UP UP DOWN DOWN

In the working-class neighborhoods of New York, I, Barry McLovin, a 22-year-old African-American, lived a life of a passionate geek. My sleek black hair glistened under the dim light of my small room, and at 1.80 meters tall, I had a respectable stature, though my father often treated me like a child. It was 2026, an era where technology dominated our lives. The previous year had seen the release of a groundbreaking video game called UP UP DOWN DOWN. This game blended fantasy and science fiction, where a seasoned hero slayed countless monsters with a sword in a complex, immersive universe.

I was such a fan that I had purchased the collector's edition of the game for a hefty price. Little did I know, this game would change my life.

At home, arguments with my father over my obsession with video games were frequent. That night, the tension reached its peak.

"PAAAAK!"

The sharp sound of my newly bought PS6 console, worth $1,500, shattering on the floor echoed through the house.

McLovin: "Why?! I spent all my savings on this! Just because you're my father doesn't mean you can do whatever you want!"

My father: "Maybe you should get a job instead of wasting your time on these pointless games!"

I felt a deep hostility toward him at that moment. He stormed out of my room, slamming the door behind him. At 22, I still lived in my family home, which wasn't exactly impressive. Despite having a degree in economics, I couldn't land a decent job. It was frustrating, I'll admit.

But deep down, my mentality was simple: I preferred video games to work. Even with women, I didn't succeed. But I kept telling myself that my day of glory would come.

Despite my broken console, I had a backup plan: my computer. All my saved games and files were on it. So, at 9 PM, I sat at my desk and launched my favorite game, UP UP DOWN DOWN.

When I played, it felt like I disconnected from reality. The game fully immersed me in the shoes of the hero I controlled. I was just hours away from finishing it, and I already held the highest score in the country. After hours of intense gaming, I finally reached the last level, the formidable Level 101, where a monstrous alien boss awaited.

McLovin: "YEEEESSSSS! I did it!"

My victorious scream was interrupted by a surprising notification on my screen:

> [Congratulations, Player BVC4657. You have completed the game UP UP DOWN DOWN in its entirety. Here's an exclusive additional content. Click "Accept and Install DLC".]

Without much thought, I clicked the button. Suddenly, my room went dark. A strange sensation overtook me, as if I were being sucked into a colorful tunnel.

When I regained my senses, I was floating in a digital space. Before me stood a giant screen, and a synthetic voice echoed.

Digital Voice: "Choose a gadget."

Three objects materialized in a light made of binary code: a pair of sunglasses, a glove, and an electric sword.

McLovin: "I can't pick all three?"

Digital Voice: "No, young human. You are offered one option, and you want them all?"

McLovin: "Shut up! I never asked to be transferred to this weird place!"

Digital Voice: "You transferred yourself, idiot. Didn't you accept and install the additional content?"

It was true, and it only made me angrier. How could a game, which was supposed to be virtual and fictional, interact with reality?

McLovin: "Why am I here?"

Digital Voice: "First, because you accepted the additional content. Second, a bug in the matrix is causing data leaks from the game into reality, allowing monsters to manifest and cause real damage. The system needed someone capable of neutralizing these anomalies."

McLovin: "So, I'm some sort of savior for humanity? What an honor."

Digital Voice: "No, you are mostly humanity's waste."

I seethed with anger, but the voice had a point: I needed to understand what was happening.

To erase the monsters from the real world, I first had to eliminate them in the virtual one. The entity explained that I could choose a gadget, but others would be unlocked through experience.

McLovin: "I'll take the electric sword."

The sword vanished from the light bubble and materialized in my hand. I felt a shiver run down my spine.

The sensation of being sucked in returned, and I found myself in a game map called Earth 009. Above the clouds floated a giant mothership piloted by an alien creature shaped like a pot.

A virtual interface appeared in the air, holographic in form.

[INFORMATION]

As the incarnation of the seasoned hero from the game "UP UP DOWN DOWN," your role is to slay all the alien monsters you encounter. The damage monsters cause in the virtual world will also affect the real world due to the existing bugs. You will be equipped with gadgets throughout your journey, along with a health bar, an endurance bar, and an awakening bar. The virtual interface will manifest by executing a thought.

With a simple thought, I summoned my interface. It was like futuristic holographic bars displaying my information, including:

> Health Bar: ///////////////100%

>Endurance Bar: ///////////////100%

>Awakening Bar: 0%

The awakening bar wasn't full because, even in the game, one needed to deal a certain amount of damage to fill this gauge and perform an ultimate ability. I then focused on my first mission. The pot-shaped alien summoned a pink creature that resembled bubblegum and shot a pink laser. The laser exploded, creating destructive flowers that wiped out half of the city in the Earth 009 map. A red interface appeared immediately.

[ALERT]

•Damage in the virtual world: 800 megawatts

•Virtual casualties: 300 creatures killed

•Damage in the real world: 100 megawatts

•Real casualties: 19 humans or animals killed

McLovin: "Shit! This doesn't look good."

I had to find a way to reach the mothership to confront the pot-shaped alien, but no matter what I tried, it wasn't happening. My interface then displayed a code in the air, holographic in form. It was a series of key combinations to unlock a hidden feature.

The code was:

McLovin: "Triangle, up, down, double circle, and validate!"

Suddenly, the interface accepted the code. A nanotech armor instantly covered my body. It was equipped with advanced features: analysis, ballistic missiles, laser rays, a massive propulsion engine, and various secondary functions. Analyzing the distance, I realized the mothership was 600 meters in the air. I fired thousands of nuclear-powered ballistic missiles, reducing the mothership to ashes.

"BOOOOM!"

That was the sound of my missiles exploding. The debris of the alien mothership crashed to the ground. My nanotech armor dematerialized, and I returned to my human form. The pot-shaped alien crashed to the ground, but immediately got back up, visibly furious.

McLovin: "Why are you glaring at me like that, pot-head?"

Pot Alien: "I'm not a pot, human. I'm Marmiton, the king of all pots. You humans use my kind to heat them to extreme temperatures and put your disgusting food inside. I hate your species."

McLovin: "I can't believe it! A talking pot... Now I feel like cooking a nice meal inside you."

At those words, Marmiton attacked by creating pot lids. I sliced them with my electric sword and charged toward him for a direct attack. But Marmiton created a huge lid to protect himself. I spammed my attacks on it, watching my awakening gauge slowly fill.

1000 HITS... 2345 HITS

I kept executing fast, precise combos until the lid broke. Marmiton then stepped back and materialized a gigantic pot to trap me inside. My holographic interface immediately displayed a new set of instructions. This time, they were related to my awakening bar.

[INFORMATION]

The awakening ability allows the user to activate a code that gives them a form or weapon suited to the situation at hand.

I tried to destroy the pot from the inside, but nothing worked. The interface kept notifying "hit invalid" with each sword strike. Then, I received a new notification.

[NOTIFICATION]

You've received an emergency activation code.

I clicked the notification, and a mysterious code appeared: "Up, circle, down, left, up." At that moment, I saw my interface display a chemical formula: (HF), hydrofluoric acid, one of the most dangerous substances, capable of dissolving any metal, like aluminum, stainless steel, and more.

I clicked on the "use HF" option, and instantly, Marmiton's giant pot dissolved.

Marmiton: "Wha... how did you escape?"

At that moment, I had used up my abilities, and I was out of awakening and endurance. In this game, using two codes drained the player's resources, and now, I was clearly at his mercy.

Suddenly, a red aura began emanating from Marmiton. My interface immediately sounded the alarm: "ALERT, ALERT." I remembered that during my earlier confrontation with Marmiton as the seasoned hero before the matrix bug, Marmiton released this aura when preparing his final attack, a "One Hit Kill."

Marmiton created three giant pots, and from those pots came his bubblegum-shaped creatures. They focused a massive energy ball. It was clear he was preparing a laser.

Suddenly, these creatures launched an enormous laser in my direction. I tried to dodge, but the lack of endurance made me slow. Every movement became difficult.

McLovin: "Shiiiiit..."

And then, everything went black. I found myself in a virtual space with "GAME OVER" written in large letters, followed by statistics on the total number of deaths in both the real world and the virtual world.

[BALANCE]

•Damage in the virtual world: 1,000 megawatts

•Virtual casualties: 600 creatures killed

•Damage in the real world: 500 megawatts

•Real casualties: 200 humans or animals killed

I was devastated, my morale was at an all-time low. I thought it was because of me that some people died, and I was powerless in this situation. After that, the familiar virtual tunnel sucked me in, and I returned to my room. It seemed that several hours spent in "UP UP DOWN DOWN" were much faster than in the real world.