The void still stretched as far as Max could see.

He remained suspended in the middle of all of it, still trying to process the most absurd conversation of his entire existence.

In front of him, Atlas floated with complete calm.

It was like looking at himself in a very strange mirror.

His same face.

His same eyes.

His same height.

But transformed into a slightly more refined female version, with a much more confident and amused expression.

And that hair.

That damned hair that changed colour every few seconds.

Max crossed his arms.

"So let me see if I understood this correctly," he said slowly.

Atlas smiled.

"That would be ideal."

Max inhaled deeply.

"The world of Eldoria can completely reset because there are too many system errors."

"Correct."

"Those errors are me, Chloe, and apparently other summoned people."

"Also correct."

"And to stop everything from literally exploding, I need to find whoever is summoning people from other worlds."

Atlas nodded.

"Very good. You’re learning."

Max narrowed his eyes.

"And stop them."

"Yes."

"And send everyone back to their original worlds."

Atlas kept smiling.

"Exactly."

There was a pause.

Max blinked.

Then pointed at himself.

"...Including me?"

Atlas smiled with a slightly more awkward expression.

"Unfortunately, yes."

The lines of code continued drifting around them.

Max lowered his gaze.

For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt something strange twist inside his chest.

Not fear.

Not exactly.

Something worse.

A feeling of anticipated loss.

As if someone had just reminded him that all of this could end.

That all of this... might not truly belong to him.

"No."

Atlas tilted her head slightly.

"No?"

Max shook his head.

"I don’t want to go back."

Atlas’s smile faded slightly.

Max looked up again.

This time, his voice came out much firmer.

"This is my world now."

Atlas watched him silently.

Max let out a small nervous laugh.

"I know that sounds ridiculous."

He pointed at himself.

"Not long ago I was literally playing video games, eating snacks like an absolute degenerate, and dying in the most humiliating way imaginable."

"Choking on snacks really was iconic," Atlas commented.

"Thank you for the reminder."

"You’re welcome."

Max sighed.

Then grew serious again.

"But now I have a life here."

He looked at the floating code.

"A new family."

He smiled faintly.

"Moonlight."

He thought of the little dragon following him everywhere.

His smile softened.

"I have friends."

He raised a hand, counting.

"Dorian. Don. Abby. Sophie. Frida."

Pause.

"Even Neros, I guess."

Atlas let out a small laugh.

"I guess."

Max looked away slightly.

"And besides..."

He fell silent.

Atlas raised an eyebrow.

"Besides?"

Max felt warmth rise to his face.

"...I have a fiancée."

Atlas’s interest sharpened instantly.

"Oh."

A slow smile spread across her face.

"Now we’re getting to the fun part."

Max blushed harder.

"Don’t comment."

"Too late."

Atlas crossed her arms.

"Continue."

Max cleared his throat.

"I think..."

His voice lowered.

"I think I actually like her."

Atlas smiled like she had just received the best gossip in the universe.

"You like her?"

Max sighed.

"Yes."

"A lot?"

"Yes."

"Romantically?"

"Yes, Atlas."

"Are you in love?"

Max covered his face with both hands.

"Maybe."

Atlas burst into laughter.

A real one.

Bright.

Annoyingly amused.

"Wow."

She placed a hand over her chest.

"My little user is growing up."

"I’m going to push you into the void."

Atlas ignored the threat entirely.

"So it’s because of her."

Max lowered his hands.

"Not only because of her."

Atlas tilted her head.

"But mainly because of her."

Max didn’t answer.

Atlas smiled like a shark smelling blood.

"It’s Elanor, isn’t it?"

Silence for a few seconds

"I knew it was her."

Max muttered something unintelligible.

Atlas pointed accusingly.

"I knew it."

Then frowned slightly.

"Honestly, I don’t get what you see in her."

Max looked confused.

"What?"

Atlas crossed her arms.

"She’s too perfect."

"That makes no sense."

"Of course it does."

Atlas began counting on her fingers.

"Beautiful princess."

One finger.

"Powerful."

Second finger.

"Kind."

Third finger.

"Looks at you like you’re the best questionable decision of her life."

Fourth finger.

"Boringly ideal."

Max blinked.

"That sounds amazing."

Atlas made a face.

"Yes, well. I have a better sense of humour."

Max stared at her for several seconds.

"...Are you jealous of a fictional princess?"

Atlas coughed.

"Let’s move on."

Max narrowed his eyes.

"That sounded suspiciously like a yes."

"I’m not permitted to answer that."

"Convenient."

Atlas snapped her fingers.

"Now, back to the existential problem threatening all reality."

Max sighed.

"Right."

His expression dimmed slightly.

"There’s something I don’t understand."

Atlas looked at him.

"So many things, but go ahead."

Max ignored her.

"If I go back to my world..."

He swallowed.

"How is that even supposed to work?"

He looked down at his hands.

"I’m already dead."

Atlas smiled faintly.

"That’s another topic."

She raised a hand.

And made a small gesture through the air.

Instantly, the code around them began rearranging.

Thousands of blue characters floated and assembled into a giant screen in front of them.

Max’s eyes widened.

The image took a few seconds to stabilise.

And when it did—

His heart nearly stopped.

It was a hospital room.

White.

Cold.

Silent.

A bed.

Monitors.

Tubes.

Machines emitting steady beeping sounds.

And on that bed...

Him.

Max felt his entire body freeze.

His human body lay motionless on the bed.

Pale.

Connected to multiple wires.

Assisted breathing.

No reaction.

No movement.

In a coma.

"No..."

He slowly approached the improvised screen.

"That..."

His voice trembled.

"That’s me."

Atlas nodded.

"Yes."

Max stared at the scene.

Unable to look away.

"I thought I died."

"Not exactly."

Atlas floated beside him.

"Your consciousness was dragged into Eldoria during the summoning ritual."

She gestured toward the screen.

"Your body still exists."

Max swallowed hard.

"Then..."

He looked at Atlas.

"I’m alive."

"Technically, yes."

He turned back to the screen.

"How much time has passed?"

"One day."

Max spun around sharply.

"What?"

Atlas nodded.

"Time moves much faster here."

She crossed her arms.

"In your world, only one day has passed since the chair and snacks incident."

Max slowly opened his mouth.

"That makes no sense."

Atlas laughed softly.

"Max."

She looked at him directly.

"You’re inside a video game world because of a ridiculous household accident and a magical summoning."

She gestured toward the screen.

"I think we left the concept of logic behind a while ago."

Max went quiet.

"...Fair point."

"Always."

He looked back at his body.

Still motionless.

Strangely fragile.

Real.

That was the worst part.

It was real.

Not an abstract concept.

He wasn’t dead.

His other life was still there.

Waiting.

Atlas spoke more softly.

"If you want to save this world..."

Max listened carefully.

"There’s no other choice."

She gestured implicitly toward Eldoria, even though there was only darkness around them.

"You have to find whoever is summoning beings from other worlds."

"Hm."

"Stop them."

"Yes."

"Send everyone back."

Max closed his eyes briefly.

"And sacrifice my life here."

Atlas didn’t answer.

Which was answer enough.

Silence.

Long.

Heavy.

Finally, Max spoke again.

"Is there any way..."

Atlas looked at him.

"Any way to what?"

"To stay."

Atlas’s expression shifted slightly.

Max stepped closer.

"If we send everyone back..."

He looked at her directly.

"Is there any way you can keep me here?"

Atlas blinked.

She studied him for a few seconds.

Thoughtful.

For the first time since meeting her, she didn’t seem to have an immediate answer.

"Hm."

She placed a hand on her chin.

"Theoretically..."

Max’s eyes widened slightly.

"Yes?"

Atlas raised a finger.

"Don’t get excited."

"Too late."

She sighed.

"I don’t know."

Max’s shoulders lowered slightly.

"Oh."

"But."

She pointed at him.

"I’ll investigate."

Max looked up again.

Atlas smiled.

"No promises."

"I’ll take it."

Max inhaled deeply.

Then nodded.

"Then it’s decided."

He straightened his back.

"I’m going to save Eldoria."

Atlas smiled, satisfied.

"That was the correct answer."

Max let out a small laugh.

"How convenient."

Atlas looked upward.

Or wherever upward was in that place.

"It’s almost dawn."

Max blinked.

"What?"

The lines of code began moving faster.

The void slowly started filling with light.

Atlas began fading little by little into tiny sparks.

Max reached a hand toward her.

"Wait."

Atlas smiled.

"We’ll meet again."

Her silhouette fragmented into particles.

"I hope by then you’ll have fewer existential crises."

"No promises."

"That’s what I thought."

And she disappeared.

Completely.

Only glimmers remained.

Code.

And then, in front of Max, a familiar transparent window suddenly appeared.

A game interface.

[NEW MAIN QUEST: Save the World of Eldoria]

[Objective: Discover who is summoning beings from other realities and stop them.]

[Reward: ???][Failure: Complete world reset.]

Max stared at the mission for a few seconds.

"...Well."

He rubbed a hand over his face.

"No pressure."

Light engulfed him completely.

Everything vanished.

And the sound of birds slowly began filtering into his ears.

Dawn had arrived.