The moment I pressed LAUNCH, my screen flashed white. My body felt weightless, as if I had just jumped into ice-cold water—except there was no pain. No discomfort. Just… an endless, floating sensation.
Then—
WHOOSH!
I gasped as light exploded around me, and suddenly, I was standing in the middle of a massive, breathtaking landscape.
"...Holy crap."
I turned in a slow circle, eyes wide. The sky stretched endlessly, painted with deep blues and swirling clouds that actually moved like real ones. The grass beneath my feet bent when I stepped on it, swaying naturally in the breeze. The air smelled fresh, with a hint of something I couldn't quite name.
I slowly held up my hands. My skin, my fingers—everything felt real.
"This… this isn't just a game," I whispered.
I had seen Treasure World Online before on streams and YouTu clips, but watching a video was nothing compared to actually standing inside it.
A memory flashed in my head.
[Flashback: Watching Arx's Stream]
Before I logged in, I had done my research—specifically, by watching Arx, one of the richest and most famous players in TWO.
> [Welcome back, adventurers!] Arx grinned at the camera. He was decked out in legendary armor that glowed faintly, his sword hanging casually at his side.
[Today, we're farming one of the rarest dungeons for high-value artifacts. Don't forget—TWO is all about finding treasure and making real money.]
[For newbies, always follow the starter quest line. Kill slimes, level up, and move on.]
He had made everything seem so easy—farming, selling, getting rich. That was why I was here.
[Back to Present]
"Alright," I muttered, shaking off my amazement. "Focus. First step—get to the starter village."
I looked around, spotting a dirt road leading toward a small town in the distance. Other players were appearing around me, blinking into existence before running ahead excitedly.
"Looks like I'm in the right place."
I followed the road, passing other beginners who were chatting excitedly about their character builds. Some were discussing merchant trading, while others were eager to start hunting monsters.
After a few minutes, I arrived at Lioran Village, the first beginner town in the game. It looked exactly like the videos—wooden houses, NPC villagers, and a large central fountain where players gathered.
A familiar yellow exclamation mark floated above a nearby NPC—a middle-aged man in a simple tunic.
"That's gotta be the first quest," I muttered, approaching.
The NPC turned to me with a friendly smile.
"Ah, a new adventurer! Welcome to Lioran Village. If you want to get stronger, start by helping us with a small task. There are some weak slimes outside town. Hunt five of them and return to me."
A quest window popped up.
> Quest: Slime Hunt
Objective: Kill 5 slimes
Reward: [Beginner's Sword]
I smirked. "Easy. I already know this one."
I had seen Arx do this exact quest in his beginner's guide. Slimes were harmless, and the reward—a basic sword—was standard for all players.
I clicked Accept, then turned and headed for the nearby fields.
Something's Off…
The slimes were right where they were supposed to be—small, wobbly blue blobs bouncing around lazily. Other players were already fighting them, swinging at them with wooden clubs and starter daggers.
I grabbed the rusty knife I had started with and attacked the nearest slime.
-5 HP
The slime wobbled but didn't fight back. I slashed it again. It burst into pixels.
1/5 Slimes Killed
"Nice," I said, quickly finishing off four more.
A quest completion window popped up.
> Quest Complete!
Reward: [Beginner's Sword]
I grinned. "Alright, time to gear up."
I opened my inventory—
And froze.
Instead of a sword, the game had given me a… dagger?
Item Received: [Rusty Dagger]
> A short blade with poor durability. Weaker than the Beginner's Sword.
"...Huh?"
I double-checked the quest screen. It clearly said the reward was a sword—so why the hell did I get a dagger?
A weird feeling crept up my spine.
Something about this Beta Version wasn't right.