Chapter 1 – The Endless Dimensional Space
Ahh!
My head!
It hurts so much.
A man in a gray hoodie beneath a long black coat, light blue jeans neatly rolled up, and black canvas shoes floated in an endless dimensional space. The vast void shimmered with starlight, cosmic mist, and colorful bursts like galaxies, while six colossal black towers loomed around him.
"Open your eyes!" … Strange voices echoed inside his head, calm yet unnerving. "Open your eyes!" … The voice repeated, growing louder and louder.
Who…? Slowly, he forced his eyes open. His vision was blurred, as though covered by thick gray fog. Gradually, the haze faded.
Moments later, his sight returned, clear as day.
What? His eyes widened in disbelief. He saw something impossible, something that should not exist in any world… Where is this? Am I already dead?
He looked to the right, to the left, and above. None of it made sense. All he could see was starlight, cosmic mist, vibrant bursts of galaxies, and the six towering black pillars surrounding him.
But when he looked down, his body froze. Cold sweat trickled down his temple. His eyes met something endless, something he dared not even acknowledge, let alone feel.
"You, who are not of this world…" The eerie voice rang again in his head. This time, it came from right in front of him—calm, monotonous, undeniable. "You are the void of all things, something that should never exist. You are the end of the world."
Hearing those words, his body trembled violently. His breath caught, as if an unseen hand was strangling his throat.
"You are… the end of the world." The voice pressed harder, piercing his consciousness.
The end of the world?
As the voice faded, his body convulsed even more, as though something was pulling him downward.
He was dragged into a bottomless abyss, sucked in as if by an invisible gravity. His body shook, his vision blurred once more. That strange world—its stars, cosmic mist, galactic bursts—began to crack and shatter. The towering black pillars collapsed one after another.
His body plummeted, like a shard of metal drawn to a colossal magnet. His heart pounded furiously. Darkness consumed his vision, his consciousness fading. Weakening, his body was swallowed by the mist, falling endlessly into the abyss.
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Part 1: A New World
Ugh!
What just happened?
When he was pulled into that bottomless void, he thought he would die. Yet reality proved otherwise.
Am I dead? … he whispered in his mind.
He opened his eyes. A blinding light stung his sight. Raising his right hand, he rubbed his eyes before lowering it again.
Gradually, his vision adjusted.
Where am I? … he asked himself. What is this place? Why am I here? … His thoughts were faint, weak.
He tried to get up, though his body felt unbearably heavy. Forcing his waist to move, he struggled, but the weakness weighed him down too much.
He let his body lie helpless on the ground, gathering what strength he could. Turning his head, he saw nothing but wild grass, fallen branches, and towering trees stretching toward the sky.
Where is this, really? How did I end up here? … he muttered within, his voice trembling.
He tilted his head up, catching sunlight filtered through the canopy of leaves.
The end of the world? What did that mean? … His blank gaze drifted as memories surfaced—memories he wished he could forget.
After resting for a while on the grassy earth, regaining a sliver of strength, he pushed himself up with both hands.
With effort, he managed to stand and leaned back against a massive tree behind him. Legs stretched out, he slumped his weakened body against the trunk.
"Ahh! My body! It feels like I can't move at all," he muttered, his head drooping under its own weight.
Confusion filled his mind, drowning him in unease.
He gazed at the bright blue sky, deep in thought. Was that… just a dream? But no—it felt too real. The trembling sensation when I fell, that was no illusion.
His heart wavered between believing it was mere fantasy or accepting it as terrifying reality.
Breaking from his thoughts, he looked around and whispered, "What is this place? Where am I?"
Am I… in a forest? … he wondered, taking in the towering trees, the wild grass, and the broken branches.
Lowering his head again, he muttered, "Was I… just transferred here? The last thing I remember, I was in my room, playing a video game on my computer."
He studied his surroundings, the massive trees and fallen logs. This place… looks familiar. Have I seen it before? But… I can't remember.
Gripping his forehead with his right hand, he pressed his palm over his eyes, straining to recall something buried in his memory.
[Welcome to the new world.]
A sudden voice rang in his mind—gentle, melodic, like that of a young woman.
Startled, he gasped. "Who's there?" His eyes darted left and right, up and down, searching for the source. … Was that just my imagination? Am I panicking too much?
[Welcome to the new world.]
A glowing blue panel appeared before his face, floating just inches away. The words "Welcome to the new world" gleamed across it, as if greeting him.
His eyes widened. …What? A notification panel?
Then, new text appeared. The words sent a jolt down his spine.
[In the "World of Three Kings."]
"World of Three Kings? That's… the game I was just playing."
Coincidence? … No, this is too much of a coincidence. The panel displayed the very game he last played, greeting him as if he had logged in. Could it be…? Doubt stirred in his heart. …No, impossible. This can't be happening. No, no.
Shaking his head, he refused to believe. Yet unease gnawed at him.
Lifting his left hand, he extended a finger toward the panel. It slipped right through—no resistance, no sensation.
Is this… really a game world? If it is, then have I been… transferred into it? … His thoughts wavered between disbelief and dread. Panic crept in, his body trembling.
Cold sweat dripped down his temple.
"Well… if this really is a game, and I've been dragged into it, then I have no choice but to accept it. I'll accept it willingly."
No. The words leaving his lips were a lie. Deep inside, he resisted with all his might. He said it only to calm himself, to keep from being devoured by fear.
[Please enter your name.]
The panel displayed a new message, prompting him to input a name.
This… really is like being inside a game, he thought.
"A name, huh."
He pondered for a while, searching for something that suited him.
At last, he found it—the same name he had always used in games.
With a flat expression but serious eyes, he looked at the panel and spoke.
"Azuto."
I have no choice but to accept this. I'll think about escaping later. Right now, survival comes first. If this really is the world of that game, I need shelter.
Whether he liked it or not, he had to face it. …I must find protection. Staying here is too dangerous, especially at night.
[Name: Azuto.]
[Do you want to confirm?]
[Yes/No.]
"Yes!"
[Confirming.]
[Name confirmed.]
"Now, the panel should give me the beginner steps…"
Right then, instructions appeared before his eyes.
"There it is!"
[Gather resources, food, craft tools, and build shelter immediately.]
End of Chapter 1