The moment the headset settled over my head, the world vanished.
I felt like I was floating in an endless void, my body weightless, my thoughts echoing back at me with nothing to anchor them. There was no up or down. No sound. Just me.
Then my heartbeat grew louder.
A strange pressure wrapped around my head. It wasn't painful, but it was firm, steady, like something locking into place.
Suddenly, it felt as if I were being dragged forward.
The sensation was overwhelming, like being sucked through a wind tunnel. The force grew stronger by the second. My surroundings warped and twisted, colors stretching into endless streaks. Lines of data flashed across my vision too fast to read, symbols and numbers blurring together in a chaotic storm.
And then everything went white.
When my vision cleared, I found myself standing on solid ground.
I froze.
This place was completely unfamiliar.
The trees stood tall and alive around me, their branches swaying and feeling unmistakably real, while the grass beneath my feet bent against my legs like I had stepped into a living forest.
I was inside it.
Out of nowhere, a glowing screen shimmered into existence before my eyes, just like the system interfaces I had seen in countless games.
[WORLD TRANSFER COMPLETE!]
[System Notice!]
(Current Location: Edge of Lumen Forest)
Ping!
[!] SPECIAL QUEST [!]
» Slay 5 Dire Wolves roaming the forest
» Rewards granted upon completion
Progress: 0/5
I stared at the notification.
Before I could even process it, a small, glowing panel materialized in the air. Bright letters and numbers blinked softly, displaying rows of information.
A player status screen.
Just like in a game.
Malachi Paisley [Lvl. 1]
HP: 500/500
EXP: 0/100
I stared at the screen in amazement. My name was there, along with my level.
"No Mana? Hmm… maybe this game uses Stamina."
Something thrilling stirred inside me. Dangers, adventures, creatures, journeys, friendships, and the unknown—all waiting, just like the games I had always dreamed about.
I reached out and clicked on my Player Status display hovering at my side, hoping for a settings menu or options panel. Nothing appeared. Just my stats.
"Well… maybe it will show up later," I muttered to myself, trying to sound calm and confident. "Probably after completing the quest and leveling up."
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward into the forest.
[You have now entered Lumen Forest]
"Shoot!" A low curse slipped from my lips as I realized there was a weapon in my hand.
A holographic notification appeared.
[Click]
I tapped it, and a detailed description materialized before my eyes:
Phoenix Spear
Weapon Damage: 50
Element: Fire
Tier: ★★★★
Passive Ability: [Scorching Aegis]– Grants immunity to all crowd control effects, allowing the wielder to move freely and fight without interruption, completely unaffected by immobilization, stuns, confusion, blindness, or any other disabling effects.
"This is so cool… a passive ability," I murmured, staring at the stats. I think it's always active, shielding me even when I'm not paying attention. It will trigger automatically, keeping me safe when I need it most.
It is perfect for tough battles. Even if I got overwhelmed or faced enemies I didn't expect, this ability had my back. Like a hidden shield watching over me, ensuring I wouldn't be slowed, trapped, or controlled. Knowing it was there… it felt amazing.
Suddenly, another notification appeared.
[System Prompt]
Name your Arcane Weapon: _______
A floating keyboard glowed softly in front of me, waiting for my input.
"I guess it needs a name…" The cursor glowed, waiting for me to type.
I typed Solaris to name my Arcane Weapon.
The moment I pressed Enter, a spark of gentle flames burst forth, swirling around the spear. The heat wasn't burning, just warm, like it was acknowledging its owner.
A smile spread across my face as I gripped the spear tighter. "With an Arcane Weapon and this ability, I can take on anything this game throws at me."
I thrust and slashed through the air, imagining every strike in battle.
The Phoenix Spear felt ready in my hands.
Determined, I moved deeper into the forest, scanning every corner and rustle of leaves for the first sign of my target.
[System Tip]
Call your Arcane Weapon to summon it at your side. To dismiss it, select [▶Unsummon].
A holographic display appeared above my spear.
[▶Unsummon]
[▶Flame Wings (Unlocks at Level 40)]
[▶Phoenix Beast (Unlocks at Level 60)]
I selected [▶Unsummon] to see if my spear would actually vanish.
It blazed for a second, then disappeared.
Grinning, I shouted, "Solaris!" to summon my spear.
A burst of blazing fire erupted in front of me, and my spear materialized in my hand once again.
Satisfied, I continued wandering through the forest, alert and searching for my target.
After wandering through the Lumen Forest, I finally found them.
Dire Wolves.
A translucent screen flickered into existence beside me, displaying the monster's details.
[!] Monster Classification [!]
[Monster: Dire Wolf]
[Rank: E-Class]
A large wolf with dark fur and piercing eyes. Known for its speed and ferocity in the wild. Hunts in packs and chases prey until it is caught.
I crouched low inside a thick bush, barely daring to breathe. One wrong move and they would notice me.
My grip tightened around my spear. Sweat slicked my palms, but turning back was not an option anymore.
"Inhale… exhale… Malachi, you've played plenty of online action games. You can do this," I whispered to myself.
Instead of calming me, my chest tightened even more.
Five of them.
They prowled back and forth, restless and alert, like predators waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
I took one last deep breath and stepped out of the bush.
At once, shimmering text appeared above their heads.
‹ Dire Wolf ›
HP: 100/100
"If only Claude were here." A thought of frustration lingered through me.
The pack froze.
Five pairs of glowing eyes snapped toward me. Low growls rolled from their throats, vibrating through the clearing.
I raised my spear and let out a roar as I charged forward.
The wolves reacted instantly. With furious snarls, they surged toward me as one, paws pounding the ground and sending dirt and leaves flying.
The first Dire Wolf reached me.
I pierced its side with the tip of my spear, and a glowing red number appeared above its body, showing the damage.
[-50]
The wolf yelped and stumbled back, but it wasn't finished. Its health bar was only halfway down.
Before I could prepare for another strike, four wolves lunged at me, fangs bared and claws sharp as blades.
I gritted my teeth and spun my spear in a wide circle. The steel whistled through the air, and with a sharp slash to the right, I caught all four mid-leap.
[-50]
[-50]
[-50]
[-50]
Their health bars flickered as damage registered, each was now cut in half. The wolves howled in pain as their bodies crashed to the ground.
I stumbled back, panting. My arms shook as I tightened my grip on the spear. My attacks were strong, but not enough to take them down in a single strike.
The four wolves pushed themselves up again, blood dripping from their wounds. Their growls deepened, eyes burning brighter with rage. The rest of the pack closed in, teeth bared.
Five against one.
They charged at me, claws tearing across the ground.
I focused on the first wolf—the one I had slashed earlier. It was weaker now, movements sluggish.
It lunged, and I thrust my spear upward. The blade sank deep into its chest.
[You have slain a Dire Wolf!]
Its body shattered into glowing light before vanishing.
The remaining four wolves didn't hesitate. They lunged at me at once, claws swiping. I swung my spear sideways in a wide arc, steel ringing against their strikes.
One wolf leapt high into the air, aiming straight for me. I dropped low, sliding my knee across the ground. With a sharp thrust, my spear pierced its stomach. A quick slash followed, and the wolf burst apart into light.
[You have slain a Dire Wolf!]
Three remained.
They prowled around me, glowing eyes narrowed. Blood dripped from their wounds, staining the ground. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I tightened my grip on the spear.
I needed a plan.
I flicked open my player status window in the corner of my vision.
"Damn… no skills yet," I muttered.
The wolves struck again. One lunged, claws extended. I sidestepped and delivered a powerful kick to its side.
[-5]
The number floated above its head, but it barely flinched. "Only five damage?!" I hissed.
Still, the kick toppled it over. I stabbed quickly before it could rise.
[You have slain a Dire Wolf!]
Before I could catch my breath, another slammed into me. My back hit the ground hard. The wolf snarled, pressing down on me, jaws snapping inches from my face.
"Ahgghh!" I gritted my teeth, holding it back with the shaft of my spear braced against its chest.
Worse, the other sank its fangs into my boots, tearing at my feet. Pain shot up my legs.
With a surge of strength, I shoved the wolf off and swung my spear in a sharp slash.
[You have slain a Dire Wolf!]
One wolf crouched low, growling. Then it leapt—the two bodies soaring through the air at the same time.
I steadied my stance, lowered my spear, and gripped it tight.
"Come on, then!"
With all my strength, I thrust forward. The spear pierced through, and the bodies exploded into glowing light.
[You have slain a Dire Wolf!]
Silence fell over the forest.
I stood there, chest heaving, sweat dripping from my brow. My hands shook as I tightened my grip on the spear's handle.
I hadn't realized this game would feel so real. The sweat dripping down my face, the blood on my skin… the bite from earlier still burned, the wounds aching with every movement. It was as if the sharp teeth of those Dire Wolves were still lodged in my flesh.
Even so, my HP hadn't dropped. But when the Dire Wolves had attacked earlier, their fangs really did cut into me, and my health had plummeted.
I wiped the sweat from my forehead and checked my Player Status.
Malachi Paisley [Lvl. 5]
HP: 470/500
EXP: 0/100
Seeing the numbers gave me a little comfort. At least I wasn't close to dying… but I had to be careful next time.
[Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
Lv. 1 → Lv. 5
"Oh! I leveled up! Maybe this time I'll finally get some skills!" I exclaimed, eyes shining with excitement.