Chapter 1: Prologue: Gaming is Life
"Gaming is life."
That was the motto of the man named Inigo.
He wasn't rich. He wasn't popular. But when he had his mouse in hand and his headset snug on his head, he was a god.
Inside the 24-hour internet café, the air was thick with sweat, instant noodles, and the muffled rage of teenagers getting clapped in Valorant. But none of that mattered to him. Not the cramped seat. Not the aching spine. Not even the fact that he hadn't eaten a real meal in over 12 hours. Because Inigo was in the zone.
He wasn't just playing. He was grinding. One more ranked win. One more frag highlight. One more clutch.
The monitor flashed with rapid movements. Muzzle flashes. Headshots. Slide-cancels. His reflexes were sharp, almost muscle memory now after years of playing FPS games. The sound of his teammates echoed through Discord.
"Bro, Inigo, you're cracked!"
"One more game?"
"Of course," he muttered. "I'm just getting started."