That was the motto of the man named Inigo.
He wasn't rich. He wasn't popular. But when he had his mouse in hand and his headset snug on his head, he was a god.
Inside the 24-hour internet café, the air was thick with sweat, instant noodles, and the muffled rage of teenagers getting clapped in Valorant. But none of that mattered to him. Not the cramped seat. Not the aching spine. Not even the fact that he hadn't eaten a real meal in over 12 hours. Because Inigo was in the zone.
He wasn't just playing. He was grinding. One more ranked win. One more frag highlight. One more clutch.
The monitor flashed with rapid movements. Muzzle flashes. Headshots. Slide-cancels. His reflexes were sharp, almost muscle memory now after years of playing FPS games. The sound of his teammates echoed through Discord.
"Bro, Inigo, you're cracked!"
"Of course," he muttered. "I'm just getting started."
He didn't blink much. Barely moved except for the essentials. A water bottle half-filled with stale soda sat ignored beside his keyboard. Crumbs and grease marked the edges of his mousepad. But still, he kept going.
The hours blurred. Day turned to night. Then to day again.
23 hours. That's how long he had been playing straight.
His eyes burned. His hand cramped. But he didn't stop. Not when he was so close to Diamond rank. Not when he was carrying the team like a one-man army.
The last match started. An enemy team full of smurfs and wannabe pros. But it didn't matter.
The chat exploded in disbelief.
"No way this guy's human."
Inigo leaned back in his seat, letting out a breathless chuckle. "Easy."
He removed his headset slowly. His vision blurred for a second. His fingers tingled. He thought maybe he just needed to stretch.
—and that's when everything went black.
No warning. No pain. Just a cold snap in his chest, and then nothing.
The café attendant would later say he collapsed with a faint smile on his face.
But that wasn't the end.
Because when Inigo opened his eyes again...
It wasn't the hum of PC fans or the glow of a monitor he saw.
And a weird message floating in front of him like a hologram HUD.
[You have awakened the Shop of Freedom. Welcome, Patriot.]
Inigo blinked. "What the f—"