King of Games C1 Shinro

Early in the day in Tokyo, Japan, the bustling atmosphere of a game studio was gearing up for a busy day.

"Yuki-san, I think you'll be the employee of the year, I'm sure of it!" a rotund man complimented the striking young woman as they walked through the corridors.

"Haha, you're flattering me, Director Shuichi. I think Shinro-kun has done a great job too..." While Yuki brushed off the compliment with a smile, she appreciated the director's praise.

"Shinro? I don't think he's done enough this year! In fact, he underperformed!" Director Shuichi remarked. Then, changing the subject, he added, "I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll wear at the annual gala, Yuki-san."

Yuki responded with a slight bow and a smile.

As the Development Director and Yuki, along with their team members, entered the workspace, the team watched them disappear into the distance. Once they were out of earshot, those who had bristled at the director's earlier flattery began to whisper among themselves. "Director Shuichi is already a middle-aged man with a wife and kids, yet he still has the nerve to flirt with a younger woman."

A female team member nodded in agreement, adding, "But it seems like Yuki actually enjoys the attention..."

"Yeah, and I've heard rumors that the director and Yuki are having a secret affair..."

"Really? Poor Shinro."

"I know, right? Shinro has been really putting himself out there, trying to win Yuki over. He’s even been taking on some of her tasks and neglecting his own—I wouldn’t be surprised if Yuki ends up being the employee of the year at the Annual Gala."

"Shinro's so oblivious to the director and Yuki’s relationship," one team member commented.

"It’s clear Yuki is just using him," another added.

"Should we give him a hint?"

"No, let’s see how long this fool keeps chasing after her."

While they gossiped, Shinro was fast asleep at his desk, his head resting on a pile of paperwork.

Noticing Shinro in his booth, the team members quieted down. They exchanged looks and one remarked, "Did he pull another all-nighter?"

Shinro's desk was a mess of scattered papers and a still-running computer, with a half-finished coffee and an empty noodle cup nearby. It was evident that he had been working hard enough to exhaust himself into sleep.

"Poor guy... He’s probably been putting in extra hours again to finish his work..."

"That’s what happens when you spend too much time helping Yuki with her tasks."

A man nudged his colleague jokingly, "Go check if he’s still breathing."

"What?"

"He might have died from all that overworking."

"That's terrible."

"What? It's not surprising. A lot of people in our industry have died from overwork, and Shinro has been at it almost non-stop this week— he hasn't even been going home..."

The coworker nodded, conceding the point. He approached Shinro and nudged him several times. "Hey, wake up, Shinro!"

When Shinro didn't respond, the coworker grew concerned.

"Yikes—maybe you're right."

"Check his pulse, but try not to panic," another colleague suggested, his voice calm but edged with anxiety.

The others looked on, equally nervous.

The coworker swallowed hard and checked Shinro's pulse. His expression turned grave as he withdrew his hand from Shinro's neck. "He... He's dead..."

A wave of shock passed through the team members, and a flurry of activity began as one of them said, "I'll go call someone—"

"Why are you guys so loud?" Shinro's head shot up from the desk as he exclaimed, looking bewildered at his team members.

"Ah!" The person who had just checked Shinro's pulse yelped in surprise.

Though initially shocked, the team members were relieved to see that Shinro was actually still alive.

"He's alive! Akari, you caused a false alarm!"

Akari, who had checked the pulse, was visibly confused as he scratched his head, certain he hadn't felt any pulse from Shinro...

"Seriously, Akari, thanks for the scare," another teammate chided.

The team members gave Akari disapproving looks as they returned to their booths.

Feeling frustrated and embarrassed by his colleagues' reactions, Akari pointed at Shinro and snapped, "You... You should have just died!"

Shinro wore a puzzled expression as Akari stormed off after his outburst.

"Where the heck am I?" Shinro mumbled, scratching the back of his head as he tried to piece together his memories.

He had been playing a video game called "Valorant," deeply engrossed and enjoying himself while wearing a headset. At first, he noticed a sensation of heat but dismissed it, too caught up in his game to pay it much mind.

However, the heat intensified, prompting him to wonder if the air conditioner had malfunctioned or broken down. It wasn't until smoke began to fill the room that he realized a fire had broken out.

His neighbors were already in a panic, and commotion filled the air, but his headset had blocked out all the sounds.

Recalling these events vividly, that's when Math Boolean Algebra realized he had died.

"Mother of pearl... I actually died... And I remember it all so clearly..." Math whispered to himself.

Catching his reflection in a small mirror on the desk, Math was shocked to see an unfamiliar face staring back at him.

Despite his shock, Math managed to keep his reaction subdued. After all, he was a fan of novels about transmigration and was quite certain that was exactly what had happened to him.

The only issue was his appearance. "Why does this new face look so worn out? And those dark circles under the eyes... They're just like Yuichiro Hayashi's," Math murmured to himself.

Glancing at the papers strewn across the desk, Math realized he couldn't understand the language they were written in. However, the computer screen provided a clue that his new identity was also a game developer, much like his previous self.

"Cool. This guy is a game developer too?" Math thought aloud, then he realized another problem, "The only issue is that I can't read Japanese."

Just then, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind, accompanied by a transparent interface that appeared before him: [Ding! You have awakened the "Genesis System"!]

Overwhelmed with excitement, Math nearly shouted, "Heck yeah!!!"

But he restrained himself. Math was familiar with these systems from the web novels he had read in his previous life.

He was quite curious about what his new system could offer.

[Ding! You received a "Gift Pack"! Do you want to open it?]

"Wow..." Math was thrilled and murmured, "Open it."

[Ding! You received a mastery in the "Japanese Language" skill!]

[Ding! You received a valuable ability!]

[Legendary Ability: Game Developer Assistant!
- Function: Offers basic code templates and snippets, simple debugging tools, and basic game design tutorials.
- User Interface: Simple, user-friendly interface with straightforward commands and minimal options.
- Capabilities: Assists with organizing project files, basic asset management, and provides tips to host.
- Ability Level: 1 (This "Legendary Ability" can be leveled up to 100, and as the level increases, the ability will enhance and may provide more features.)]

Seeing this, Math was both shocked and delighted.

He hadn't expected to receive such a useful ability from his first "Gift Pack."

Essentially, he could use his ability to code and develop games using his system, which also allowed him to transfer game files to the computer.

"This system is really useful... I can even use it as a computer," Math thought, but his reflections were interrupted as a woman approached him.

"Shinro-kun, could you provide a little help with this project?"

Math looked at the attractive woman and wondered, "Who is this woman?"

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Author's Note: I'll make sure to update this, but no rush, okay? If you're feeling generous and want to motivate me even more, go ahead and drop a like! ❣️