Karma Harumi hadn’t always been the person she was now. She’d lived a life in the shadows, stealing, robbing, lying, doing whatever it took to survive. She’d grown used to the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of outsmarting those around her. But it was a lonely life, one defined by mistrust and regret. That all changed when she met Zero Kenzo.
Zero was unlike anyone she’d ever known. He wasn’t hardened by the world like she was. Instead, he was kind, sweet, calm, and effortlessly charming. He was the type of person Karma had thought could only exist in fairy tales, someone who made her believe that maybe, just maybe, she could leave her old ways behind. She fell for him, hard and fast.
And recently, against all odds, he became her boyfriend. She couldn’t believe her luck. Zero had a way of making her feel like she could start fresh, like her past didn’t have to define her.
That morning, Karma had been sleeping soundly at Zero’s place, wrapped in the warmth of his blanket. It was one of those rare, peaceful moments she cherished. But a few hours later, she stirred awake and called out for him.
“Zero?” she mumbled, her voice groggy.
Silence.
Rubbing her eyes, she sat up, glancing around the room. The sunlight streaming through the window hinted that the day had already begun. Her gaze fell on a small note left on the table nearby.
Curious, she got up and grabbed the note. Zero’s neat handwriting greeted her:
“Hey Karma! This is Zero. I went out to get some food. I’ll be back soon. Bye! - Zero”
At first, the message seemed harmless, but something about it made her pause. The edges of the note were slightly crumpled, as if it had been there longer than it should’ve been. A pang of worry crept into her chest.
“Why does this look old?” she muttered to herself, frowning.
Before she could dwell on it further, a faint sound caught her attention. It was a low hum, growing louder by the second. She looked up, and her breath caught in her throat.
Above her, a swirling portal shimmered into existence, crackling with otherworldly energy. Her heart skipped a beat.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
“What the hell?” she whispered, staring wide-eyed at the glowing doorway hovering in the air.
Despite the warning bells going off in her mind, her curiosity outweighed her fear. Karma wasn’t the type to back down from the unknown. She took a deep breath, steadied herself, and leaped into the portal.
As she soared through the vortex, memories began to flood her vision. They weren’t just random flashes, they were her memories. She saw the day she’d taken her parents’ lives in a fit of rage, the moment she’d run away from home, the years she’d spent living out of a flimsy tent, and the countless times she’d resorted to thievery to get by. Every dark, painful moment she’d tried to bury came rushing back with startling clarity.
It was overwhelming, and for a brief moment, she thought she might drown in the weight of it all. But just as suddenly as it began, the portal spit her out. She landed with a soft thud on a grassy field, the scent of earth and flowers filling her nose.
Groaning, Karma pushed herself up and brushed off her clothes. The sun was shining brightly, and the field stretched on endlessly in every direction. For a moment, she was disoriented, unsure of where she was. Then, she spotted a familiar figure standing a few feet away, staring into the sky.
“Zero?” she called out, her voice laced with relief.
Zero turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes widening in surprise.
“Karma?” he exclaimed, walking toward her. “Oh my god! You’re here too?”
She nodded, her heart still racing from the whirlwind of events. “Yeah, I’m here. Let me guess, you came through a portal too?”
“Yup,” he said with a wry smile. “Welcome to the club.”
She frowned, glancing around. “This is… weird. Do you have any idea where we are?”
Zero sighed, scratching the back of his head. “Long story short, we’re in some kind of RPG game. I don’t know how or why, but I’m level 2 now. If you want to level up, you’ll need to fight those things.” He pointed toward a group of mustard-colored humanoid creatures lurking nearby.
Karma raised an eyebrow. “Those goofy-looking things? Shouldn’t be too hard.”
“Don’t underestimate them,” Zero warned. “They’re weird, but they’re aggressive.”
Karma smirked, her confidence returning. “Relax, I’ve got this.”
She grabbed a nearby stick that materialized in her inventory and charged at the creatures. The battle was chaotic but quick. Karma’s reflexes kicked in as she dodged their attacks and struck them down with ease. As the last creature disintegrated into pixels, a familiar glowing void appeared around her.
A text box materialized in front of her:
“You have reached Level 2! Take the present and claim your rewards!”
Karma raised an eyebrow but shrugged. “Huh. Not bad.” She collected her rewards and returned to Zero’s side, shaking her head in disbelief.
“So,” she said, glancing at him, “what now? Do we just… live here?”
Zero sighed, looking out at the horizon. “I don’t know. But if this is a game, there’s got to be a way out. We’ll figure it out together.”
Karma nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. The situation was insane, but at least she wasn’t alone. Whatever this strange world had in store for them, they’d face it together.