Noah frantically pawed at his temples, the cold sweat slicking his skin. He’d been fiddling with the VR headset for hours, convinced there had to be a way out. He scrolled through the game window for the hundredth time, each fruitless search amplifying his dread.

CHARACTER GUILD BAG CHAT/CALL

There was no logout button. It wasn’t a bug; it wasn’t a dream. He was trapped. Trapped in DragonWar.

Just moments ago, he’d been bartering for rare elixirs in the bustling marketplace of Augusto City, a city perched on the game’s 100th floor. Now? Towering trees surrounded him, their leaves a vibrant, almost unnatural green. A shiver ran down his spine. He knew this forest. The gnarled, moss-covered branches, the distinctive scent of damp earth and pine – it was unmistakable. This was the forest bordering Athur Village, the beginner’s zone. The very first place he’d spawned when he’d initially logged into DragonWar, five years ago.

A wave of nostalgia, bittersweet and sharp, washed over him. He remembered the clumsy fumbling with his first sword, the thrill of his first goblin kill, the camaraderie of the other newbies. He longed to return to that simpler time, to the innocence before the cutthroat competition of the higher levels. He’d left Athur Village behind so long ago, eager to climb the ranks, conquer the dungeons, become a legend. Now, he was stranded.

Stolen novel; please report.

Panic clawed at his throat. He frantically tried to access the game window again, his fingers trembling as they danced over the unresponsive headset.

NAME: Noah LEVEL: 1 (0/100) FACTION: Light RACE: Human JOB: No Avaible

BARRIER: 10/10

QI/MANA: No

SKILL: No

Finally, the character screen flickered into view. His heart plummeted. His avatar, once a formidable level 98 Battle Mage, was now a pathetic level 1.

“Darn it!” he hissed, slamming his fist against a nearby tree. He remembered a long-forgotten game mechanic: only players level 10 and below could access the first floor and at level 3 he can only enter newbee village.

The game creator's design choices puzzled him. He recalled the arduous grind to level 3, a process that had consumed nearly a week. Even more perplexing was the strength of the goblins; though considered weak monsters, they significantly outmatched new players. This imbalance was further compounded by the fact that job classes, essential for progression, were locked until level 3, leaving players in a vulnerable and frustrating early game.

With five years of experience under his belt, Noah was confident he could finish the job in a day, maybe even less. Sword at his side, he set off to find the goblin, determined to reach level 3 before nightfall.