What are the chances of meeting another player in this vast world?

Honestly, I’m not sure.

But one thing I do know is that I was born here with my real name. That’s convenient, to say the least.

“His name is, Zero.”

It’s quite the unique name. I don’t think any sane person would name their child Zero, a word that essentially means nothing.

But he said, he likes it, for him, Zero means endless.

“Everyone starts at zero.”

“Ends with zero.”

“Nothing is truly yours, zero. And when you die, you take nothing to the grave, zero.”

Now where should I find that kid?

As I fell from the cliffs, the only thing around me was an endless expanse of trees. No sign of civilization in sight. I guess I should start looking for a city or something.

I’m pretty sure this is another lord’s territory. The high ground I came from seems to have no connection to the lands ahead.

Well, let’s start exploring.

…Actually, screw that. Food first. With my abilities, I’ll find him soon enough. I’m sure of it.

My current abilities allow me to teleport either to a place I’ve visited before or within a 20-kilometer radius. Too bad that’s the limit for this body at its current age. It’s so frustrating! If this were real life, I could teleport up to 200 kilometers by now.

“I should take this game world seriously now.” I muttered, the pain from dying once was a nightmare. Definitely not something I want to get used to.

I activated my scan, focusing on the terrain within a 20-kilometer radius. My eyes glowed white as I shifted my perception. The world unfolded beneath me like a bird’s-eye view of the land.

Scanning… scanning…

A few small settlements appeared in my vision. Maybe they’d give me something to eat? Let’s find out.

In the blink of an eye, I teleported to the front of a house.

Knock, knock.

I rapped on the door, waiting.

When it opened, a man and woman, perhaps in their thirties stared at me with wide, frightened eyes.

“What do you want?” the man asked gruffly, though his hands trembling.

“Can I ask for food?” I said, hopeful.

“No!” he snapped, slamming the door in my face.

Wow. Rude. So much for realism in this oh so amazing game.

What a joke.

As I turned away, I caught my reflection in the window.

The sight made me freeze.

I looked like I’d stepped out of a horror movie, or worse, like I’d just murdered someone. My body was covered in dried blood, my clothes tattered and filthy.

Oh… that explains the fear.

I hadn’t even realized I looked this bad.

Dying had undone my class transformation, I quickly tried reactivating it. Watching my reflection, I saw armor materialize over my body, the helmet over my head. A spear appeared in my hand, pristine and ready.

Everything had reset to its default state. Even the spear I’d thrown earlier was back in my grasp. A useful perk of this transformation. The possibilities for exploiting this seems endless.

I wonder… would they give me food if I looked like this instead?

Then, an idea struck me.

“Hm… I’ve got a better plan.”

Grinning inside my helmet, I closed the visor, my expression hidden.

“Now, let’s go find some blood. Kukuku…”

* * *

The man in his thirties sat at the small wooden table, waiting for his wife to finish cooking dinner. Their home was modest, nestled in a quiet, unremarkable village. It was just the two of them, living a simple life without children.

But tonight, something felt wrong.

A cold draft seemed to seep through the walls, though the windows were shut. The man rubbed his arms, glancing uneasily toward the door. He didn’t know why, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching them.

“Is the stew ready?” he asked, his voice quieter than intended.

“Almost.” His wife replied, though her movements at the stove had slowed. She felt it too, the heavy, unnatural air that had settled over their home.

Then, the knock came.

Knock. Knock.

It wasn’t frantic or loud, just deliberate and unnervingly calm. The sound echoed in the stillness, making the couple jump.

“Who could it be at this hour?” the wife whispered, her voice trembling.

The man hesitated. He didn’t want to open the door, but his wife’s frightened expression pushed him to act. Swallowing his fear, he rose and approached the door, his footsteps slow and heavy.

He opened it, just a crack.

What he saw on the other side, made him stagger back, nearly losing his balance.

Standing there was a young girl, covered in dry blood. It coated her tattered clothing, streaked her pale skin, and from her bangs, which hung over her face like a curtain. Her eyes, hidden behind the strands of hair, seemed to burn with an unseen malice.

She tilted her head slightly, as though studying him.

“Can I ask for food?” she said, her voice soft but chillingly unnatural.

The man froze. His mind screamed at him to run, to shut the door, but his body refused to move. His instincts whispered that this wasn’t a child, but it was something else, something monstrous.

“No!” he blurted, panic overriding his fear. He slammed the door with all his strength and braced himself against it, his heart pounding in his chest.

His wife rushed to his side, clutching a shovel in one hand and a frying pan in the other. “What is it?!” she whispered, her voice shaking.

“A ghost… or a monster…” the man stammered, his breath ragged. “It’s not human…”

They waited, hearts racing, but no sound came from the other side of the door. The man dared to peek through the small glass window. The girl was gone.

He exhaled shakily, starting to believe they were safe.

But then, the lights went out.

The sudden darkness was suffocating. The wife screamed, dropping her pan as she stumbled backward.

“PLEASE, don’t eat me!” she cried, her voice breaking.

“Darling?!” the man shouted, reaching for her blindly. He heard a heavy thud, his wife falling to the floor.

“No!” he screamed, trying to move toward her, but then he heard it: the sound of metal scraping against itself, slow and deliberate.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The sound grew louder, accompanied by faint, measured footsteps.

In the darkness, the figure reappeared. The girl’s small frame was now encased in gleaming black armor, streaked with crimson blood. A long spear gleamed faintly in her hand, its sharp tip catching what little light remained.

“Don’t eat my wife!” the man pleaded, falling to his knees. “Take me instead!”

The girl tilted her head again, considering him.

“Ewwww…”

Before he could react, she raised her spear and struck him, not to kill, but with enough force to send him crumpling to the floor.

When the man woke, it was to his wife shaking him.

“Darling, wake up!”

He blinked, disoriented, then gasped as the memory of what had happened flooded back. He sat up quickly, clutching his wife.

“Thank the Almighty, you’re alive.” He said, his voice thick with emotion.

“I’m fine.” She said, though her voice was weak.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” he asked, his hands shaking as he looked her over.

“No…” she began, but then her stomach let out a loud, angry grumble.

His own stomach followed suit.

“We’re both hungry.” He said with a weak laugh, though his relief quickly turned dread as he noticed the state of their kitchen.

The cupboards were wide open, their contents gone. The pot of stew his wife had been cooking was empty, tipped over onto the floor. Fruit baskets, bread loaves, even dried herbs, everything had been ransacked.

“The thing is…” his wife said, tears welling in her eyes. “All our food is gone. Everything!”

The man stared at the devastation, his stomach twisting with hunger and despair. He collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his face as the realization sank in.

From somewhere far away, a faint laugh echoed in the night.

“Thanks for the meal.” A voice whispered.

* * *

[Inside the forest]

A lone figure moved in the darkness.

Munching…

Biting…

Eating…

A girl, consumed by hunger, indulged without hesitation.

“That doesn’t taste so bad.” She murmured, completely devoid of guilt.

She licked her fingers clean, grinning to herself. “In any RPG, there’s only one rule I follow.” She declared, her voice proud, resonating through the still air.

“One shall not miss any loot.”

Standing tall, she placed her hands on her hips and laughed wickedly.

“I am the master of looting! Wahahahaha!”

Why ask when you can just take, right?

Especially in this ridiculous game, where there’s no limit to what or how much you can loot. Combined with my ability, the Lia’s Space, I have my own personal inventory. A boundless treasure will be at my fingertips.

Awakening the white color was the greatest blessing of my life. I still don’t understand why people back in reality treats this like it only meant for support. Support? Please. Now that I’m in a game world where I could also use this power, I can now cultivate them to their full potential or even surpass it.

I have a theory about this game world. Maybe it’s not just a game. What if its true purpose is to make us stronger in real life? A world meant to surpass our limits. I’m sure of it.

“I’m going to be the strongest color awakener in history!” I said to myself, popping a grape into my mouth from the pile of loot I’d took earlier.

The only downside to having the white color is the constant hunger. I need to recharge more often than anyone else. But now that I’m full, I can focus on the real mission: finding Zero.

From that night, I began teleporting and scanning the world around me relentlessly.

[Two Weeks Later]

It seems I underestimated the vastness of this world.

Two whole weeks of searching, asking around for a boy named Zero, and still no clue.

How dare those villagers mock his name? Sheesh. People here are useless. Their ignorance is infuriating, but I can’t afford to lose hope.

What if he’s not in this world after all?

I haven’t even encountered another player yet.

Am I… alone in this world?

No, that can’t be.

I slapped both of my cheeks with my palms. “Be positive!” I told myself.

Maybe the other players are just cautious, hiding their identities. But why? What could their goals be? And what’s the real purpose of this overly realistic game?

A shiver ran down my spine as I remembered the painful death I experienced before.

Tch.

I teleport to a tall tree in the forest, perching on its sturdy branches to get a better view of the area. My glowing eyes scanned the terrain.

I spotted a group of bandits loitering around the ruins. Could he be among them? No way, I thought. Further ahead, a village came into view. It seemed more promising. Maybe I could ask around there.

Still, after two weeks of fruitless effort, the frustration was starting to weigh on me.

“I wish I could find him soon…” I whispered to myself.

A soft breeze rustled through the leaves, the only sound accompanying my thoughts.

“It’s… quite lonely.”

“I should sleep for tonight and start asking around tomorrow.”

I pulled out a pillow and blanket from my inventory, laying them on the wide branch of the tall tree. Sleeping on the high ground is always better, safer from monsters and humans. Everyone knows that.

The night was quiet, and before long, I drifted off peacefully.

Until…

It burns!

The sharp scent of smoke filled the air, and the heat was unbearable. The whole forest is burning!

“Is this the work of bandits?!”

Panicking, I scanned the area frantically, searching for a safe place.

A river!

Without hesitation, I teleported to its edge, away from the blazing wildfire.

My mind raced. What kind of unhinged people would set a forest on fire at night?

Wait…

Players!

Determined to find the culprits, I activated my scanning ability again, sweeping the area.

There!

Two figures emerged from the flames, two boys about my age. One with black hair, the other with red.

Are they heading this way?

They were still far off, but I watched their every move.

Should I confront them now? No.

I needed to be careful. First, I had to mark them and keep them under surveillance.

Looking around, I found a spot across the river in a different forest, detached from the burning one. Seems safe and discreet.

I teleported to the tallest tree branch I could see, and settled in to observe.

Hours passed as I watched them running to leave the charred forest behind. Finally, they reached the end of the forest.

The red-haired boy summoned a fire harpoon and hurled it with precision into the river.

Color awakener!

His control over fire was impressive, sharp and deliberate. He speared a fish effortlessly.

He must be a player in this game too.

But what about the other boy? The one with black hair?

As they set up campfire and cooked their catch, I saw no signs of him using any color abilities.

They chatted by the fire, seemingly at ease.

Now I was certain. My instinct is telling me for real. The red-haired boy was responsible for the wildfire.

But why?

The thought angered me. How dare he disturb my sleep!

As the night wore on, the two boys eventually lay down to rest.

But then, the black-haired boy raised his hand to the sky, as if grasping the sky.

I wonder what they’re talking about.

Before long, he fell asleep, a content look on his face.

Meanwhile, the red-haired boy summoned a flying fire sword and left it hovering near them.

What’s that for? Guard duty?

Now that both of them were asleep, I felt my own exhaustion return. My eyes grew heavy, but I forced myself to stay alert.

Just before I dozed off, I noticed something odd.

The red-haired boy stirred, sitting up abruptly.

He seemed… conflicted.

He stared at the flames, his expression clouded with sadness.

Oh well, not my problem.

I prepared to sleep again, pulling out my pillow and blanket once more.

The distant crackle of the campfire and the cool breeze from the river lulled me.

I drifted in.

Zzz… Zzz… Zzz…

Zzz… Zzz…

Zzz…

I felt light slipping through my eyelids, is it sunlight?

Zzz… Morning… already…?

Zzz… Ugh… why is it so hot…?

Zzzzzzzz…. I don’t think I slept long enough…

Groggily, I opened my eyes, only to find myself staring down the tip of a blazing sword.

Standing before me was a red-haired boy, his weapon blazing and pointed directly at me. His sharp eyes were cold and unwavering, filled with an unspoken threat.

“Who are you?” he demanded, his voice as cold as his gaze. “Why are you spying on us?”

Seriously?

My mood, already ruined from not getting enough sleep, hit rock bottom.

The audacity of this brat.

Did he really think this little intimidation act would scare me? I’d seen worse than this—much worse!

Without hesitation, I teleported behind him in a blink. My spear materialized in my hand, its tip now pressing against the side of his neck.

“I could ask you the same thing.” I said darkly. “Why did you set the forest on fire? And more importantly, how dare you! Waking me up from my peaceful sleep!”

His body tensed, but he didn’t move. Instead, he muttered under his breath, “White… Player.”

Ah, so he’d figured it out.

In an instant, seven flaming swords appeared, hovering menacingly around me.

“Between your spear and my fire swords.” he said with a cocky smirk, “ Which do you think will hit first?”

I raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Why don’t you fuck around and find out?”

Without warning, the flaming swords lunged toward me.

Too slow.

In less than a heartbeat, I was gone.

He spun around, his eyes darting everywhere as he tried to locate me.

“Down here.” I called casually.

Now I was standing on the ground near the river bank, beside a black-haired boy who was still sound asleep. Smirking, I gave the redhead a mocking wave.

His panic was immediate. He jumped onto his flying fire sword and shot toward me, shouting in desperation. “Zero!!!”

Zero, huh? I see.

The redhead clearly thought I was about to harm his companion.

I ignored him and crouched down to take a closer look at the sleeping boy.

He looks familiar… and kind of cute.

Reaching out, I brushed some hair away from his face and studied him.

The redhead’s frantic voice grew louder. “Zero!!!”

Finally, the black-haired boy stirred, blinking awake at the commotion. His dark eyes locked onto mine, widening in shock.

I smiled sweetly at him, and then pinched both of his cheeks.

“There you are, Zero.” I said, grinning as I tugged at his soft cheeks.

“Ack! Nwo! I knewe this!” he sputtered, squirming to escape. “Liaaaa!!!”

The redhead, now hovering above us, froze. His shock was plain on his face.

“You know her?” he asked, his voice laced with confusion.

Zero groaned, giving me a half-hearted glare as he tried to pry my hands away.

“Of course I know her. She sits right next to me in the real world.” He muttered.

I grinned wide. “Good to see your face hasn’t changed much.”

“Can you staph pinching my cheeks?” he pleaded.

“Nope.” I replied cheerfully.

“Ugh…”

“How’d you recognize me?” I asked curiously.

“Your face,” He deadpanned, “those grins. And… this.” He gestured to my hands, which were still pinching his cheeks.

I laughed. “Good to know I’m unforgettable.”

“Can you let go now?” he whined.

“Nope.”

“Why?”

“Why not?” I teased.

“So, you two know each other.” A voice cut in, instantly grating on my nerves.

Annoying.

I didn’t bother acknowledging it and instead kept pinching Zero’s cheeks.

“Yeah.” Zero mumbled, wincing under my grip.

“I… see.” The annoying voice replied.

Still ignoring it.

“Is something going on between you two?” Zero asked, his curiosity piqued as he noticed the tension in the air.

“Oh, nothing much.” I said lightly. “He just tried to kill me.”

“What?!” Zero turned to the red-haired boy, his shock evident. “Is that true, Tommy?”

Tommy scratched his head awkwardly, clearly trying to come up with an excuse.

“I… sensed someone spying on us.” He muttered weakly.

I rolled my eyes, unimpressed. “If you hadn’t burned the forest, I’d still be sleeping peacefully.”

Tommy said nothing, his silence speaking volumes.

Exactly what I thought.