Consciousness returned without warning.
E opened his eyes and did not recognize the sky. It was too clear, too evenly lit, lacking the subtle imperfections of weather or atmosphere. When he inhaled, the air felt real—cool, dry, carrying a faint metallic sharpness—but unfamiliar. His body responded instantly. No delay. No numbness.
He sat up.
The grass beneath him was warm. As E looked around, he noticed two other figures sitting close by—both unfamiliar. One was large and dragon-like in appearance, while the other was smaller and resembled a half-elf.
The big guy stood up first. "Hello. Could anyone tell me where I am? My name is Wu."
E's lips curved into a small, restrained smile. Recognition came before surprise.
"Wu," he said calmly, eyes moving over the massive frame in front of him, the scales, the horns, the tail resting heavily against the grass. "Did you eat a dragon? You look like one."
Wu froze.
He lowered his head and looked down at himself properly for the first time. Thick, scaled arms. Clawed hands flexing on instinct. His chest rose and fell heavier than it should have. A long tail shifted behind him, moving as if it had always been there.
"…That's not normal," Wu muttered.
He turned slightly, testing his balance. The weight felt different, but not wrong. Strength coiled under his skin, dense and immediate. Wu lifted one clawed hand closer to his face, rotating it slowly, then flexed his fingers again.
Then he looked back up.
His gaze locked onto the man sitting in front of him.
Wu narrowed his eyes.
"E?
"Yes," E said simply.
Wu let out a short breath, half laugh, half disbelief. "Good. Because if you weren't you, I was about to assume I finally lost it."
He straightened fully, towering now, and glanced around the clearing again.
"So," Wu continued, voice steady despite the circumstances, "either we're dreaming the same dream… or this place just rewrote us."
E's faint smile did not fade.
E then turned toward the half-elf, who was lying on his back, staring up at the sky as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
"Are you Mark?" E asked.
The half-elf shifted, turning his head to face them. His features were sharper than before, ears long and unmistakably elven, yet there was something familiar in his eyes.
"Yes," Mark said. He paused, studying them both in turn. "So why does Wu look like a dragon… and you look human, but feel different?"
Wu glanced sideways at E. "Feel different?"
Mark sat up slowly, resting his weight on his elbows. "Presence," he replied. "You're not normal. Neither of you are. Wu is obvious. You're not."
stood up slowly, testing if even a simple movement felt different. As soon as he was upright, he realized his body was stronger.
"I don't know what happened to us, but this is definitely a new world."
Mark let out a soft sigh and dropped back onto his back, letting the grass support him. He stretched his arms behind his head and blinked up at the sky, calm as ever.
"Yeah… I feel it too," he said casually. "Everything's different. Stronger, sharper… but not in a bad way. Just… new."
He flexed his fingers, then his arms, rolling his shoulders. "Guess we're all figuring out our bodies at the same time."
Wu shifted his weight, watching them both with a mix of curiosity and caution, while E stayed upright, testing his own strength with small, controlled movements.
Before anyone could speak again, a faint shimmer appeared in the air above them. The edges of it were sharp, almost digital, and then, with a soft hum, a translucent interface unfolded right before their eyes.
E's gaze narrowed as he instinctively reached out, though nothing resisted his hand. The panels, symbols, and lines of text floated steadily, anchored in space as if waiting for him to notice.
Wu leaned forward slightly, tail flicking behind him, eyes scanning the display with a mixture of curiosity and caution.
Mark, still lying on his back, propped his head up on one hand and squinted at the shimmering interface, his calm demeanor unchanged.
E stepped closer, already reading and processing the text. His eyes widened slightly as he absorbed the information.
ERace: DemonLevel: 150MP: 5,000
E's lips curved into a faint, almost amused smile. "So… I'm a demon," he said quietly, glancing at the others. "And my name is just… E. Like you've all been calling me."
Mark's lips curved into a small smile, and he let out a quiet laugh. "Figures. You're from Finland, and your name is ridiculously hard to pronounce."
Wu couldn't hold back his laughter either. "Looks like your new name is canon now," he said, shaking his head.
E's faint smile didn't fade, though there was a spark of amusement in his eyes. "I guess I'll have to get used to it," he replied calmly.
Mark shifted slightly, propping himself up on one elbow as he turned his attention to his own character page.
MarkRace: Half High Elf / Half HumanLevel: 150MP: 2,500
He blinked, taking it in calmly. A small smile curved his lips, and he let out a quiet, almost amused laugh. "Well… that fits," he said. "Half elf, half human… still me, just… amplified, I guess."
Wu glanced over at him. "Not bad," he commented, tail flicking behind him. "Better than being stuck with a weird name at least."
Mark rolled his eyes lightly but didn't argue, turning his attention back to the floating interface with a relaxed, thoughtful expression.
Wu finally leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he studied his own character page.
WuRace: DracotaurLevel: 150MP: 1,000
He blinked once, then flexed his arms and tail experimentally, feeling the power coiling through his muscles. A low chuckle rumbled in his throat. "Well… that explains a lot," he muttered, tail flicking behind him. "No wonder I feel… different."
He shifted his weight, stomping lightly on the ground and testing his balance. Each movement felt heavier, stronger, and more controlled than before. "Not bad," Wu added with a grin. "Definitely not bad at all."
Mark and E watched quietly. Mark still calm, E with that faint, observant smile, letting Wu explore his new form.
E suddenly clapped his hands together, causing Wu and Mark to look up at him.
"Well, gentlemen," he said, voice calm but firm, "I guess we should start heading out. See what else we can find in this new world of ours."
Mark sprang to his feet, landing lightly next to Wu. Both of them raised their hands to their foreheads in a perfect salute.
"Yes, boss!" they shouted in unison, voices full of practiced ease.
E plummeted his hand to his own forehead. "Idiots."
Mark let out a small laugh. "Don't be rude. When we played games, you were usually the one in the leading role."
Wu nodded, grinning. "Exactly. You've trained us too well."
Suddenly, a screen popped up directly in front of E.
MENUNew Class Unlocked: Leader
E's eyes flickered briefly over the text, calm and measured as always, though a faint spark of satisfaction crossed his expression.
"Fine," E said, raising his voice just enough to cut through the morning stillness. "Party, move forward."
Wu and Mark exchanged satisfied grins. "Yes, sir!" they chorused, voices full of energy and mock formality.
The trio started walking, side by side, each step carrying a strange new weight but also a sense of freedom. The air was crisp, the grass soft beneath their feet, and for the first time since awakening, none of them felt the need to rush or worry.
Laughter bubbled up between them—light, unrestrained, and entirely genuine. Wu's deep chuckle mingled with Mark's quieter, amused snort, while E allowed a faint, controlled smile to tug at the corner of his lips.
They walked forward together, joking, teasing, and discovering the subtle differences in their new forms, completely unaware of the dangers or challenges that might lie ahead. For now, the world was new, strange, and theirs to explore—and that was enough.