The glowing chamber dissolved, and the eight survivors found themselves standing once again in the spawn hub plaza. Their bodies shimmered for a moment as their rewards tallied up on their UI screens.
+500 EXP
+200 Units
+1 Trophy
+3 LP
A faint warmth spread through Joon-ho's body — like strength being injected straight into his veins. He flexed his fingers unconsciously. Life Points… so this is what it feels like to grow stronger.
Around him, the survivors were silent, faces pale, eyes still replaying the deaths they had witnessed. One of them — a tall man with rough features, who introduced himself briefly as Orson — gave a humorless laugh.
"Tch. First game and we already lost four. Better get used to it." He turned his back and started walking toward the towering buildings marked with glowing numbers. The crowd parted as he passed, some whispering his name already.
One by one, the others dispersed, each clutching a small shimmering card that had materialized in their hands — their Room Key.
Joon-ho looked down at his own. A pale blue rectangle pulsed softly, inscribed with strange runes he didn't recognize. The moment he focused on it, a transparent map appeared in front of him, highlighting a building several blocks away.
The building wasn't massive like the skyscrapers reserved for higher ranks, but it stood neatly with glowing edges and clean lines — good enough, almost comforting after what he'd endured.
Joon-ho swallowed, steadied himself, and walked.
When he entered, the lobby was quiet and sleek, lit with soft blue light. A long desk stood in the center, and on it floated a glowing cube-shaped box. Above it, holographic text read:
"Place Your Key Here."
He hesitated only a second before slipping the card inside. The box absorbed it, humming faintly.
A screen appeared in front of his eyes:
"Room Successfully Purchased. Welcome, Titan."
The cube flashed once, then vanished. A door on the right side of the lobby slid open automatically, glowing faintly as if beckoning him.
Joon-ho exhaled and stepped inside.
His room wasn't large, but it was warm — a minimalist space with a bed, a desk, and a transparent wall that overlooked the cityscape of this mirrored Seoul. For the first time in years, Joon-ho found himself staring at something resembling a home.
He closed the door behind him, sat down on the bed, and finally allowed himself to breathe.
The silence was heavy.
Joon-ho sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the city lights through the glass wall. His hands were still trembling faintly. Images of the collapsing corridor, the screams, the wrong doors slamming shut on unlucky players — all of it played again and again in his mind.
"…I need to focus."
He forced himself upright and called out instinctively,
"Menu."
At once, a holographic UI screen bloomed in front of him, filling the air with glowing blue text. The design looked like the menus from the VR games he had spent his life playing, but sharper, more… alive.
[PLAYER STATUS]
Name: Titan (Joon-ho)
Level: 1
EXP: 500 / 10,000
LP (Life Points): 6 Days
Units (Currency): 200
Trophies: 1
[ATTRIBUTES]
Strength: 10 (Base)
Agility: 10 (Base)
Endurance: 10 (Base)
Intelligence: 10 (Base)
[SKILL TREE]
Locked until Level 10
[INVENTORY]
Starter Clothing (Equipped)
Room Access (Permanent)
Joon-ho scrolled slowly through the tabs, his heartbeat easing into a rhythm. It was almost comforting — numbers, stats, progression. A language he understood better than the real world.
"Level 50 to unlock elements…" he muttered, tapping the Skill Tree tab only to see most branches locked with glowing chains. "So I have to grind, huh? Just like the games."
He flicked open the Leaderboard tab, curious. A massive list unfolded, names and ranks stretching endlessly downward. The top slot burned with light:
#1 – Apollo – Level ??? – Units: ??? – Trophies: ???
The name chilled him. Even hidden, the power behind it felt oppressive. Beneath Apollo, dozens of other names scrolled — some familiar from esports streams, others complete strangers who had clearly adapted fast.
Joon-ho wasn't even on the list yet.
So I'm just a nobody here. A rookie again.
For the first time in years, he felt both fear and excitement threading together in his chest. Unlike the stagnant comfort of his old gaming room, this world was alive — dangerous, but alive.
He closed the leaderboard and leaned back, letting the UI hover above him. His eyes drifted toward the glowing Trophy Icon.
"One trophy… and nearly died for it." He clenched his fists. "I'll need a lot more if I want to survive here."