“Ugh, I already hate teleportation,” Ren muttered, feeling disoriented. “At least I’m still in one piece.”

Ren had successfully escaped the SIN base and now stood on the outskirts of a familiar town. It was already evening, and as he looked up at the sky, he took a deep breath, scanning his surroundings. The town was just as he remembered from the game—quaint stone buildings, cobblestone streets, and the towering spires of the academy looming in the distance.

He was in Ecrin, the bustling town that encircled Orios Academy, where students and citizens mingled. Famous for its lively stores and diverse cuisines from across the world, Ecrin was a hub of activity. But something was off.

The peaceful, scholarly atmosphere from the game was gone. Instead, an eerie tension filled the air, setting Ren’s nerves on edge. The streets, usually crowded with people chatting and laughing, were nearly deserted.

The first thing Ren noticed was the military presence. Armored vehicles rumbled down the streets, leaving deep grooves in the cobblestones. Soldiers marched in tight formations, their faces grim. Makeshift tents lined the roads, filled with supplies and weapons. The air smelled faintly of gunpowder, and distant mechanical sounds echoed through the town.

As Ren moved through the streets, unnoticed, he saw signs of battle—bullet holes in walls, craters from explosions. Soldiers patrolled, guarding the perimeter with tense expressions.

“This monster invasion is worse than I thought,” Ren murmured, taking in the damage. “I need to get to the academy fast.”

His stomach growled loudly, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten or had water since arriving in this world. His throat felt parched.

“Damn, I need food and water—fast,” he muttered, clutching his stomach. “At least I know now I can eat and drink with the timer on.”

Approaching the center of town, Ren's gaze settled on the academy. In the game, it had been a beacon of knowledge and magic, where students from all over the empire gathered to study. Now, it resembled a fortress. The once-open gates were sealed tight, surrounded by layers of defensive barriers. Magical wards flickered faintly, their energy crackling like a brewing storm.

“Reus wasn’t kidding,” Ren whispered, eyeing the barrier. “The principal went all out with the defenses.”

But Ren’s real concern was the reason he had come here—the second protagonist of the game. If the story followed a similar path, the protagonist would be inside the academy. Finding him amid this chaos would be difficult, though.

As Ren reached the barrier, anxiety gnawed at him. He could phase through solid objects easily, but this was different. The barrier was pure energy, created by mana stones deep within the academy. He wasn’t sure if his Unexistence skill would work.

“Well, here goes nothing,” Ren said, steeling himself.

He approached the glowing wards, feeling a slight tingle as the magic brushed his skin. But it was faint—almost nothing. His Unexistence skill allowed him to slip through the barrier as though it were made of mist. He passed into the academy courtyard, unnoticed and unharmed.

“Thank God. I thought it might electrocute me—or worse, disintegrate me,” Ren sighed, glancing back at the barrier.

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The scene inside was surreal. Students and instructors moved hurriedly, tension visible in their faces. Ren recognized many of them from the game, though none of the key characters were in sight.

It wasn’t just academy staff, either. Citizens from the town were camped here too, resting in makeshift shelters, sharing food and medicine. The air was thick with anxiety, as if they had been living under siege for some time.

“They must’ve evacuated everyone here,” Ren muttered as he wandered through the courtyard. “That explains why the town was so empty.”

As he continued exploring, his eyes fell on the academy’s large training grounds. There, a towering mech stood, its metallic frame gleaming under the fading sunlight. In the game, the mechs had been symbols of the empire’s technological prowess. Seeing one in person was another thing entirely—it was awe-inspiring.

“Wow,” Ren whispered, admiring the machine. “I’ve always wanted to ride one.”

Riding a mech had been a dream of many people back on Earth, an impossible fantasy. But here, in this world, that dream could be a reality. Yet the sheer number of mechs present meant the principal was preparing for something much worse.

“I need answers. But first…” His stomach grumbled again. “I need food and rest, or I’m going to pass out.”

After some wandering, Ren found the supply area—mostly deserted, with only one bored soldier guarding a tent. Slipping past him, Ren entered the tent filled with canned food, bottled water, and MREs. There were also a few medical supplies left.

“Oh, finally,” Ren nearly teared up at the sight. “I can eat and drink like a normal person—even if I only have one minute.”

His cooldown was finished, so Ren reactivated the timer, reappearing in the physical world. Without wasting time, he grabbed food and water, tearing open the MREs and devouring them with speed that could only come from years of gaming. He downed bottles of water like a man who hadn’t had a drink in days.

“Oh my god, this is amazing,” Ren mumbled through a mouthful of food. “The best meal I’ve ever had.”

In his ravenous state, even the bland rations tasted like a feast.

“Good thing I’m used to eating fast while gaming,” Ren grinned as he remembered his gaming habits.

When his timer finally ended, Ren was sitting with a full stomach. He hadn’t taken more than necessary, knowing how precious the supplies were, but he still ate a lot.

“That was the best meal of my life,” Ren sighed, patting his stomach. “I thought I was going to burst, but it was worth it.”

He leaned back, exhaustion settling in. The day had been a whirlwind of events—being transported into his favorite game, discovering a strange skill, seeing a battlefield for the first time, challenging the SIN organization, and now arriving at Orios Academy.

“If it weren’t for all the life-threatening danger, this could’ve been the best day ever,” Ren said, his voice heavy with fatigue.

His thoughts shifted to the main character of this arc. Ren knew he had to find him. If something happened to the protagonist, the consequences for this world—and its story—could be disastrous.

“I just hope SIN doesn’t interfere after what I pulled,” Ren muttered, recalling their plans.

He opened his status screen, checking his progress.

image [https://i.imgur.com/KBxNpzM.jpeg]

image [https://i.imgur.com/Ev9qGzn.jpeg]

His stats hadn’t changed at all, and his stamina was below half, which made sense considering how drained he felt.

“No surprise there,” Ren muttered. “I’m beat.”

The skill list was still mostly locked, and Ren wasn’t sure what the criteria were for unlocking them. The last one had unlocked when he was in danger—perhaps it was tied to survival instincts?

“If that’s the case, maybe the other skills will unlock in similar situations,” Ren mused. “Or maybe they’ll require something totally different.”

Ren’s gaze shifted to something else—his MP. Mana points, commonly abbreviated as MP, were a familiar stat in RPGs, often representing a character’s magical energy. MP was typically consumed when using unique or magical skills. While there were items like mana potions or herbs to recover it, most players preferred to conserve MP, using it only in critical moments, such as during battles.

“If I have mana points… does that mean I can use magic?” Ren wondered aloud, feeling a spark of excitement at the thought.

But exhaustion quickly overtook him. His body ached, and his eyelids grew heavy.

“It’s almost night. I should get some sleep,” Ren muttered, shifting into a more comfortable position. “Just let me rest for a little while…”

With that, he closed his eyes, and the overwhelming fatigue finally pulled him into sleep.