Divine Awakening: My Game Drops Increase Infinitely

When the white light faded from Axton's eyes, he opened them slowly and found himself staring at the familiar ceiling of his apartment.

For a few seconds, he didn't move. His mind was still half inside the game, half outside, as if he couldn't fully believe that he was back in the real world.

The soft hum of the ceiling filled the silence.

No monsters. No magic. No chaos. Just… quiet.

He blinked once, twice, then let out a long sigh.

"Finally," he muttered.

He sat up and went over to his desk, settling on a chair that creaked slightly as he leaned back. He rubbed his eyes and stretched his arms. Every muscle in his body felt stiff, as if he had been sitting there for a long time.

"How long was I in there?" he asked aloud, glancing at the clock on the wall.

[2:48 pm.]

He blinked again.

He had gone into New Eden at around 8 in the morning. That meant… almost seven hours straight inside the game.

He groaned. "No wonder my back feels like it's breaking."

He stood up slowly, stretching his legs. His apartment wasn't anything fancy — a simple one-bedroom unit in a quiet district. The curtains were half drawn, letting in just enough sunlight to make the place feel warm and peaceful.

The room was clean, though the desk was crowded with energy drink cans, snack wrappers, and a few printed guides from online forums. It was the typical setup for someone who played games for a living — or in Axton's case, someone who had accidentally turned the game into his second life. Being fully captivated by New Eden, Axton provided himself a similar setup.

He walked toward the bathroom, yawning as he went.

When he looked in the mirror, he almost didn't recognize the tired face staring back at him. His hair was messy, sticking up in random directions. His eyes were slightly red. Still, there was a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Mayor Khan, huh…" he muttered with a laugh, remembering how the NPCs in Atlas City treated him like some kind of god.

It was strange. Inside the game, he was powerful — respected, feared, maybe even loved by virtual people. But here, in the real world, he was just Axton, a normal young man living alone in a small apartment.

He washed his face with cold water, letting the chill wake him up. The refreshing feeling made him sigh in relief.

Then, looking back up at the mirror, he whispered, "I guess… it's not so bad. Being both people."

He wasn't sure if he said it as Axton or Khan, but maybe it didn't matter anymore. The line between the two was getting thinner each day.

After brushing his teeth, he walked into the kitchen. It was quiet except for the faint buzz of the refrigerator.

He opened it and frowned. Inside was… mostly empty. Half a bottle of water, an old sandwich he didn't remember buying, and a few instant noodles.

He chuckled softly. "So that's why I said I'd get something to eat."

He grabbed one of the noodles and tossed it into a pot. While it cooked, he scrolled through his phone, checking his messages, social media and also for houses.

He was finally ready to make payment for another living space. His range of options was wider now since he had more money and after finally, choosing one out of the many options, he was ready to settle it and make payment.

A quick phone call to the agent in charge and it was settled. Axton made the transfer and the agent promised to send in the necessary documents concerned the next day.

******

Unsurprisingly, most of his notifications were about the game . New Eden's popularity had exploded again thanks to the new World Event.

His timeline was filled with clips, screenshots, and discussions.

[Forum]

"Can you believe Atlas City's NPCs act like real people?!"

"Who the hell is Khan? The dude's like a legend already!"

"We just got to Atlas City and got killed for saying his name wrong…"

Axton smirked. "Yeah… that sounds about right."

He scrolled a bit more and saw his name trending again in the forums — or rather, Khan's name. People were making guesses about his real identity, giving him nicknames like "The Strongest Player", and whatnots.

He shook his head. "If only they knew I'm just some guy eating noodles."

Beep! Beep!

The timer beeped.

He poured the noodles into a bowl and carried it to the small dining table near the window. The sunlight fell on the surface, making the steam rise like a soft cloud.

As he ate, he found himself thinking back to the game.

The faces of the NPCs. The massive walls of Atlas City. The undead army. He also imagined the look in the players' eyes when they arrived — a mix of fear, excitement, and curiosity.

He had done a lot already, but he knew it was just the beginning.

The World Event had barely started. And knowing the system, things were about to get much more dangerous.

Still… he felt no rush to go back.

For now, he just wanted to breathe, to remember what life outside the game felt like.

He finished his meal slowly, enjoying each bite, something he rarely did. Then he leaned back in his chair, staring out the window at the passing clouds.

After a while, he cleaned the bowl, wiped down the table, and decided to take a shower. Warm water ran down his back, washing away the stiffness and fatigue from hours of sitting.

When he stepped out of the room he felt lighter as if he'd left the weight of Axton's title behind for a while.

He changed into casual clothes. A black T-shirt, jeans, and a clean jacket. Simple, comfortable, and far from the grand robes or armor his in-game self usually wore.

As he stood before the mirror again, he tilted his head slightly.

"It's weird," he said quietly. "I keep looking different… and I also feel different."