>>Heyyy. Did you hear? There's going to be a major update this midnight. The forums are in uproar.
The messages popped up in my game inbox, sent by one of my regular teammates, a player named @boxcutter. She was one of the few people I actually interacted with in *Nexoria Online*, the run-of-the-mill RPG that had become my life for the past six months. We used to chat for hours, strategizing, joking, and sharing bits of our lives. But for the past week, I hadn't replied to her. Not a single word.
Why? Well, let's just say @boxcutter wasn't exactly… stable. I found out she'd been stalking me in real life. And when I confided in her about the bullying I endured at the academy, she took matters into her own hands. She tracked down my bullies and attacked them so badly they ended up in the hospital.
I glanced at the time in the corner of my screen: 10:47 PM. Not much time left until the update.
I sighed, leaning back in my gaming chair. It had been six months since the incident at the academy. Six months since I stopped going altogether and locked myself in my room, escaping into *Nexoria Online*.
What incident, you ask? Let's just say I fell for the wrong girl—a senior who happened to be the idol of every guy in her class. When they found out, the bullying was relentless. Hellish.
My inbox chimed again.
>>You wanna play together? Please, I promise I won't come to see you IRL again.
>>Never.
>>Never.
>>Never. I promise.
The messages kept coming, one after another. I didn't trust her. Not after everything that had happened. I ignored her, wishing there was a block function in this damn game.
"This girl is insane," I muttered, rubbing my temples. I reached for a can of cola to cool my nerves, but for some reason, it made me feel drowsy. My eyelids grew heavy as the messages continued to pile up.
*Ding… Ding…*
I closed my eyes, deciding to take a quick nap until midnight. Maybe the update would distract her. Maybe she'd leave me alone.
---
"Please… don't kill me. I'm begging you…"
My voice trembled as I pleaded with the girl standing in front of me. Her face was hidden behind a mask, her short black hair streaked with red highlights. Even through the mask, I could see the glint of amusement in her eyes as she watched me squirm.
"Ehehehe…"
I didn't know how, but she'd drugged me. That cola… it must have been laced with something. Now I was tied to a metal chair in what looked like a basement, zip ties digging into my wrists. The room was dark, the only light coming from a flickering bulb overhead. The air was damp, carrying a faint metallic scent mixed with something floral—like dried roses.
She leaned closer, her gloved hand brushing my cheek. I flinched at the cold touch.
"You used to trust me," she purred, her voice distorted by the mask into something primal. "Back then, we were unstoppable. @Bandage and @boxcutter… remember that headshot on Perdition's Edge? You said I was the best partner you'd ever had." Her fingers trailed down to the zip ties, tightening them absently. "But you left our squad. You left me. And now… here we are. Offline."
She laughed, the sound high and unsteady, as she paced the room. Her boots clicked against the concrete floor, echoing in the dim space. Suddenly, she whirled around, crouching in front of me.
"You think I'd kill you?" she asked, tilting her head. The mask glinted in the flickering light. "No, no… that's not how this works. I just want you to stay this time. To prove you're loyal. Like… a quest. But real."
Her hand dipped into her pocket, pulling out something—a boxcutter, just like her username. She toyed with it, the blade catching the light as she dragged the flat edge along my cheek. Her breath hitched.
"Or maybe I should make it a game. If you win, you walk out. If you lose…" She trailed off, her voice dripping with menace. "We'll see."
I opened my eyes, but fear kept me from speaking. I closed them again, resigning myself to whatever fate had in store. This wasn't how I had expected to die—murdered by a psycho bitch. But in the next moment, I heard it—the clock striking midnight.
A voice echoed in my head, cold and mechanical:
#Nexoria Online Ver. Real is now live. Welcome, Player @Bandage.
Before I could process what was happening, a strange sensation washed over me. My body began to dissolve, dispersing into digital specks of light.
"The fuck…?"
The world around me dissolved into a blur of light and sound. For a moment, I felt weightless, as if I were floating in a void. Then, with a sudden jolt, my feet hit solid ground. I stumbled, disoriented, as the world came into focus.
I was standing in a clearing, surrounded by dense forest on all sides. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and earth. The sky above was a vivid blue, unnaturally bright, as if it had been pulled straight out of a video game.
Beside me, @boxcutter—still masked—was also regaining her balance. Her eyes darted around, wide with confusion. Around us, other people were materializing, one by one. Some were crouched on the ground, clutching their heads. Others were shouting, their voices panicked and overlapping.
"What the hell is going on?!" someone yelled.
"Where are we?!"
"Is this some kind of prank?!"
The chaos was overwhelming. I scanned the crowd, counting at least twenty people. Everyone looked as lost and terrified as I felt. My heart pounded in my chest as I tried to make sense of the situation.
Then, a voice boomed from above, deep and resonant, as if the sky itself were speaking.
#Welcome, players, to Nexoria Online Ver. Real.
The crowd fell silent, all eyes turning upward. The voice continued, cold and mechanical.
#You have been chosen by the Game Masters to participate in a Real Version of Nexoria Online. To return to your world, you must complete the game. This is the Tutorial Stage. Your objectives are as follows:
1. Survive for 72 hours.
2. Obtain 100 Tutorial Points by defeating monsters.
3. Form a squad of at least five players.
#Your starting Class and Skills have been auto-assigned. You may check them at any time through your Status Menu. Failure to complete the objectives will result in permanent termination. Good luck.
The voice faded, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. For a moment, no one moved. Then, the panic erupted again, louder than before.
"What does it mean by 'permanent termination'?!"
"Is this for real? Are we stuck in the game?!"
"How do we check our Status Menu?!"
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. This couldn't be real. It had to be some kind of nightmare. But the ground beneath my feet felt solid, the air in my lungs real. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to focus.
First things first, I quietly tried to get away from that psycho while she was still busy trying to open her menu.
I took several steps back and then ran toward the forest, hiding behind a tree. I slid down its trunk and sat on the ground.
"Let's calm down for a second…" I closed my eyes and tried to process everything that had happened. Getting kidnapped and then entering this game. I pinched my cheek just in case.
"Ouch."
Sigh. It's no use mulling over it. Getting inside a video game isn't that unheard of in novels and anime. But boy, did I ever think it could get real?
If this was really the game, then I needed to check my Status Menu. I closed my eyes, concentrating, and a translucent screen appeared in my vision.
---
#Current Zone: Y (Tutorial)
#Tutorial Points (0/100)
#Squad: Negative
#Time Left: 71h 53m
#Name: Bandage
#Class: Healer
#Level: 1 (0/10 XP)
#HP: 6/10
#MP: 5/5
#Skills:
- Healing (Level 1): Heals oneself or others.
---
"A healer? You've got to be kidding me…"
Luck was not on my side. If I needed to kill monsters to get tutorial points, then the healer class wouldn't be any help. Not only that, how was I supposed to protect myself from monsters with just a healing spell?
Healers are mostly support classes and have to rely on others. Meaning I would need to join a squad with strong players if I wanted to survive. Become their lackey. I'm sure all squads would need at least one healer.
But why a healer? Is it because I was bullied so much that I became an expert in applying first aid to myself? Isn't that why I chose my game name @bandage in the first place?
"Found you…" Suddenly, I jolted reflexively, my head ramming into the tree trunk. It was her. @boxcutter.
"Were you hiding from me? Bad…" She grabbed my arm tightly, placing her cutter at my neck as her leg pressed against my gut.
"Arg… N-No, I was just…"
Fuck, why is she so strong? I can barely move. Her red eyes locked onto mine, sending a chill down my spine.
"We're playing together. Yay… Let's team up… Right?" She glared at me.
I didn't have much choice, her blade at my neck. I nodded, resigned.
"Hehehehe." She chuckled and let me go. I coughed as I fell back onto the ground.
"By the way… what's your class?" She crouched down and asked me, her face a little too close.
"H-Healer…" I replied, hoping she'd think it was useless and change her mind.
"Ah… A healer… that matches your name…" She laughed. "I bet it'll be useful. You can heal me when I get hurt. Gee, wouldn't that be romantic?"
I cringed at her words but kept my expression neutral. There's no way I'm safe with this bitch. I need to deceive her somehow and make a run for it when I get the chance.
"And what's your class…?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.
"Oh, mine? You really want to know?" She grabbed the strings of her face mask and pulled it off, exposing her lips as she spoke. "It's Weapon Master…"