The ramen shop hummed with warmth and clatter — the low hiss of boiling broth, the chatter of customers pressed shoulder to shoulder in the narrow space. Steam curled up from their bowls, carrying garlic, pork, and soy into the air.
Diego leaned back, chopsticks dangling between his fingers. "You know," he said between bites, "if you ever wanted to take this seriously — like, pro seriously — I'd quit Dockers tomorrow and be your agent. I mean just think about it, the potential is there."
Maurice almost choked on his noodle. He coughed into his sleeve, grinning. "Man, shut up. You're not throwing away a paycheck just to watch me play games all day. I would even argue that this would be your worst idea in a while and it has been a while. Except for you being married and all you had great choices so far."
Diego shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips. "First of all ouch. And secondly, I'm just saying it. You game like a freak and got some decent odds on your hands with lots of free time. If you wanted it, you could. And me?" He tapped his chest with the chopsticks. "I'm already where I wanna be — good job, decent pay, future's laid out. But it's not my dream spot yet. I could slide out easy if it meant betting on yours...okay i kinda said it without really thinking about it." Maurice just shook his head while taking another bite. Pondering for a bit Diego continues. " No my wife wouldn't mind it as long as i make the same or more and give her heads up while asking for permissio..." diego started to scratch his ear as it flushed a lil bit. "You know how Mindy is." With an awkward laugh he kept looking at Maurice with a straight face.
Maurice stared into his bowl, watching the egg yolk swirl into the broth. "...You're crazy."
"Yeah," Diego said, slurping noisily. "Crazy enough to see you being promoted as a ad online. Winning from a high ranking player in a totally new fighting game era made by the man Kenji himself...Nevermind maybe you don't see it yet but that's okay. You will at some point."
Maurice shook his head, but the words settled somewhere under his skin.
As they are wrapping up their meal. Diego kept telling stories about work, how one of his coworkers kept mistaking AM for PM on campaign deadlines. By the time they stepped out, the late afternoon air had cooled, wind cutting down the street.
"Hit me up if you're on tonight, stream share your view so that i can watch how you beat people up, my future little money maker." Diego said with a smug face, tugging his jacket tighter. "And think about it, yeah?"
Maurice shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, yeah. Later, big forehead."
Diego barked a laugh, throwing a mock punch at his shoulder before peeling off toward the subway.
Maurice walked the other way. By the time he reached home, the weight of Diego's words still clung to him.
He set his keys down, kicked his shoes off, and sat on the edge of his bed.
The noise of the city outside softened. His thoughts slipped toward the one place he always did when reality pressed too hard.
STEEL SAGA.
Steel Saga had dropped three years back, burning bright for a season before its fire smothered under bugs and broken servers. The hype died fast, a bit to fast if you tell me. But we also understand that newer games jump on the failures of others to make living.
Eiterway after a year of updates and big fixed the game become actually very good and many players stayed and kept playing the game even after the huge player drops.
---Flashback---
A horn rolled across the waves, deep enough to rattle bone. The longship hit the shallows hard, its hull scraping stone. Rain came sideways. Wind howled between the cliffs.
> [SCENARIO] Kaizoku Gate — Seaward Lock of Ishikawa
INVADERS: Vikings │ DEFENDERS: Samurai
OBJECTIVE: Breach Outer Gate → Breach Inner Gate → Kill the Daimyo
Maurice could smell salt through the filtered air. The vibration in his chest felt almost real.
Steel Saga had been his first fighting game, and even now, after dozens of patches and balance updates, the start of a raid still did something to him. The sound, the shake, the unity of motion. You would almost argue that we man yearn for this thrill.
He jumped from the longship, water slamming into his knees. The claymore came free from his back in a single pull, both hands gripping the worn leather handle.
To his left, the Conqueror landed with him—bare-chested, scar-lined, a long warhammer gripped in one hand. He grinned like this was a bar fight.
To the right, Shield Maiden, round shield raised, spear low and steady. She wasn't talkative at all.
A few meters ahead, the Ghostblade slid through the surf like smoke, twin short blades already out.
And lumbering behind them, Stone-Eater, a mountain with a red-snarled mask and a spiked tetsubō balanced on his shoulder.
> [SQUAD STATUS] Warden (You) | Conqueror | Shield Maiden | Ghostblade | Stone-Eater — Alive (100%)
[RESPAWN] 12 s on death │ Rally points: Beach → Outer Yard → Inner Keep │ 30 min time limit
"Stone-Eater, Shield Maiden—left flank," Maurice said, voice deep through the in game voice chat. "Keep the line tight. Conqueror, push the ram. Ghostblade—stay unpredictable. I'll adjust as we go. It's quickplay but let's play like we want to win okay!"
"Copy," came the steady response from the Shield Maiden.
"Smash things, got it," Conqueror barked, hammer already on his shoulder.
Ghostblade gave a single "hm."
Arrows hissed through rain. The Shield Maiden's buckler rattled from the impacts. Maurice's boots dug into sand and mud as Viking and Samurai lines collided at the shoreline.
He met the first defender head-on—a spear thrust; he pivoted, cut low across the man's thigh, then high through the collar before the body hit water. Each motion felt heavy but precise, the haptics syncing perfectly to the force.
> [COMBAT LOG] +25 XP │ [Kill Confirm]
The Conqueror led the center push. His first swing crushed a shield rim; the second shattered a helmet. He moved like gravity didn't apply to him, every hit clearing space.
> [OBJECTIVE] Rams deployed. Escort to Outer Gate. Integrity: 100% (covered).
Samurai poured out of the inner yard to meet them—tight shield lines, spears in second rank, archers picking at gaps.
Maurice climbed a boarding stair to the right wall. His claymore swept left-to-right, catching a defender mid-step. "Push up! Keep the ladders clear!" he yelled. Ghostblade appeared beside him—silent acknowledgment—and Maurice opened a gap for him.
Below, Conqueror met his match.
A black-armored sword-and-shield player broke from the samurai line, his crest pulsing faintly.
> [ENEMY PLAYER] Onyx Marshal
"COME!" the Conqueror yelled, setting his feet and slamming his hammer against his chestplate. "FOR GLORY!"
He charged straight in, hammer lifted high. The first swing came down hard — the Marshal blocked with his shield, metal shaking on impact. The Conqueror attacked again, using all his weight. Each blow pushed the Marshal back a step.
The Marshal stayed calm. He waited, adjusted his footing, and started redirecting the hammer strikes with small turns of his shield instead of taking them head-on. When he saw an opening, his sword shot out — a short thrust at the ribs, another toward the arm.
The Conqueror grunted, twisted his body, and swung wide to regain control of the pace. The sound of their weapons hitting echoed through the rain. The Marshal fought with control and timing. The Conqueror fought with speed and force. Neither gave ground easily.
Maurice checked his HUD again, watching the progress bar climb as his team pushed toward the gate. Then something caught his eye near the Conqueror's position—movement too fast to belong to NPCs.
A slim figure weaved through fronline with short blades flashing as she cut down any Viking in her way.
> [ENEMY PLAYER] Ninja
She broke from the chaos and slid behind the Conqueror. He swung his hammer across his body, but she ducked under it, closing the distance fast. Both blades sank into his ribs, sharp and clean. The Conqueror grunted and tried to grab her. She twisted free, stabbed under his arm again, then stepped in close and slashed across his throat.
> [ALLY DOWN] Conqueror — Dead. Respawn in 12 s. Rally at Beach. 70/100 points secured.
"Damn it…" Maurice muttered.
Ghostblade appeared almost instantly behind the Ninja. Their duel broke into a blur of short, sharp movements — steel flashing, rain splashing under their boots. The Ninja ducked and countered low, her twin knives moving quick and precise, but Ghostblade kept pressing with relentless pressure, feinting and switching pace so fast she couldn't reset her guard.
Every time she tried to disengage, he was already in her face — a constant barrage of tight 50/50s, forcing guesses she couldn't afford to miss. Her frustration started to show; her swings grew wider, her steps rushed.
In a last-ditch attempt, she kicked up sand to blind him. Ghostblade didn't even flinch. He slipped under the cloud, dropped levels, and caught her with a clean single-leg takedown. The moment she hit the ground, he sprawled sideways, locking his weight down and pinning her hip.
The Ninja thrashed, but his blades were already moving — quick, efficient stabs into her thigh, then her torso. She tried to twist out, but every escape route met cold steel. One last strike silenced her completely.
> [ENEMY DOWN] Shadow Wren — Dead. Respawn in 12 s. [VIKINGS +10 Rally Points]
"Nice cleanup," Maurice breathed.
> [RAM INTEGRITY] 83%. Distance to Gate: 18 m.
Across the yard, Stone-Eater slammed into a Nobu — a glaive-wielder clad in heavy Mongolian armor. Their first clash was pure force, both men committing everything to a single brutal exchange. Steel met steel, and both weapons flew from their hands, skidding across the soaked stone.
For a moment, they just stared at each other — then, as if sharing the same thought, they charged again.
To the nearby Viking NPCs, it looked less like a duel and more like two titans testing who could break first.
Stone-Eater kept driving forward, laughter spilling out between grunts every time he took a hit that didn't drop him. The Nobu tried to match his pace, swinging elbows and knees, but Stone-Eater absorbed it all, answering with heavy hooks that dented armor until Nobu collapsed into the mud.
> [GATE HEALTH] 96% → 92% → 87%
The environment fought with them. Trebuchet shots landed nearby; sand and mud sprayed. A ladder fell in flames. Maurice ducked instinctively as a burning plank flew overhead.
> [SYSTEM ALERT] Weather interference increasing. Visibility –15%.
He grinned despite it. The storm, the sweat, the coordination—it all felt right. He pushed across the rampart again, clearing the path for reinforcements.
> [voicechat] Stone-Eater: "Left flank secured. Hitting the gate!"
Down below, Conqueror's name blinked back to life.
> [ALLY RESPAWNED] Conqueror — Beach Rally.
He sprinted through the open gate, hammer dragging behind him, shouting something inarticulate but confident. The Marshal saw him coming and met him head-on, shield forward.
They clashed again—hammer versus shield, both players roaring. Around them, NPCs fell like wheat under larger hands.
> [GATE HEALTH] 72% → 63% → 55%
[RAM INTEGRITY] 58%.
"Almost there!" Maurice yelled. He slid down from the rampart, joining the yard push. He could feel his heart rate sync with the pod—each impact pumping more adrenaline through his chest.
Stone-Eater and Shield Maiden reached the gate. "Path's open!" Stone-Eater roared. Vikings surged in response, their cries rolling like thunder through the courtyard.
> [OBJECTIVE] Outer Gate — BREACHED.
[RALLY] Outer Yard unlocked. 100/100 Points secured.
The gate broke open with a heavy snap and fell inward, pieces of wood sliding across the wet stone. The yard beyond stretched wide, the walls taller, the air colder. Shallow channels ran through the ground to drain rain and oil, cutting the floor into uneven strips.
Torches along the walls hissed and flared under the storm, their light bending against the wind. The rain inside the yard hit harder now, thick drops bouncing from armor and stone, turning every step slick. The noise from the beach had dimmed, replaced by the steady rhythm of boots and the distant creak of the ram being moved forward.
Maurice adjusted his grip, checked his HUD.
> [OBJECTIVE] Escort Ram to Inner Gate. Distance: 35 m. Integrity: 48%.
He exhaled, sweat trickling under his headset. His voice came low. "Alright. Reset formation. Push again."
Then a name flickered on his HUD:
> [ENEMY PLAYER] Hito
The Hito waited halfway up the stairs — broad frame, one hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed blade, the other loose by his side. He didn't even glance at the open courtyard below. Maurice could've gone around, fought in space. The HUD even marked an alternate path.
He glanced at it, then up at the man.
"Yeah, no," he muttered. "We're doing this here. Drop your weapon we don't need it in here."
Hito shrugged and threw his weapons down the stairs just as maurice dropped his weapon next to his. Both men stepped in at the same time.
Maurice threw the first punch — a heavy right that caught the Hito's cheek. The man turned with it, absorbed it, and slammed his forearm straight into Maurice's throat, shoving him back into the wall. The stone bit his armor. The air shot out of his chest.
The Hito pinned him there, knee coming up for the ribs. Maurice blocked the next knee with his forearm, but the second one slipped through and folded him halfway. The Hito followed with an elbow to the jaw, snapping his head sideways into the wall.
Maurice gritted his teeth, eyes flashing. He drove his shoulder into the man's chest, forcing him back a step, then caught him off balance with a short uppercut. The hit stunned him long enough for Maurice to shove forward, slamming the Hito against the opposite wall. The impact made the plaster crack.
The Hito ducked low and drove forward, lifting Maurice off his feet and ramming him against the wall again. Maurice caught himself with one arm, barely keeping from tumbling down. The Hito swung again, but Maurice slipped under the punch and hit a clean body hook that made the man grunt.
They both lost balance, slipping on the wet steps. Boots scraped for traction. The walls kept them from falling outright.
Maurice grabbed the Hito's collar, and bounced his head off the wall once, twice — the thud echoing down the stairwell. The Hito responded with a desperate palm strike that smashed his head back, making Maurice losing his grip over his collar. Followed up with a headbut making both of them stagger into their own side of the wall.
Rain dripped down through the stairwell opening. Breath fogged.
Maurice spat blood, wiped his mouth with his thumb, and stepped in again.
Maurice closed the gap with a two piece combo, dodged a desperate clinche attempt while using that moment to lift hito up from the floor. " RAAAAAAH!!" Maurice powerslammed him into the ground making Hito tumble from the stairs.
The Hito tried to rise, one arm pushing against the wall, but Maurice didn't let him. He planted a boot into the man's chest, forcing him back down.
"Not today," Maurice hissed. and jumped with both feet landing on Hito's body.
> [ENEMY DOWN] Hito — Dead. Respawn in 12 s.
Maurice wiped his chin, grabbed his claymore again, and climbed toward the courtyard. His HUD flickered, rain thickening.
> [RAM STATUS] 33%. Inner Gate in range.
Then everything dulled.
Sound thinned. The shouts in his comms stretched, distant. The pod vibration flattened.
He blinked. The rain looked slower now, each drop dragging behind light. The torches bled color into the puddles.
At the far side of the yard, through the blur, a figure stood—black and white armor, demon mask glowing faint in lightning.
> [ENEMY PLAYER] Kensei