Seun-mi stared at the floating holographic screens in front of him for a moment. He had always been a video game player, but this situation was beyond anything he'd ever experienced. Everything in this world felt real—in the sense that he could feel the air on his skin, hear the distant rustling of trees, and even perceive a strange energy vibrating around him. But the fact that it was all made of data... that was almost too much to take in.
"Well, let's see what I can do with this interface," he murmured, reaching out towards the holographic panels.
[Main Menu]
Stats
Skills
Inventory
Quests
Messages
"Hmm... I'll start with the skills, I guess," he decided. He touched the Skills tab, and a new screen appeared:
[Current Skills]
Divine Summoning (Level 1)
"Is that it?"
Seun-mi sighed. Divine Summoning seemed to be his only skill for now. The rest of the skills were marked with question marks, as if he hadn't unlocked anything else yet. No combat skills, no elemental spells, nothing. Just this mysterious summoning ability.
"Great. I'm an 'invoker,' but I can't even summon a stray cat," he muttered sarcastically.
He focused on Divine Summoning, trying to get more information. The screen expanded slightly to display a brief description:
[Divine Summoning (Level 1)]
Description: Allows the summoning of a minor divine entity to assist the player in combat or other situations. The summoned entity depends on available resources and data compatibility.
Cost: Low
Cooldown: 60 seconds
"Well, that might be useful. Assuming I have something to summon."
Shaking his head, he closed the skills panel and returned to the main menu. This time, he opened the Stats tab. A new screen appeared, but almost everything was hidden.
[Player Stats: Seun-mi Ho]
Level: ??
Rank: ??
Strength: ??
Agility: ??
Intelligence: ??
Charisma: ??
Health Points: ??
Mana Points: ??
"Awesome. I don't even know my own level. That's going to be handy," he sighed. "Why is everything locked?"
The Interface immediately responded, its mechanical voice resonating in the air: "Your current stats are locked until you complete a series of initiation quests. This will provide you with the resources needed to unlock and improve your abilities."
"So, I have to do a quest before I can even find out if I suck or not. Perfect." He shook his head. "Okay, Interface, what am I supposed to do next?"
A new screen appeared in front of him, displaying a golden icon shaped like a chest.
"As a new player in the Realm of the Heavens, you are entitled to a Newcomer's Chest. This chest contains basic items to help you begin your adventure."
"Ah, finally, some good news," Seun-mi murmured. "Where's this chest?"
"It is nearby. Please follow me."
The glowing sphere that represented the Interface began to float gently, moving across the strange plain where Seun-mi found himself. He followed, glancing around. The landscape was both beautiful and unsettling. Vast stretches of violet-tinted grass extended as far as the eye could see, while black mountains pierced the starry sky far off in the distance.
"It would almost look magical if I didn't know it was all just a bunch of code," he thought aloud.
After a few minutes of walking, the glowing sphere stopped near a large wooden chest adorned with golden metalwork. The chest seemed to glow faintly, as if imbued with a mysterious energy.
"Here is the Newcomer's Chest," the Interface announced. "It contains items that will be useful to you as you start your journey."
Kneeling before the chest, Seun-mi felt a mix of curiosity and apprehension. He placed his hands on the cold wood, and the lid opened with a metallic creak. Inside, he found several items carefully arranged: gold coins, a weapon, and some equipment.
[Newcomer's Chest Contents]
1000 Gold Coins
Equipment: Adventurer's Cloak (Level 1)
Weapon: Initiate's Dagger (Level 1)
"Not bad," Seun-mi muttered, picking up the gold coins. They were surprisingly heavy and shiny, far more realistic than he'd expected. "Finally, something tangible."
He tried to store the coins in an inner pocket of his uniform—or at least, he tried to. As soon as his hand moved toward the coins, they seemed to vanish, and a small indicator appeared on the screen.
[Current Gold: 1000 Coins]
"Ah, just like in a game. The money goes straight into my inventory," he noted.
Next, he turned his attention to the two other items. The Adventurer's Cloak was a simple black piece of fabric with silver trim. It wasn't flashy, but it looked durable and practical. He draped it over his shoulders, pleasantly surprised by how light it felt.
[Adventurer's Cloak (Level 1)]
Type: Light Armor
Effect: +5 Agility, +10 Defense
"Not bad at all," he said, feeling the cloak settle comfortably around him. "I guess it's better than nothing."
Finally, he picked up the Initiate's Dagger. It was fairly simple, with a dark metal blade that barely reflected light. The weapon seemed basic but well-balanced in his hand.
[Initiate's Dagger (Level 1)]
Type: Melee Weapon
Damage: 10-15
Effect: Slightly increases critical hit chance
"Well, it's not a legendary sword, but it'll do." Seun-mi sheathed the dagger in a small holster that magically appeared at his waist, as if the interface knew exactly where it should go.
"You are now equipped for your first adventures," the Interface declared. "I recommend starting with a beginner-level quest to unlock your stats and gain more experience."
"Alright, but where do I find these quests?" Seun-mi asked, glancing around. He didn't see anything that resembled a village, town, or even a quest board like in traditional RPGs.
"Quests can be obtained by interacting with NPCs or exploring specific locations," the Interface explained. "However, as a new player, I recommend starting with a simple quest to get familiar with the game's mechanics. I can guide you to a nearby village where beginner quests are available."
"A nearby village, huh?" Seun-mi gave the empty chest one last look before standing up. "Alright then. I guess I don't really have another option."
He began walking in the direction indicated by the Interface, his backpack lighter than ever but his mind weighed down by countless questions. How had he died? Why was he chosen for this world? And most importantly, how was he going to survive all of this?
"Well, at least I've got a cloak and a dagger," he murmured with a smirk. "That's better than starting an adventure in just my underwear."
End of Chapter two.