It was a usual night in Seoul, and I couldn't help but keep peeking at my game's reviews.
"RETURN MMORPG!"—the game I had poured my heart and soul into. But despite my passion, it had failed. Not because I lost interest or time, but because I simply didn't have the money to keep it going.
Bracing myself for the inevitable wave of bad reviews, I opened the feedback section.
> User 1: Bought this game for $16, thinking it would be worth it. And it was—until the lack of updates and constant bugs killed it for me.
User 2: Whoever made this game clearly lacks the proper mindset of a game developer.
User 3: Terrible. Just terrible.
I sighed, rubbing my head.
"Tch… as if they have any idea how hard it is to create a game with almost no funding," I muttered, resting my head on my hand.
I had tried everything—crowdfunding, sponsorships, even working a part-time job while developing the game alone. But in the end, it wasn't enough. The servers had shut down, and RETURN MMORPG had become nothing more than a failed dream.
I reached for my mouse, about to shut down my computer, when a sudden email notification popped up.
A new message.
I frowned.
"Let me guess… another fan or hater," I sighed. My first instinct was to ignore it, but for some reason, I hesitated.
I clicked on the email tab.
Subject: Hello, Leonz.
My eyes narrowed.
How did this person know my name? Sure, my game had blown up a few months ago, and some people might recognize me, but I had never revealed my real identity.
Skeptical, I hovered over the email. I didn't want to open it. But curiosity gnawed at me.
Taking a deep breath, I clicked on it.
> "Hello, Leonz. Would you like the opportunity to see your game's full potential?"
I blinked.
"What the hell is this lunatic talking about?"
The sender's name was simply Anonymous.
A troll, probably. Someone trying to mess with me. Still, I couldn't resist replying.
Click.
> "Hello! Oh, of course! I'd love to see what future my game holds!"
Click.
"And… send!" I clapped my hands together.
"Alright, that should be it. Might need to block them later, though..."
With that, I shut down my computer and headed to bed.
And no, before you ask—my room is not messy. I keep it tidy, okay?
Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, I suddenly heard something.
[User registration completed.]
[Transporting user to RETURN.]
My eyes shot open.
Did I just hear that? Or was I hallucinating from lack of sleep?
Then, the sensation hit me—my bed didn't feel soft anymore. It was… hard.
I hesitated before opening my eyes, and when I did—
My breath hitched.
I was lying in a vast field of grass. A familiar one.
The cool night breeze brushed against my skin, carrying the faint scent of wildflowers. The sky above was vast, painted with stars far too clear and detailed for any dream. The grass rustled softly beneath me as I slowly sat up, my heart pounding against my chest.
"Wait… no way."
A wild thought popped into my head. I had to confirm it.
I took a deep breath and shouted, "STATUS!"
> [Loading... Completed!]
Name: Leonz
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Level: 1
Class: N/A
Special Skills: Admin Authority
Skills: None
I stared at the glowing blue screen hovering before me, my mind going blank.
This had to be a dream. Right?
Desperate to wake up, I pinched my cheek as hard as I could—
"OW OW OW!"
Nope. Definitely not a dream.
I wasn't just in my game.
I was inside RETURN.
A shiver ran down my spine.
I slowly touched my cheek where I had pinched it, feeling the lingering sting. My breathing was uneven, my mind racing with a million thoughts.
"Am I really in my own game...?" I whispered, my voice trembling.
The fear crept in first.
My game, RETURN, wasn't just any MMORPG. It was brutally difficult—a game designed to push players to their limits. Death in this world meant losing everything and starting over. And worse, some of the NPCs were programmed to act like real players, meaning betrayal and deception weren't uncommon.
And to make matters worse… now, I was certain that they would act very real.
The thought of being stuck in such a merciless world made my stomach churn.
But then… something else stirred inside me.
Excitement.
A part of me—the part that had dreamed of seeing this world come to life—couldn't help but feel a rush of thrill.
I looked at my trembling hands, then clenched them into fists.
"I… I created this world."
Everything here—from the vast landscapes to the hidden dungeons, to the powerful beings lurking in the shadows—was my creation.
If I was stuck here…
Then that meant I had the chance to experience my game firsthand... With real sensation...
I took a deep breath, steadying myself.
"Alright… I need to test something."
I looked around, scanning the field. In the distance, I spotted something—an old wooden signpost, barely visible under the moonlight.
I stood up, brushing off the dirt on my clothes. I felt the texture of the fabric—far too real for any dream. My heart was still racing, but now, it was mixed with something else.
Determination.
If this was truly RETURN…
Then I wasn't just another player.
I was its creator.
And I was going to find out just how far my Admin Authority and knowledge could take me.
"Systems, special skills description."
> [Loading... Completed.]
Skill Name: Admin Authority
Skill Description: Granting the player the absolute omnipotent power to shape the world as he wishes.
Side Effect: None.
Skill Stage:
Level 1: The authority to summon any low-level item and ability such as coins, iron swords, basic magic, etc.
Maximum Level Manipulation: 20 levels are manipulable.
Limitations: 10 uses every 24 hours.
Level Required: 0.
Level 2: The authority to summon any medium-level item or ability, such as weapons with a maximum level of 50 or powerful abilities.
Maximum Level Manipulation: 35 levels are manipulable.
Limitations: 50 uses per 24 hours.
Level Required: 100.
Level 3: The authority to summon any weapon, item, ability, or creature with a maximum level of 500.
Maximum Level Manipulation: 350 levels are manipulable.
Limitations: 150 uses per 24 hours.
Level Required: 500.
Level 4: The Absolute authority to do anything. You are the creator. Absolute being with no bounds.
Limitations: None.
Level Required: 1000.
I slowly exhaled.
"...Holy shit."
This was broken.
And I won't waste any chance to use it.