The door exploded inward with a violent crash, sending wooden splinters flying across the floor.
Three police officers stormed into the room with guns raised, bright flashlight beams cutting through the dim light of Gam's small bedroom. The sudden noise made Gam's ears ring. He was still on his knees in the middle of the floor, breathing hard, his body trembling from the intense pain that had just ended moments ago.
"Hands in the air! Right now!" the lead officer shouted in a deep, commanding voice.
Gam slowly raised both hands. His heart was pounding so hard he could hear it in his ears.
The officers froze for a second when they got a clear look at him.
The lead officer was a tall, broad-shouldered man in his forties with short gray hair and a thick mustache. His uniform was neat but slightly wrinkled from a long shift. His eyes were sharp and suspicious as they scanned Gam from head to toe. The name tag on his chest read "Captain Reynolds."
Behind him stood a younger officer, maybe in his late twenties, with a thin face, short black hair, and nervous energy. He kept glancing around the room as if expecting danger. The third officer was a woman in her thirties with her dark hair tied in a tight bun. She held her flashlight steady and her expression was calm but alert.
All three of them stared at Gam in open shock.
Because Gam no longer looked like the skinny, pale fifteen-year-old who used to live in this apartment.
His body had changed dramatically. He was now noticeably taller, standing at least five inches higher than before. His shoulders were broader, his arms more defined, and his posture straighter. His skin, which used to be pale and slightly unhealthy, now glowed with a smooth, healthy radiance that made him look almost unreal under the flashlight beams. His face had sharpened — jawline more defined, cheekbones higher, and his eyes brighter with a faint golden shimmer that hadn't been there before. Even his hair looked thicker and darker, falling naturally around his face in a way that made him look older, more mature, and strikingly handsome.
His outfit had changed completely as well.
Instead of the normal clothes he had been wearing earlier, he now wore a full set of Diamond Rank gear. The shirt was a fitted, high-collared jacket made of a strange material that looked like polished silver mixed with faint blue diamond patterns that shimmered whenever he moved. The sleeves were slightly loose but still sharp, and the fabric seemed to reject dirt and wrinkles. His pants matched the jacket — the same diamond-patterned material, clean and modern, ending in simple black boots that looked both stylish and practical. The entire outfit gave off a soft, expensive glow that made the cheap apartment look even smaller in comparison.
Captain Reynolds lowered his gun slightly, still staring.
"What the hell…?" he muttered. "Is this even the same kid? The report said a skinny teenager lived here."
The younger officer whispered, "Captain, he looks like he just walked out of a high-budget movie."
The female officer stayed quiet but her eyes remained sharp, studying every detail of Gam's new appearance.
Gam swallowed hard. He could feel the system screen floating at the edge of his vision.
[Host, your current appearance is drawing too much attention. Recommend using Game Slot immediately.]
Gam's mind raced. He couldn't let them keep looking at him like this.
"I… I'm fine, officers," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "It was just a virtual reality game. The feedback was stronger than I expected. That's why I was screaming."
Captain Reynolds stepped closer, still not fully convinced.
"A VR game that changes your entire body and gives you clothes like that?" He pointed at Gam's diamond-patterned outfit. "Those don't look like any game costume I've ever seen. And you don't look like the same person who lives at this address."
The younger officer moved to the side, checking the bathroom and closet quickly. "Nothing suspicious in here, Captain. No blood, no signs of struggle… just a broken door and this kid."
The female officer finally spoke. Her voice was calm but firm. "Sir, we still need to take a statement. Neighbors reported continuous screaming for several minutes. Someone thought you were being attacked."
Gam nodded quickly. "I understand. I'm sorry for the noise. The game was… intense. I won't let it happen again."
While they were talking, Gam focused his mind and activated Game Slot.
A soft wave of light passed over his body for less than a second. When it faded, his appearance had shifted. He still looked healthier and a bit taller than his old self, but the heavenly, almost unnatural beauty was gone. The diamond jacket and pants transformed into a simple black hoodie and dark jeans — normal clothes that wouldn't draw attention. The glowing effect disappeared completely.
The three officers blinked, as if something had briefly confused them.
Captain Reynolds rubbed his eyes. "Must be the lighting in here," he muttered. "Alright, kid. We're going to write this up as a false alarm for now. But if we get another call like this, we're bringing you in for a full check. Understand?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you," Gam replied quickly.
The officers exchanged one last look, still slightly unsettled, then turned and left. The younger one glanced back one more time before stepping through the broken doorway.
As soon as they were gone, Gam collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily.
"That was way too close…"
[Host, your upgrade was successful, but the side effects were stronger than expected.]
A clean system screen appeared in front of him.
[Name: Gamerboy]
[Age: 15]
[Level: 15]
[Rank: Gold]
[HP: 4800/4800]
[GP: 2500/2500]
[GS: 0]
[Stamina: 25]
[Agility: 25]
[Virtual: 25]
[Rage: 30]
New Power Unlocked: Lightning Domain
Creates a controlled zone of lightning that damages all enemies inside it. Cost: 50 GP per use.
[Your painful synchronization pushed you from Level 9 all the way to Level 15. Your aura is now Orange – Gold Rank.]
Gam stared at the screen in silence for a few seconds. He could still feel the lingering heat in his body from the upgrade. His hands looked stronger. His senses felt sharper. Even the air in the room seemed clearer.
Before he could fully process it, his phone started ringing.
It was David.
Gam answered quickly. "David?"
"Gam! Are you okay?!" David's voice was loud and worried. "We all felt a huge energy wave coming from your location a few minutes ago. Emma and Jane are freaking out. What happened?"
"I leveled up," Gam replied, still sitting on the floor. "It was… more painful than usual."
There was a short pause on the other end.
"How high did you go?" David asked carefully.
"Level 15."
David went silent for a moment. Then he whistled. "That's insane. You're already Gold Rank while the rest of us are still climbing. Be careful, man. Jumping that many levels at once is dangerous."
Before Gam could answer, another system notification flashed bright red in front of his eyes.
[Warning: High-level energy signature detected.]
[A Ranker is moving toward your real-world location at high speed.]
[Estimated arrival: 4 minutes.]
Gam's eyes widened.
"Nax… what is a Ranker?"
[A Ranker is a player who has reached Diamond Rank or higher and is officially recognized by the system as a serious threat. This one has locked onto the energy you released during your upgrade.]
Gam's blood ran cold.
David was still talking on the phone. "Gam? You still there?"
"David," Gam said quietly, standing up. "I think someone is coming for me. Someone strong."
On the other end of the line, David's voice turned serious. "We're on our way. Don't face them alone."
Gam looked at the broken door, then at the system screen still floating in front of him.
Four minutes.
He clenched his fists.
"Nax… get ready. We're not running this time."
[Understood, Host. Lightning Domain is available.]
Outside the apartment, the evening sky was quiet. But somewhere in the distance, a powerful presence was already closing in.