When Max opened his eyes, the world around him felt unreal.
He stood in what looked like the grand hall of a palace tall marble columns stretched toward a vaulted ceiling painted in gold, long crimson carpets ran beneath his feet, and rows of flickering torches cast warm, restless light on the walls.
"Where am I?" Max whispered to himself, his voice echoing faintly. "What is this place?"
Just moments ago, he had pressed YES on that strange screen and now he was standing in a place that didn't belong to reality. His body felt the same; his heart was pounding, his breath is normal. This can't be real right. Is this… a dream?
He looked around in disbelief, still trying to make sense of it all, when he noticed someone standing across the hall. A girl or at least, she looked like one. She was dressed in a light green cloak trimmed, her long red hair flowing down her back like fire in motion. For a moment, Max could only stare. She looked like she had stepped straight out of a video game.
Before he could say a word, she smiled gently.
"Welcome," she said, her voice is very calm.
Max blinked. "Where is this place?" he asked, taking a cautious step forward. "And… who are you?"
Max stared at the girl, her expression calm yet unreadable.
"I've been designed to explain your current situation," she said, her voice smooth and clear, echoing slightly in the grand hall. "You can think of me as an AI guide or something like an NPC in a game. Right now, you're in Dimension Zero, also known as the Entry Dimension."
Max frowned, still trying to process her words. "How do I get back home?" he asked, his voice a mix of confusion and growing curiosity.
The girl tilted her head slightly, almost as if she had expected the question. "If you clear all 200 dimensions, everyone be able to return," she replied simply.
"'Everyone … so there are others?" Max asked quickly.
"Yes," she said. "The first 10 million people who pressed YES are now here."
Max's didn't believe what he heard. 10 million people? He is trying to understand situation. "Who made all this?" he asked. "What's their goal?"
The girl didn't answer. Instead, she lifted her hand and a floating blue screen appeared between them. "Please create your character," she said. "Choose your appearance and name."
Max still thinking who can do something like that when the settings appeared in front of him. He gave his character black hair and blue eyes simple, close enough to himself. When it came to the name, he typed Matt. It felt familiar, close to Max almost like a version of himself in another world.
When he confirmed the name, another holographic panel appeared. Lines of text scrolled across the screen, explaining basic rules and interface mechanics. It was all detailed, familiar menus, stats, inventory and ui . It felt exactly like a play MMORPG in real life.
After reading through the information, Max pressed the Continue button. The girl gave a small nod, her eyes glowing faintly.
"Now," she said, "please create your unique item."
A new window appeared, displaying several mysterious icons and below them, a few short lines outlining the rules of item creation.
---------------------EARTH---------------------------
Luna(max sister) stood at the doorway, her small hands gripping the frame. "Max… can you help me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
There was no answer from his room. She stepped inside slowly and scan the room with eyes but realized it was empty.
"Mom… Max not here," she said, her voice shaking slightly.
Her mother appeared from the kitchen, worry etched across her face. "Not here? Are you sure?"
Before either of them could react, every phone in the house began ringing at once. The sound was sharp and loud . It was an emergency alert for entire world.
The next day, the news reported an event that seemed impossible. Millions had vanished, teleport into another place. Those who had pressed Yes had disappeared instantly, leaving nothing behind.If camera records and eyewitnesses didn't exist no one would have believed it.
Leaders from around the world gave statements, struggling to explain what had happened. Some members of royal families were among those taken. Governments announced that a global commission would be formed to investigate.
Scientists debated how such a thing could even be possible. Goverments and military organizations were trying to calm the situation and reassure the people. Some people whispered that aliens had taken them some people said they are dead.
The entire world seemed frozen. Streets were empty, offices silent because of the curfew, and news channels broadcast the impossible over and over. Humanity was in shock, unable to process what had just happened and what will happen.