It's almost noon, but they still haven't come home yet. I'm starting to get bored
"Enough wasting time"
I head towards the door and leave the house.
"I know it's dangerous to go out, but there are a few places I need to go."
[Attention all players, the first update is done. From now on, NPCs from the game will exist in reality among you.]
What?? This is a huge disaster. Although, for someone who's popular among NPCs, this is really good news because they can get a ton of quests from them
But me... Well, since I've killed several important NPCs like the King of the Starting City, I'm hated by most NPCs.
However, some evil NPCs are on good terms with me
For example, I served as a mercenary for the Vampire Queen for a while, and she offered many lucrative missions to me and my guild members
If the NPCs haven't had their memories wiped, I'm in big trouble
Some players who are my enemies spread rumors among NPCs, causing the hatred towards me to spread even more. When your hatred goes beyond a certain level, NPCs lose trust in you
But if their memories are completely wiped, I can easily become a popular player this time.
Honestly, becoming hated is harder than becoming popular. Wait a second... Even if they have their memories, my face isn't the same as my character's face in the game anymore
So, I don't need to worry about being hated by the NPCs. Now, it's time to head to the dungeon nearby
.
.
.
.
Finally made it
The dungeon is about 10 kilometers from home
As far as I remember, it was in this abandoned building. There's a door that, when opened, takes you directly to a beginner dungeon
I enter the abandoned building, which looks like it could collapse at any moment
"It's still as dirty as before"
The layout here is exactly like the layout in the game, as if that game was created by God. Walking inside, it feels strange. My rise in the game started from here, although I died five times in this dungeon
But there was something inside me that kept pushing me to come back here again and again
I think they call it "pride." This pride initially made me grow quickly, but one day, my pride was shattered...
...Flashback...
"I really like you, please go out with me."
Her face turned expressionless
A few moments later, her lips moved, and she said words that hurt more than any sword, gun, or weapon in this damn game could
"Sorry, but I prefer to date someone who doesn't kill people like a psychopath. I think you should look for someone else."
This is a game, right? So what's wrong with killing in it? In my opinion, the way to have fun in this damn game is to escape from the reality that has killed all our emotions for a few hours
I smiled, though it couldn't be seen through the mask on my face, but you could tell from my eyes.
"Honestly, your words hurt a lot."
[Player "Red Star" has logged out]
So, I didn't matter to you enough for you to listen to all my words? I look up at the sky, which is completely blue without a single cloud. This game is too realistic
"Should I be crying now?"
__It's not worth crying over. She no longer has a place in your future. Just look ahead and keep going.
Those were the last words my pride said to me. Honestly, I had become too proud, thinking that being strong in the game would make her date me
The truth is, I'm hated in the game and a nobody in real life
After that incident, I never saw my pride again Maybe one day it will return
Will there still be someone who can shatter my pride then?
...End Flashback...
Remembering that memory, it feels like the energy I had just a moment ago has been drained from my body
"No... that's just the past."
I lift my head and, with a determination I don't know where it came from, look at the old, rusty iron door in front of me
"It's time to open this door."
I grab the handle and push the door open
I haven't used the stat points I gained from leveling up past level 20 yet
But I'm not going to use any of them until I reach level 40. It might seem foolish, but when I discovered that thing in the game, I was at level 320, and it was too late
To obtain it, I deleted my account to start over. But in real life, I can't go back, so I have to use the only chance I have
That's why I came to this dungeon to level up a bit
I enter the room behind the door, and as soon as I step inside, a bright light suddenly shines towards me, making me unconsciously shield my face with my hands
When the light stops, I open my eyes and see that...
"I've been transported."
I examine the place I'm in. It kind of looks like a cave. It's a dead end behind me, but it seems like there's a path ahead
But it's so dark here that I can't see more than a few steps in front of me. I need to be careful
This place feels a bit different from the game
I have a suitable solution for this
[Ability Activated]
"Yuki, move ahead of me at a slight distance and attack any enemy we encounter"
Although I summoned Yuki, I knew she couldn't show her full potential here because the space in this cave is too limited and small for Yuki, who has evolved
But she can still act as a shield to protect me from threats...
Now, it's been a few minutes since I've been moving forward, but we haven't encountered any side paths or enemies so far
After all, this cave is only home to goblins, so I don't think it's too dangerous
Don't get me wrong, this isn't pride, it's just confidence
Because I've come to this dungeon many times in the game, but there's never been anything stronger than a goblin here
While I was thinking about these things, I suddenly felt like I bumped into something soft
"Yuki... why did you stop?"
Yuki was staring at something and growling
*Grrrr... Grrrr*
Yuki seemed angry, so I think there's something in the darkness. I try to look past Yuki to see what's there
"H-How is this possible?... Why... Why is there a troll here??"