'Loser', the name that was used so often I could call it apart of my childhood. The name that I despised so much.
I was a mixed child, my father was korean and my mother was American. Thanks to that, I was considered a weird loser in school. I was bullied ever since I stepped foot into the education system.
It wasn't my fault I was born that way, yet I was the one who had to suffer the consequences.
I was treated unfairly, came home crying every day, expecting a warm embrace and words of comfort from my parents.
Yet, even after hearing my stories about what happened, all they had to say was the same line every single time I complained.
"You're just overreacting, stay silent and don't cause us trouble, alright?"
I had no one in that world. I was the loneliest person someone could think of. I had no power to fight back, no one who'd care enough to help. It was like trying to survive on a deserted island that had nothing but sand.
So I kept it locked deep inside of me and waited for a miracle. And so, I waited and waited, years pass by, yet the same story never ends.
My parents still too busy to care, the idiotic classmates still made fun of me. Years passed by, one after another yet, these rotten souls remained the same.
As everything seemed like it's all futile and hopeless, one day when I got back from school and turned on my phone, I discovered the world of fantasies. It was my first time experiencing such a feeling like that.
The joy I've felt when I was reading, the scenes I imagined just by reading the words. After all that struggling and what seemed like an endless nightmare, I was able to be at peace.
I found home.
Then one sunny day, just like any other. A day where the only thing good about it was being a reader. As always, after school, I went home directly, taking out my phone and read.
But, something was different about that day. The novel I was reading was finished.
I could remember how disappointed I was that day, it felt as if rain was pouring down onto the sunny sky.
I then went and search for books to read, until that one book came across me.
--
"Huh? A new book?"
I looked at the bright phone screen curiously, clicking onto the book.
I looked down at the sypnosis and started reading to see what it might be about. My eyes widen with a bit of curiosity.
"I guess there's no harm in reading it…"
Either ways, I had nothing to do apart from reading. I might as well make it worth it. Hopefully the book is good…
--
And so, I started reading that book and soon enough, it successfully captured my interest and became one of my favorites. I was reading it every day and whenever I had free time.
I enjoyed it so much that even when I entered adulthood, I wouldn't let go of it. But, then the disappointing news hit me one day after work.
The book I was reading for so long, the same one that had followed me to college and watched me graduate from college was now on a hiatus.
At that time, I thought it'd just be a short while, the author needs rest anyways but even after waiting for weeks, the book was still on hiatus.
The author ended it on such a cliffhanger too, right when the story that leads to the end started, it was already put on a pause.
I felt so close to the ending yet it was so far away. At first, I thought, I might be able to wait. Surely the author can't just end their story like that. Who'd read a book without an ending?
Then after weeks of endless waiting, I decided to give up and started focusing on my work more.
After a few months of working endlessly, I was able to get my hands on a big project and traveled back to Korea.
That's when all of this tradgedy came by.
While I was there to take care of some businesses, the power shut down, then the familiar scenes that I've seen before started to play.
When it first started, I was worried too, just like everyone else, after all, I was just human.
I had questions I need answered and the only way I can find them is to survive.
After the first game, I had some time to calm down and was able to figure out whag the situation was.
It's almost like the game was made for me, it was the reality I wanted to live in either way. A world where I won't be judge for being different, a world where I'd have to play games to stay alive.
So of course, I picked the easy rode and followed the story's plot, acted the same way the characters did and met Gyungho.
Kllink! Kangg! Pow! Pow!
It hasn't been long since the games came, yet I've already had more fun than I did during my 24 years of living.
I smiled, swinging my blade arm towards the wave of beasts in front of me. If this was the reality I loved so much, I wouldn't risk losing or leaving it.
I'll protect this life with all I got. If I can only pick one life as my real one, it'll be the one where I'm acknowledged.
Swooosh! Clinggg!
"Mary! Watch out!"
I swiftly turned around, kicking the wolf that was about to land an attack on me away.
"Seems like one isn't enough for you. Fine, I'll be nice and give our guests a little warm welcome."
I smiled, activating the ability again.
「Reality bending is now applied!」
I looked down at my other arm, clenching my jaw as a pain shot through it. Damn it, I should've bought an extra weapon instead of using subway metal scraps.
Foreign objects always hurt way more anyways. I looked down as the train track pieces around me started to rip from the ground and became my second sword.
"You better prove you're worth my time."
"M-mary wai—"
I ignored Chin-hae, letting out a smirk as I dashed forwards. I leaped into the air and swung both of my blades at the enemy.
Slaaash!
The immense power left a mark down on the ground, breaking it apart. I landed onto the ground as dust began to soread out from the area my blade hit.
As the layer of dust lessened, my eyes widened now that I see the wolves clearly. They only had small scratch marks, on top of that, their flames were even angrier than before.
Something was definetly off about these toy wolves. Could this be the side effect of the first fragment when it's used on living organisms?
I looked at the toy wolves in front of me, as they prepared to charge and attacked me. I frowned, there's no way the ordinary toy wolves I've seen could do this.
Now to think about it…
Swwiiiish! Clang! Claaank!
These things have a different appearance as well. While I was distracted, I could feel the air shifting. I turned around, my eyes widened in surprise and eagerness.
One of them actually managed to land an attack on me. I looked down at the arm the wolf attacked, it was barely thick enough to even call a scratch.
I sighed, just when I thought the fun was about to start… I frowned, swinging my blade and slayed four wolved at once.
"Yawns, anything more interesting, perhaps?"
These wolves had a rather purple glow than those I've seen a while ago. Purple flames erupted from their body when they're angry. I smirked, even their horn hurts like hell when they hit you.
I took a deep breath and started laughing. Seems like I won't have to hold back as much this time.
Suddenly a thought hit me, I forgot that abilities are disabled in the game. I groaned, grinding my teeth. I've already activated my skill once before, mighr as well test my luck…
「The unknown act II activated !」
I looked at the screen with a hint of surprise before turning back to the enemies. i can't really remember when I got this skill or how I got it, but, all I know is it's mine now.
I haven't used this one in quite a while, since the first game to be specific. While Gyungho was doing all the action, sealing the gap that was supporting the monster to end it, I was the person who protected him from several deaths.
I smiled, time to put this skill to use. I took a deep breath. I could smell the smoky air from the fire mane of the Wolves, hear the sounds of growling and how some are sneaking pass me to enter the main game.
This was truly the world I wished for. The reality around me felt unreal yet I'm enjoying myself. I could feel the same feeling I had when I first read that book.
As my eyes opened again, I felt as if the universe was in my hand, I could read the wolves actions. It felt like an enormous amount of aura was granted to me, I felt as if I had ´the whole world in my hands.
I looked at the pack of wolves in front of me, my eyes sharpened and dashed forward.
Swooosh! Clink! Clink! Claang!
I swung my sword again, creating large and deep wounds on the wolves.
grrakk!! gnaww...grr..!!
The sounds of the wolves charging at me, the weaker backing away and the sound of the ones that are dying. This is it, this is the joy I've been seeking, this was exactly how I felt reading that novel for the first time.
"Come at me, bastards!"
Cliink!!! Clink! Claaang! Klick!
I smirked as the pack fell down one by one, their flame fading away as they die. I looked down at my blood stained blade and turned off the ability.
As I turned around, expecting a shock face from Chin-hae and a thank you, my eyes widened at the man who was on his knees.
"Gkaaak..! Haah!…"
I looked as Chin-hae fell down onto the ground. I looked at the link, it's taking way too long to unlink... I can't move while the link between my physical body and the weapons are in the process of unlinking...
I grinded my teeth and frowned. He'll be alright right? it's not like his death will affect me unless he's... crap, I can't let him die, Gyungho will never talk to me again if I do.
I gulped, feeling a bit hesitant. If I run over, there's a chance that the blood vessels in my arms will be torn apart or I might lose them... It's not like he's in danger either, right?
I sighed, standing there as the weapon slowly realeases my arm. My eyes still fixated on Chin-hae, watching his condition closely.
As everything seemed to be according to plan, a toy wolf suddenly appeared. My eyes widened, it was the same one that might've been affected by the first fragment.
Damn this wolf! Why couldn't you just wait until I finish the unlinking process with my weapon!?
I groaned, forcefully removing the blade from my arm. I looked down as blood began to pour. I knew this was going to happen. I looked down at the spear that broke from the force then back at my bleeding arm.
I grinded my teeth, picking up the broken spear head, aiming it right at the wolf that was moving towards Chin-hae. Damn it, that was my favorite weapon too...
Pow!
I looked as the wolf fell down right when it was about to attack Chin-hae in his vulnerable state. I let out a relief sigh.
I looked at my other arm, the unlinking process was done. I took the piece of scrap metal and threw it away. I then quickly ran over to Chin-hae who was now lying weakly on the ground
"Damn it, you idiot, you better repay me someday, one day..."
I sighed, looking down at my arm that was still bleeding. I ripped a piece of my shirt off and tied the wound together. I frowned, I almost lost an arm for this idiot.
I looked down at the culprit who made me unlink the weapon with force, clenching my fist.
"I swear, I'm going to give you a beating you'd never forget for this... but to do that, I gotta keep you alive."
As I lifted him up and started carrying him on my shoulder, I could hear the sound of the ground grumbling softly as well as a sound of the system glitching.
I turned around in shock, my eyed widened as a flick of light came out from the air. Damn it, a dokkaebi. I rushed away from the area and hid behind a wall with Chin-hae.
"Some rotten luck I got..."
I whispered, peeking behind me to see what was happening. It was natural for players to hide from dokkaebis, they're the ones who brought us here anyways so it's obvious who held more power.
"Huh? Aah… I swear those two were just here."
My eyes widened as I took a peek to see what kind of dokkaebi it was. Behind me was no ordinary dokkaebis, was clearly higher ranking.
The dokkaebi had a smooth white fur coat along with eight dark purple horns. I looked as it walked down from the ground with a creepy smile.
"I promise, I don't mean any harm."
I looked down at the passed out Chin-hae, clencing my jaw. This isn't good, I can't let that thing find us.
I'm in no state to fight right now, I looked down at the cloth I've wrapped around the wound, it was already soaked in blood... and to top it off, it's trying to lure us out as well.
Though, I have a feelIng I've seen this dokkaebi before… the fur color and the way it looks is really familiar to me.
It looks like the ine Gyungho talked to in the first game after neutralizing the monster, though I swear, it didn't have that much horns. My guts are telling me something is different about it…
"What the fuck…"
I looked as a purple flame aura appears around the dokkaebi, its horns grew larger and larger along with the body. My jaw dropped in shock.
somehow, basically everything that had happened up until now was something I've seen before in the novel I've read in the old world... except for this dokkaebi.
I knew it, this thing was no ordinary dokkaebi but this is another level.
Wait a minute… As I closed my eyes and focused, aside from the overwhelming power it possesed, I could feel another source of energy coming from it.
"fuck."
If I was right, the power that I sensed was the first fragment's power. If it was, it'd be extremely bad for me, knowing how strong the crystal is, just this one fragment is probably enough to wipe out two copies of this world I'm in.
As I peeked outside, I was once again met with shock. My eyes widened as the dokkaebi took out the first fragment it possesed along with a purple flame, merging them together.
what the hell is this thing doing!? It's merging the fragment with something else that's not apart of the crystal. I could feel a chill creeping up my back as I watched.
The pure energy mixing together with the unknown flames, creating an ominous aura. I gritted my teeth, if I stayed any longer and something happened, I might as well be dead.
I took a deep breath, putting Chin-hae on my back. I looked outside, my jaw dropping in shock, the fragment finished merging with the flame... I looked as the shard shines brightly in the dark tunnel.
[SYSTEM: announcement
Announcement to all players who are playing the second game that is taking place in the Ganseok station!
The round two is now cancelled due to a system's error.
Please remain calm and do not attack each other during the repair time!]
Damn it, even the system is messed up now... seems like that little fragment being in the second game was the reason I was able to gain access to my abilities.
Though now there's a new question, how long have that thing been there?!
I took a deep breath, waiting for the perfect time to run. After a few seconds, the light from the combination between the frist fragment and the flames started to shine brightly, washing the whole tunnel with a white color.
This was the chance I've been waiting for. I dashed outside of the little cramped space I was hiding in and ran away from the dokkaebi.
As I ran, I glances back a few times to see if it noticed us. I let out a worried sigh, the dokkaebi was gone but I could still feel its presence.
After reaching a safer spot, I put Chin-hae down with relief. This man was so damn heavy.
I sighed, sitting down. Even though we're really far away already, the aura of the first fragment and that dokkaebi was still heavy.
I couldn't be wrong, it was definitely the first fragment… the description was the same. I let out a worried sigh, I'm so done for.
Every fragments were extremely hard to obtain, to think I have to defeat a dokkaebi to get it is basically taking suicide…
Though now that I've thought about it, why does a creature like the dokkaebis want the fragment anyways? And why the hell did it merge the fragment with that thing?!
I lost my chance of obtaining the first fragment, even worse, I lost to a dokkaebi!
Seems like I'll have to go for the second fragment first then… I sighed hopelessly, what is going to happen to the first one and that dokkaebi?
As I sat there in silence, thinking about the fragments, a grumble from the ground broke the quietness. My eyes widened, my reflexes then made me cling onto the wall.
I stood still, holding onto Chin-hae and the wall. One wrong move and I'm done for. What the hell was that anyways?!
I can't feel the aura from the dokkaebi and the object it was holding anymore, yet I still felt an aura coming from that area. What the hell could it be this time?
I know I'm strong but I got my limits too… At this point, I'll end up dead before Gyungho comes back.
After a a short moment of shaking, it stopped. I took a peek outside and smirked. So that's where the energy came from.
"You're back, at last."