As soon as the screen reached 100%, something strange happened.
A swirling vortex of light appeared above me. In the next instant, I felt it pulling at me—like my very body was being dragged away.
Before I could make sense of it, my whole body was yanked into the vortex.
It was like being sucked through a wind tunnel, the force growing stronger and stronger. My surroundings warped and blurred, colors stretching into endless streaks, as though reality itself was being torn apart.
And then—everything went white.
When my vision cleared, I found myself standing in a place completely unfamiliar.
Out of nowhere, a glowing screen appeared before my eyes, just like the ones I had seen countless times in video games.
[WORLD TRANSFER COMPLETE]
[System Notice!]
(Current Location: Edge of Lumen Forest)
[!] SPECIAL QUEST [!]
» Slay 8 Dire Wolves prowling the area.
» Rewards will be granted upon completion.
Progress: 0/8
A small, glowing panel suddenly appeared at my side, floating in the air as if it belonged there all along. Bright letters and numbers blinked softly, showing information. I realized it was a player status display, just like the ones I'd seen in video games, but now it was right here in front of me.
Malachi Paisley [Lvl. 1]
HP: 500 / 500
Mana: 500 / 500
EXP: 0/100
I stared at the screen in amazement. My name was there, along with my level.
"Before I forget… there's a special quest I have to fulfill!" I muttered to myself, blinking in surprise.
I shook my head. "I just got here!" I said again, still trying to wrap my mind around everything that had happened—my room, my computer, the explosion, and now… this strange world. It was all so unreal.
"What kind of game is this anyway?" I whispered, looking around the forest. "Does it really require my computer to blow up just to pull me inside?" I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well… I kind of like that," I said with a small, mischievous smile. There was something thrilling about this. Many dangers, adventures, creatures, journeys, friendships, and the unknown—all waiting for me like I had always seen in so many video games.
"As long as there's an exit button somewhere," I added, muttering to myself again, just to be safe.
I reached out and clicked on my Player Status display hovering at my side, hoping to see a settings menu or some kind of option panel. But nothing appeared—nothing like I had expected. It simply showed my stats, and that was it.
"Well… maybe it will show up later," I said, trying to sound calm and confident. "Probably after I complete the quest or level up."
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward into the forest.
[You have now entered Lumen Forest]
The trees were tall and thick. I reminded myself to stay alert. Somewhere in this forest, I was supposed to find dire wolves. My heart pounded a little faster with excitement and nervousness. This was it—the first real challenge.
I tightened my grip on the air in front of me, imagining my Beast ready to strike alongside me. With determination, I started moving deeper into the forest, scanning every shadow, every rustle of leaves, for the first signs of my target.
"Oh, where's my Phoenix Beast?" I muttered to myself as I wandered through the forest, glancing nervously between the trees.
Suddenly, a glowing screen appeared right in front of me, hovering in the air as if it had just materialized from nowhere.
[System Notice!]
> Want to Summon Your Beast?
[▶ Yes] / [▶ No]
I clicked [▶Yes].
[Summoning Beast…]
Then, out of nowhere, a spark of gentle flames appeared in front of me. From the glow, my Phoenix Beast emerged, landing gracefully on the ground. It was about the size of a medium bird, reaching from a person's hip to their foot. I could feel a soft heat radiating from it, and its bright, intelligent blue eyes seemed to look straight at me; it already knew I was its companion.
[System Prompt]
Name your Female Beast Friend: _______
A system keyboard appeared floating in front of me, glowing softly, waiting for me to type.
I typed Raya to name my Phoenix Beast since she was female. The moment I pressed enter, a spark of gentle flames erupted in front of me. Then she flew in front of me, circling gracefully before landing lightly at my feet.
Immediately, her status appeared in front of me:
Raya [Lvl. 1]
HP: 500 / 500
A display screen then materialized beside her, presenting several options that I could choose from:
[▶ Feed]
[▶ Unsummon your Beast]
[▶ Turn into Weapon]
[▶ Flame Wings (Unlocked at Level 40)]
[▶ Ultimate Form (Unlocked at Level 60)]
I stared at the screen in amazement. It felt just like one of the RPGs I had played before, but this time it felt real—so different from playing all day on my computer—and Raya was right here with me. Every option seemed important. Feeding her might strengthen her, unsummoning her could keep her safe, turning her into a weapon sounded incredible, and the Ultimate Form hinted at powers I couldn't even imagine yet.
I immediately clicked [▶ Turn into Weapon].
Then, Raya vanished, leaving behind three glowing fragments—a red feather, a piece of her claw, a drop of her blood—all floating and swirling in the air. They danced, spinning faster and faster, radiating a brilliant light. Gradually, they began to change shape, forming many different weapons: a sword, a spear, a bow, a shield, a dagger, and even an amulet.
Each form flashed for a moment before shifting into another, a dazzling display of power.
The fragments converged, the light merging together into a single, formidable shape.
A Spear emerged, wreathed in blazing fire.
It hovered in the air, glowing with her power. The long shaft gleamed in blue and gold, with a blue crystal embedded near the tip. Phoenix feather patterns were carved elegantly along its surface, and the tip shone like a burning sun.
Raya transformed into a spear, and slowly it floated toward me, as if it were choosing me in return.
I reached out my hand, feeling the warmth and strength radiating from it.
"Thank you.…" I whispered softly, accepting the gift of my Beast.
Phoenix Spear [Lvl. 1]
Weapon Damage: 50
Element: Fire | Wind | Light
Durability: ★★★★
Passive Ability: [Scorching Aegis] –This ability grants immunity to all crowd control effects. Stun, Freeze, Immobilize, Silence, Blind, Confusion, and any crowd control attempts will have no effect.
"This is so cool… a Passive Ability," I muttered to myself, staring at the Phoenix Spear's stats. It's always active, which means it's working even when I don't realize it. Sometimes, it can trigger on its own, protecting me automatically when danger comes. Or, I can choose to activate it whenever I need it most.
It's perfect for tough battles. Even if I'm overwhelmed or facing enemies I don't expect, this ability has my back. It's like having a hidden shield that watches over me, making sure I can fight without being slowed down, trapped, or controlled. Knowing this is protecting me… it feels amazing.
I smiled to myself, gripping the Spear a little tighter. "With Raya and this ability, I can take on anything this world throws at me."