Hyunwoo woke up abruptly.
His head felt heavy, and his vision was still blurry.
Strange sounds surrounded him—birds chirping loudly, and the sound of a flowing river clearly audible.
Slowly, he tried to get up and found himself lying on soft, grassy ground, not in his cold room.
He looked around.
Tall trees with dense foliage towered above him, creating a green canopy that allowed only slivers of sunlight to penetrate.
Strange plants with brightly colored flowers grew everywhere, creating an almost surreal landscape.
The air here felt fresh and clean, a stark contrast to the city air he was used to.
"What happened? Where am I?" Hyunwoo muttered, trying to comprehend his situation.
He remembered the last moment before falling asleep; he was reading a fantasy novel in his room.
But now, he had woken up in a completely different place.
Confusion and anxiety began to haunt him.
Hyunwoo tried to stand up, but his body felt strange.
He looked at his hands and was shocked to find them larger and more muscular than before.
His skin was slightly paler, and a long scar ran down his right arm.
His heart beat faster as he realized this was not his usual body.
Anxiously, Hyunwoo felt his face.
His jaw was stronger and more defined, and when he touched his hair, he found it longer and thicker.
Hyunwoo then realized something shocking: this was not his body. He was in someone else's body.
"This can't be…" he muttered, trying to recall.
Then his memory flashed back to the novel he had just been reading.
The novel was about a magical world called Eldoria, with a main villain named Lee Jonghyun who possessed extraordinary powers.
Lee Jonghyun was a feared antagonist throughout Eldoria.
Horror enveloped Hyunwoo as he connected the dots.
"No… I can't be in Jonghyun's body." But all the signs pointed to it.
The muscular body, the battle scars, and the environment that closely resembled the descriptions of Eldoria in the novel.
With a heavy heart, Hyunwoo accepted the reality that he was now in the body of Jonghyun, the main villain.
"How could this happen?" he thought, panicking.
"How do I get out of here?" The questions kept swirling in his mind, but no satisfying answers emerged.
He looked around, searching for more clues.
In the distance, there was a path that seemed to lead somewhere.
With a mixture of fear and curiosity, Hyunwoo decided to follow the path.
Maybe someone there could help him understand this situation.
As he walked down the path, Hyunwoo began to ponder what he should do next.
If he was truly trapped in this novel's world, he had to find a way to survive and possibly seek a way out.
But how could he do that in the body of a villain feared and hated by many?
His steps felt heavy, both physically and mentally.
Each time he heard sounds in the forest, his heart pounded faster.
He tried to recall every detail from the novel, attempting to remember who Jonghyun's friends and foes were, as well as his powers.
After some time, the path led him to a beautiful valley.
In the middle of the valley was a small village that seemed peaceful.
Thin smoke rose from the chimneys of houses, and the faint sounds of the villagers could be heard.
Seeing the village, Hyunwoo felt a bit relieved.
Maybe there, he could find some answers.
However, his steps halted when he saw his reflection in the clear water.
The face reflected was Jonghyun's, with sharp eyes and a scar on the right cheek.
Hyunwoo took a deep breath, trying to accept this reality.
If he had to survive in this world, he had to play the role given to him.
With renewed determination, Hyunwoo walked towards the village.
As he approached the village gates, he saw some villagers who immediately showed expressions of fear upon seeing him.
Some children ran into their homes, and the women pulled their husbands away from Jonghyun.
"Jonghyun! Jonghyun is coming!" an old man shouted with a trembling voice.
"Everyone, get inside! Quickly!" Hyunwoo felt a pang in his heart seeing their reactions.
But he knew that as Jonghyun, he had to show that he meant no harm, even though it was difficult.
He raised his hands, trying to show he was unarmed.
"I don't intend to harm you," he said, hoping his voice sounded convincing.
However, his efforts were in vain.
The villagers still ran away in fear.
Hyunwoo felt desperate, but he kept walking towards the center of the village.
He needed to find someone who could give him information about this place and how he could get out.
As he reached the village square, a young girl with long black hair stood in the center.
She appeared calm and did not show fear like the others.
Hyunwoo recognized her face from the novel's descriptions.
The girl was Shin Yoona, a sorceress who played an important role in the story.
"Jonghyun," Yoona said with a soft yet firm voice.
"What are you doing here? What do you want from this village?" Hyunwoo looked at her, trying to find the right words.
"I am not Jonghyun," he finally said.
"I… I am someone trapped in Jonghyun's body. I need your help." Yoona frowned, looking skeptical.
"What are you talking about? This must be one of your tricks."
Hyunwoo shook his head desperately.
"No, please believe me. I'm truly not Jonghyun. I come from another world and am trapped here. I just want to find a way to return." Yoona stared at him intently, trying to read the sincerity on his face.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally said, "Alright, you just need to follow my words, and I'll give you a chance. But one wrong move, and I won't hesitate to stop you."
Hyunwoo nodded, feeling slightly relieved.
"Thank you. I'll do anything to prove I mean no harm." With Yoona's guidance, Hyunwoo began to understand more about the world of Eldoria and Jonghyun's role in it.
Alright, now let's return to the castle first, as Jonghyun lives in a castle not far from here. Later, I'll teach you what you need to learn," Yoona explained.
They walked towards the castle together.
Upon reaching the castle, Hyunwoo was directed to his room to rest.
In that room, he busied himself trying to gather information from the novel he had read, hoping to find clues that could help him return to his original world.
•••
Days passed by...
Slowly, he began to be accepted by some of the villagers, though only a few.
He helped them with Jonghyun's powers to protect the village from external threats, proving his good intentions.
Gradually, trust began to grow, both from Yoona and the other villagers.
However, this journey was not easy.
Every night, Hyunwoo wrestled with the inner conflict about the role he had to play in this world.
He knew he had to keep surviving and find a way to return, but he also started to feel the responsibility to protect Eldoria from the darkness that threatened it.
With determination and courage, Hyunwoo continued to move forward, facing challenge after challenge.
He did not know what would happen next, but he promised himself not to give up.
The world of Eldoria needed a hero, and even though he was trapped in the body of a villain, Hyunwoo was determined to prove that he could become the hero they needed.
Great challenges awaited him, and he had to face them all as Jonghyun, the villain now striving to become a hero.