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 fell slightly open.
"This… this can't be real…"
The System ignored his disbelief.
[Loading player data... Transfer complete.]
[Beginner Stats: Strength: 6 | Agility: 7 | Intelligence: 8 | Vitality: 5]
[Skill Unlocked: Analysis Lv.1]
A soft chime echoed inside his mind.
His body felt… lighter. Faster. His thoughts, sharper — as if someone had stripped away the fatigue of every sleepless night.
Eren clenched his fists, eyes trembling with awe.
He'd played this world for years — grinding, hunting, surviving endless respawns.
But this time… it wasn't a screen. It was real.
"Valtheris," he whispered, staring at the endless forests that stretched toward silver peaks. "I'm really here."
---
Meanwhile…
Far away, within the ruins of a broken fortress, another figure stirred.
Riel groaned softly, rubbing his temples. "Ugh… what happened? Brother?"
Only silence answered him. The wind carried the scent of ash and dust through the shattered stone halls.
He stood, trembling slightly, eyes scanning the unfamiliar horizon.
The same strange sun glowed overhead, too bright, too close. His heart raced as fragments of memory flashed — the storm, the light, the computer, Eren's shout.
He wasn't a gamer like his brother. But he understood one thing.
"This isn't Earth," he whispered. "No way…"
He looked down at his hands — shaking, human, yet different. Stronger.
Then panic took hold. He cupped his hands to his mouth and screamed.
"EREN! Where are you!?"
Only echoes answered him.
---
Back with Eren…
[Quest Generated: "Survive the First Day."]
[Objective: Defeat one monster.]
[Reward: +1 Level | Basic Weapon]
Eren blinked at the floating text and let out a small laugh.
"Seriously? First day in another world and it's already a tutorial quest?"
He grinned, despite himself.
This world — his world — was the one place where he might finally matter.
He pushed through the trees, scanning his surroundings carefully, when a low growl froze him in place.
A wolf, dark as smoke with eyes glowing blue, slunk from the shadows.
[Monster: Shade Wolf — Level 3]
Eren's pulse thundered in his ears.
No sword. No armor. Just a branch.
"Guess this is my starter weapon," he muttered.
The wolf leapt. Eren barely dodged, rolling through the dirt before swinging the branch in a wide arc. It cracked against the creature's skull, and faint red text flashed in the air.
[-12 HP]
"Ha!" he shouted, breathless. "It works!"
The wolf lunged again — claws slashing across his arm. The pain was real. White-hot and searing.
Eren roared, swinging until the branch split in half. The final strike landed clean, and the wolf dissolved into black motes of light.
[Quest Complete. +1 Level.]
[Reward Received: Dagger (Common)]
Panting, Eren fell to one knee.
Before him, a dagger materialized — sleek, black, etched with faint runes that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
He picked it up, the reflection in the blade revealing his own eyes — glowing faintly blue.
Somewhere deep within him, a whisper stirred.
This is only the beginning.
---