
Hunter Jacket: Improved strength and endurance, plus a sleek new look.
He now stood clothed in a matching hunter set, stat boosts humming through him.
"This... is synergy."
Then came the critical moment. The reward. Only five total choices were allowed across all games. He had to be strategic.
His finger hovered over Physical Stat - Hobgoblin—likely the strongest option he'd seen. But then another idea struck him.
"What if... I use my trait again?"
He focused. Willing it. Commanding it.
"Combining similar rewards..."
The list of identical Physical Stat entries blurred, then collapsed into a new reward:
Physical Stat - Goblin King (Fusion Result)
Ryu's breath hitched. The Goblin King?
He selected it.
Heat erupted in his core, spreading like wildfire. He dropped to his knees as a divine blaze surged through every muscle fiber.
When the sensation faded, he stood slowly, arms trembling from the rush.
He threw a cautious punch.
A shockwave of air exploded outward.
Wind pressure.
"No way..."
He laughed, giddy and disbelieving. Endless stamina. Raw vitality. Strength that defied logic.
He danced around in celebration, overwhelmed by joy.
"Exiting to reality."
Ryu straightened, breathing deeply. The jungle vanished. Reality returned.
But something was different.
The strength remained.
He rushed to the mirror in his room, eyes wide.
He'd always been fit—but now? Every muscle looked like it had been carved by gods. Power pulsed beneath his skin.
As he admired the transformation, the door creaked open.
"Oooooh, look at you! Admiring yourself, huh?" teased his sister, arms crossed, grinning. "Are you practicing your hero poses or just falling in love with your reflection?"
Ryu chuckled. "Jealous, are we? I guess not everyone can look this good."
She stuck out her tongue. "Please, you used to scream when you saw a spider. Don't go getting a big head now, Mr. Muscle."
They laughed together, the air light and teasing. Ryu ruffled her hair as she pretended to dodge.
Later, at the dinner table, his mother served a steaming hotpot while his father read the news. "You've been in your room all day. Feeling okay?"
"Yeah," Ryu said with a soft smile. "Just... needed some time to think. I feel better now."
His mother smiled gently. "Good. You've seemed down lately. It's nice to see you smiling again."
He nodded, touched by her concern. He avoided mentioning the pain, the blood, the monsters. No need to worry them.
They talked, joked, and for a while, everything felt normal. It grounded him. Anchored him.
After the meal, he returned to his room and opened the web browser.
Streams and commentary flooded the net. Hundreds of players had already died.
Most deaths revealed a grim mechanic: if a player died, they received a trait from the monster that killed them.
"So... I got lucky. I didn't die. I killed a lot of monsters. And I have the Combine and Evolve trait. That's my edge."
He dug deeper. Many public traits were flashy but pointless: glowing hair, fragrant skin, even a trait that made one sparkle.
Ryu frowned. "No way those are the only options. The strong ones must be keeping their powers secret."
Then, a global system notification lit up every device:
"The First Round of Zero Trait Game for Players of Planet Blue is Over."
A ranking screen followed.
Top Three Players:
Unknown – Reward: 10,000 currency
Unknown – Reward: 5,000 currency
Vanta-X – Reward: 1,000 currency
Everyone else: 100 currency.
Ryu smirked. He had chosen anonymity. His balance showed 10,000 credits.
Across the world, social media erupted.
"Who is Number One?"
"Is it someone from America? China? Japan?"
Speculation spread like wildfire.
Meanwhile, in another country, a sharp-featured, strikingly handsome man sat in a sleek apartment. His name:
Zephyr Cain.
His trait? Amplify x10.
He could multiply the effect of anything by ten. Not quantity—just potency.
He had slain a hobgoblin, claiming its strength.
Now, as he saw his second-place ranking, a competitive fire blazed in his eyes.
"Whoever Number One is... I'll surpass them."
Back in Japan, breaking news buzzed from every major channel.
"The Prime Minister Calls Upon All Players to Participate in a National Test: Representative Selection for the Planet Games."
Ryu blinked. "So it begins…"
All over the world, leaders huddled in emergency meetings. The global summit was in full swing.
Inside a sleek conference chamber, holograms of Earth's major leaders hovered above a round table.
"We must consider this Planet Game carefully," said the U.S. president. "Is it worth the risk?"
The German chancellor nodded. "Other planets may already be far ahead in terms of technology and evolution. If we stay out, we fall behind."
A stern voice echoed from the African Union's representative. "It's not just about survival. This is a chance to rise, to evolve."
"I agree," said the Japanese prime minister. "We either advance… or become obsolete."
With murmurs of consent, the vote became clear. Earth would join the game.
One thing was certain..
The Planet Games were coming.
And Earth had only just begun to understand what was at stake.
Ryu sat by his window that night, watching the city lights flicker. He felt no fear—just anticipation.
The sadness and doubt that had haunted him since his betrayal were gone.
He was ready.
To fight. To rise. To win.