"Thank you for shopping at O-Market!"The greeting from a person in a bright blue uniform at the cashier's counter seemed genuinely heartfelt to every customer. He had just thanked a customer who had completed their shopping and payment. This was his job as a convenience store employee. His demeanor made him an ideal candidate for Employee of the Month."Haaa… Finally, I can take a little break. I didn’t expect that there would be so many customers," said the short-haired, bespectacled young man with a tired expression.He had lost his exemplary employee aura with the words that left his dry lips. The young man sat for a moment on a small stool near the register, letting out a deep sigh. His thoughts were a bit scrambled, but he wasn’t about to give up. His reasons for working there went beyond just a paycheck. He was after something more. He was after…“Eldric, here’s your pay…”“Paydaaaaay!!” The young man named Eldric shouted, startling the person approaching him.Eldric immediatel

When Eldric and Rylan first arrived at Aldora City, the initial hub for GHO players, they were stunned by the desolate, ruinous appearance of the city, as if it had become a ghost town. Without wasting time panicking, they decided to take their first steps into this strange world from there.Walking through the city, both were astonished to see it bustling—not with humans, but with bizarre, lizard-like creatures. They glanced around in disbelief, struggling to comprehend their surroundings.“Rylan, are we really in the world of GHO? The atmosphere feels eerie,” Eldric whispered.“Yes. I’m sure we’re in GHO. Just look at all the lizard-like beings around us,” Rylan replied, pointing ahead.“Also, our appearances have changed, haven’t they? I’m wearing a black cloak, and my hair is a bright white,” Eldric said, running his fingers through his hair.“It’s likely the result of GHO’s character design. We’ve become characters customized to our personalities. I have a red cloak, but my hair

Many people ran and distanced themselves from the massive figure that had appeared before them. The panic-stricken faces of the Red Lizard Race were clearly visible. They were escaping from the sudden appearance of Plantazel in the city of Aldora. Several settlements had been destroyed, and many lives had been lost due to the monster’s savage attacks.Eldric and Rylan felt powerless in the face of the monster before them. They couldn’t force their legs or hands to move from where they stood. What could they do? Eldric and Rylan were merely humans, a race not even mentioned in the records of this world, and they lacked magic. If they fought Plantazel with just ordinary weapons, their bodies would end up like those of the Red Lizard Race inhabitants who had been killed by the monster before them.Plantazel advanced further into the inner part of Aldora City. The monster couldn’t be stopped. Some of the citizens and city guards tried to fight it with magic and large weapons. However, the

Eldric quickly opened his [Menu Bar] and drew his [Mald Arrow] to face the Plantazel before him. The aura radiating from this Plantazel was entirely different from the one he had encountered in Aldora City. It felt like an intense, killing aura."Reast, I'll take care of this monster. You need to protect that girl," Eldric said, calling Rylan by his agreed-upon [Hero] name."Ha—Dyne, are you sure you can beat it?! This one looks far more dangerous than the Plantazel in Aldora City!" Rylan responded anxiously."If I manage to defeat it, we’ll gain an advantage from this battle, Reast. Remember how I made money before?" Eldric retorted confidently."You beat the last Plantazel by sheer luck! This one might kill you! We should retreat, Dyne!""Enough! You can’t do much right now, Reast. That’s why you need to focus on what you can do...""Damn it! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!"Eldric understood Rylan's concerns. Even as [Great Hero Dyne], he still didn’t fully comprehend the potential of

Eldric and Rylan couldn’t hide their identities. In fact, Evil Gamma knew their real names. There was no doubt about it. Only the first and last race they encountered knew their real names—the Red Lizard race from Aldora City. More specifically, it was likely Voth who was behind it all. If that was true, then Voth had a close connection to the appearance of Plantazel in Aldora City and had trapped both of them.Rylan couldn’t fathom that the mastermind behind the appearance of Plantazel was Voth. However, what was Voth’s goal in putting his own city and the Red Lizard race in danger? Rylan’s thoughts were too jumbled to find an answer. For now, he had other matters to attend to.“I think you’re feeling better now. I need to treat that elf girl and return this dagger to her,” Rylan turned to look at the girl’s body behind a tree not too far from where Eldric had fought earlier.“Good grief. You’re abandoning your duty to protect the girl? I thought you were more careful, Rylan,” Eldric