[Atlas Online] has been around for over a decade — a full-dive RPG adapted from a famous Korean web novel titled [I Stole The Protagonist's Place]
There are a lot of playable characters you can play as, with their own respective storyline, classes, skill, etc. No matter who you play as, no one will ever mock you for who you choose.
Excluding Jake Miller obviously.
I mean—who picks a Commander class in an RPG where most people play solo?
Yeah, yeah, I know. You play alone too, you friendless gremlin.
The Commander is a class that's entirely team-reliant. And it forces you to do so.
"I can just fight by myself." Said one of those ego driven players. Nice try buddy, any weapon you wield will be reduced down to 30% of its actual stat.
Players who pick Jake as their main are lovingly referred to by the community as: [Jaking Off].
And yeah. I'm one of those freaks.
—Yesterday, something very strange happened. A message appeared on my screen—one I couldn't close or remove. No matter what I did, it wouldn't disappear. I couldn't even turn off my monitor.
The message kept rambling about me reaching an ending no one had ever seen. I assumed my PC had picked up some bizarre malware, so I just brushed it off thinking it would fix itself in the morning.
After making some vacation announcements on my phone, I go to bed and sleep.
◇◇◇
I was still asleep I'm sure of it. Yet these hologram panels interrupt my dream.
[Initializing…]
[Synchronizing… 10%… 23%… 47%… 76%… 77%]
[!!! ERROR DETECTED !!!]
[Proceeding With The Synchronization...]
[Synchronization Incomplete—77%]
| Due to some error in the process, 23% of the user's data will be stored |
A chime echoed softly in the void—the same chime I heard when I opened AO.
And then—
"Good morning, students. I hope you all had a restful break and are ready for a new year full of learning and growth." The voice came from the front.
"As is our tradition, we would like to hear from one of our exemplary students who will share some words of encouragement and guidance for all of us."
My eyes shot open.
Who's voice is that?
I was seated in what looked like a massive auditorium. My head throbbed like someone had jammed a spear into my skull.
I groaned, slumping forward and pressing my hand against my forehead.
Yeah. This was definitely not my room.
Suddenly, a hand rested on my shoulder.
I flinched and turned—only to meet the gaze of a boy I'd never seen before in my life.
"■■■ is there something wrong?" he asked, concerned can be heard from his voice.
"Y-yeah, I'm alright." I said, before brushing his hand away.
He frowned. "Man...I already told you, you will get overwhelmed around people."
"What do you expect? Am I supposed to skip the ceremony."
Then a voice boomed from the stage.
"Please welcome Namgung Lucian, who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership. Let's give them our applause."
...Lucian?
The auditorium erupted in polite applause—sharp, measured, respectful. The kind of applause you'd give to a national treasure.
The applause shifted, It didn't grow louder. It became sharper, and more deliberate.
A figure stepped onto the stage.
He's tall, his back straight, and every movement measured, as if excess motion had been trained out of him entirely.
Black hair fell neatly across his forehead, interrupted by a streak of white that stood out under the lights. His eyes were a deep ocean blue—not dramatic, not glowing—just calm, steady, and unreadable.
He didn't smile, didn't wave. He simply stood there and accepted the attention as though it were a natural extension of his presence.
That posture, that expression, and the quiet confidence that didn't need to prove itself. Something about it tugged at a memory buried just beneath the surface.
I had seen that stance before, but not here, not in person, but on screen.
Illustrations, character introductions, and opening ceremony scenes that played at the start of every route.
"Namgung Lucian." I muttered. Only then did I realize whose name that belongs to.
Ever since I woke up, I'd had a hunch about where I was.
And once it's been proven, everything else began aligning around it—This place, these characters, this uniform, everything came from AO.
"You're staring pretty hard," the boy beside me muttered, following my gaze.
I didn't answer.
Because if that really was Namgung Lucian standing on that stage—Then this wasn't some vivid dream stitched together from memory.
This was the beginning of the story.
The start of Atlas Online.
—After a short speech from Lucian, the ceremony ended. The first bell rang, signaling the students to leave.
Let's just go with the flow for now.
I walked out of the auditorium with the others. Seniors stood outside, guiding the new students in an orderly stream.
The low murmur of conversation blended into a steady hum, and the pounding in my head finally began to ease.
Not gone.
Just manageable.
"Are you sure you're okay? You looked pale since earlier."
His voice reached me through the noise, slightly distorted—like it had to pass through layers of cotton before landing in my ears.
"Man, I already said I'm fine," I muttered.
Even my own voice didn't feel like it belonged to me.
The crowd continued moving in one direction, and we followed without question.
Ahead, a large holographic panel floated midair, glowing faint blue. Names and symbols flickered across its surface as students gathered around it.
"Oh, this must be where we check our classes," he said casually. "I'll look for mine. You're on your own."
Before I could respond, he slipped into the crowd and vanished.
I stepped closer to the holographic panel. Blue light washed over my face as names rearranged themselves in real time. The panel flickered.
Then my name resurfaced and locked into place in front of me.
[Kylen Noor (237) | Novice—Primus]
Primus.
Same homeroom as the main cast.
"Wait… Isn't this my real name?"
When I first woke up, I thought I might be in someone else's body—my voice sounded different, after all. But maybe this person just happened to share my name.
Primus, huh…?
The corner of my mouth twitched.
"How troublesome."
A sudden force knocked into my shoulder, pushing me slightly into the glowing display.
"Did I bump into someone?"
The voice behind me was deep and confident. And more importantly, far too close.
I turned.
He was massive—easily a head taller than me. Broad shoulders, an effortlessly straight posture, beautiful tan skin, neatly styled black hair, and sharp golden eyes that never wavered.
Even without the floating data window in my vision, I would've recognized him.
Ranked thirteenth in overall stats. The first prince of Egypt. The fifth male lead.
Kahleed Karim.
"Oh! Sorry, brother. Didn't see you there." He laughed lightly.
"Don't worry about it," I replied. "It's my fault for being short."
He blinked—then laughed harder. "Hahaha… you're funny."
A faint notification surfaced in the corner of my vision.
[Kahleed Karim is interested in you]
[Stranger → Acquaintance]
"My name is Kahleed Karim, by the way. Nice to meet you."
"Kylen Noor."
"What a great name. In my language, Noor means light."
"Obviously. One glance at me and you can tell I'm a very bright man."
"Hahaha!"
His laughter rang out far louder than expected. He was famous for having terrible humor in the game, but I didn't think he'd laugh this much.
[Kahleed Karim feels a deep bond with you]
[Acquaintance → Friend]
—————
✪ Achievement Unlocked ✪
• Become friends with a main character
✪ Rewards:
• 1 D-Rank Equipment Selection Ticket
• 3 SP
—————
"What?"
I stared at the window in disbelief.
It used to take me days to befriend a main character in AO. And now I did it with a bad joke?
"What's wrong, Kylen? Something on my face?"
"N-no. Nothing."
"Really? Well, I've got to go. Meeting some friends. Nice talking to you."
"Yeah. See you."
Kahleed walked off toward his classroom, leaving me in the middle of the thinning crowd.
Now what?
I knew my class. I had already befriended one of the main characters. And yet… I feel like I'm forgetting something important.
I stood there for a while before finally heading to my classroom.
◆◆◆
I stopped in front of the door and sighed.
The moment I stepped inside, I would officially connect to the storyline.
Hesitation twisted in my stomach, but I forced myself forward.
The door slid open. The hum of chatter washed over me.
The classroom looked like something out of a futuristic academy brochure. Polished white steel walls reflected the soft overhead lights. The air was cool and perfectly regulated, carrying a faint scent of fresh polish.
Four ascending tiers of desks rose toward the back like a miniature auditorium. Chairs were aligned with mechanical precision. Every surface was pristine.
I brushed my fingers over a desk, feeling the smooth finish beneath my palm.
My heartbeat pounded in my ears as I scanned the room.
Familiar faces stood out immediately—the male leads, a few supporting characters, and...
The protagonist.
Han Seora.
Her long jet-black hair swayed as she laughed with her friends. Her face looked unreal, the kind that would top every search result for "Korean beauty." It was as if the world itself applied a filter to her—removing every flaw and sharpening every strength.
She didn't just stand out.
The room seemed built around her.
I walked past her group, considering where to sit. Kahleed, seated in the middle row, waved at me.
I waved back.
Suddenly, someone bumped into me from behind.
I turned.
The student who had hit me looked startled—almost frightened. His eyes flicked past me, scanning the empty space behind my back as if he'd expected something else to be there.
Then he simply walked away, confusion still etched across his face.
I stood there for a second longer than I should have.
…What was that?
I moved to the back row and took a seat. From here, the holographic display at the front was perfectly visible. The chair was surprisingly comfortable.
Honestly, ten out of ten classroom.
The door slid open again. A teacher entered, and students hurried to their seats.
Behind him, a girl stepped into the room.
She had a doll-like face, a neatly trimmed crimson red hair, and an intimidating ruby-like eyes. As she walked down the aisle, whispers bloomed. Everyone had their own opinion about her.
The teacher gestured for her to sit.
She walked all the way to the back.
And took the seat beside me.
She wasn't ordinary either.
First daughter of the House of Fire. Ranked fifth in overall stats. And one of the central villains in the storyline.
Iliana Vexana von Helena.
The most tragic villainess in AO.
◆◆◆
As Kylen passed her group earlier, Han Seora had noticed him.
A messy black hair fell forward, partially covering his eyes. Neither tall nor short. Nothing particularly remarkable at first glance.
In fact, his presence felt faint—lower than even a background extra.
And yet—
Something about him felt wrong.
Like a mismatch.
Like his soul didn't quite fit the body he was wearing.
Her smile faded slightly.
Who is that boy?
To be continued.