Eren's eyes shot open to a blinding white light.
The air smelled different—crisp, sharp, filled with the scent of grass and metal. His fingers sank into soft earth, not the cold plastic of his old gaming chair. His heart pounded as he slowly rose, blinking against the brilliance of a sun that wasn't supposed to exist.
[System initializing...]
[Welcome, Player Eren Kaito. You have entered the Realm of Valtheris.]
A translucent blue screen floated before his eyes, its letters pulsing like they were alive. Eren's jaw dropped.
"This… this can't be real…"
The System continued, ignoring his disbelief.
[Loading player data... Transfer complete.]
[Beginner Stats: Strength: 6 | Agility: 7 | Intelligence: 8 | Vitality: 5]
[Skill Unlocked: Analysis Lv.1]
A notification tone echoed like a chime in his head.
His body felt… lighter. Faster. His mind clearer, sharper — like he'd been reborn.
Eren clenched his fist, eyes trembling with awe.
He'd played this world countless times, grinding dungeons, hunting bosses. But this—this was real.
"Valtheris," he whispered, looking at the endless forests that stretched toward silver mountains. "I'm really here."
---
Meanwhile...
Far away, in the ruins of a broken fortress, another figure stirred.
Riel groaned, rubbing his temples. "Ugh... what happened? Brother?"
Silence. Only wind and the sound of shifting stones answered him.
He stood up slowly, confusion spreading as he looked around.
The same strange sun glowed overhead. His heart raced — he remembered the flash, the sound of the computer, the sudden pull.
He wasn't a gamer like Eren. But he knew enough to realize something impossible had happened.
"No... way." He looked at his trembling hands. "We were in his room. I was just—bringing food…"
His voice cracked. He shouted again, louder.
"Eren! Where are you!?"
Only echoes returned.
---
Back with Eren...
[Quest Generated: "Survive the First Day."]
[Objective: Defeat one monster. Reward: +1 Level, Basic Weapon.]
"Seriously?" he muttered. "Thrown into another world and the first quest is a tutorial?"
He grinned slightly — even now, part of him felt thrilled. This was his world now. The one place where he wasn't powerless.
He moved into the trees, scanning his surroundings, until he heard a low growl.
A wolf, dark as smoke, eyes glowing blue, crept from the shadows.
[Monster: Shade Wolf — Level 3]
Eren's heart pounded. No weapon, no plan. Just instinct.
He grabbed a fallen branch, gritted his teeth, and lunged.
The wolf dodged fast, but Eren rolled to the side and struck again, using his gamer's reflexes. The branch cracked against its head, and he saw a flicker of red damage text flash in the air.
[-12 HP]
"Ha!" he barked out, adrenaline flooding him. "It really works!"
The wolf lunged again — claws cutting across his arm.
Pain was real. Sharp and burning.
He swung again, screaming, smashing the branch into its skull until it vanished into particles of black light.
[Quest Complete. +1 Level. Reward Received: Dagger (Common)]
Panting, Eren dropped to his knees.
The dagger materialized before him — sleek, black, etched with faint runes.
He held it up, and the reflection of his own face looked back at him — eyes glowing faintly blue.
Something inside him whispered.
This was only the beginning.
---