The rain was relentless, pounding against Sophia's window like a thousand tiny hammers. Thunder shook the walls, rattling the picture frames and sending a shiver down her spine. She pulled her blanket tighter around her shoulders and stared at her computer screen, heart racing. Tonight was supposed to be a quiet night, just her and the newest VR MMORPG, Eterna Realm, but the storm outside made everything feel… alive. There was electricity in the air, a strange hum that seemed almost like a warning.
Sophia, 22, had played games before, but nothing like this. Her hands hovered over the keyboard and controller, trembling slightly—not from fear, but anticipation. The rain drummed faster against the glass as if counting down the seconds. She adjusted her headset and whispered, "Here goes nothing," before clicking "Enter World."
Suddenly, a violent gust of wind burst through her window, slamming it open with a deafening crash. Papers flew everywhere, her headset nearly slipping off her head. Sophia scrambled to grab it, but before she could steady herself, a black blur engulfed her vision. Her room disappeared, her body felt weightless, and the roar of the storm outside transformed into something sharper, closer, more… alive.
When her vision cleared, she was standing on a slick cobblestone street, rain soaking through the fabric of her coat. Lightning illuminated the tall, shadowed towers surrounding her, and the thunder didn't just rumble—it vibrated through her chest. The air smelled of wet stone, smoke, and something sweetly metallic she couldn't name. Sophia's heart raced as she realized the impossible: she wasn't in her room anymore.
A glowing message hovered in front of her eyes, pulsating with a strange rhythm:
Welcome, Sophia. Your name is permanent. Main mission: Do NOT marry Luka.
Her pulse quickened. Permanent? Main mission? The words burned in her mind as she looked down at her hands. They were hers—real, not the usual blocky avatar she was used to in games. The water on the cobblestones reflected her image back at her, her brown hair plastered to her cheeks, blue eyes wide with shock. The system's words repeated in her mind like a mantra: she could not marry Luka.
Her first instinct was disbelief. This had to be a glitch. But the world around her felt too vivid to be fake. Each raindrop that splashed against her skin, each gust of wind that made the street lamps flicker—it all screamed reality. Her chest tightened as the storm intensified, and a shiver ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold. Something told her that this game… was not just a game.
Sophia's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden movement. From the shadows of an alley, a figure emerged—tall, confident, and radiating a dangerous energy. Even through the rain, she could see his black hair plastered to his forehead, and his eyes—red, piercing, almost glowing—locked onto her. A chill ran down her spine. The system pulsed again:
Warning: Potential encounter. Choice consequences will affect mission progression.
Before she could react, the man's lips curved into a half-smile. "You must be Sophia," he said, his voice smooth and confident. "I've been expecting you."
Sophia's heart pounded. She wanted to run, but her legs felt like lead. The system had already marked him as Luka, and every instinct screamed to obey the mission rules: do not marry. Yet something in the way he looked at her made her want to defy everything she knew.
A sudden flash of lightning illuminated the street, and she saw movement—figures lurking, watching, waiting. The rain wasn't just water anymore; it seemed almost alive, wrapping the city in a haze that hid danger at every corner. The system pulsed another message:
First mission unlocked: Survive the city for 24 hours. Reward: +20 XP, unlock "Survival Instinct" skill.
Sophia's breath caught. Survive? In a world that felt alive and dangerous? Her mind raced as she realized: this wasn't just a game. Every choice mattered, every action had consequences. And Luka—standing in the pouring rain, red eyes locked on her—was only the beginning.
She took a tentative step forward, boots splashing through puddles, heart hammering in her chest. Every instinct screamed to run, hide, survive—but a part of her, a dangerous part, wanted to see what came next. With the storm raging, the city alive around her, and a man who was dangerous in every possible way watching her, Sophia knew one thing for certain: her life had just changed forever.
Lightning flashed again, and in that brief, blinding moment, she swore she saw shadows moving in the corners of the streets—figures that weren't human, shapes that hinted at danger, betrayal, and secrets waiting to be uncovered. Sophia swallowed hard. This world was dangerous, yes—but it was also irresistible.
And so, with trembling hands and a heart racing faster than she thought possible, Sophia took another step forward into Eterna Realm, unaware that the storm outside was nothing compared to the storm her heart—and her fate—was about to endure.
—END OF CHAPTER 01