Lucas sat back in the pilot's seat, his mind racing. The adrenaline of the earlier fight still lingered, but as the reality of his situation set in, a wave of uncertainty replaced the initial thrill. He glanced around the cockpit, taking in every detail—the glowing control panels, the soft hum of the ship's systems, and the faint vibration of the engines beneath his feet.
"This…this is insane," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "I'm actually inside Interstellar Battlefront…but how?"
He took a deep breath. Panicking wasn't going to help. If this was real—or at least as real as it felt—he needed to figure out how to survive. And step one was understanding the Valkyrie.
Lucas leaned forward, letting his hands glide over the control panel. The layout was identical to the game, which was both comforting and unnerving.
The main dashboard displayed critical systems:
• Engine Status: Fully Operational
• Shields: 93%
• Weapons Systems: Armed and Ready
• Hull Integrity: Stable
He toggled through the ship's functions, familiarizing himself with the intricacies of the interface. While he'd spent years piloting the Valkyrie in the game, the tactile sensation of touching real controls was a whole new experience.
"Alright," he said, tapping on the propulsion menu. "Let's see what you've got."
The Valkyrie's thrusters roared to life as Lucas pushed the throttle forward. The ship surged ahead, and he was slammed back into the seat as the G-force hit him like a freight train.
"Jesus Christ!" he gasped, gripping the armrests. His head spun, and his chest felt like it was being compressed by a thousand pounds of weight.
The G-force wasn't just some cinematic effect like in the game—it was real. He forced himself to relax and adjust, breathing through the pressure as the ship stabilized.
"Okay," he muttered, "so that's what happens when I don't ease into the throttle. Noted."
He spent the next hour testing the ship's systems, from navigation to weaponry. He practiced firing the Valkyrie's plasma cannons, maneuvering through simulated asteroid fields, and fine-tuning the shield parameters. Each action felt more natural, his muscle memory from the game guiding him.
As he worked, a sudden sound broke the silence.
DING!
A translucent blue window appeared in front of him, hovering mid-air. Lucas blinked, leaning closer.
"What the…"
The window was unmistakably a game system interface, identical to the one in Interstellar Battlefront.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Name: Lucas Kane
Title: The Void Wolf
Class: Bounty Hunter/Mercenary
Level: 89
Credits: 125,000
Attributes:
• Strength: 220
• Dexterity: 240
• Intelligence: 180
• Endurance: 210
• Charisma: 150
• Luck: 75
Skills:
• Deadeye Marksmanship (Rare): Increases ranged weapon accuracy by 50%.
• Voidstep (Rare): Teleport short distances in combat.
• Energy Shield Mastery (Rare): Boosts shield efficiency by 40%.
• Negotiator (Rare): Persuasion success rate increased by 25%.
• Hacker's Touch (Rare): Grants the ability to bypass most digital locks.
• Combat Awareness (Rare): Enhances perception and reflexes in battle.
• Tactical Drone Deployment (Rare): Summon combat drones for assistance.
• Shipwright's Insight (Rare): Increases ship repair and upgrade speed.
• Tracker's Instinct (Rare): Locate targets within a 5km radius.
• Critical Strike (Rare): Boost critical damage by 100% during combat.
Bounty: 175,000 Credits
Lucas stared at the stats, his mind reeling. This wasn't just close to his in-game profile—this was his in-game profile. Every detail was spot-on, down to his ridiculous bounty.
"175,000 credits?" he muttered. "Why the hell is my bounty so high?"
…..
He knew the answer, of course. Between taking out crime lords, raiding pirate syndicates, and pulling off high-profile bounties, his character had become infamous across the game's universe. What had been fun in a virtual sense was now an unsettling liability.
"Great. So I'm a walking target," he said with a sigh.
Still, the stats weren't the only thing on his mind. Lucas glanced at his skills, a mix of pride and concern bubbling in his chest. If these abilities were real—really real—he had a lot of potential. But the weight of it all was overwhelming.
To distract himself, Lucas decided to check the Friends List in his catalogues. If he was here, maybe his friends were too. The system menu shifted as he accessed the social tab.
A list of names appeared, each accompanied by a profile picture and character details:
• [Ryker] (The Gunslinger): Level 85 | Bounty: 150,000 Credits
• [Nova] (The Mechanic): Level 84 | Bounty: 145,000 Credits
• [Specter] (The Assassin): Level 86 | Bounty: 160,000 Credits
Lucas felt a pang of relief seeing their names. Their character profiles were just as he remembered them, with high bounties to match. But the icons next to their names were grayed out, indicating they weren't online—or active.
"Figures," Lucas muttered, leaning back in the chair. "Either I'm the only one here, or they haven't…'logged in.'"
The thought sent a chill through him. Was he truly alone in this world? Or was he just the first to wake up?
The faint hum of the Valkyrie's engines filled the silence as Lucas stared out at the stars. For now, there were no answers—just questions. But one thing was clear: if he wanted to survive, he had to adapt.
"Alright," he said, gripping the controls. "Let's see what this world has in store."
The Valkyrie's thrusters flared as the ship sped toward the unknown, Lucas's mind set on one goal: finding answers.