Neon lay still on the grass, afraid to breathe too loudly.
The sky above him was impossibly vast, painted in shades of blue he had only ever seen on loading screens and fantasy artwork. White clouds drifted lazily, slow and calm, as if the world itself was unhurried. A soft breeze brushed against his skin, carrying the scent of earth and something faintly sweet—mana.
Mana.
The word alone sent a shiver through his spine.
"This isn't a dream…" Neon whispered.
Dreams didn't feel like this. Dreams didn't have weight, smell, temperature. He could feel the cool grass beneath his palms, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, the strange energy flowing through the air and into his lungs with every breath.
He sat up slowly, half-expecting everything to vanish.
It didn't.
Instead, the view expanded.
Rolling plains stretched endlessly around him, dotted with glowing flowers and ancient trees whose leaves shimmered faintly like they were absorbing light. Far in the distance, jagged mountains pierced the sky, their peaks wrapped in mist. Even farther—barely visible—stood a massive city surrounded by walls etched with glowing runes.
Neon's throat tightened.
"It's exactly the same…"
The same as that game.
The game he had poured thousands of hours into. The one world where he had felt competent. Where effort was rewarded, and failure was just another step forward.
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
Suddenly, a translucent blue screen materialized before his eyes.
[Status Window]
Name: Neon
Race: Human
Age: 16
Class: Unassigned
Level: 1
HP: 100 / 100
MP: 100 / 100
Strength: 5
Agility: 6
Vitality: 5
Intelligence: 7
Luck: 3
Neon stared at the screen, eyes wide.
"…A system."
His voice trembled—not from fear, but from shock and excitement. This wasn't just a similar world. This was the world. The exact interface. The same font. The same clean layout burned into his memory after years of gaming.
He reached out instinctively.
His hand passed straight through the screen.
"Okay," he muttered. "Still works like before."
His gaze moved carefully over each stat.
Low.
Painfully low.
Neon laughed weakly.
"So even after reincarnation, I start as trash."
The laughter faded quickly, replaced by something heavier.
In the game, starting weak wasn't a curse. It was an opportunity. But this wasn't a game anymore—not really. Pain would be real. Death would be permanent. There would be no respawns, no reloads.
A memory surfaced—his parents' faces, his father standing silently while relatives mocked him, his mother crying quietly in the kitchen.
Neon clenched his fists.
"I won't run away this time."
The screen flickered again.
[Main Quest Unlocked: The Beginning of Fate]
Objective: Reach the nearest safe settlement
Reward: Class Awakening Opportunity
Neon's heart skipped a beat.
Class Awakening.
In the game, this was the moment everything changed. Swordsman, Mage, Rogue, Summoner—your class determined not only your abilities, but your future. High-tier classes could change the fate of nations. Low-tier ones… struggled to survive.
Neon swallowed.
"I need to be careful."
He stood up slowly, brushing dirt from his clothes. To his surprise, he wasn't wearing his academy uniform anymore. Instead, he wore simple leather clothing—light armor, flexible, meant for beginners. A small pouch hung at his waist, and strapped to his back was a short sword.
Neon unsheathed it.
The blade was dull, nicked from use, but solid.
"Beginner's sword," he murmured. "Just like the tutorial."
The familiarity was comforting—and terrifying.
He took his first step forward.
The grass crunched softly under his boots.
For a moment, Neon froze.
I really died, he thought. And I really came here.
The weight of that truth settled deep in his chest. He had escaped despair… but at the cost of everything he once knew. His parents. His old world. His second chances there.
"I'll live properly," he said quietly. "For them."
As if responding, the wind picked up, rustling the grass.
Neon began walking toward the distant forest.
The forest was beautiful.
Sunlight filtered through towering trees, casting golden patterns across the ground. Small creatures scurried through bushes, and glowing insects hovered lazily in the air.
Too beautiful.
Neon remembered this area.
"Beginner Forest," he muttered. "Low-level mobs… but not harmless."
His grip tightened on the sword.
A sudden rustle came from the left.
Neon stopped.
Another rustle.
Then—a growl.
From behind a tree emerged a creature the size of a large dog. Its body was lean and muscular, fur dark gray, eyes glowing faint red.
[Wild Fang Wolf – Level 3]
Neon's breath caught.
"In the game… these were easy."
But this wasn't a screen.
The wolf lowered its body, muscles tensing.
Neon's instincts screamed.
Move.
The wolf lunged.
Neon barely reacted in time, rolling sideways as claws tore through the space where he'd been standing. The impact shook the ground. His heart pounded violently.
"That was too close!"
He scrambled to his feet, adrenaline flooding his body.
The wolf turned, growling, saliva dripping from its fangs.
Neon remembered the pattern.
Left dodge, bait the leap, counter from the right.
The wolf charged again.
Neon forced himself to stay calm.
At the last second, he stepped aside.
The wolf overshot.
Neon swung the sword with everything he had.
The blade bit into flesh.
[Critical Hit!]
[HP -34]
The wolf howled in pain, stumbling.
Neon didn't hesitate.
He struck again.
And again.
Finally, the creature collapsed, its body dissolving into particles of light.
Neon fell to his knees, gasping.
"I… I did it."
His hands shook uncontrollably—not from weakness, but from realization.
He had killed something.
A chime echoed.
[Enemy Defeated!]
[EXP Gained: 30]
[Level Up!]
Level: 2
Stat Points Available: 5
Neon stared at the screen, chest rising and falling rapidly.
Despite the fear… despite the horror…
He felt alive.
More alive than he ever had in the academy.
He slowly stood up.
"This world…" he whispered.
"This world might break me."
He looked toward the distant city, its runes glowing like a promise.
"But it might also save me."
Neon tightened his grip on the sword.
And stepped forward.