CHAPTER 1
I was just a regular employee at a famous gaming company, the team behind the wildly popular fantasy game, Eldoria. At least, that's what I told myself to stay sane. The truth? My life was a nightmare. My manager was perpetually angry at me, her voice a constant reminder of how "incompetent" I supposedly was.
"Another late report, huh?" he would sneer, slamming his hand on my desk. "Do you even take this job seriously? Overtime for you. Again."
I had gotten so used to the routine that even my complaints were recycled in my head. There was no point in arguing; I would always lose. The late nights piled on until I started sleeping at the office, my desk becoming my bed and my hoodie, my pillow.
One night, after another grueling shift, I sat alone in the dimly lit office. The hum of computers and the faint flicker of the overhead lights were my only companions. I leaned back in my chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Why am I even here?" I whispered to myself, my voice hoarse with exhaustion.
As my heavy eyelids began to close, I let out a long sigh. Maybe I could finally get some rest. Maybe I'd wake up to a better tomorrow.
But when I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in the office anymore.
A young girl, no older than seventeen, stood before me. She had bright, determined eyes and wore a simple yet elegant dress that looked like it belonged in a medieval fairytale. Her face struck me like lightning.
No way… I thought. She was the spitting image of Chae-yeong, the main character from Eldoria!
I blinked furiously, convinced I was dreaming. Maybe I had finally gone insane from all the stress. But no matter how many times I opened and closed my eyes, she remained there, looking at me with concern.
"Jiyoung, don't you remember me?" she said softly, her voice carrying an almost musical quality. "Are you alright?"
I shot to my feet or at least, I tried to. My body felt unfamiliar, heavier somehow. I looked down at my hands and froze. They weren't my hands. They were rougher, calloused, and larger than I remembered.
"Who are you?" I stammered, my voice trembling. "Where am I?"
Chae-yeong frowned, tilting her head slightly. "Jiyoung-ah, it's me, Chae-yeong. Have you forgotten? You've been acting strange all morning."
"Chae-yeong…?" I repeated, the name escaping my lips like a ghost. My chest tightened as realization hit me like a freight train. The ornate room, the medieval clothes, Chae-yeong's presence—this wasn't a dream.
This was Eldoria.
Three Days Later
It didn't take long for me to piece together the situation. Somehow, I had been transported into the world of Eldoria, the game my company had created. But I wasn't just anyone—I was Kim Jiyoung, the childhood friend of the game's protagonist, Clara.
And that was a problem.
Kim Jiyoung wasn't just a minor character. He was a tragic one. A kind-hearted, hardworking young man with no special talents, doomed to die next month. His death was the catalyst for Chae-yeong's awakening, unlocking her latent abilities and propelling her on her journey to becoming the savior of the realm.
I paced back and forth in my small, rustic home, my heart racing as I recalled every detail of the story. "Why did it have to be this character?" I groaned, clutching my head.
I slumped into a chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. "I'm going to die. No matter what I do, I'm going to die."
But then a thought struck me, and a maniacal grin spread across my face.
"No" I muttered. "No, I won't let that happen. I'm not some disposable NPC. This is a second chance my second chance. If I know the story, then I know the future!"
I laughed to myself, a sharp, almost villainous sound echoing through the empty room. But my laughter abruptly stopped as a grim realization hit me.
"Wait" I said, my voice dropping. "If I don't die, Clara won't awaken. And if Clara doesn't awaken…"
I remembered the story clearly. Without Chae-yeong's awakening, the Kingdom of Eldoria would fall to the Shadow King, plunging the world into darkness. My survival could doom the entire realm.
I leaned back, running a hand down my face. "Argh! Why does it have to be like this?"
But then, another idea crept into my mind a risky dangerous idea.
"What if I awaken her myself?" I muttered, the beginnings of a plan forming. "Who says I have to die for her to grow strong? If I can train, if I can become stronger, maybe I can survive and help her awaken. Two birds, one stone."
My grin returned, sharper than ever. "Yeah… yeah, I'll do it myself. Who needs fate? Who needs some tragic storyline? I'll rewrite this story with my own hands!"
I stood up, determination burning in my chest. "Just wait, Chae-yeong. You're not the only one getting stronger. This time, we'll both survive. Together."
And for the first time in years, I felt alive