A soft breeze rustled the tall grass as Lucas Ellsworth slowly opened his eyes.
His white dress shirt clung to his body, slightly damp with sweat, while his black pants were dusted with dirt from the ground.
His fingers twitched and his mind was hazy.
The world before him was unlike anything he had seen before — thick, towering trees, lush greenery, and the scent of fresh earth mixed with the distant chirping of birds.
His brows furrowed as he sat up, placing a hand on his head.
"What the hell…?"
His thoughts were sluggish, but then it hit him like a lightning bolt — his name was Lucas Ellsworth, 21 years old. He was a pro-gamer, someone who spent more time in Ethereon Online than in actual reality.
He had been in his room… playing the game… and then—
Nothing.
Now, he was here.
His chest rose and fell, his mind racing as he stared at the endless fields of grass, thick shrubbery, and ancient trees around him.
"Did I… pass out from overplaying? Did I—"
He suddenly shook his head, scolding himself.
"No, no. I'm thinking too far. That kind of thing only happens in fantasy light novels, right?"
Yet, even as he tried to dismiss the thought, a nagging feeling remained. Everything felt real. The warmth of the sun on his skin, the soft crunch of the grass beneath his fingers, the subtle humidity in the air — this wasn't some VR immersion.
Slowly, he pushed himself up and just looked around like a lost puppy.
"Okay… if this is a dream, I'll wake up soon. If not, then…"
His voice trailed off as his eyes landed on something in the distance—a small village.
The sight made his blood run cold.
A familiar stone-paved path.
Wooden houses with slanted roofs.
A village square with an old fountain.
His breathing hitched.
"No way… This is—"
Heartvale Village.
The beginner village in Ethereon Online. The place where every newbie started, taking on small quests and grinding levels before setting out into the greater world.
"This place… this is real? No, no, no—!"
Panic surged through him as he quickly swiped his index finger through the air.
Nothing.
His status board didn't appear.
His heart pounded as he swiped again.
Nothing.
His hands trembled.
"No… no, no, no, no! This can't be happening!"
Everything in him screamed that this was wrong.
No UI. No status board. No logout button.
But then—was this even the game anymore?
Before he could spiral further, he clenched his fists, taking deep breaths.
"Okay, calm down. Maybe the UI is bugged… maybe it's just a messed-up event or something…"
Determined, he stormed toward the village, his mind clouded with frustration.
But when he arrived, the situation only worsened.
The village was packed—hundreds of players, all in their in-game avatars.
Their outfits, armor, and weapons varied wildly, but their faces shared one thing in common—confusion, frustration, and growing dread.
"I need to speak to the damn GMs right now!"
A heavily armored tank player shouted.
"I have work tomorrow! This better not be some dumb special event, I swear—!"
"This isn't funny! Why the hell am I back in Heartvale?! Do you know how much time and effort it took to get to the Frozen Continent?! FUUUUCK!"
Lucas took a shaky step back.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
He wasn't alone. Everyone was stranded here.
And then—he noticed something.
The sun was bright and warm, making him squint.
The wind carried the scent of sunflowers.
The air had moisture.
His stomach churned.
In the game, you didn't have true sensory input.
The world was beautifully rendered, but it was still just visual and descriptive cues.
But now…
He could feel everything.
His hands clenched. His breath came in short bursts.
"This isn't just a game anymore…"
And then—
A voice echoed from the skies.
[Welcome to Ethereon Online's latest patch!]
Everyone froze.
The voice boomed with an unnatural authority, as though the heavens themselves were speaking.
[You have now become products of this world!]
Gasps spread through the crowd.
[Every player here has been chosen by the Supreme Will to become real characters in Ethereon. Your role is simple—drive the events of this world by participating!]
Lucas's blood turned ice-cold.
The voice continued, unfazed by the mounting horror in the players' expressions.
[Your achievements from before do not matter. Your stats have been randomized. Some will rise, some will fall. Luck will decide your fate.]
Some players paled. Others clenched their fists in fury.
[But fear not, for everything in this world can be attained — wealth, power, status, treasures, even godhood!]
The words slithered into their ears like poison.
[Fight for it. Kill for it… you are the players. Take what you want. Just remember—]
A cruel pause.
[If you die, you die for real.]
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
The village erupted into chaos.
Players screamed, cursed, shouted in panic.
"No way! You're joking, right?!"
"This isn't fair! I never signed up for this!"
"There has to be laws against this!"
But the voice had no mercy.
[Access to status boards have been granted. You have sixty seconds to go through your new character sheets. A Goblin General and its army will attack Heartvale Village. If you wish to survive, you will fight or run.]
Lucas's breath caught in his throat.
His fingers twitched.
Then—
A shimmering screen appeared before him.
A collective gasp spread across the crowd.
Everyone's status board had finally returned.
Players frantically scanned their stats.
Some cheered. Some wailed in despair.
"YES! My level 2 character is now level 60!"
"WHAT?! I was level 150! WHY THE HELL AM I LEVEL 30?!"
Lucas hesitated before looking at his own status board.
… And his heart stopped.
His entire stat screen was blank.
Every single stat.
Zero.
His lips trembled.
"No… no, no, no. This… this isn't right!"
He was level 99 before! He had spent so many years of his life grinding his character, collecting rare equipment, mastering every mechanic!
And now—
Nothing.
His vision blurred as cold sweat dripped down his back.
"No… this can't be happening…"
And then—
A deafening roar shook the earth.
A massive goblin, towering above the rooftops, emerged from the horizon—its twisted grin revealing rows of jagged teeth. Behind it, an army of hundreds of goblins charged toward the village.
A countdown appeared in the air.
40 seconds until the attack begins.
Lucas's breath came in ragged gasps.
His hands trembled. His legs felt like lead.
No stats. No weapons. No gear.
He was weaker than a level 1 player.
"Shit—I'm dead."