1 Prologue

A silhouette of a man could be seen. He was slumped over on a bench, with his phone in one hand, and a cigarette in the other. He had dark circles under his red, swollen eyes, looking like he'd not slept for over a decade. He sighed, took a smoke, and then sighed again.

That had become his routine.

Joe was a 28 year old man. A young, successful and confident salesman, with a beautiful wife.

But then, tragedy hit the family. After his wife became pregnant with their baby, they decided to go out on a trip to spend some quality time together, with their baby on the way. Everything was going quite well, until the thunderstorm hit. Joe was driving the way back to their home, but heavy rain made it impossible for him to see clearly.

A truck that was coming their way hit them. His wife and their baby, both died on the spot. Joe survived with some injuries.

He was heartbroken. He left his job. Lots of debt piled upon him, and he became homeless.

All he did was sit on that bench in the park near the supermarket area, with his phone in one hand and a cigarette in another.

As he was looking blankly at his phone one day, he thought of finishing it all. His life, in particular. Unexpectedly, just then, a mysterious mail popped up on his blue screen.

"Hello, Joe. You're one of the selected candidates for the video game challenge 'Augmentation'. Leave a reply of you wish to accept the challenge."

"What the heck is wrong with these scam mails?" Joe scoffed as he proceeded to delete the mail.

But then he noticed something.

'Your one wish will be fulfilled if you win the game.' This was written at the end of the mail.

Joe's eyes widened.

A ray of hope lightened up his heart. Even he knew it was impossible, but, even so, if he could still have the chance to save his wife, to go back in time, just once, to see her, their baby ...

He rapidly typed, "I'm in for the game" and sent it.

And so the reply came.

"Thank you for your response. We've admitted you to the candidate list. The game begins now."

His phone screen began to glitch, and a message appeared on the blue screen.

"Welcome to 'Augmentation'. Your enrollment number is 48. You're requested to read the game rules before you press the 'START' button", it read.

Joe followed the instructions and read the rules one by one.

1. You are not allowed to log out of the game once you've logged in. Neither you're allowed to stop it nor restart it.

2. There will be ten levels in total. As you level up, the difficulty level will increase too.

3. You have to sacrifice something in order to gain something. And that gain will be leveling up.

4. The game can only be paused in the middle of training, and not in an actual combat or mission. The maximum duration will be fifteen minutes.

5. You'll be allowed to return to your life with a wish granted after you've conquered the game.

In the end was written, 'ALL THE BEST!'.

Joe marked the checkbox to the agreement with the terms and conditions.

Then he hit the 'START' button.

And the game began.

Another message popped up on his phone.

"So annoying", he mumbled to himself.

'Welcome, number 48. You've entered the training phase of level one.'

A shadow passed through him as he read the message.

'But before we proceed, you are advised to take your weapon from the man standing in front of you.'

Joe looked up to find a man in a black suit looming over him.

He almost let out a scream.

"Wh-Who are you? And when did you get here?" Joe stuttered.

"Well, I work for the video game company you're enrolled in right now. And as for the answer to the latter question, you were engrossed in reading the messages, so you didn't notice me." He replied with a smile.

"U-Um, so, where is it? My weapon?" Joe asked.

"Ah, yes. I almost forgot to give it to you. Here you go."

As Joe put out his hands to take the weapon, he was astonished to see his weapon.

It was unusual.

A deck of playing cards.

"What the hell is this game about? Are you testing my patience?" Joe was getting irritated.

"It's your weapon, sir." The man replied.

"What am I supposed to do with a deck of cards in the fighting arena, gamble for my life?" Joe yelled.

"That is the weapon which will destroy you, or make you the strongest person of the game. It all depends upon you now."

And the man walked away, leaving Joe behind, speechless.