Where… am I? Everything feels so suffocating…

I can’t open my eyes. I can’t speak or even hear anything. Maybe I can still move? I try to shift around and feel a faint resistance. How long will this last? Eventually, a heavy drowsiness sets in, and I drift off…

Months pass. Eight, maybe? Hard to say. My thoughts are clear as day, but my body feels trapped. Suddenly, a force pushes me forward into a tight space, with a faint source of light coming from it. I try to speak, but the only sound that comes out is the cry of a baby.

Is that… me?

Wait… did I die and somehow get reincarnated?

“Waa wa waaa! Waaa!” I try to form words, but only baby cries come out.

This can’t be real. I remember putting on that VR headset for the new game launch, the exclusive, time-limited one that everyone was talking about. Those VR gears are crazy expensive, and there’s no way I could afford one. Begging my parents would be like begging for them to feed me with slippers.

On launch day, I headed to my local cybercafe, hoping they’d have it. And they did! The place packed with kids my age, all hoping to try it. The game had strict age restrictions, so I could only get close and watch.

With my small body, I slipped through the crowd to get a good look at the people using it. It seems they are still setting everything up, I hoped they’d put it on the big screen though.

Only eight seats, and all were filling up. I saw a few familiar faces and some other regulars.

“Whoa, isn’t that guy a Vanguard?” Someone pointed to a man in his twenties, looking cool and calm as he got ready. It wasn’t everyday you saw Vanguards here, they were usually too busy fighting monsters.

It seems that not only Vanguards but Helpers Guild are here too, as usual they hanging out here while acting as a security.

Seven seats filled, but the one remained empty. Limited seats like this were usually reserved for VIPs, so it was strange to see an open one.

“There’s only fifteen minutes before the server opens.” the staff announced. “Please be comfortable, you can even lie down if you like.”

“Is that seat empty, miss.” A kid ask the staff curiously.

“Yes, we ordered a headset for that seat, but it was malfunctioning.” She replied kindly.

“Oh, thank you, miss.” The kid said politely.

I stared longingly at that seat, picturing myself sitting there.

The staff member noticed me and smiled. “Want to sit there for a bit?” she asked.

My eyes lit up and I nodded eagerly.

“Me next! Me next!” other kids started calling out, even attracting the gaze of jealous adult.

“Ah, the privilege of youth.” One adult sigh wistfully.

“Hurry up and sit here.” A girl beside the empty seat urged me, her eyes bright with excitement.

Trying to ignore her, I shuffled closer, avoiding eye contact.“Oh, you can’t ignore me!” she laughed, pinching my soft cheeks.

“Ack! I knewe you’d do thith!” I mumbled, annoyed.

“Who told you to be so cute with those puffy cheeks?” she teased, pinching harder.

While the staff member helped me put on the VR equipment, the crowd of kids gathered around. I barely heard the noise of the crowd once the headpiece was on. It was like falling into complete darkness.

Even without being powered on, I could tell this thing was next-level tech. No wonder it cost so much. The chair felt so comfy I could’ve stayed there forever, better than any bed I’d slept on.

As I went to take the headset off, I heard a faint voice “What does this button do?”

“Noo! Don’t touch that!” another voice shouted in panic.

Therefore here I am, the supposedly broken device came to life. Whether by fate or sheer luck, I had landed inside this insanely expensive game!

This isn’t a dream. Just wait and see, I will clear this game, I’ll conquer it all. After all, I’m the super cool twelve-year-old gamer!

But… eight whole months just to get started? I mean, seriously? This game has me playing as a baby. Sure it’s “next-generation” immersive, but come on! The trailers were packed with action! Not this… womb-simulartor thingy. My dreams of an epic journey has already start to crumbles.

I tried waking up, hoping to snap back to reality, but nothing worked. I wasn’t supposed to be in this game. Why aren’t they trying to bring me back? It’s been so long already.

I guess I’m stuck here for now.

[Three years passed.]

I can speak properly now, and I’m starting to learn a bit about this game. Sigh… still no fighting or action, though.

Apparently, I was born into a family of bandits. You heard that right… out of everything. It is bandit. The news was so shocking that I almost choked on my milk.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

A scar-covered man approached and picked me up. His voice was rough and hoarse as he declared, “You must grow up strong and become a legendary bandit! Every bandit dreams of becoming the King of Bandits, and so must you, my boy!”

Wait… King of Bandits? I stared at him in disbelief. He slapped an eye-patch onto me, sealing the deal. “I am going to be the Bandit King?!”

The man looked intimidating… and quite ugly, honestly. I wasn’t sure if I should call him father or something. He wasn’t even my real father. I squirmed, quickly pushing him away.

But what do I looked like in this game. There wasn’t even a character creation screen, which I’d normally spend hours on in every game I’ve played.

I ran over to something with a reflection to check my appearance, and sighted with relief.

“Look at this boy.” A muscular woman picked me up. “Aren’t you a cute little thing.” She said, pinching my cheeks.

At least she looked good compared to the old man. Thank God. I just hoped I wouldn’t inherit anything from him. I shot him a glare.

“Seems like he doesn’t like you that much, honey.” The woman teased.

“Tch what an ungrateful child. One day you’ll regret not inheriting my looks. But if you do, consider yourself lucky.” The old man grumbled.

I stuck my tongue out at him. “Blegh!”

The old man started chasing me around, laughing. I dashed away, circling the woman.

“Your fatass won’t catch me!” I taunted confidently. But in my dash, my pinky toe collided with the corner of the table. The pain was immense. Damn’ cursed game! The family laughed at me. It was oddly heartwarming.

[Six years passed.]

“You don’t deserved to be part of this family.”

“Get out of here!”

“It was a mistake giving birth to you.”

“What even are you?”

Their words were like sharp knives, but I didn’t regret my choices.

It was a rainy day like that day. Being born into a family of bandits meant I had to live like a bandit. Family shaped you towards who you would become.

Bandits are criminals.

“We’ve taught you a lot so you can become a proper bandit. Today, you’ll begin your first mission.” The scarred old man told me.

“Remember, you’re the scout. Deceive them well, scout the manor carefully. We’ll kill everyone inside and take their treasures.” He instructed, pointing to a grand house in a nearby village.

They made sure I was covered in mud, dehydrated and starving. As I walked toward the manor gate, I was dizzy with thirst and hunger.

"This is a critical role." They told me. “We trust you, you’re the only one who can do this.

I didn’t care about the mission. I just wanted water and bread. Collapsing by the gate, I saw a puddle and crawled toward it to drink.

But just as I reached it, footsteps approached, stopping me.

“Oh my, how could a child this young suffer like this?” came a woman’s voice, faint against the pounding rain.

“Guards, please, help me carry this child inside.” She ordered, interrupting my desperate attempt to drink the filthy water.

Lady, don’t stop me, I thought, frustration bubbling up. Isn’t this just a game? I won’t die from this. But without realizing, I passed out. I could feel someone pressing water to my lips as I drifted.

When I woke up, it was to an unfamiliar ceiling and the softness of a warm bed. Everything smelled fresh, gentle. It was a world unlike any I’d experienced in these nine years.

“Are you awake, child?” A gentle voice came from my side.

“You fainted, but we’ve taken care of you. God knows what you’ve been through.” The woman said softly, embracing me with warmth I hadn’t felt in years.

Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t control them. I missed home, I missed my real family, and I missed all the delicious food from my world. For the first time in nine years, I cried from my heart.

Growing up, I’d been treated like family by strangers. I faked contentment, but deep down, I knew it was all just an act. They knew it, too. Unlike the other kids in this world who accepted the life of a bandit, I refuse! I knew it was wrong. But it was the class they were born into, they had to accept it.

“Thank you, I feel much better now.” I told the noblewoman as I ate her warm food and drank clean water.

“Are you leaving so soon? You’re welcome to stay longer or even work here. You don’t need to worry and suffer anymore.” She offered, looking concerned.

I shook my head. “Thank you for your kindness, but there’s something I must achieve.”

I stayed as their guest for three days, taking in every detail of the manor. This was my mission. But… maybe I should convince them to call off the raid.

Still it was a mission, and in every game, missions were important. If I skipped this one, would I stop progressing the story?

I returned to the bandit base, deep in the forest. Everyone looked eager, ready for the raid. Three hundred bandits, set on plundering the village.

I gave the old man a full report. Every guard, inside and out, every possible vulnerability. I didn’t miss a single detail. That night, they gathered the top dogs for a strategy meeting, with assassins and rogues joining in.

Things were getting intense.

Would I regret this? I wondered.

At midnight, everyone prepared to raid.

“Since you’ve worked hard, you can rest tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll live a better life.” The old man assured me.

I fell into a deep sleep.

But soon, loud noise erupted around me.

“We’ve been ambushed!”

“Run! Everyone run for your lives!”

“Those bastard nobles are coming for our head!”

I stumbled outside in time to hear the panicked discussions.

“The intel was solid, confirmed down to the last detail.” Someone shouted.

“How could this have happened?” murmured another, disbelief thick in his voice.

The old man and a shadowy assassin stood nearby, discussing something urgently. Catching sight of me, the old man put a heavy hand on my shoulder. “This isn’t on you. Now move quickly!”

It was a flawless plan, or so they thought. But it turned out there was one crucial detail they hadn’t accounted for. Being ambushed in the middle of an ambush.

Fortunately, no one lost their life. We only suffered injuries here and there. Just another night for bandits like us.

“Thank God everyone’s safe.” sighed the bandit woman beside me, letting out a long-held breath of relief. “Last night was a miracle. We failed the raid, but not losing a single life? That’s something I’d call luck.”

“They wouldn’t dare chase us beyond the ruins. This is our territory.” the old man added with a scoff, his voice laced with bravado. “They know they’d be putting their heads on the line. Hmph!” He nodded, clearly convinced of his own authority.

I stood there in silent.

And then I made my choice. “I was the one who warned them.” I said, without remorse.

The camp fell silent, and everyone looked at me in shock. The plans they’d spent years crafting were destroyed in a night.

Being a bandit is hard.

Society doesn’t just reject you, they hunt you, surround you with enemies you can barely see. You’re nothing but a pawn for corrupt nobles, a disposable scout, sent ahead to die first. You survive by taking from others and by seizing innocent people. That’s your only path to seeing tomorrow.

No room for change. No safe ground. Even if you manage to scrape by for one more day, they’ll place bounties on your head. They’ll send men after you, men trained to kill without hesitation. And if they find you, they won’t just kill you, they’ll take down everyone you care about, everyone unlucky enough to share your fate as a bandit.

And now, I had betrayed them.

I looked around, meeting their eyes one by one. Daggers glinted in their hands, eyes hardened with murderous intent. The old man stared at me, his face twisted in disgust, and the bandit woman slapped me hard enough to sting. But the truth is… I didn’t feel any guilt. Not even a shred.

Maybe if they killed me right here, I’d wake up in my real world, away from this place, this life. Then again, what about them? The ones who’d live here?

But to these people, this was real. They were real. I might be just a twelve years old plus nine of my life here, but no matter how old I was, I couldn’t live my life with the weight of taking innocent lives.

I was exiled.

If they’d killed me on the spot, maybe I’d have made it back home. Part of me had hoped it would be that easy, that my life in this world would just blink out, and I’d wake up in my bed… I really just wanted to eat some pizza…