Kei Yuan woke with a sharp intake of breath, his lungs aching as though he'd been holding them empty for too long. The first thing he noticed was the chill in the air, crisp and earthy, the kind you'd find deep in a forest after rain. The second thing was the weight in his hand—a long, sturdy staff, its polished surface cool against his palm.

He blinked and sat up slowly, the damp soil sticking to his hands. Around him, towering pines loomed, their branches swaying gently in a breeze that carried the faint scent of pine sap. Dappled sunlight broke through the canopy above, lighting patches of moss-covered ground in soft greens and golds.

"Where…?" he mumbled, his voice hoarse.

Kei rubbed his temples, trying to piece together how he got here. The last thing he remembered was sitting at his desk, logging into Forbidden Word. He'd planned to grind for rare spell components—something he'd done countless times before. But this... this didn't look like the game.

The environment was too vivid, too grounded in reality. He could feel the rough bark of the tree he leaned against, the uneven texture of the dirt beneath him. This wasn't the slightly artificial, hyper-stylized world he was used to.

He glanced down and froze. The robes he was wearing—deep indigo with intricate silver embroidery—were unmistakably his avatar's gear. He ran a hand over the fabric, marveling at how tangible it felt. Even the faint hum of magic emanating from the staff in his hand was undeniable.

"Okay," he muttered, gripping the staff tighter. "This is… weird."

Standing slowly, he took a cautious look around. The forest seemed endless, a maze of tall trees and thick underbrush. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of rushing water broke the quiet. Kei instinctively swiped his hand in the air, trying to open his interface. Nothing happened.

He frowned and tried again. Still nothing.

"Great," he muttered. "No menu. No map. No logout button. What am I supposed to do now?"

For a moment, he considered staying put, but the idea of sitting alone in the middle of a forest with no clue where he was didn't appeal to him. He picked a direction—toward the sound of water—and started walking.

The forest floor was uneven, roots and rocks jutting out of the ground. Kei stumbled a few times, cursing under his breath. "Why does everything feel so real? Did they update the sensory feedback or something?"

The sound of the stream grew louder as he walked, and soon he found himself standing at its edge. The water was clear, rushing over smooth stones, and its reflection revealed a face that made him stagger back in surprise.

The man staring back at him had silver-white hair and glowing blue eyes—his in-game avatar. It was him, but not him. He leaned closer, brushing a hand over his face. The reflection mimicked his every movement perfectly.

"What the hell…"

His pulse quickened. This had to be some kind of event, right? A hyper-immersive storyline they hadn't announced yet? But that didn't explain why he couldn't access the menu. And no event in Forbidden Word had ever felt this… real.

Shaking his head, Kei pushed the thought aside. He wasn't going to get any answers by staring at his reflection. If this was part of the game, then the best thing to do was keep moving and find someone who could explain what was going on.

He turned away from the stream and wandered deeper into the forest. As the hours passed, the once-idyllic woods began to feel oppressive. The trees grew closer together, their twisted roots forming a labyrinth beneath his feet. The sunlight that had filtered through the canopy earlier was now dim and pale, barely illuminating the path ahead.

Kei's stomach growled, and he realized he hadn't eaten. "Food bar," he muttered, reaching for his belt. His hand froze mid-motion. There was no inventory pouch, no quick-access slot. He had nothing except the robes on his back and the staff in his hand.

"Great," he muttered. "No food, no map, no way out."

The faint rustling of leaves made him stop. He spun around, his grip on the staff tightening. "Hello?" he called, his voice echoing through the trees.

There was no response.

Kei exhaled, shaking his head. "Calm down, Kei. It's just a forest."

But the rustling grew louder, closer. It wasn't the gentle swaying of branches in the breeze. It was deliberate. Something—or someone—was moving toward him.

He raised his staff, the crystal at its tip glowing faintly. "Alright, if this is part of the game, now's a good time to show yourself."

The underbrush parted, and a creature stepped into view.

Kei's breath caught in his throat. The thing was vaguely humanoid, its emaciated body covered in patches of matted fur and pale, leathery skin. Its eyes were sunken pits of black, and its jaw unhinged as it let out a low, guttural growl.

The creature lunged forward, faster than Kei expected. He barely had time to react, raising his staff to block as the thing swiped at him with jagged claws. The impact sent him stumbling backward, his heart racing.

"Alright, you wanna play rough?" Kei gritted his teeth and raised the staff again.

The monster hissed and lunged once more, but this time, Kei was ready. He thrust the staff forward, muttering an incantation under his breath.

"Lux Infernalis!"

A blinding flash of light erupted from the staff, striking the creature head-on. It screeched, its body convulsing as the light burned through it. When the glow faded, the monster lay motionless on the ground, smoke rising from its charred flesh.

Kei stared at it, his chest heaving. "What the hell was that thing?"

Before he could catch his breath, a chorus of growls erupted from the shadows around him. Dozens of glowing eyes blinked to life, staring at him from the darkness.

Kei gripped his staff tighter, his pulse pounding in his ears. "Hah..."