It was a typical day. Zero was lounging around, enjoying the simple pleasures of life as he usually did. He was cheerful, carefree, and content in his quiet moments. The world outside felt peaceful, as if it were in harmony with his easygoing nature. But as the day went on, hunger began to gnaw at him. He stretched lazily and decided it was time to get some food.
He got up from the couch and walked toward the door, pausing to wave goodbye to Karma, who was still asleep, curled up in a blanket. With a soft chuckle, he stepped outside, savoring the cool air on his face. His usual route took him to the store, a short walk through familiar streets where nothing out of the ordinary ever seemed to happen.
But today, something felt different. As he strolled toward the corner, a strange sensation prickled at the back of his neck. It wasn’t anything he could immediately place, but it made him uneasy. He glanced around, trying to shake off the feeling, but it lingered, like an unshakable shadow following him.
Then, with no warning, the air around him shimmered. A swirling portal materialized right in front of him, crackling with energy. Zero froze, startled. He took a step back, unsure of what to make of it. It wasn’t every day that a portal just appeared in the middle of the street.
He attempted to walk around it, but to his confusion, the portal seemed to follow him, hovering in the air with a mind of its own. His heart began to race as the feeling of unease deepened. Something wasn’t right. Panic set in as he turned to run, but before he could get far, an invisible force gripped him. The portal tugged at him, pulling him closer, and no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t break free.
The last thing he remembered was a sudden, overwhelming sensation of being yanked through the air as everything around him distorted, spinning and twisting like a vortex. In the blink of an eye, he was transported to a different place altogether.
Zero’s mind spun, disoriented by the strange journey. Memories flashed before his eyes as he hurtled through the portal: his father’s death, the weight of betrayal by his closest friends, the brief moments of solace when his stepfather had protected him. It all played out in rapid succession, each memory sharper than the last. His heart ached, and before he could process any of it, his vision blurred, and everything went black.
When he awoke, it was to the gentle rustling of grass beneath him. His body felt heavy and uncoordinated, and he groggily pushed himself up, taking in his surroundings. He was lying in a vast field, the sky above him clear and expansive, the sunlight warm on his skin. It was peaceful, but nothing about it felt familiar.
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Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind, sharp and commanding.
"Open your inventory."
Zero blinked, startled. He hadn’t heard anyone around him, yet the voice was clear as day. Without thinking, he obeyed. His hands moved instinctively to a floating menu that appeared in his vision. Inside, he found an item labeled Starter Sword, along with a stat sheet displaying his fighter class: Aggressor. The words didn’t make sense, but somehow they felt right.
Before he could think much further, the world around him seemed to distort again. Three strange, mustard-colored humanoid figures emerged from the tall grass, their eyes glowing with an eerie light. Their movements were jerky and unnatural, and Zero instinctively gripped the sword, his heart pounding.
As the figures approached, the world froze. Everything around him, time, the air, even the sound, came to a halt. A massive text box appeared in front of him, glowing in blue letters:
Mustard Creatures. They are the weakest enemies to fight and can be easily defeated if the player knows how to swing a sword.
A chill ran down Zero’s spine. This was too strange to ignore. His mind raced as he realized what was happening: he was in an RPG. The realization sent a thrill through him, but it was quickly followed by confusion and concern.
The world resumed as if nothing had happened. The creatures advanced, and Zero, heart racing, wasted no time. With a swift motion, he swung his sword. It was lighter than he expected, but the force behind it was enough to cleave through one of the creatures with ease. He moved with surprising speed, his instincts taking over. A few more strikes, and the creatures were defeated, their bodies disintegrating into pixels before they vanished.
As soon as the battle ended, Zero found himself pulled into a bright, glowing void. He squinted against the light, his vision swimming. A new text box appeared in front of him:
You have reached Level 2! Take the present and claim your rewards!
Zero blinked in disbelief, staring at the screen. It was real. He was really inside an RPG. And as if that wasn’t mind-boggling enough, he’d just leveled up. A sense of exhilaration washed over him, but it was quickly tempered by a growing concern. He couldn’t help but think of his friends. Karma, his girlfriend, she’d be worried sick. And Victor, always the wealthy and resourceful one, would be frantic. They’d have no idea where he was or what had happened to him, he claims his rewards and returns to the world, still slightly confused.
Zero’s excitement was matched by a gnawing worry. How was he going to explain this to them? How would he get back?
He exhaled slowly, a quiet resolve settling over him.
“I’ll figure this out. I’ll get back,” he muttered to himself.
With that, a renewed sense of purpose filled him. The world around him might have been unfamiliar, but it wasn’t going to stop him. He had a new adventure ahead of him, one he would face head-on.
For now, he’d explore the mysteries of this strange RPG world but he wouldn’t forget his real world, and the people who would be waiting for him to return.