The transparent blue screen still hung in the air, displaying a name Ryuji recognized well: Incoming Call: Arroon24. Ryuji Takahashi, or Haru in this world, stood still for a moment, trying to understand the situation. It had been years since he last spoke with Arroon, a young wizard he used to help when they both played Eternal Online.
He took a deep breath before moving his fingers to press the Accept button. Instantly, a familiar voice, full of energy and a bit of panic, greeted him.
"Haru! Haru! Finally, you picked up! I've been trying to reach you since yesterday!" Arroon's voice was as it always had been—high-pitched and rushed.
Ryuji frowned. "Yesterday? I just logged in—or more accurately... got sucked into this place," he replied flatly.
"Oh, whatever! You're here now, that's what matters. Haru, you have to come find me! This is bad! The city... the big guilds... they're all crazy!" Arroon kept speaking without pause.
Ryuji rolled his eyes, a small smile forming as he heard Arroon's unchanged tone. "Calm down. Where are you now?" he asked.
"Outside Silverhelm, by a lake near the forest! I'm hiding here! You know I can't handle a situation like this alone. I need you, Haru. Please!"
A sigh escaped Ryuji's lips. "Alright. Wait there, I'll come."
"Really? Thank you, Haru! You're the best!" Arroon's voice sounded like a child who had just received a new toy. Before Ryuji could say anything else, the call was cut off.
Ryuji stared at the notification screen that slowly disappeared. He remembered how he often helped Arroon with various quests that had failed due to his recklessness. But beneath all that, he knew Arroon was a talented wizard. Now, he could only hope his friend hadn't gotten himself involved in something worse.
Without thinking too much, Ryuji decided to leave Silverhelm. The chaos of the city offered him nothing but frustration. Besides, he knew Arroon wasn't the type to survive on his own for long, especially in a situation where this world had turned real.
He opened the map he had just bought from the weapon shop. The Lunar Lake was clearly marked in the corner of the map, located on the edge of a large forest to the east of Silverhelm. The road to get there wasn't too far, but it was rocky terrain.
"A good journey to clear my mind," he muttered.
As he walked away from the city, Ryuji kept thinking about the chaos he had seen in the marketplace. The large guilds dominating the area, the weak players cowering in fear, and the NPCs that seemed more alive than ever—all of it felt like a giant puzzle that he couldn't solve.
"I hope Arroon has some useful information," he thought, though deep inside, he doubted it.
The journey to Lunar Lake took longer than Ryuji expected. The rocky path and the sound of wild birds from the surrounding forest made the atmosphere more peaceful, though a sense of vigilance continued to linger in his mind.
When he finally arrived at the edge of the lake, the view made him pause for a moment. The clear water reflected the sunlight, while the surrounding forest created a tranquil atmosphere. This place felt like another world, far from the hustle and bustle of Silverhelm.
By the lakeside, a figure in a black robe stood holding a large staff. The person paced back and forth, occasionally jumping when they heard a twig snap from the forest.
"That must be Arroon," Ryuji muttered with a half-smile.
He walked closer. The figure immediately turned around, and as soon as they saw Ryuji, their face lit up with excitement.
"HARU!" Arroon shouted, jumping up and down like a child seeing their idol. He ran toward Ryuji, nearly tripping over his own robe.
Ryuji just stood still as Arroon approached, his face full of joy. As Arroon reached him, he immediately grabbed Ryuji's shoulders with both hands, his eyes shining.
"You're here! I knew you would come! I knew you wouldn't leave me alone in a place like this!" Arroon said quickly.
"Calm down a bit, you're too excited," Ryuji said, removing Arroon's hands from his shoulders.
"But you don't understand how bad it is! Silverhelm is like hell now! The big guilds are fighting for power, weak players are being intimidated, and... and..." Arroon paused, swallowed, then continued, "I almost got beaten by a little kid with a kitchen knife!"
Ryuji looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You, a level 100 wizard, almost got beaten by a little kid?"
"Don't underestimate that kid! He attacked me with a knife while shouting! I wasn't ready!" Arroon replied defensively, causing Ryuji to let out a long sigh.
Although the situation made Ryuji shake his head, he couldn't deny that Arroon's silly nature always brought a bit of entertainment in the midst of tense situations.
After chatting for a while, Ryuji finally sat on a large rock by the lakeside, while Arroon continued talking nonstop. He complained about how the big guilds had started treating the city like their own kingdom, forcibly recruiting players, and monopolizing resources.
However, every time he heard a sound from the forest, Arroon would jump behind the rock, only to reappear moments later with a tense expression.
"Don't look at me like that, Haru. I'm just... being cautious!" he said, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"You know, with your level and power now, you could defeat half the players in Silverhelm without breaking a sweat," Ryuji said, staring at him with a flat expression.
Arroon crossed his arms and then said seriously, "That's true. I am strong. But there's a big difference between being strong and being brave!"
Ryuji held back a laugh, recalling how Arroon's dramatic personality always annoyed and entertained him at the same time.
"I don't know how you've lasted this long," Ryuji finally said, standing up and stretching his back.
"Because I knew you would come to help me," Arroon replied with a small smile. "And I wasn't wrong, was I?"
Ryuji shook his head, unable to suppress a smile. "You never change."
In the midst of the nostalgia, Ryuji felt a small sense of relief. Even though this world was filled with chaos, this meeting gave him a tiny bit of comfort.
***
Here's the translation into English:
The wind at the edge of Lunar Lake blew gently, carrying the scent of wet earth and foliage. However, the peaceful atmosphere was not enough to calm Arroon, who was constantly restless. Every time a branch cracked from the direction of the forest, he would jump slightly and hide behind a large rock. Ryuji, sitting casually on another rock, could only shake his head as he watched his friend's antics.
"You really haven't changed, huh?" Ryuji muttered in a flat tone, though the corners of his lips twitched upward slightly.
"What do you mean? You think I'm scared for no reason?" Arroon replied, nervously glancing around. He pulled his black cloak tighter, trying to look more composed, but instead, he resembled a child hiding from imaginary monsters.
"You're a level 100 wizard. You could burn down this whole forest with a single spell," Ryuji said, his tone now half-mocking.
"Yeah, but that takes concentration, and I can't concentrate in an atmosphere like this!" Arroon answered, peeking from behind the rock. "Do you know what happened in the city earlier? The leaders of the big guilds were fighting in the streets, and I almost got caught in their crossfire! It was insane!"
"And you ran here, leaving everything behind?"
"Obviously! I'm not the type to fight, Haru. I'm the type who... who... supports from the sidelines!" he said proudly, only for his boast to be deflated by Ryuji's cold stare.
Ryuji sighed deeply. Although Arroon could be annoying at times, he always had a way of lightening the mood in tense situations.
Night was beginning to fall, and the golden light of the setting sun bathed the lake. They sat across from each other, surrounded by the flickering light of a small fire Ryuji had made. As the atmosphere grew calmer, their conversation shifted to more serious matters.
"I still can't believe we're really here," Ryuji said, gazing at the reflection of the fire on the water's surface.
Arroon nodded, his usual goofy expression now replaced with a more serious one. "What do you think happened? I thought maybe it was some kind of system error or... a mad experiment by the game developers."
"If that's true, they've crossed the line. This world feels too real. Even the NPCs now feel like real people," Ryuji replied, recalling his conversation with the shopkeeper in Silverhelm.
"Yeah, I noticed that too. I tried asking an NPC at the shop earlier, but they just answered like... well, like they were a part of this world. Nothing seemed strange to them."
"And that's the problem," Ryuji muttered. "There's no logout button, no help system. This isn't a game anymore. It's... something else."
Arroon swallowed nervously. "So... if we die here... does that mean we really die?"
Ryuji didn't answer. Silence settled over them, accompanied by the soft whispers of the wind between the trees.
"We can't keep going like this," Ryuji finally said. "We need to understand more about this world. If this really is like a game, there must be rules still in play. We just have to figure them out."
"I don't like this direction," Arroon muttered, looking down.
"You'd rather hide here until a monster or a big guild finds you?" Ryuji replied coldly.
Arroon looked up, his expression pouting like a child being scolded. "Alright, alright. I'll go with you. But I'm not going to be your human shield, okay?"
"You're too much of a coward for that," Ryuji said sarcastically, making Arroon pout further, though they both knew the decision had already been made.
As the tension began to ease, their conversation was interrupted by a distant rumble. The sky in the direction of Silverhelm turned red, and flashes of light like lightning crackled through the air.
They both stood simultaneously, staring toward the city. Moments later, a massive explosion shook the ground, sending shockwaves that reached even the lake. Black smoke rose high, obscuring part of the night sky that was beginning to emerge.
"What was that just now?" Arroon asked, his voice trembling.
Ryuji didn't answer. His face was tense, his eyes focused on the direction of the city. After a few seconds, he turned and began packing his things.
"We need to go back," he said briefly.
"Go back? To the city? After what just happened? Are you crazy?" Arroon protested, his voice almost a shout.
"You can stay here if you want, but I won't sit idly by. Something's going on over there, and I need to know what it is," Ryuji answered firmly.
Arroon opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. Finally, reluctantly, he grabbed his staff and followed Ryuji.
The journey back to Silverhelm felt darker and more ominous than when they had left. The sound of their footsteps was punctuated by screams and cries from the opposite direction. Several players could be seen running away from the city, their faces covered in wounds and fear.
Ryuji paused briefly, trying to ask one of the stumbling players. "What's happening in the city?"
"There... there are monsters! They appeared out of nowhere! The big guilds are fighting, and then those creatures came out of the shadows!" the player gasped, barely able to catch their breath before running off.
Arroon looked at Ryuji with a panicked expression. "We're really going toward that?"
Ryuji didn't answer. He just quickened his pace, his face set with determination.
As they got closer to the city, the sound of clashing weapons and battle cries grew louder. The smell of blood and smoke mixed in the air, heightening the oppressive atmosphere. Ryuji gripped the hilt of his sword, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
However, before they could reach the gates of Silverhelm, a massive figure appeared out of the darkness along the path. Its red eyes gleamed, and large fangs protruded from its mouth. Arroon staggered back, while Ryuji drew his sword, preparing for battle.
It felt suffocating, as if this new world wouldn't give them even a moment to breathe.