Trapped Inside My Favorite Game

The rain fell so heavily that the city lights looked blurred behind the water running down the windows.

Aria Vale leaned back in her chair, rubbing her tired eyes. The glowing monitor in front of her displayed the familiar title screen of Eternal Realm, the fantasy game she had played almost every day for six years.

She smiled weakly.

"So that's finally over."

A golden message flashed across the screen.

Congratulations! You are the first player to complete every hidden quest.

Another notification appeared.

100% World Completion Achieved.

Aria laughed softly.

"It only took six years."

She stretched her arms and glanced at the clock on her wall.

2:17 a.m.

"I should sleep."

She shut down her computer and stood up. Her apartment was silent except for the rain tapping against the windows.

As she walked toward the kitchen for a glass of water, her phone vibrated.

It was a message from her younger brother.

Congratulations, sis. I knew you'd beat the game someday.

A warm smile appeared on her face.

Thanks. I'll tell you everything tomorrow.

She slipped the phone into her pocket and grabbed her coat.

"I'll buy breakfast before heading home from the internet café tomorrow," she whispered to herself.

The rain had become lighter when she stepped outside.

The streets were almost empty.

She crossed the road while checking another message from her brother.

Then she heard it.

A terrified scream.

"Watch out!"

Aria looked up.

Bright headlights rushed toward her.

A delivery truck had lost control on the wet road.

Everything happened too quickly.

Its tires screeched.

People shouted.

Her body refused to move.

The truck slammed into her.

Pain exploded through every part of her body before everything turned dark.

...

Silence.

Then came a strange voice.

Loading Character Data...

Aria frowned.

"What..."

Synchronizing Soul...

She slowly opened her eyes.

A blue sky stretched endlessly above her.

Soft clouds drifted peacefully overhead.

Birds sang somewhere nearby.

She blinked several times.

"This isn't..."

She sat up suddenly.

Instead of a hospital bed, she found herself lying in a grassy field filled with colorful flowers.

A cool breeze brushed against her face.

Towering mountains surrounded the valley.

A medieval city stood in the distance.

Her heartbeat quickened.

"No..."

She looked down at herself.

She was wearing worn leather armor with patches stitched across the sleeves.

A rusty dagger hung from her belt.

Brown boots covered her feet.

None of them belonged to her.

Her breathing became uneven.

"What is happening?"

A familiar sound echoed inside her mind.

Ding.

A transparent blue window appeared before her eyes.

Character Information

Name: Luna Ashwood

Class: Apprentice Scout

Level: 1

Health: 100

Mana: 20

Strength: 4

Agility: 8

Intelligence: 7

Luck: 1

Aria froze.

"No way..."

She stared at the floating screen.

"Luna Ashwood?"

Her voice trembled.

"The weakest tutorial character?"

She knew this name better than anyone.

Luna Ashwood existed only to teach beginners how death worked.

Every player watched her die during the opening quest.

She had no special abilities.

No important future.

No hidden bloodline.

No legendary weapon.

She simply died.

Every single time.

Aria's hands shook.

"I became Luna?"

She quickly opened the status window again, hoping it was a mistake.

It wasn't.

The numbers remained exactly the same.

Her weakest stat caught her attention.

Luck: 1.

She laughed bitterly.

"Seriously?"

Footsteps approached from behind.

A frightened young boy ran toward her.

"You finally woke up!"

Aria recognized him instantly.

Evan.

The village messenger.

He was the first NPC players ever met.

His dialogue never changed.

"The wolves have appeared near the forest! Please help us warn the village!"

Aria closed her eyes.

"I know."

Evan blinked.

"What?"

She had memorized this quest years ago.

The tutorial was simple.

Run to the village.

Speak to Captain Rowan.

Avoid the wolves.

Luna dies after protecting a little girl.

Then the real protagonist appears.

It was impossible to fail if you followed the quest correctly.

Aria sighed with relief.

"If everything follows the game, I can survive."

She knew every hidden path.

Every shortcut.

Every monster.

Every treasure chest.

She had nothing to fear.

"Come on!" Evan shouted.

"We're running out of time!"

They sprinted across the grassy fields toward the village.

Everything looked exactly as she remembered.

The wooden fences.

The windmill.

The wheat fields.

Even the old woman feeding chickens.

Her memories matched perfectly.

"I really am inside Eternal Realm."

Excitement slowly replaced fear.

"If I know the future, I can change everything."

They reached the village entrance.

Villagers ran in panic.

Captain Rowan shouted orders to the guards.

"Close the gate!"

Aria smiled.

"Right on schedule."

She stepped forward.

"Captain, wolves are attacking from the eastern forest."

The captain stared at her.

"No."

Aria frowned.

"What?"

"They're coming from the north."

Her smile disappeared.

"The north?"

"Yes! Didn't you hear the scouts?"

Aria felt her stomach tighten.

That wasn't right.

The wolves always attacked from the east.

Always.

A loud explosion shook the ground.

The northern gate shattered into pieces.

Villagers screamed.

Massive shadows leaped over the broken wall.

Aria's eyes widened.

Her breathing stopped.

Those weren't wolves.

Standing inside the village were three enormous black beasts covered in crimson scales.

Their glowing red eyes swept across the terrified crowd.

One roared so loudly that windows shattered.

Aria took a slow step backward.

"No..."

She whispered.

"These monsters don't appear until Chapter Thirty."

One of the beasts suddenly turned toward her.

Its crimson eyes locked onto hers.

The system chimed once more.

Warning.

Original Storyline Has Been Altered.

The monster lunged at her.