Alex woke up to the sound of chirping birds. For the first time since his arrival, he didn't feel like a man stuck between two worlds. The grass beneath him was soft, the gentle morning breeze was cool, and the sky above was painted in hues of orange and pink.
"Morning in a fantasy world," he muttered, stretching his arms wide. "Better than coffee."
The holographic Streaming Interface popped up like an eager puppy.
[System]: Congratulations! Your first stream broke 10,000 concurrent viewers. Do you want to go live now?
Alex blinked. "Ten thousand already? I literally slept."
His chat, however, had other plans. As soon as he hit Go Live, comments exploded across the screen.
[Viewer1]: Bro slept like a Disney princess and still got 10k views.[Viewer2]: KING OF NAPS 👑[Viewer3]: Where's the morning routine vlog, streamer?
Alex chuckled. "Morning routine? Uh… sure." He panned the camera toward his face. His hair was a mess, his shirt half-buttoned. "Step one: look like you lost a fight with a pillow. Step two: pretend you know what you're doing."
The audience spammed laughing emojis.
[Viewer4]: HAHAHAHA CONTENT GOLD[Viewer5]: Bro is the poster child of zero prep.
He smiled faintly but inside, his thoughts were racing. Last night was fun—his first stream blew up, the chat loved him—but now reality was sinking in. He wasn't just here to entertain; he had to survive.
"Alright, chat," he said, slinging the basic wooden sword over his shoulder. "Today's plan: explore the wild. Maybe find something… edible."
[Viewer6]: Or something that wants to EAT YOU.[Viewer7]: Bro is gonna speedrun death any %[Viewer8]: CONTENT WARNING: DUMB DECISIONS INCOMING.
"Have some faith, people," Alex said, walking toward the dense forest ahead. "What's the worst that could happen?"
The Forest of Surprises
The trees loomed tall, their thick canopies blocking out most of the sunlight. Shafts of golden light pierced through in places, creating an eerie but beautiful glow. Birds fluttered overhead, and small critters scampered near the roots.
Alex marveled. "Okay, this is gorgeous. Like… desktop wallpaper levels of gorgeous."
He raised the camera toward a cluster of glowing mushrooms. "Check this out, chat. Bioluminescent fungi!"
[Viewer10]: Lick it.[Viewer11]: EAT THE SHROOM.[Viewer12]: Darwin Awards speedrun.
"Y'all really want me dead, huh?" Alex laughed but stepped back. "Not today."
As he ventured deeper, a sudden rustling sound came from the bushes. Alex froze. His grip tightened on the sword. The chat noticed too.
[Viewer13]: OHHHH DRAMA ALERT[Viewer14]: Is this the part where he dies?[Viewer15]: intense horror music intensifies
The bush shook again—and out hopped… a rabbit.
Alex exhaled. "Phew. Just a bunny."
The rabbit blinked at him with big, adorable eyes. Its fur gleamed white under the sun.
[Viewer16]: AWWWW CUTIE PIE[Viewer17]: TAME IT! NAME IT![Viewer18]: If this turns into a monster, I'm leaving.
Alex crouched. "Hey, little guy. You're not dangerous, right?"
The rabbit tilted its head, then… its eyes glowed red.
Alex's smile vanished. "Uh-oh."
The creature's mouth opened unnaturally wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth. It hissed.
"OH, HELL NO!" Alex leaped back as the rabbit lunged at him.
[Viewer19]: LMAOOOO WHAT DID I SAY[Viewer20]: DEMON RABBIT DLC[Viewer21]: This is why you don't trust cute things.
Alex swung his wooden sword, barely deflecting the bite. The impact sent vibrations up his arms.
"Okay, chat," he grunted, dodging another attack, "lesson of the day: cardio is important!"
The rabbit launched itself again, but Alex sidestepped and countered with a slash. The blade struck its side, making it shriek before collapsing in a puff of black smoke.
A hologram appeared:
[System]: You have defeated a [Corrupted Forest Hare]! +50 EXP.
Alex panted. "That… was NOT in the travel brochure."
[Viewer22]: THIS STREAM IS ELITE[Viewer23]: Clip that. Clip EVERYTHING.[Viewer24]: RIP BUNNY, YOU WON'T BE MISSED.
Level Up, Reality Check
Alex pulled up his status screen:
[Level: 2] HP: 80/100 | MP: 50/50 | EXP: 50/200Skills: Basic Swordsmanship (Lv.1), Streamer's Charm (Lv.1).
"Well, chat," he said, forcing a grin, "we survived. First kill, baby!"
[Viewer25]: FIRST BLOOD[Viewer26]: THE BUNNY HAD A FAMILY 😭[Viewer27]: Dude, imagine dying to a rabbit on your first day.
Alex laughed but deep down, his hands were still shaking. That rabbit could've torn him apart. This wasn't just a game; this was real.
"Alright," he muttered, "time to find something less homicidal to eat."
He wandered further until he reached a small clearing. Sunlight bathed a patch of wild berries. His stomach growled.
[Viewer28]: DON'T EAT RANDOM BERRIES BRO[Viewer29]: We just watched you almost die. Please don't speedrun poison.
Alex hesitated but then noticed the system pop-up:
[Edible Detected]: Crimson Berries. Safe for consumption. Restores 10 HP.
He plucked a handful. "See? All good." He popped one into his mouth. Sweet and tangy. Relief washed over him.
"Okay, we're good, chat. Crisis averted—"
A loud howl cut through the forest.
Alex froze. The sound was guttural, deep, and way too close. His chat exploded:
[Viewer30]: HAHAHA HERE WE GO AGAIN[Viewer31]: BRO YOU'RE SCREWED[Viewer32]: RUN. JUST RUN.
Alex turned slowly. From the shadows emerged a massive wolf-like creature, its eyes glowing crimson, its fangs glistening.
[System]: WARNING! You have encountered a [Shadow Fang Wolf] (Level 8).
"Level 8?!" Alex yelped. "I'm level TWO!"
The wolf snarled and charged.
[Viewer33]: CONTENT PEAKING LET'S GOOOO[Viewer34]: RIP STREAMER 2025-2025[Viewer35]: SOMEONE CLIP THIS BEFORE HE DIES
Alex bolted. His heart pounded. Branches whipped his face as he sprinted. The wolf crashed through the underbrush behind him, gaining ground.
"WHY IS THIS FOREST A DEATH TRAP?!" he screamed.
[Viewer36]: Because entertainment.[Viewer37]: Bro this is better than Netflix.
Alex spotted a fallen tree trunk ahead and dove behind it. He held his breath as the wolf slowed, sniffing the air. Its glowing eyes scanned the area.
Then, just as the beast lunged toward his hiding spot, something happened.
A new notification blinked across his vision:
[System Event]: Viewers have sent a Super Gift! +500 EXP + Skill Upgrade Unlocked!
Alex gasped. "They can… boost me?!"
His body surged with energy.
[Level Up! Level 2 → Level 4][New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Step (Lv.1)]
A grin spread across his face. "Alright, puppy. Let's dance."
The wolf lunged again—but this time, Alex sidestepped in a blur of speed, appearing behind it. He slashed with his sword, sparks flying. The wolf howled in pain.
"OH, THIS IS HYPE!" Alex yelled.
[Viewer38]: OUR DONATIONS SAVED HIS BUTT[Viewer39]: SHADOW STEP OP[Viewer40]: THIS STREAM IS LITERAL FIRE 🔥🔥🔥
After a brutal back-and-forth, Alex delivered the final blow. The wolf collapsed, dissolving into smoke.
[System]: You have defeated a [Shadow Fang Wolf]! +800 EXP.
Alex collapsed to his knees, panting. Sweat dripped down his face.
"Chat…" he whispered, staring at the camera with wide eyes, "we… freaking… did it."
The comments flooded in like a tidal wave of emojis and hype.
The Aftermath
Alex trudged back to the clearing, still trembling from adrenaline. He flopped onto the grass, staring at the sky.
"Okay," he said between breaths, "new rule: forests are evil."
[Viewer41]: Bro just got isekai PTSD speedrun.[Viewer42]: That was the BEST STREAM EVER.[Viewer43]: Next time, fight TWO wolves.
Alex groaned. "Nope. Hard pass."
But then he smirked at the camera. "Same time tomorrow?"
The chat exploded in excitement as he ended the stream.
What he didn't know… was that something even bigger was watching him from the shadows.