Jin-su's eyes fluttered open, his heart pounding in his chest. He was no longer in the comfort of his room, surrounded by the warm glow of his gaming monitors. Instead, he found himself lying on an unfamiliar cobblestone street, the foreign air cool against his skin.
His eyes darted around, taking in the medieval-like buildings and the eerie silence. It was then he noticed the ethereal blue panel hovering before him. "Welcome, Player, to 'Elysium: The Rise of Heroes'," the English words read.
Jin-su's heart pounded harder. Elysium was a game he'd been obsessed with, a game where he'd spent countless hours fighting monsters and exploring its vast landscapes. But this... this was too real.
He noticed the panel had changed. "Player: Jin-su. Class: Undefined. System Rank: EX."
His eyes widened. An EX rank? In Elysium, players' systems were typically classified between D and A, with S being extremely rare and attributed to only the most dedicated players. But EX? That was off the charts. An unparalleled system that didn't conform to any known balance.
A cold smile tugged at his lips. This... this was going to be fun.