Arsen took a critical hit from the monster—his HP dropped to 25% in an instant. Warning alerts flashed in his vision as sharp pain radiated from his broken ribs and a pounding headache blurred his focus. One more hit, and it was game over. No respawns. No second chances.
The idea of running crossed his mind he knew he didn't have the strength to take this monster down. But the battlefield left him no room to retreat. Escape wasn't just risky, it was impossible.
Roar!
Suddenly, Arsen's eyes widened, a second monster had entered the area. The scent of his blood must've drawn it in.
This was exactly what he feared. One monster was already a nightmare, now there were two.
'What should I do?'
Gulp!
Arsen quickly used another HP potion from his inventory, bringing his health back up to 55%. Some of his wounds began to close, but the pain lingered just enough to remind him that potions couldn't fix everything. The healing was limited, barely keeping him in the fight.
Bam!
Out of nowhere, the second monster lunged at Rabbier. Arsen didn't waste the opportunity the clash between the two beasts gave him just enough space to retreat.
It looked like they were fighting over prey. Over him.
Swoosh!
Without a second thought, Arsen activated his Dash skill, surging forward to put distance between himself and the monsters.
But the fight behind him didn't last long. The moment both creatures realized their prey had slipped away, they turned in unison drawn by the lingering scent of blood.
As Arsen pushed deeper into the forest, things only got worse. More monsters picked up his trail. The deeper he ran, the more joined the hunt.
He should've never listened to Rigu's recommendation. NPCs like him had insane strength even at low levels. There was a huge gap between them and real players. After all, player stats were based on their real-world bodies, only enhanced by a modest 20%. That difference mattered now more than ever.
Arsen kept running, weaving through roots and leaping over fallen branches, doing everything he could to avoid the terrain slowing him down.
"This is bad," he muttered, breath ragged. "My fatigue's draining way too fast. I can't keep this up—"
-25
A Wind Blade struck his back, causing Arsen to gasp in agony and stagger forward. The cut wasn't deep, but it was a close call had it been a direct hit, he would've been dead.
Give up. The thought flashed through his mind. Death would only mean a restart, and maybe that was the easier path. He was starting to accept that this journey was going to be a long, painful one, especially with the suspension still in place.
It didn't help that the game had already been out for over a week. Stronger players were everywhere, leaving him in the dust. Arsen could feel the weight of that gap growing with every step.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The monsters began bombarding him with relentless attacks, their strikes shattering the ground around him. But thanks to his agility, Arsen narrowly dodged each one, his movements quick and precise. However, the constant evasion took its toll on his stamina was draining faster than he expected.
Fatigue 20%
He gasped for breath, on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion. Every muscle in his body screamed for rest, but he couldn't afford to stop. His eyes, illuminated by the pale moonlight, locked onto the glowing orb in the sky. It was a brief moment of peace amidst the chaos, a reminder of the world beyond this endless chase.
"Wait..."
The negative thoughts slowly faded as Arsen's eyes locked onto the cliff ahead. 100 meters. He calculated the distance, knowing exactly where he needed to go.
Jumping off the cliff. It was a desperate move, but it was his only option. He understood the risks—if the fall caused damage, it could kill him. But at this point, he had nothing else to lose.
As he ran, he quickly downed an Energy Drink, hoping it would give him the stamina he desperately needed. Then, without slowing down, he popped an HP Potion, watching as his health steadily increased. The potions left his hands, now empty and useless.
"If I take damage from the fall, I'll use the potions to recover."
Swoosh!
Without hesitation, Arsen launched himself off the edge of the cliff. The cold air rushed against his skin as he plummeted, and for a split second, he glanced back, wondering if the monsters would follow. As expected, they halted just before the cliff's edge.
However, the momentum of the chase had already caused some of the creatures to tumble over the edge, pushed by the ones behind them. Despite the chaos, none of the monsters seemed to take fatal damage, they were too resilient for that.
It was clear now: these monsters weren't mindless. They had enough intelligence to survive in this world, and perhaps even think ahead in ways Arsen hadn't anticipated.
Argh!
Arsen groaned as pain shot through his body, each tree branch slashing at him like sharp knives. With every impact, his trajectory shifted, his fall becoming more erratic as he collided with the rough bark and jagged branches. The descent was a chaotic blur of pain and disorientation.
-
Thud!
Several minutes later, Arsen lay on the cold ground, his body wracked with pain. Every inch of him screamed in agony, but somehow, 10% of his HP remained just enough to keep him alive. Blood still oozed from his wounds, threatening to drain the last of his health.
He quickly drank another HP potion, the bitter liquid helping to stem the bleeding, but the pain didn't subside.
"T-this is insane."
His voice trembled, the reality of what he had just endured sinking in. Every sensation the fear, the pain, the exhaustion felt far too real. It was as if he had truly been transported to another world, much like the novels he'd read.
Five hours had passed. Arsen had originally planned to spend just an hour in the game, enough to get a feel for the world and finalize his character. But then everything changed. He couldn't deny it anymore he was enjoying the game, despite the chaos and danger.
Now, with no idea where he was, he found himself in a dark, unfamiliar place. The shadows seemed to stretch endlessly around him, and the details of his surroundings were almost impossible to make out. But he didn't have the luxury to focus on that. His sole priority was survival getting his character back to a stable condition before the next threat arrived.
When his HP finally reached 60%, Arsen clicked the log out button, his avatar vanishing from the game.
He carefully placed the helmet and gloves on the table, wincing as the lingering sensations of pain coursed through his body like electric jolts that refused to fade.
"That's enough for today," Arsen muttered, stretching out on his bed. The exhaustion from both the game and reality hit him. "I still have a job tomorrow."
He stared up at the ceiling, his mind racing. I need a strategy for this game. I can't afford to take anything lightly. One small mistake could lead to serious consequences.
...
Arsen woke up at 6:30 AM, the soreness in his body making him feel like he'd just come back from an intense gym session. Nevertheless, he pushed through it, his job started at 8 AM, and there was no time to waste.
His phone buzzed with a message.
[Hey, Arsen. What's up? Did you already buy the console? You know it's tough to level up in this game. I hope you've got one so we can play together like we used to.]
It was from Cain, his childhood friend. They'd gone to the same school, and their bond was more like that of brothers than friends.
[Yeah, my dad got me one. We can play after I'm done with my stuff.]
Arsen put his phone down on the table and began preparing for the day. By the time 8 AM rolled around, he was out the door, heading to work.
At the office, one of his colleagues noticed his tired expression.
"What happened, Arsen? You look exhausted."
Arsen gave a tired smile and shrugged.
"Just some stuff, but I'm good. Nothing to worry about."
Just like every other day, Arsen's routine began with cleaning and washing dishes, the hours dragging on as usual. But even as he worked, his mind never fully left the game. World Drivers lingered in the back of his thoughts strategies, methods, and the best way to gain an edge in the early stages of the game.
5:30 PM
Finally, the workday came to an end. Exhausted, Arsen wiped the last of the dishes and sighed. Despite the fatigue, a surge of anticipation buzzed in his chest. He was eager—no, hungry—to log back into the game and pick up where he had left off. The real world felt distant, and all he could think about was the next challenge waiting for him.
Arsen glanced at the computer screen, skimming through articles about players who had successfully completed a 10-man dungeon raid on medium difficulty. His eyes lingered on one name: Dark Reign. A player who had already reached the highest level, Level 3.
Arsen, however, had his own approach to leveling up. One of his main strategies was completing quests from NPCs. But today, he'd chosen to focus on monsters, he needed to familiarize himself with their movements, especially since he was using Console 1 Version 1, which had a different control scheme compared to what he was used to.
Breaking news!
World Drivers had spread across the globe like wildfire, with the player count now reaching 10 million. Given the earnings and opportunities the game promised, it wasn't hard to understand why so many people had quit their jobs to chase their luck in the virtual world.
Arsen paused for a moment, staring at the screen, then shook his head.
"What should I care? I need to focus on myself."
Arsen chose not to interact with others, knowing all too well the true nature of people. He'd learned the hard way. When he was a child, he had experienced things no one his age should have to endure. Those experiences had shaped him, and as a result, he kept his distance from others, preferring the isolation.
It wasn't that he hated people, it was just that he couldn't afford to trust them. Not anymore.
Zing!
Arsen logged back into the game, finding himself exactly where he had logged out. His health was fully restored, and the lingering pain from his injuries had vanished.
He took a moment to scan his surroundings, noting that he was still deep within the forest. In front of him stood the massive 30-foot tree he had noticed when he first entered Grook Forest. Its ancient, towering presence gave off an air of timelessness.
"This tree must be thousands of years old," Arsen muttered, marveling at its sheer size.
The forest around him was alive with sparkling lights, shimmering like stars scattered across the ground. It almost felt as if fairies were inhabiting the place, their ethereal glow adding to the sense of enchantment in the air.
[You have reached the Enchanted Grook Forest.]
A soft chime accompanied the notification as it appeared in front of Arsen. He narrowed his eyes at the glowing text, realizing he had officially crossed into a new part of the forest. The shift in the environment made sense now everything felt more mystical, more alive.
Drawn by the towering tree ahead, Arsen made his way toward it. As he reached the base, something caught his eye an object partially hidden among the roots, glinting faintly in the filtered light.
"Is that... a treasure?" he muttered, curiosity sparking in his chest.