I Finally Cleared It!!!!
"I cleared it! Aaaaaaaah!!!!"
The young man ripped off the VR headset clamped to his head and collapsed straight onto his bed.
"Hah, hah."
He couldn't believe he was panting like this after just playing a virtual reality game. But the young man was that excited.
"I finally did it."
He stared blankly at the footage playing on the large TV linked to his VR gear.
Play records flow by in CG visuals, accompanied by gentle music.
The TV screen showed the word "The End" alongside his playthrough records rendered in CG, drifting past to serene music. He could've kept watching through the VR gear, but at least for this moment, he wanted to savor the ending with his own two eyes.
"Ugh, finally."
The young man basked in The emotion, as if moved by his own achievement. An ending he'd seen countless times over the past year. But right now, it felt utterly fresh.
"...Heh heh heh."
Next to the ending staff roll, flashbacks from his playthrough scrolled by in CG form. In the recollection CGs brought to life by the player's actions in-game, his avatar shared tender, everyday moments with a girl sporting blue locks.
"That's right. There was never any such thing as an uncapturable heroine."
The young man quenched his thirst with flat soda water. Just then, the CG showed the girl smiling at him, straw between her lips.
"The heroine's story was insane... for real."
Phoenix of the Azure Flame. A character from the VR mystery visual novel RPG made by some developer—and the "uncapturable heroine" no one had conquered in the year since release. A mid-boss tougher than the final one. A scenario where she sacrifices herself to awaken the protagonist's party. Looks that put any other heroine to shame, voice acting so soulful it was legendary. Gamers who'd bought the game poured every ounce of effort into capturing her, but not a soul succeeded in the past year-plus.
Achievements at 99.99%. No one filled that last 0.01%—except him.
The young man fired up the app on his smartphone to check his game records.
Desdinus of the Blue Sky <Playtime: 2000 hours, 2 minutes>
"Kuhuhu, heh heh heh."
Confirming the alert in the top right, the young man pictured the community exploding and couldn't stop laughing. Snagging that final 0.01% achievement proved he'd captured Phoenix of the Azure Flame.
"Hasn't anyone bought it out yet?"
He checked his bookmarked site on his phone. Among foreign game forums, the post he'd seen right before: "Buying 100% clear save file for Desdinus of the Blue Sky."
Some Middle Eastern prince obsessed with the game had put up a fortune to fill that 0.01% gap. Roughly 200 billion won—an insane sum.
"Heh heh heh. 200 billion. Puhuhu."
The world had buzzed about sinking 200 billion into one game, but the guy's obsession with 100% completion defied common sense. Especially for a 19+ VR open-world mystery visual novel RPG that unofficially claimed GOTY status.
"Those cruel devs. They set it up so no one could even enter the route."
The devs were twisted; the more you chased the Phoenix route, the more flags you'd break to enter it.
"Lemme see. That post I made last time..."
He dug through a domestic community for his previous post.
[Can you see the screenshot? Anyone seen this CG?]
"Heh."
A week-old post, and every reply dismissed his Phoenix route claim. No surprise—domestic and overseas, thousands of gamers had lied about entering it.
No proof? Instant troll label.
Even nearing the one-year anniversary, aggro users kept at it.
But now I've got proof.
With achievements updated, gamers worldwide would learn one player had full-cleared. He refreshed the community.
As expected from a gamer hellhole, news spread fast.
"Time to prove it."
They'd called his CGs faked despite the proof. In petty revenge, he'd shared Zero Strategy Guide info till clear.
Click.
To avoid hassle, he blanked his username, snapped his trophy and gallery completion rate.
"Ah... yeah, gotta post this too."
He snapped a fave recollection CG: the blue-haired beauty on a rooftop, arms wide, turning back with a soft smile. Her blue glow against the sunset was fairy-like, even in a phone pic of the blocked screenshot.
Proof enough he'd entered the Phoenix route.
[Photo]
[Photo]
[Photo]
[This enough proof?]
"What if they don't believe? Heh heh heh."
The devs at Cthulhu Inc. had a Hall of Fame for full-clearers on their site. Empty for over a year—user abuse central—but now one name hung there.
BlueBird.
The young man's avatar nickname—the sole entry in the empty hall—moved him to tears.
"Ughhhhhhh."
Some names mosaic'd for privacy, but any name there certified an ending.
Refresh a few times, and replies poured in.
"What kinda bullshit."
He scowled at the last one.
I'm curious too!
Sure, 19+ game with steamy H-scenes galore, but his tale with Phoenix of the Azure Flame was too sublime for base lust.
"...Wait a sec."
He rushed to the official site notices. One-year anniversary: H-scene DLC for one heroine.
Gamers assumed the top-voted one, since Phoenix was deemed uncapturable.
"No way."
But immersed in her route till the end, he sensed it was hers. The hints didn't pinpoint anyone specific.
"Whoa, jackpot."
Gulp.
There'd been a perfect moment for it, but no scene—just a fade to next dawn.
Load clear data post-DLC, hit that spot...
"...Heh heh heh heh heh."
Laughter wouldn't stop. VR RPG that crushed contemporaries; peak was the H-scenes at 99% immersion. Why "alimony game"—you played for those.
Refreshing exploding replies, one caught his eye.
"Devs?"
Chaos erupted further with their appearance. He donned the VR gear, motion controller in hand, checked messages.
"They actually sent it."
Timestamp: right after trophy.
"What do I even reply?"
As he hesitated, another came.
"Ah, that's why the quick contact."
The game's year-long reign hinged on the Phoenix hidden piece. Public reveal? Devs take a hit.
"Fair."
Near-bankrupt studio poured souls into a smash hit. Revenues topped hundreds of billions, but liquid cash? No way they'd pay over 200B on faith alone with an NDA.
Without this, he'd have sold for 200B after savoring.
He typed his guess; instant reply.
"......Sigh."
Dilemma. Sell save: 200B cash. Reveal entry: Devs wrecked, DLC/sequels suffer.
Could rivals make Desdinus-level with 200B? Do I even care? Lawsuit risk?
Another message as he pondered.
"DLC?"
Ears perked.
"Includes?"
Nuance odd; he tilted his head. Next message dried his mouth.
"No way."
"Damn."
Devs infamous for trimming masterpieces restored cut content. Perfection getting perfecter.
Enough already, and now complete edition?
1900+ hours sans 50 for Phoenix; more than that?
They'd planted insane flags. He chuckled at the rambling apology.
Self-deprecating tone; he stretched.
Ding—
<GM_WalkingChaos> sent a file. Accept?
"Yes."
Straightening as he downloaded the massive file—main-game sized, no exaggeration.
"Cheerful one."
Closing the bubbly message, he shut his eyes as download finished.
Whoosh—
Blue light from VR gear sucked in his consciousness.
Desdinus of the Blue Sky: ~Reincarnation Possession Chronicle~
Smiling at the added subtitle to his umpteenth-played title.
Whoa, playable chars beyond protag?
Details in-game. Thrilled, he hit 'Start'.
Consciousness sank into the game.
He opened his eyes—in magma.
"......?"