The young man sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at the massive, pearlescent VR Capsule that now dominated his tiny, cluttered apartment. It hummed with a soft, promising energy, a stark contrast to the dusty silence of his NEET existence.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEagpfQrF4w
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“Alright… this is it. The great escape,” he muttered to the empty room, running a hand through his unkempt hair. “Two billion people can’t be wrong. Or maybe they can. Who cares? It’s gotta be better than this.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEJe8nyth9
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He’d blown the last of his savings on this thing. The game itself, *Illusion Tree*, was a one-time purchase. The real cost was the capsule—the only hardware advanced enough to deliver the promised “second reality.” No subscriptions, no microtransactions. Just… a new life.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugFc563DZm
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With a deep breath, he climbed inside. The gel-filled contours molded to his body with a sigh. A holographic interface flickered to life before his eyes.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMwLKjH8YC
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[Welcome to Illusion Tree. Please state your player name.]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMu2YpDUgs
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He’d practiced this. “Eon. Eon Moonlicht.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1UIgJEAUe
349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBBqUmmfjE
[Confirm character name: Eon Moonlicht?]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgyPOpqhXf
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“Confirm.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfgcqZP0WT
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[Initialization complete. Connecting to the World Tree. Enjoy your new life.]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJ8NcyymiX
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The hum of the capsule faded, replaced by an absolute, silent white.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBsWioC8qQ
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A voice, ancient and resonant, filled the void. It wasn't heard; it was *felt*, vibrating in his very soul.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNvXnrGbeJ
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From the chaos of the primordial code, twelve deities emerged. They forged the World Tree, Illusion Tree, from dreams and logic. Each god poured their essence into an Orb, a fragment of ultimate power. But ambition shattered their unity. A divine war raged, scattering the Orbs and their divine weapons to the farthest roots and highest branches of the Tree. Now, only echoes of the gods remain, and mortals tread the paths they forged. Your journey begins at the end of their story. Your choices will write the next.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7slgd6u9KX
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The white dissolved into a breathtaking, golden space. Before him stood a being of impossible beauty, her wings not of feather, but of crystallized light. Her voice was like a symphony. “Welcome, soul. I am your guide to genesis. To step upon the path, you must first choose your first identity. Who will you be in this world?”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8PxxLcno5h
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A colossal, shimmering menu materialized, listing thousands of classes: Dragon Knight, Arcane Weaver, Shadow Dancer, Rune Smith, Celestial Bard… the list seemed infinite.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEri6VYN1Jp
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“The timer begins now,” the angelic guide said gently. “Choose wisely, for your beginning shapes your journey.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCbLqemzph
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A clock appeared above her head. [00:59]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsbYr6p7Kx
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Eon’s heart hammered against his ribs. The pressure was immense. Every class glowed with potential, a promise of power and purpose. But he remembered the video, buried deep in the algorithm,349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6nkrDopRe
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titled “Three Things I’d Do if I Started Over Again | Illusion Tree.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduErNyD1om
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The third point, delivered by a calm, masked avatar, was seared into his memory.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVR61coPJD
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“Do not choose a class. Let the timer run out.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8UxGvof1o
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The comments were a torrent of rage.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQd3M9J3niD
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SCAM!349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhS9MV06YJ9
I tried this and it ruined my account!349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhjHuMT5cf
Waste of time, you spawn with NOTHING!349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrHuB5iPhVD
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Yet, the uploader never responded, never defended themselves. The mystery of it, the sheer contrarian absurdity, called to Eon. His entire life had been about having nothing and making nothing of it. Why should a game be different?349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQX7FlrYbH
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“I… choose nothing,” Eon said, his voice firmer than he felt.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80eZaoHzxX
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The angel’s serene smile didn’t falter, but the light around her flickered almost imperceptibly. “Nothing? That is not a path available on the menu, traveler.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkRgbwoqyFP
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“I know. I’m not picking anything. I’ll wait.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4BDOZm6cwO
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The timer ticked down. [00:45]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBqnY7ZMtZ
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“This is most unwise,” she urged, her melodic voice gaining a sharp edge. “To refuse a class is to refuse the very foundation of this world. You will be granted no starting weapon, no armor, not even the most basic skill like <Appraise> or <Sprint>. You will be less than a newborn. You will be… a void.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRZxGiS3dH
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“I’m used to it,” Eon retorted, a defensive smirk on his face. “Isn’t this supposed to be a real second life? In real life, you don’t get to pick ‘Dragon Tamer’ as a starting class. You figure it out.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNrNJ5MmJi
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[00:30]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡytPlBIcEqh
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“This is not your world!” she insisted, her composure cracking for the first time. A divine frustration leaked into her tone. “It has rules! You are not ‘figuring it out,’ you are wilfully crippling yourself! Why would you do this? What possible logic drives you?”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡawIKYiT2RU
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“Let’s call it an experiment.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QVYiKn7yB
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[00:15]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEi0JbPVBW
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“It is folly!” The space around them shuddered. “You tread a road of pure anguish. The wilds will devour you. Other players will scorn you. The world itself will not acknowledge you! This is not a brave challenge; it is a surrender before you have even begun!”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOm0825jjFC
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“Then I surrender,” Eon said, meeting her glowing gaze. “But I’ll do it on my terms.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aRU86mv5j
349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLJaiOY6CG
[00:03… 00:02… 00:01…]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgjnViF5Ze
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The magnificent menu shattered into motes of light. The angel’s form seemed to dim. The disappointment on her face was profoundly, unsettlingly real.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofLbGRHki6
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“So be it, Eon Moonlicht. You enter the world as a paradox. A blank page. May your story be worth the pain of its writing.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZmANEJ5BQ
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The golden chamber imploded into a vortex of color and sound.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtFSSsk7Oml
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Sensation returned all at once. The smell of damp earth and baking bread. The feel of a warm breeze on his skin. The sound of a bustling crowd and chirping birds. Eon blinked, his eyes adjusting to the vivid sunlight of a perfect fantasy village square. He looked down at himself. Rough-spun tunic, soft linen pants, bare feet. Absolutely, utterly ordinary.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCA1IwG3NL5
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A notification hung in his vision, transparent and mocking:349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExowhkswi6
349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcQgvLzlly
[ Class: None ]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecDcvyi5Ak
[ Equipped: None ]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiPU2TQ81I
[ Skills: None ]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTnLMwHZjL
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“Well,” he whispered to himself, wiggling his toes in the grass. “Here goes nothing.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4H3y6FU26
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The starting village, Haven’s Reach, was flooded with new players, all clad in their starting gear. Leather armor, simple robes, Initiiate’s staves. Eon, in his peasant clothes, stood out like a sore thumb.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9DXFmXpZP
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“Hey, you there!” a boisterous young man in chainmail called out, clanking over. “You just pop in? What’d you roll? I went Guardian. Gonna be an unkillable tank!” He thumped his chest plate.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeldaUu0vnK
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“Uh, I didn’t… roll anything,” Eon said.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfo2xSxyG4
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The Guardian’s smile faded. “What do you mean? Everyone picks a class.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYNGBVE5c1
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“I didn’t. I waited out the timer.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZfzdt01re
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A nearby Archer, stringing her bow, burst out laughing. “You did what? Oh, man, I heard about that! There’s some stupid rumor on the forums. You actually fell for it?”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQ6IgSeHig
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The Guardian stared in pure disbelief. “But… why? You have no gear. No skills. You’re literally a level-zero NPC.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOb5J9xOSj
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Their conversation attracted a small crowd. A Mage in blue robes sneered. “Look at this! A true noob! I didn’t think they actually existed.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKHB5nhl20
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“Hey, buddy,” the Archer said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. “You know you’re basically just XP for the tutorial slimes, right? They’re gonna have to respawn you so many times your brain will get dizzy.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTMzRFKfwT
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The crowd erupted in laughter. Eon tried to push past them, his face heating up.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTJfUsM8mX
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“Wait, wait, don’t go!” the Guardian said, stepping in front of him. “I’m feeling charitable. I’ll mentor you. First lesson! How to punch air!” He demonstrated with a slow, exaggerated punch. More laughter.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpNaZvSkyx
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“Second lesson!” the Archer chimed in. “How to run away crying! It’s gonna be your most-used skill!”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHatZX3nQO
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Eon shoved past them, their jeers following him. “Thanks for the offer! I’ll manage!”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeq7b2tNfg
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He made his way to a small equipment stall run by a grizzled NPC smith. “Excuse me,” Eon said. “I’d like to buy a knife. The cheapest one you have.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlhkZ9hLh3U
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The smith looked him up and down, his brow furrowed. “You’re new. What’s your class, lad? Gatherer? Skinner? I’ve got good starter knives for both.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADDhtoSjXm
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“I… don’t have a class.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eNBKa1UCe
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The NPC’s friendly demeanor vanished instantly. He scowled. “No class? Then I’ve got nothing for you. Can’t have untrained fools waving sharp metal around. You’ll poke your eye out, or worse, someone else’s. Move along. You’re scaring off proper customers.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqB22ed8n3
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From behind him, a player buying a sword chuckled. “Even the AI knows you’re a lost cause, man. Give it up.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvyWtTzu1d
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Defeated, Eon moved to a potion vendor, an elderly woman with a kind face. Maybe she’d take pity.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrX9ivnZdi
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“Hello, dearie. A healing potion for the road? Only a few copper.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsklkctgbp
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“I’d like one, but I don’t have any money. Or a class.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5IAUGlCHR
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The woman’s kind eyes narrowed. “No class? Then I cannot, in good conscience, sell you a potion. Without the <Potion Lore> skill granted by a class, you might misdose. You could poison yourself! The liability! Shoo, now. Come back when you’ve found your purpose.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OAlVDoqIV
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The final humiliation came at the village inn. The common room was packed with players celebrating their new beginnings. Eon slipped in, hoping to just listen and learn.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdBT7EXttd
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A hush fell over part of the room. Then a loud, mocking voice rang out. “Well, well, look what the cat dragged in! Or should I say, what *didn’t* drag anything in! It’s Mr. No-Class himself!”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf4hTBaHdvc
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A barrel-chested Warrior stood up, raising a tankard. “A toast! To the biggest idiot in Haven’s Reach! May your respawns be quick and your failures be entertaining!”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBxMyWYEsF
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The room roared with approval. Another player yelled, “What’s your build, man? Is it ‘Optimist’ or ‘Masochist’?”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2qz7AbQUr
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“Maybe he’s roleplaying a village idiot! Hey, do a trick! Can you eat mud?”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuHwIhgETf
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Eon turned on his heel and marched out, the sound of their laughter feeling like physical blows against his back. He didn’t stop until he passed through the village’s main gate, the guard NPC simply shaking his head in pity.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrk1y6cIWaF
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The sun was warmer outside the walls. The grass was greener. The air was free of their mockery. Before him, a wide, peaceful meadow stretched out. And there, bouncing aimlessly, was a small, gelatinous, green Slime. The most basic of basic monsters.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlo2Mje7GE
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It was the only thing in this world that wasn’t laughing at him.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSiJDD8ejB
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“Okay,” Eon breathed, his heart starting to pound not with embarrassment, but with anticipation. “Just you and me.”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKD3FBrpq5u
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He approached cautiously. The slime noticed him, gave a cheerful little wobble, and hopped forward. Eon lunged, swinging a wild punch. His fist sank into its cool, jelly-like body with a soft *squelch*. It didn’t hurt it much, but the impact stung his knuckles.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lqOgPWTXk
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The slime retaliated, launching itself and smacking into his leg. It felt like being hit with a wet bag of sand—not deadly, but surprisingly solid and painful.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJi58MUGnK8
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“Yowch! Okay, you little jerk!”349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZHhOfN0nU
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This wasn’t a quick game fight. This was a clumsy, gritty, undignified scrap. He couldn’t just press a button for a skill. He had to actually move, dodge, and swing. He kicked at it, his bare foot connecting with the same squelching sensation. He overbalanced and fell onto his backside in the grass.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbieYiZz4R3
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The slime hopped onto his chest. He grabbed it with both hands, the substance oozing between his fingers, and with a grunt of effort, he ripped it in two. The two halves quivered for a moment before dissolving into a faint, shimmering mist.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYZwi3XkBB
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A warmth flowed into him. A transparent, grey text appeared in his vision, simple and profound.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVnn8PQCro
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[Strength +1]349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pEPMdcOxn
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Eon lay there in the grass, chest heaving, covered in faintly glowing slime residue. He started to laugh, a real, breathless, incredulous laugh that echoed in the quiet field.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYQwXD0BJv
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He had nothing. No class, no skills, no gear, no respect.349Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSXHFbMN0i
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But he had one single point of Strength that he had earned all by himself. And for the first time in a long time, that felt like everything.
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and then Add to home screen.