Kenji groaned as his eyes slowly fluttered open. He blinked a few times, his vision blurry as he struggled to make sense of what he was seeing. Trees? No, not just trees—giant trees, stretching far higher than anything he had ever seen back home. He sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head, still groggy.
Kenji: "What... the hell?"
The forest loomed around him, quiet and still, as if the world itself was holding its breath. For a moment, Kenji thought he was still dreaming. He remembered going to bed after another boring day at school, finishing homework, and passing out. But... this? He glanced around, confusion settling deeper into his chest.
Kenji: "Where... am I?"
The air smelled different—earthy, with the scent of pine and something else he couldn't quite place. The ground beneath his fingers was damp and rough, the texture of the dirt too real to be a dream. He stared up at the trees that towered overhead, blocking out much of the sky.
Kenji: "Okay, this is seriously weird. This can’t be..."
His heart began to race as the unsettling realization hit him: he wasn’t in his bedroom anymore. Everything about this place felt too real—the sharp coolness of the breeze, the rough bark of the trees, the distant sounds of rustling leaves. It was as if he had been dropped into another world.
He stood up, shaky on his feet, his school uniform still the same as it had been before he went to bed. No phone. No backpack. Just... him.
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Before Kenji could even begin to make sense of things, a soft chime rang in the air, startling him. A glowing blue screen materialized before his eyes, hovering in mid-air.
Kenji: "What the...?"
He instinctively stepped back, his heart pounding in his chest. On the screen, words were written in bright letters:
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[Welcome, Player. You have entered the World of Arcadia.]
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Kenji: "Player? Arcadia?"
His voice trembled as he read the words over and over, trying to make sense of them. It was like something out of a game—a system message—but how was that even possible? He tried waving his hand through the screen, but it didn’t disappear. It hovered there, persistent and unmoving.
Kenji: "This has to be a dream... Right?"
He reached out, hesitant, and touched the screen. Nothing happened, but the text remained. His heart sank. This wasn’t just some weird dream or hallucination. This was... real. The panic started to set in, tightening in his chest like a vice.
Kenji: "Arcadia...? I’ve never heard of it. And what does it mean by ‘Player’?"
No answer. Just the soft rustle of the trees around him, as if the world was waiting for him to make his next move.
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Kenji forced himself to calm down, taking deep breaths. Panicking wasn’t going to help. If this was a game-like world, then maybe there were rules he needed to figure out. He took a tentative step forward, eyes scanning his surroundings for any sign of civilization, or at least something familiar.
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The silence of the forest was unsettling. It wasn’t just peaceful—it was the kind of silence that felt unnatural. As if something was watching him. Waiting.
Kenji: "There’s gotta be people around here, right?"
Just as the words left his mouth, a sudden rustling came from the bushes nearby. Kenji froze.
Kenji: "What the...?"
Another rustle, this time louder, closer. His heart raced, blood pounding in his ears. Instinctively, he stepped back, his eyes fixed on the bush. The rustling stopped, and for a brief moment, everything was still.
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[Warning: Hostile Creature Detected]
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Kenji: "H-Hostile creature?"
The system message flashed before him, and before he could even react, a low growl rumbled through the air. From the shadows of the bushes, a wolf emerged, its eyes glowing a menacing yellow. It was larger than any wolf Kenji had ever seen, its fur matted and its teeth bared.
Above the wolf's head, glowing letters hovered ominously:
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[Forest Wolf - Level 3]
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Kenji’s throat tightened.
Kenji: "A level 3 wolf? What does that even mean?!"
The wolf growled again, crouching as if ready to pounce. Kenji’s mind raced, panic surging through him like wildfire. He had no weapon, no items—just his school uniform and... his bare hands?
Kenji: "I... I can’t fight that!"
His body trembled as the wolf snarled, inching closer. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs felt like they were made of lead. This wasn’t a game anymore. This was life or death.
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The wolf lunged.
Kenji barely managed to leap to the side, the wolf’s teeth snapping inches from his arm. He stumbled, nearly falling to the ground as his heart pounded in his chest. His mind raced. He wasn’t a fighter. He wasn’t a hero. He was just a regular kid!
Kenji: "I-I need to get out of here!"
He turned on his heel and ran, the sound of the wolf’s heavy paws thudding against the ground close behind him. His breath came in ragged gasps, panic fueling his every step. The trees blurred past him as he sprinted, branches whipping at his face and arms.
Kenji: "Think, Kenji! Think!"
But the wolf was faster. It was gaining on him, its growls growing louder, more vicious. Kenji’s foot caught on a root, and he crashed to the ground, rolling through the dirt. Pain shot through his body, but he barely had time to register it before he heard the wolf’s snarl.
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[New Quest: Survive the First Encounter]
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Kenji: "Survive? How am I supposed to do that?! I don’t even have a weapon!"
He scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting around for anything he could use. His hand brushed against a small rock, and he grabbed it without thinking. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
The wolf lunged again, its jaws wide open, ready to tear him apart. Kenji threw the rock with everything he had, aiming for the wolf’s head. The rock struck its snout with a dull thud, and the wolf yelped in pain, stumbling back.
Kenji: "It worked...?"
But the momentary relief faded as the wolf growled, even more enraged now. It shook its head and fixed its eyes on Kenji once more, its muscles tensing for another attack.
Kenji: "Crap, crap, crap!"
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As the wolf charged again, Kenji’s eyes widened as a new system message appeared in front of him:
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[Tutorial: Basic Combat Unlocked]
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Kenji: "A tutorial? Now?!"
The system didn’t respond, of course. But before Kenji could process what was happening, another message appeared.
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[Weapon Unlocked: Dagger]
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A small dagger materialized in Kenji’s hand, glowing with a faint blue aura. He stared at it, his heart racing. It felt real—solid, cold to the touch. He didn’t have time to question it.
Kenji: "This... this might work!"
The wolf lunged again, and this time, Kenji was ready. He dodged to the side, the wolf’s jaws snapping shut where he had been standing just moments before. With a surge of adrenaline, Kenji slashed at the beast’s side with the dagger, the blade cutting through its fur and drawing blood.
The wolf howled in pain, its health bar appearing above its head.
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[HP -10]
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Kenji: "Okay, okay... I can do this..."
His breath came in ragged bursts, but the sight of the wolf’s health bar slowly depleting gave him a sliver of hope. He wasn’t completely helpless after all.
The wolf, wounded but still dangerous, growled again, preparing for one final attack.
Kenji tightened his grip on the dagger.
Kenji: "It’s just like a game... I just need to finish it!"
The wolf lunged. Kenji moved, his body reacting faster than his mind, the dagger flashing in the dim light of the forest.
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To Be Continued...
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END OF EPISODE