The glow of the computer screen illuminated the dark room as Zer0 sat slouched in his chair. His fingers danced across the keyboard with practiced ease, entering a new line of code in the system that would rewrite the rules of yet another game. His room, cluttered with various gaming and hacking equipment, felt like a shrine to his obsessive pursuit of control. He was a master in this world—the digital world. Nothing was beyond his reach. Nothing was safe from his fingertips.
SCHWING! The sound of his modded blade cutting through the pixelated air echoed, but this time, even the satisfaction of defeating a level 50 boss didn't bring the usual thrill. Zer0 clicked away at the keys, but the excitement was fading. The cheat codes, the god-like abilities—everything was starting to feel... empty.
He leaned back, running a hand through his dark hair. The glow of the screen cast sharp shadows across his face as his eyes narrowed in frustration. Another game, another win, he thought. But what's next?
He groaned. His previous success didn't mean much anymore. Victory after victory, the same monotonous experience—it was all the same. No challenge. No thrill. He was bored.
That's it, I need something new.
Zer0 snapped out of his thoughts as his eyes caught a glimpse of a sleek black box resting on the desk—a package that had been delivered earlier that morning. It was the new VR MMORPG, UYA, the game everyone was talking about. It had been released just this year, 2078. He had almost forgotten about it. The buzz around the game had been relentless, but it wasn't until now, in his moment of boredom, that he remembered he had already pre-ordered it.
His fingers hovered over the box for a moment. His curiosity piqued, he grabbed the device. With a quick motion, he tore open the box, revealing a sleek black headset. He could practically feel the energy in the room shift as he set it on his desk, staring at it like a rare artifact. He hadn't played a VR game in months, but this one... this one was supposed to be special. It was supposed to be groundbreaking.
"Let's see what the fuss is about," he muttered to himself.
With a grin on his face, Zer0 picked up the VR headset and placed it on. His vision filled with darkness, then the sound of the game booting up—a soft whirr followed by the crackling of virtual static. His heartbeat quickened slightly, anticipation rising in his chest.
[LOADING...]
The loading screen was nothing special at first—just the usual spinning icon. But then, something caught his eye. A small message blinked in his peripheral vision.
[WELCOME, ZER0. YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW THIS WORKS.]
He chuckled, amused. "Of course I do," he muttered, stretching as he waited. No stranger to gaming, he was always quick to pick up new systems and tricks. He'd learned the ropes of every game within days, if not hours. This one, UYA, promised something more. It was supposed to be the most immersive, realistic VR game ever created, but would it live up to the hype?
His thoughts were interrupted by another notification. A message popped up from a familiar group chat—one of the underground hacker communities he frequented. A group dedicated to modding and cheating in games.
The message read: "Game's live. Get ready. New world, new cheats."
Zer0 couldn't help but smirk. Cheating in games? Of course, that's what it's all about. He had done it countless times, bending the rules of countless systems. It was always fun to exploit the game's code. But this time, he was curious—what kind of cheats could this world offer?
He quickly typed a reply: "Let's see what we're working with."
The message was sent, and Zer0 closed the group chat. He wasn't going to get distracted by the usual antics—not this time. His fingers brushed against the VR headset's controls as he prepped for the login.
The screen before him flickered again, this time with a countdown. He felt a slight thrill bubble in his chest. The sensation of entering a completely new world, a digital realm where the boundaries of reality and fiction blurred—it never got old. This game was going to be a playground.
[COUNTDOWN: 3... 2... 1...]
The screen blinked out, and suddenly, Zer0 was immersed. His surroundings vanished in a flash of light, and his vision went dark as the loading screen overtook his sight.
[LOADING...]
The familiar VR interface took shape, lines of code and icons flying past his vision as the game world slowly materialized. The glitch effects flickered briefly—distorted frames and visual errors—but just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished.
[ERROR: ERROR. PLEASE WAIT.]
What the hell? Zer0 frowned. A glitch? He had expected some level of immersion, but a malfunction this early?
But before he could process the error any further, his surroundings went black again. The next thing he knew, the game world rushed at him with overwhelming speed.
He awoke lying on soft, cool grass, a sharp breeze flowing through the air. Blinking, he quickly sat up, his head spinning as he tried to make sense of what just happened. His surroundings were nothing like the cold, sterile environment of his room. No screens. No clutter. This felt real.
Zer0 stood up, his boots crunching on the grass as he looked around. The sky above him was an ethereal shade of violet, filled with clouds that seemed to glow faintly. The horizon stretched endlessly, with distant mountains in the distance. He could smell the fresh scent of the grass beneath him, the crisp air that filled his lungs with every breath.
"Wait…" His eyes widened as he took in his surroundings. This wasn't the game he had anticipated—it was far more than that. The realism was overwhelming. He could feel everything. The air on his skin. The cool grass beneath his feet. The warmth of the sun on his face.
This isn't just VR... This feels like reality.
His thoughts raced. Could it be? Was he inside the game? Or was this a part of something bigger?
"Wow… this is amazing." He muttered, his voice barely audible in the vast silence. His excitement built with each passing second. He couldn't remember ever experiencing anything like this before. Was this the level of immersion they promised? Or was it something more?
He smiled, the edges of his lips curling into a grin. I've got to test this.
His eyes flicked over his appearance. A quick glance down confirmed that his character had been fully customized. Dark, messy hair framed his face, and his eyes were a deep shade of black—something that reflected his intentions. His outfit, too, had been carefully chosen. A sleek black outfit, perfect for blending into the shadows of this strange world.
He raised his hand and clenched it into a fist, feeling the strength surge through his veins. This new world was his playground now.
"Let's see what kind of trouble I can cause here," he murmured, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
And with that, Zer0 stepped forward into the unknown, eager to explore this digital world that had become far more than he expected.
Zer0 stood still, taking in the surreal beauty of his new surroundings, but then, just as his excitement was at its peak, his mind suddenly snapped back to reality.
Wait... he thought. I forgot the food at the door.
His stomach growled at the thought. As much as he wanted to dive into this new world, the simple human need for sustenance crept into his mind. He reached for the VR headset, preparing to remove it, but as his fingers brushed against the edge, a strange sensation hit him—something that didn't feel like he was taking the device off.
His arm shot up instinctively, pressing the headset against his face. What the hell? He tried pulling the headset off, but it wouldn't budge. Instead, it felt as though his entire body had fused with the VR world. Panic flickered in his chest for a brief moment.
"Huh? Where's my room? How can't I go back?" he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice.
Zer0 quickly began to look around for any sign of the logout button, something that would allow him to return to the safety of his apartment, but there was nothing. No UI. No logout option. The more he searched, the more it felt as though he was trapped. His heart raced, his mind buzzing with confusion.
He gripped the sides of his headset, trying to think logically. This is a VR game, right? It's supposed to be immersive, but how— A sudden chill ran down his spine. He lifted his head and froze, realizing something even stranger.
In the distance, he could make out a vague outline of his room. His apartment... was it still there? Was he dreaming? The grass beneath his feet, the distant sky—it all felt real. But the more he thought about it, the more disoriented he became. What happened?
Zer0 stumbled backward, his mind racing. This can't be happening. Is this the future? Is this the kind of thing I read about in manga and novels? The virtual worlds, the people getting trapped inside?
A twisted grin stretched across his face. His fingers threaded through his hair as his thoughts darkened with glee.
"Finally…" he whispered, his voice almost a growl, as he relished the thought. "Finally, I can get away from the crap I've been living. My life's been so damn boring. Alone in that tiny apartment, eating from the same damn food stations near my building... rent overdue… complete garage… everything was just... so damn boring."
He shook his head as if shaking off the weight of the past.
"But now?" His lips curled into a wicked smile. "Now I can finally express myself. I can be free. I can be who I really am. A new life… this is what I've been waiting for."
His fingers hovered over his system menu, and his eyes widened with the sight. The cheats. The mods. The hacks. The scripts. They were all there, in plain view, waiting for him to activate them.
A burst of adrenaline flooded his veins as his heart began to race with excitement. He could feel it—this was the real power. He could do anything now. Win anything. Defeat anyone. The possibilities were limitless.
"This is it…" he muttered to himself, his voice low with excitement. "This is all I've been waiting for."
His body began to glow faintly, a dark green aura enveloping him as his entire form pulsed with power. His left eye flickered, replaced by a dark green hacker symbol—a mark of his newfound dominance over the game's systems. His entire presence felt like an unstoppable force.
Zer0 clenched his fists, his aura flaring brighter as he took in the energy around him. The game was his to control, and he had no intention of playing by its rules. Not when he could rewrite them.
"Now I'm ready," he grinned, his voice dripping with confidence.
Just then, a faint sound broke his focus—a soft voice, delicate and foreign.
"Who's there?" Zer0's eyes narrowed, searching the area, his senses on high alert. The voice was familiar, but there was something unsettling about it. He spun around, but saw no one.
Then, suddenly, he felt a cold presence at his back. A heavy thud echoed through the air, followed by a sharp pain at the back of his head. His reflexes kicked in instantly, and he jumped to the side, dodging the strike effortlessly as his cheat-enabled auto-dodge activated. He barely had time to process the attack before he was back on his feet.
Turning quickly, Zer0's eyes widened as he saw a towering figure—dark green and mechanical. It looked like some kind of robot, its glowing eyes fixed on him as it loomed threateningly.
"Who are you?" Zer0 asked, voice calm but laced with a sense of challenge. He had already registered the possibility of an enemy, and he was ready to fight.
The robot's mechanical voice echoed, devoid of emotion. "I heard everything you said."
Zer0 froze, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. It heard everything?
A wave of unease washed over him as the robot gave a slight sigh, its robotic form twitching slightly. Zer0's mind raced. Did it hear everything? He suddenly felt an uncomfortable chill run down his spine.
No… No, no, no… he thought, his stomach twisting with awkwardness. "Did you hear me?" he said, his tone slightly defensive, though his mind screamed in embarrassment. Oh no, not the cringy stuff I said out loud. Please tell me it didn't hear that...
The robot's blank face seemed to twitch again, almost in amusement. Zer0's fingers gripped his hair tighter, pulling it in frustration.
"I…" Zer0 began, feeling his body tingle with anxiety. "Forget everything I just said."
He cursed inwardly. Great, first thing in a new world and I sound like a fool.
The robot didn't respond at first, simply standing there, its eyes scanning him in silence. It made no move to attack. For a moment, the air was thick with tension, both parties locked in an uneasy stalemate. Zer0's mind raced as he tried to regain control of the situation, but his own self-doubt was starting to creep in.
This isn't how it was supposed to be... he thought, exhaling slowly.
Zer0's gaze fixed on the robot standing before him, its dark green metallic surface shimmering slightly under the virtual light. His curiosity was piqued, but the embarrassment of the robot hearing everything he'd said still lingered.
"Who... who are you?" Zer0 asked, his voice still tinged with uncertainty.
The robot's glowing eyes blinked once, then its mechanical voice echoed through the air. "I am your system."
Zer0 blinked, taken aback. "Who?"
The robot's tone remained neutral. "Look at your interface."
Zer0's eyes narrowed, focusing on the strange screen that materialized in front of him. A dark green GUI filled the space, pulsing with light and displaying various options. He felt a sudden jolt of recognition, but it wasn't enough to explain everything.
"What is this?" Zer0 muttered under his breath.
The robot tilted its head slightly, as if to examine him. "You created this GUI. A system using your script."
Zer0 paused. Then, as if the memory had just clicked back into place, his eyes widened. "Oh yeah... I remember now. I created this for another game. I even designed a robot..." His voice trailed off, realization washing over him. "Now I remember. I made you for information... for analyzing things."
The robot remained silent, watching him. Zer0's mind raced, piecing everything together. "How... how did you get in this game?"
"I became a part of the system when you executed the GUI script," the robot explained. "I transformed into this robot form. My purpose is to assist you."
Zer0 scratched the back of his head, a sheepish smile creeping onto his face. "Thank God you're a nice ally." He looked at the robot, his curiosity growing. "Can you check the GPS for me? I need to know where we are."
The robot immediately complied, its eyes glowing as it scanned the virtual space. A moment later, the robot spoke again. "GPS location: Unknown. We are in a different world."
Zer0 let out a long breath. "Alright, so we're not in the real world anymore… good to know. But hey, this is the perfect chance to have some fun, right?" He smirked, a gleam of excitement in his eyes.
The robot's voice remained flat, but Zer0 could almost sense a slight flicker of curiosity behind the mechanical tone. "Fun?"
Zer0 grinned widely, the thrill of the situation settling in. "Before we do anything, though, we need to give you a name."
The robot paused for a moment, processing the request. "I don't need a name," it replied, its voice almost dismissive.
Zer0 raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile crossing his face. "Oh, come on. I'm sure deep down, you want one." He thought for a moment, and a name came to mind. "If I remember correctly, I made you a female robot, so how about... Ha Eun Young?"
The robot paused, and Zer0 could feel a shift in the air. It was almost like it was... considering the name.
"Hmmm... I like that," the robot said after a brief silence. "Thank you."
Zer0 nodded, pleased with himself. "No problem. I'll call you Hae for short."
Hae's voice softened, a faint hint of gratitude in her tone. "Understood. Master."
Zer0 smirked, the rush of power surging through him. "Now, let's explore a little." He looked around, scanning the environment. The digital landscape stretched endlessly in every direction, filled with unknown possibilities.
As they walked, the grass crunching under their feet, Zer0's eyes scanned the horizon, his mind racing with excitement. It didn't take long for them to spot something ahead—a group of slimes. A wide grin spread across Zer0's face.
Hae's mechanical voice cut through the moment. "Analyzing... Detection: Slimes."
Zer0 stopped walking, an idea flashing in his mind. He turned to Hae, his grin widening. "Good. Let's see if my cheats work in this world."
He raised his hand in the air, and a brief, dark green glitch flickered around his wrist as he activated the teleportation cheat. "This cheat allows me to teleport if I can think about where I want to go."
The air crackled with energy as Zer0 thought about the slimes. His body flickered and, in the blink of an eye, he was standing right next to them.
He exhaled sharply, the rush of adrenaline filling his veins. "Wow! This is... amazing!"
Hae's voice followed with a note of admiration. "Impressive, Master."
"Now, let's test something else," Zer0 muttered to himself, a grin plastered on his face. He cracked his knuckles and turned back toward the slimes, excitement building. "Let's see if the auto-dodge works."
He walked toward the slimes, making playful faces at them. The slimes' reactions were immediate—they seemed to get angry, their gelatinous bodies wobbled as they began to move toward him.
One by one, the slimes lunged at him with surprising speed. But Zer0's body reacted instantly, effortlessly dodging each attack as if it were a game of cat and mouse. His movements were smooth, almost fluid, as he weaved and sidestepped, each dodge leaving behind a trail of green glitches.
Zer0 laughed, his voice cool and confident. "This is amazing! It works perfectly!"
As the last slime lunged toward him, Zer0 jumped backward, using a high-speed dodge that left him floating in the air for a brief moment. His grin deepened as he watched the slimes struggle to keep up with his movements.
But then, the excitement took a turn. Zer0 thought he'd try out one more cheat—flying. His body trembled with the unfamiliar sensation as he began to float above the slimes.
Wait, how do I control this? He thought. His movements were uncoordinated at first, shaking as he tried to stabilize himself. But before he could regain control, he lost balance and plummeted toward the ground.
"AHHHHHH!" Zer0 shouted as he fell, crashing straight into the slimes below.
The impact caused a huge explosion of dust and slime, sending the creatures flying in every direction. Zer0 winced as the force of the crash reverberated through him. When the dust finally settled, he stood up, brushing the slime off himself.
He looked down at the mess he'd made—slimes squashed under him—and chuckled. "Well... was it worth it?"
He straightened up, cleared the remaining dust from his clothes, and surveyed the aftermath. The slimes were still, their bodies squished and limp. His system displayed a notification: "+15 Points."
"Well, I guess I'll take that as a yes," he muttered, smirking.
Hae's voice was almost admiring. "Master, you are amazing. It's clear that you will be the strongest in this new world."
Zer0 smirked, his dark green aura flickering as he turned to face her. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Hae. I've just begun."
Zer0 stood amidst the destruction, a triumphant smile forming on his face as the last of the slimes dissolved into the ground. The system flashed with a small notification: "+15 Points."
"Nice," Zer0 murmured, pleased with the result. "15+ points." He glanced down at his system again, an idea sparking in his mind. "Let's see what else this system can do."
He quickly typed in a command. "/script Unlimited Money."
Immediately, his wealth displayed in his system, and the number under the "Wealth" tab shifted. The number transformed into a massive, infinite figure.
"Heh, I'm rich now." Zer0 chuckled, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
But then, as he surveyed the desolate surroundings, his grin faltered. "But this is useless in this area." He looked up at Hae, the robot still standing beside him. "What good is unlimited money in a place like this?"
Hae responded without hesitation, her tone calm and analytical. "You should use other cheats for future situations, or right now, Master."
Zer0 nodded, acknowledging the wisdom. "Yeah, you're right." He tapped his fingers against his chin, thinking. He then quickly typed again: "/script Map View."
The moment he executed the command, his system flickered, and suddenly the entire environment shifted. The area around him grew dark, and green-tinted dots began to appear in the surroundings. Animals, slimes, and various other creatures were now visible on the map, their locations marked with glowing green dots.
Zer0 observed the map with awe as the landscape transformed into a real-time grid, displaying the layout of the area and the creatures inhabiting it. The screen flickered, and the map zoomed out to show even more of the terrain. It was as if he had access to a detailed view of everything in the world.
"Whoa," Zer0 muttered, impressed. "This is amazing."
The green hue vanished, and the environment returned to normal, the map deactivating. Zer0 smiled to himself. "This will be useful for locating things... or setting up ambushes."
Hae's mechanical voice echoed in agreement. "It is perfect for scouting and watching out for enemies. You can stay one step ahead, Master."
Zer0 nodded thoughtfully, already strategizing how he could use this newfound power. "Now, I can see where everything is. This will be invaluable in taking down enemies or even robbing other travelers. I can't wait to meet people from this world."
He pulled up the map again and zoomed in, examining the layout of the land. His finger traced along the lines of the map, and his eyes narrowed as he saw something important.
"I'm far away from the nearest town," Zer0 murmured, his voice laced with both curiosity and excitement. "But before we head there, let's train a bit. We need to get stronger."
Zer0's gaze drifted across the horizon, and his eyes caught sight of a thick forest in the distance, shrouded in shadows. A devious idea began to form in his mind.
"That forest over there looks like a good spot to test out more of my cheats," he said. "But first... I'll need some speed." He turned to Hae. "Hey, Hae, can you type scripts faster for me? I'll need your help for this."
Hae responded without hesitation. "Yes, Master. I can type scripts faster for you, and we can also communicate through telepathy."
Zer0 smirked. "Perfect. Let's go with speed first."
He focused on the thought of increasing his own speed, and as if on cue, Hae's fingers quickly typed: "/speed."
A surge of energy coursed through Zer0's body, and in an instant, his legs propelled him forward with incredible velocity. His movements became a blur, his body leaving a dark green trail in the air as he dashed forward.
Whoosh!
Hae followed closely, her movements swift and calculated, matching his speed with ease.
The two of them tore through the landscape, the air whipping past them, and the forest ahead grew closer with every heartbeat. Trees flashed by, their silhouettes barely visible as they raced forward, the ground beneath them shaking from their rapid movements.
Zer0 laughed, his heart pounding with the rush of exhilaration. "This is incredible!"
He could feel the speed coursing through his veins, his body almost weightless as it adapted to the cheat. The dark green trail they left behind seemed to pulse with energy, a visual testament to their newfound velocity.
As they neared the edge of the forest, Zer0 slowed down, coming to a stop just at the forest's edge. His breath was steady, but his heart raced from the thrill.
"Well, that was fun," Zer0 said with a grin. "Let's see what kind of trouble we can get into now."
Hae came to a stop beside him, her mechanical expression unreadable, though Zer0 could almost sense the approval in her tone. "You're becoming stronger already, Master. This will be a powerful advantage."
Zer0 smiled, a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "This is only the beginning."