Bright Sunday morning.
"Oh man, after teaching dumb kids all week, I can finally play some games."
I said that to myself as I rolled out of bed, brewed some coffee, threw on a t-shirt and shorts, then sat down to read the latest news, followed by a history article, of course.
After all, I am a history teacher. Gotta stay updated, even if no one else seems to care about the subject anymore. Most students these days hate history, and to be honest, this job barely pays me enough to buy games.
Still, beyond my love for history, I've always had a passion for games—especially PVE and PVP ones. Words can't describe how much I love those genres.
"Right... I bought a game two months ago... Totally forgot about it. And wasn't it nominated for GOTY? Hmm, maybe I'll give it a try now."
With my coffee in hand, I sat down at my desk and powered up my high-spec PC—something I had saved up for over eight months of barely decent teaching salary.
"Alright, beast. Let's test your power."
I had built this PC myself, part by part. Just yesterday, I found a VGA card being sold ridiculously cheap—almost suspiciously cheap. Cash on delivery. Perfect condition. An absolute steal.
As the PC roared to life, I noticed something resting on the keyboard—my gray hat.
"Huh? How'd you get here?"
I picked it up and tossed it onto the bed.
"Alright, alright... where is it... ah, there it is."
Score Zero.
I hovered over the icon and checked the game's description:
An adventure set in a post-apocalyptic futuristic city. You must survive as a poor outcast, gain power, and defeat monsters lurking in forbidden zones.
"…What the hell is this garbage description?"
"But who cares—let's download it!"
Wait.
"Eh? I already downloaded it? That's weird… I don't remember doing that. Must've forgotten."
Shrugging, I moved the mouse and clicked Play.
Suddenly, my VGA began to glow—brightly.
"What? Is it broken?! No way, I spent half my damn paycheck on that!"
A blinding light filled the room. I raised my arm to shield my eyes—
Then, darkness.
When I opened them again, everything was... different.
My PC? Gone.My bed? Gone.My gray hat? Still on my head.
"…Wait. This... isn't my room."
I slowly stood up, eyes wide.
Neon signs flickered on shattered towers. Blackened buildings loomed around me under a smoky, dim sky. Drones hovered above, scanning the area with eerie red lights. Trash blew in the wind, and somewhere far away, I heard a monster's roar echo between the broken walls.
I was inside it.
The game.
"Score Zero... you've got to be kidding me."
Maybe I wasn't playing it yet—but this? This had to be the map from the trailer.
I pinched my cheek. Ouch.
Not a dream.
Then, just in front of me, a translucent screen blinked into existence—a floating HUD.
Welcome, Player.Starting Zone:Ruined District AStatus:Poor. Unknown. Vulnerable.Objective:Survive.
"…What the fuck."
A low, guttural growl echoed from behind me.
I froze.
Slowly, I turned my head—and saw it.
A 9-foot-tall wolf, its body covered in matted fur, half of its face blown open by what looked like an old gunshot wound. Bone was exposed. Its one remaining eye locked onto me.
"...Hey?"
It roared.
Without thinking, I bolted—grabbing my gray hat off the ground as I ran.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck—what the hell is this?!"
"Great Wolf detected. Secondary mags loaded."
A mechanical voice rang out from above. A nearby drone began to fire its minigun, the rotating barrels humming violently as it rained bullets on the beast.
I didn't stop running.
Up ahead, I spotted a blue holographic gate glowing against a cracked wall—four figures stood guard near it.
"HELP! HELP!!"
One of them turned slightly. "Huh? You hear someone, Pyo?"
"Ugh, probably just the Irklers again. Just get in and don't come back, kid."
"Aye aye, captain! Pyo!"
One person stepped through the gate.
Then another.
And another.
The last one glanced back briefly—then followed. The gate closed instantly, the glowing blue light vanishing, replaced by a solid wall.
"AH—SHIT!"
Before I could react, a drone smashed into the wall next to me. It sparked violently—its main core bitten clean through.
"…Ah…"
I turned, trembling.
The growl was close.
Too close.
The Great Wolf stood behind me, blood dripping from its jaw.
"Shit—!"
A searing beam of light shot out from behind, hitting me square in the back.
I collapsed instantly.
As my vision blurred, I lifted my head—barely.
A towering creature, at least a kilometer tall, loomed in the distance. Its form shifted like liquid, but its single massive eye—like that of a squid—stared directly at me.
"…Ah, shit."
Objective: CompleteReward: Skill Acquired
"AHHHHH—!"
I screamed as my body jolted.
Safe Zone Entered
A calm, robotic female voice echoed in my ears.
Suddenly, the darkness, the monster, the chaos—it was all gone.
I blinked rapidly, the harsh brightness forcing me to shield my eyes.
The sun.Warmth.Clean air.Towering chrome buildings rose into the sky, connected by shimmering rails and flying vehicles. Neon signs blinked in strange symbols, and people walked below—some human, others not so much.
I was standing in the middle of a wide platform overlooking a city that looked ripped from a sci-fi movie.
"…Ah. I'm alive?"
I looked down at myself. No blood. No injuries. My hat was still in my hand, a little dusty—but I was whole.
"What the hell just happened…?"
A new notification blinked into view, floating in front of me.
Skill Acquired: Passive – Danger Survival InstinctYour body moves before your mind in life-or-death scenarios. +15% dodge chance during ambushes.
"You are new to the city please tell your name!"
A drone with a screen appears in front of me
I sigh before I typed
South Lim