"What the hell is this place?" Roland had been gaming on his computer, immersed in "The Lord of the Rings," when a flash of light transported him to an unknown location.
A harsh scream echoed around him, sending Roland's heart racing. He glanced down and saw he was decked out in fine gold armor from the game, complete with the legendary Dragon Slaying Sword at his side and an adamantine tower shield on his back.
"Holy crap! Is this my in-game gear?" Roland's brain struggled to process.
"Did I just get transported to Middle-earth?" he wondered.
But soon, Roland realized he might be in the game's version of Middle-earth, filled with added magical elements and a reimagined map. Panic set in.
"Jeep!" Several short, green-skinned goblins armed with bone sticks and rusty iron picks leaped out from the bushes.
"Oh, come on! Wasteland goblins?" Roland instantly recognized the creatures.
"Qiang!" He drew the Dragon Slaying Sword and readied his shield.
The goblins charged, their feeble attacks bouncing off his shield harmlessly.
"Ha!" With a fierce yell, Roland swung his sword, slicing through the goblins effortlessly.
"Yeah, that's more like it..." Roland felt a surge of power, realizing he was now a great knight in this world. Here, the ranks of extraordinary power included apprentice knight, knight, great knight, knight commander, and knight commander.
Ignoring the nausea from the gory scene, Roland sheathed his sword. The Dragon Slaying Sword was impressively sharp and clean.
"A battle to test your skills: Completed. Reward: A fully-armed charr warhorse*1. It has been stored in the Lord of the Rings space." The ring on Roland's hand glowed, displaying a notification.
"The Lord of the Rings system? No way! This is awesome!" Roland cheered. With this system, he could earn rewards, build a kingdom, and become a powerful lord, just like in the game.
Roland summoned the fully-armed warhorse from the ring. In the wilderness, cavalry had a clear advantage, and a knight without a horse was no knight at all.
"Wow, this thing is seriously armored..." Roland marveled at the heavily armored warhorse, impressed by its design.
"Alright, now I'm ready for those orcs!" Roland psyched himself up. No orc would dare mess with a heavily armed knight.
"Lord of the Rings, what do I need to do next?" Roland asked, hoping for guidance.
"…"
"Okay, so I need to earn rewards by completing achievements," Roland figured out.
"I should find a place to stay. It's getting dark, and I need food. Tomorrow, I'll search for towns or villages. Who knows where I am..." Roland muttered.
Gathering dead branches, Roland rode aimlessly, hoping for a distraction.
"This looks like a good spot." He decided to spend the night in a small cave formed by staggered rocks.
"Now, how do I light a fire?" Roland suddenly realized his predicament.
"Damn, I should've watched more survival shows..." he cursed under his breath.
"Maybe I can try rubbing sticks together?"
"Nope, not working."
"Oh, wait, it's smoking!"
"Ouch! My hand!"
"Screw this!" Roland was beyond frustrated as the night closed in.
"No, I need to light this fire! The wasteland at night isn't friendly," he urged himself.
Finally, a small flame flickered to life. Roland carefully fed the fire, relief washing over him.
"The first fire: completed. Rewards: loaves of bread*100, water*100. Distributed to the Lord of the Rings space."
"Huh, it rewarded me! Now I don't have to worry about food and water," Roland laughed.
He toasted some bread over the fire, quenched his thirst, and prepared to rest. Leading the horse into the cave, Roland admired the quality of his gear.
"Haha, first night in Middle-earth, good night!" Roland said, looking up at the starry sky.
Outside the cave, the fire flickered in the evening breeze. Little did Roland know, the fire might attract unwelcome visitors.
"Pfft!" The warhorse snorted, waking Roland.
He grabbed his shield and sword, ready for trouble.
"Oh, come on! An Earth dragon?" Roland groaned, staring at the massive creature approaching his camp.