----Chapter 1----
Keileen opened his eyes.
He found himself lying on the wide prairie outside Ethille, where all adventurers who played Etherissia Online spawned.
Tall grass moved in the wind, brushing against his cloak. Wildflowers dotted the ground, and the hills rolled far into the distance. Birds flew overhead, their calls sharp.
The world hummed with digital noise, the same familiar view he remembered from the first time he played.
For a moment, it felt peaceful. Like nothing had happened. Almost.
Everyone else was Level 1. But Keileen kept everything. Every skill, every spell, every cheat.
The glitch had given him power. He remembered all the shortcuts. He could still feel the magic pulsing in his hands.
He hid behind the rocks and whispered,
[Skill Activated: Fireball]
Fireball!!!
A small flame appeared in his palm. It was warm, steady, and sharp. The faint scent of sulfur reached his nose. Perfect. Still his.
Maybe he should hide his strength, act like a beginner, do easy quests, explore safely, and keep quiet.
He brushed the dust off his cloak and walked toward Ethille. The town looked lively: merchants shouted, blacksmiths hammered, and children laughed.
But something felt wrong. Windows flickered like broken mirrors. Street lamps blinked and died. NPCs repeated the same lines again and again.
"Welcome, traveler!"
"Welcome, traveler!"
"Wel…come, traveler…"
Keileen's stomach tightened. His fingers gripped his sword. The air felt charged, like static before a storm.
He slipped into an alley and pulled up his stat window.
[STATUS WINDOW OPENED]
Name: Keileen
Level: 1
Health: 150 / 200
Mana: 100 / 150
Vitality: 35
Strength: 40
Agility: 38
Intelligence: 42
Stamina: 25 / 50
Passive: Unlocks at Level 5
Unique Skill: Conceal Status [LOCKED]
He noticed immediately—his HP and MP were higher than any other Level 1 player he had seen.
It wasn't maxed, but still far above normal. He remembered when he first entered the game; stats like this at Level 1 were unheard of.
He closed the window and held his rusty, cheap sword tight, the one the system gave every new avatar.
Then, he stepped out into the streets.
Act weak, move like a newbie, survive, and hide the fact that he was stronger than anyone else.
The plaza was crowded. Players shouted near the fountain in panic.
"No logout button!" one man yelled, shaking his game screen.
"No way! A bug!" another cried, pale-faced.
New players whispered, frightened.
"If we die here… what happens?"
"No one answers from the outside."
"I messaged the support system… no response."
Fear filled the air. Some players laughed nervously. Others sat with their heads down, whispering prayers.
Keileen stayed at the edge, silent, watching, invisible. A chill ran down his back. No logout, no escape.
The world was breaking. Lights flickered. Leaves trembled. Distant mountains shimmered unnaturally.
So… it was really happening, just like before.
***
He left the town. Outside, newly respawned Level 1 players were trapped. Kobolds surrounded them.
A furfolk mage trembled, about to be struck. Her robes fluttered in the wind, her breath quick and shallow.
Then—
> SYSTEM ALERT
[EXCLUSIVE QUEST AVAILABLE]
Quest: Save the Adventurers
Reward: ???
Accept Quest? [YES] [NO]
Keileen blinked. A new quest? That was different. The system was testing him. Help them, and reveal his power. Do nothing, and they would die.
I guess old habits died hard.
He moved. Time froze. It was one of his glitch skills. He could bend time itself—freeze it, slow it, twist it. For him, nothing was impossible.
The Kobold lunged, its claws suspended in midair.
His cheap blade flashed twice, clean and precise. Silence followed, broken only by shallow breaths.
> SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[QUEST COMPLETE]
Exclusive Quest: Save the Adventurers
EXP Gained: +120
Bonus Reward: [Unidentified Scroll]
Cooldown: 12 hours
He raised an eyebrow.
A cooldown for saving people? Harsh.
A glowing scroll appeared at his feet.
[MESSAGE NOTIFICATION]
Item Acquired: ??? Scroll
Requires [Identify] skill to reveal properties.
Accept / Decline
Needs identifying, huh?
he whispered, and clicked Accept.
He decided to keep it for later. Maybe it would be useful. The system even gave him the option to decline. It seemed that exclusive quest rewards could be sent directly through the mail.
With a flick of his fingers, time began to flow again. In an instant, the kobolds vanished into dust.
The three players stared at him, eyes wide in awe and confusion.
"Did you see that?" one whispered, shaking.
The furfolk mage stepped forward.
"I'm Lyra, Arcane Mage."
Next, the dwarf.
"Garrick, Rune Cleaver."
Finally, the elf.
"Selene, Phantom Dancer. You're not bad."
Selene looked at the ground where the kobolds had fallen.
"Wait… did they drop loot?" She bent down, but the grass rustled.
Three other players appeared: a mage, a rogue, and a Brute Master. They smirked.
"Hey! That's our loot!" the rogue shouted.
The big man cracked his knuckles.
"I'm Dieval. Remember it, losers."
Keileen sighed. Of course. Their laughter brought back old memories.
THUD!
Dieval stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "I'm Dieval. Remember it, losers."
Keileen flinched as Dieval's fist connected with his jaw. Pain bloomed across his face and ribs, sharp and biting, mingling with the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. His vision swam, fists blurring as they came again and again.
Selene muttered, "Hey, easy there," and took a step back, her hand hovering near her daggers. She clearly wasn't eager to get involved.
Lyra's hand went to her staff, but she hesitated. Dieval's Brute Master was much bigger than Garrick. Was it worth the risk for a few pieces of loot?
Why did it always end like this? He had always been quiet, awkward, easy prey.
Then he saw him—Riven. He stood tall even when cornered, with dark hair and calm eyes. He took the hits without a word. Something inside Keileen snapped.
"Hey! Leave him alone!" he shouted.
They all turned on him. Fists, kicks, laughter, pain.
Later, Riven helped him up and handed him a game disc.
"Try this," he said.
"Etherissia. It's popular. Might be fun."
That night, Keileen put on the CPR gear—Comprehensive Personal Reality. It didn't save lives. It trapped them. He didn't know then that the game would swallow him whole.
Now, Dieval still grinned.
"Hand it over, or we'll take it."
Keileen stepped forward and pushed Selene and Garrick back.
"It's fine. Take it. We're not fighting over it."
Selene frowned, turning to Keileen.
"What!? Why'd you just give it to them? That's ours!"
Lyra sighed.
"He's right. No time to fight players. Survive first."
Garrick grunted. "Fine."
Dieval's group walked away.
Then, the system chimed again.
> SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
[NEW QUEST AVAILABLE]
Quest: Blobbling Hunt
Objective: Eliminate 50 Blobblings
Progress: 0 / 50
Deadline: Until Sunset
Condition: Must be in a party of 5 members
Reward: EXP + Random Drop
Another one?
Keileen muttered.
The three looked at each other. Lyra spoke softly.
"Will you join our party?"
Their hopeful eyes left him little room to refuse.
"Fine," he said.
Can't do this solo.
Selene jumped.
"Yes! Welcome!"
Lyra smiled.
"Glad to have you." Garrick slapped his back.
"Stick with us, rookie!"
Keileen started to respond, then noticed something.
"We need five, still one short." He said.
"Right…" Lyra looked around.
"But where…?"
A soft voice interrupted.
"Can I join your party?"
They turned. A hooded girl stood there—red skin, golden horns, eyes like molten gold. She moved like a predator, calm and dangerous.
Lyra blinked.
"Uh… yes? Welcome!"
Selene grinned. "Strong. I like that."
Garrick chuckled. "Perfect timing!"
The girl lowered her hood and smiled faintly.
"Kina. I usually travel alone, but this looks interesting."
Just like that, their party was complete.
> SYSTEM MESSAGE
[Party Formed: Green Verdict]
Members: Lyra, Garrick, Selene, Kina, Keileen
Quest: Blobbling Hunt – Active
Location: Ethille Village, Southern Clearing
***
The sun set. Gold and orange painted the prairie.
We walked to the forest. Grass crunched. Smoke and wet earth smelled in the air. Leaves rustled, warning us.
Blobblings bounced ahead. They were cute, jelly-like, and quivered. Their bodies reflected sunlight.
"I can't believe we're doing this as a group," Selene muttered. She spun a dagger. Her grin didn't reach her eyes.
Lyra's staff glowed.
"Solo isn't always smart. Numbers can save you."
Garrick flexed his fists.
"Numbers are fine, but don't depend on them. They freeze up."
Kina adjusted her broadsword. Her golden eyes glinted.
"I don't care about teamwork. I fight strong enemies."
I stayed back, quiet, listening.
Maybe they were good. Maybe I could trust them. Or maybe I was wrong.
"How long have you been together?"
I asked.
Lyra smiled, a sad look.
"A long time, since Etherissia started. We were in a dungeon, fighting Pluffs. Then this glitch. Now we're back in Ethille, Level one, no logout."
I nodded. "Same for me… mostly."
Selene's ears twitched.
"Maybe if we beat the game, we can leave."
"Yeah, maybe," Lyra said.
"But Green Verdict isn't just any party."
"Rock traps, angry bosses, everything," Garrick added, a chuckle.
Kina tilted her head, amused. "Sounds fun."
Lyra nodded.
"With you two, maybe we'll clear something big."
The wind stirred. It grew stronger. Leaves rattled. Twigs snapped.
Selene's ears twitched.
"Did you hear that?"
Lyra's staff glimmered.
"That… wasn't a Blobbling."
Garrick clenched his fists.
"Everyone, get ready."
The bush ahead shivered. No system updates, no monster alerts, nothing.
"That's… impossible," Lyra whispered.
I gripped my sword. My pulse quickened. The forest smelled wrong: damp earth, rotting leaves, a metallic tang. It raised the hair on my neck.
The Blobblings scattered. They squealed. Shadows moved in the trees, too fast to see.
I focused. My senses sharpened. My heart beat hard, but my face stayed calm. Act like a rookie, move carefully, and survive.
One shadow lunged. My sword moved fast, a clean arc. A low growl answered.
"Who's ready for fun?" Selene hissed. Her eyes glinted.
Garrick grinned. "Looks like the real game is starting."
Kina stepped into the fight. Her broadsword swung. It cut a Blobbling in two. The halves bounced.
Lyra chanted. Blue magic gathered. Sparks flew. Another Blobbling disintegrated.
I stayed back, calculating. My fireball flickered, warm and steady. This was not just a game. Every move meant life or death, for me and for them.
And then, another sound of rustling came from another bush.
What now? Was it a monster?