When I finally regain my bearings, I find myself in the middle of a dense, lush forest. The air is crisp and sweet, and I can just barely see a bustling city in the distance.

It's an old style village, very RPG vibe style, rather than survival or techno. Makes sense with the hole demon king vibe and the powers that were in that line up. That's not a surprise.

I reach up and run a hand through my hair. It's still that short, messy black hair it's always been. Apparently I get to keep my same body even in another world. That's good. I wouldn't want to have to try to get used to a new one.

I grimace as I look out at the city...town? Village? The settlement in the distance.

I've always hated the outdoors, but this time I can feel an exhilarating energy surging through me. It reminds me of the thrill of the fight, of the challenge of a boss, of the triumph of overcoming a game's impossible mechanics.

But where I'm supposed to go now, I have no clue. The town is an obvious answer, but beyond that, I don't know.

That's fine.

I hate tutorial levels. They're the worst, and I would much rather play a game without any explanation or instructions. I like figuring out the hard way that there are invisible platforms and secret passageways. It makes it far more thrilling and engaging to figure it all out on my own.

That said, I wouldn't mind a little tool tip telling me what the hell that woman back there meant when she said 'the most incredible ability of all'.

If it's something like 'save points' I can actually appreciate that.

Dying and having to reload, respawn, or restart is as much a part of hardcore gaming as a dodge button.

So maybe the most incredible power of all is the ability to save or revive from any state.

That I'd definitely use.

What it definitely isn't, apparently, is a HUD.

So right at the moment, I don't know what the so-called 'ultimate ability' is. Guess I'll find out some time. Hopefully not in the process of dying.

Can't say I'm thrilled about that prospect: I'm not so delusional a gamer that I forget real life has things like 'pain' and 'the horrible sensation of slowly dying'.

Although, apparently I felt neither of those in any abundance when I died last time, on Earth. So who knows. Maybe I won't here, either.

I'll have to play it safe and careful until I'm sure, though.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

For now I want to head towards that town.

Maybe if I ask people, they'll be able to direct me somewhere to start.

I'm sure I'm not the first 'Hero' summoned, anyway. There's always people who want to take on the hardest content. In that respect, I'm not unique. But most people regret it and quit as soon as they realize it's actually hard.

As I walk, I observe the surrounding trees with great interest. It's the first time I've seen so many different plants all together outside of the 'forest' area in video games.

There are pink ones with leaves shaped like hearts, tiny buds of orange and green, and enormous fern-like shrubs that grow upwards and curl into the sky like large, white umbrellas.

Actually it looks less like a video game forest and more like some kind of wonderland setting. It's weird.

Insects buzz lazily overhead, and small rodents of all varieties rustle about in the foliage. I hear a sudden splash and stop to glance in that direction, spotting the silvery flank of a fish before it disappears below the water.

It's not long before I arrive at a clearing. The sun beats down, warm on my skin, and a gentle breeze flows past my face. It feels good.

For the hardest content, this place is surprisingly pleasant.

I expected some kind of...bombed out burned out post-apocalypse place with ghoul dogs roaming the streets, and the only neutral NPCs being absolute weirdo abominations themselves. The kind who might give info dumps and then stab you in the back.

...Well, that still may happen.

I squint at the town in the distance.

Will I need to avoid this town until I get a weapon of some sort and figure out my survival tactics? I don't want to die in my first encounter.

"Negative, Master! The town of Karytis is completely safe, except for the master necromancer hiding in the alchemy shop!" A chipper female voice rings out in my head.

"What the hell-?!" I clamp both hands to my mouth and look around wildly.

What was that just now?

Who did that?!

"I did it! Your System Helper has arrived to guide you on your journey!"

Wait.

Is this...?

"I am System Helper! I will answer any questions about anything for you, Master, with a one hundred percent accuracy rate and explain every action, event, and plot point to you in great detail!"

Damn.

It's one of those annoying 'helper' creatures.

"Off. Turn off!" I growl through clenched teeth.

I don't need some permanent tutorial beeping in my head every time I encounter anything, especially if it's going to spoil all the mystery and danger.

"Negative! You cannot turn me off!"

Like hell I can't!

I immediately make a mental command to 'switch System Helper off'.

There's nothing. No beep, no dial tone, no answering service message. Nothing.

Just...

"Master, that won't do anything. I'm your ever present helper! You can call me-"

"Turn yourself off!" I point emphatically into the air, ignoring the fact there's no visible interface or 'eye'.

"You're being silly, master. Wouldn't you rather call me by the cute nickname I've set as my personal designation?"

Cute...nickname...

There is nothing I want to do less than that.

I take a deep breath and let it out in a sigh.

Alright.

Fine.

"Just. Don't talk unless I specifically ask for your help."

"Of course, Master. I'll wait for your call!"

I just won't ask for her.

Never.

Hopefully, she'll get bored and leave on her own eventually.

With a vague sense of disappointment I continue forward to the town.

I really would have preferred the ultimate reward to be respawns or something, not the system admin voice.

"Oh! Master! That isn't what the ultimate reward is at all!"

I sigh.

The voice hasn't listened to my command at all.

Figures.