The sound of ambulance sirens bounced between concrete buildings, echoing repeatedly like a long wail calling disaster. In the front yard of Megacity Central Hospital, a crowd of people gathered in chaos that pierced the ears.
"PLEASE, SIR, MY CHILD!" The scream split the air. A mother knelt while hugging a waist-high VR capsule that had just been unloaded by the staff. Her eyes were swollen, her hair messy, her face soaked with tears.
Doctors ran while carrying similar capsules into the emergency room.
All of them were connected to cables, monitors, and sensors blinking randomly. Inside the capsules, hundreds of Sorrowbound players lay unconscious breathing lightly, hearts stable, but their minds locked inside the game world.
The real world had turned into a nightmare.
News sites competed to broadcast breaking news. Netizens flooded the feed with comments:
"This is sabotage!"
"Aliens?! Maybe it's extraterrestrial tech!"
"Fourth dimension! This is advanced physics, idiot, not aliens!"
"Who even IS GUF Development?! They don't even have a real office!"
GUF Development, the company that developed Sorrowbound, should have had a headquarters if they were really a giant corporation. But there was none. Not a single public record. Even the Google Maps location only showed an empty abandoned building.
Global panic turned into massive conspiracy theories.
Meanwhile, while the real world fell apart, inside the game…
In a small room at an inn in Veldon City, Rhaen stared at a red transparent screen floating in the air. His eyes widened, his mouth slightly open, his heart pounding so fast it felt like stabbing his chest.
"What does this mean? There was no rumor like this! Can't log out?! Don't joke with me, damn it!"
His panic didn't explode outward it spun like a storm inside his head, silent but violent.
He tried pressing "Log Out" over and over. No change.
Only one message kept appearing:
Defeat the astral creature.
He paced back and forth in the cramped room. The wooden floor creaked every time he changed direction.
Rhaen grabbed his hair tightly.
"This is just a bug, right? Come on… come on… it has to be just a bug."
But he couldn't feel his real body at all. Not even the awareness that he was lying inside a capsule. All sensory input here dominated everything: wind, sound, touch, gravity everything felt real. Too real.
Cold sweat slid down his neck.
Suddenly a bright blue light appeared from the inn window, flowing like water and merging into a massive screen in the sky. Every NPC and player stopped moving and looked up.
Big text appeared:
SUDDEN EVENT FOR ALL PLAYERS OF SORROWBOUND
You will live in this world as a resident, warrior, merchant, or noble.
No one can leave without defeating the astral creature.
Event:
Defeat the astral creature and obtain the Key of Freedom.
A thunderous roar erupted from thousands of voices screaming at once. Players who weren't ready collapsed. Even the NPCs reacted like real humans some panicked, some prayed in strange languages, some hid behind doors.
In the land of the Elves, the same phenomenon happened. A silver-haired elf stood on a rooftop balcony, biting his lip, eyes hard.
"Crazy…"
Rhaen clenched his fists. His bones cracked softly.
There was a storm of fear inside him, but also a small flame igniting a survival instinct.
If this isn't a game… then death isn't a respawn.
"Or does dying return us to the real world?" he muttered. Then a chill ran through him. "Or… erase us?"
He stepped out of the inn. What was once a lively town full of merchants' laughter had turned into chaos. Players sat down covering their faces some crying, some frozen with blank eyes.
But Rhaen didn't stop.
His old instincts as a hardcore gamer forced his body to move.
"I need to level up as fast as possible. This is the worst-case scenario."
He said it quietly but firmly, like a mantra to keep fear from winning.
He walked through the gate and entered the Umbrella Forest. The leaves were huge, arching like natural canopies that blocked the sunlight. Shadows danced softly on the ground.
The first Bad Snake appeared. Then the second. Then the third.
His axe moved, the sound of metal slicing scales echoed. Rhaen attacked, dodged, ducked. But his body wasn't a digital avatar that never got tired.
"Ngh—!"
A small snake bit his left arm. Pain shot like a small electric shock. Not lethal, but real.
After fighting several Bad Snakes and another Superior Bad Snake, he ran out of breath. His body trembled. Sharp pain spread from his sprained wrist.
He collapsed under a large tree.
"This is insane… this is completely insane."
The words slipped out faintly, almost drowned by the forest sounds.
A breeze brushed the leaves. The scent of wet earth and tree sap filled the air. Rhaen held his wrist, massaging it even though it barely helped.
He tried to think clearly.
The system earlier said: "May you return safely."
"Return safely… ha… so it was a warning from the start?"
He remembered the first teleport from the tutorial area to the city. When the colors swirled, there was a flash of strange text at the edge of the screen, but he assumed it was just a glitch.
Was Sorrowbound not just VR… but a consciousness-transfer technology?
Did their souls actually enter this world?
Rhaen closed his eyes, fighting dizziness.
"Status."
A holographic window appeared.
STATUS
Player Name: Rhaen
Race: Dwarf
Level: 6
Health, Strength, and Endurance had increased, but were still terribly low.
"With stats like this… I'll die before I even see an astral creature."
He rubbed his face.
"Going deeper into the forest? That's suicide."
He finally stood up and decided to return to the city.
On the way, he saw other players sitting weakly by the roadside. Some held their heads, some cried silently. Even the NPCs looked confused, as if their AI had emotional intelligence.
But Rhaen didn't stop.
He forced his steps to remain steady.
"I need a better weapon. Better armor. Money…"
He exhaled in frustration.
"Tutorial money is only 5 gold. Stingy as hell."
Once he reached the city center, his eyes caught a large stone building next to the Dwarf Heroes Guild. The wooden door was huge, carved with hammer and gear motifs. Warm yellow-orange lights glowed from within.
Rhaen approached.
"A guild, huh? Seems like I don't have another option."
He opened the door. The scent of metal, old wood, and ink filled the air. The hall was spacious but almost empty only a few players and dwarf NPCs reading the quest board.
Rhaen headed straight to the receptionist desk.
A dwarf woman with reddish-brown hair stood behind it. Her hair was neatly tied, her face firm but gentle, and on her left eye was a round glass lens like a reading tool or augmentation.
Rhaen stood straight, hiding the slight tremble in his hand.
"I want to register as a Dwarf hero!"
His voice came out a bit too fast and too loud.
The receptionist was startled. Her eyes widened.
"Calm down, child. Breathe. No need to rush that much."
Her voice was soft but firm, like a teacher calming a panicking student.
Rhaen took a long breath something he realized he hadn't done since panic overtook him.
She continued, "Name?"
"Rhaen."
She wrote it in a large leather-bound book. The sound of her pen was vivid, the ink's friction soft and smooth.
"Your purpose for becoming a hero?"
Rhaen paused. Thousands of answers swirled in his mind, but only one came out.
"To survive."
The receptionist Sofia raised a brow, examining whether he was brave or foolish.
"A decent answer, kid," she muttered, tone mixing sarcasm and humor. "But if you can survive being a hero, you can definitely survive a hangover in a nightclub."
Rhaen froze, staring at the floor before looking back up with seriousness.
"I understand what you mean… but after this… after all this chaos… what's left?"
Sofia paused only for a split second, but enough to show she heard something heavy behind his words. Something frightening.
She closed the book slowly, then took a small silver gear-shaped badge from under the desk. It glowed faintly in the lamplight.
"All right," she said, offering it. "From now on, you're officially a hero. Rank: Silver beginner rank. So listen to the basic rules carefully."
She raised one finger.
"First: you cannot take missions above your rank… unless you have a party member who is already that rank."
Second finger.
"Second: don't act recklessly and cause harm to more than five people. We can freeze your guild membership if it happens."
Third.
"Third: consistency. Many join full of enthusiasm but quit after two days. This world has no mercy."
Rhaen nodded, trying to look calm while his heart thumped loudly.
Sofia smiled slight land something about her smile made Rhaen forget for a moment the danger he was in.
He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"I… want to ask something."
Sofia responded quickly, as if she already predicted it.
"My name? If that's what you're asking, it's Sofia." She leaned forward slightly. "If you're asking where I live, I think that's still too soon, darling."
Rhaen blinked, then clicked his tongue with a crooked smile.
"I'm not interested in you, unfortunately."
Sofia straightened her posture, amused.
"Too bad."
"I'm asking," Rhaen continued, "if there are special night events.
Or monster changes."
Sofia rolled her eyes like it was a basic question. But she still answered.
"Of course there are. At night, monsters become much stronger. More aggressive. Their attack increases. Their defense increases. Even their hunting instinct grows."
She leaned in, voice lower.
"And because of that… the value of monsters you kill also increases. EXP, item drops everything."
Rhaen nodded. "Got it. Thanks."
He turned to leave until his collar was suddenly pulled from behind.
"Excuse me, Mr. Hero," Sofia said in a sweet but threatening tone. "You haven't paid the registration fee. One gold coin."
Her eyes narrowed like a cat ready to claw if unpaid.
With a reluctant grimace, Rhaen took out a coin and handed it over.
"Here. Happy?"
Sofia took it gracefully.
"Always a pleasure doing business with you~"
As he exited, Rhaen sighed heavily.
"A terrifying NPC…" he muttered.
Despite complaining, he opened his inventory. He had only four gold coins left. He needed a better weapon.
"If night monsters give higher value… then I have to try. The faster I level up, the faster I can leave this city."
He headed to the weapon shop"IRONMAW FORGE."
He pushed the door; it creaked loudly.
"Excuse me… anyone here?"
He stepped inside. The smell of hot metal and lubricant filled the air. Rows of weapons lined the walls: swords, axes, spears, long knives, even small shields.
Suddenly, a full armor suit stood up and moved by itself.
Rhaen jumped back, ready to fight. "What—?!"
But from behind the armor, an old muscular man popped out, operating it like a puppet. The helmet lifted slightly, revealing a dark, bearded face.
"Ah! Customer!" he boomed. "How can I help you?"
Rhaen cursed internally. This man was insane
But he held himself together.
"I need a sword strong enough. My budget is four gold coins."
The blacksmith held the puppet helmet's chin, thinking.
"Hmmm… I have the perfect one."
He grabbed a dark-colored sword, surprisingly fast for someone wearing a full suit of armor. The blade was black like obsidian, the handle shimmering red.
"This," he said proudly. "Two gold coins only. Made of steel coated with black magic stone. Light, sharp, and perfect for beginners who want to look professional."
Rhaen tested it. The sword was balanced and felt good in his hand.
"Perfect. I'll take it."
He paid and returned to the inn to wait for nightfall.
The inn was simple but free for beginners.
Rhaen sat on the small bed, staring at the darkening window. He thought of his parents they were probably panicking right now in the real world.
He closed his eyes.
"I should've… used my time better," he whispered. "I should've done something to make them proud. Not… get stuck here."
He slapped his cheeks lightly, forcing himself to stay focused. But the heaviness didn't fade it hung over him like a weight.
Eventually he fell asleep.
When he woke up, the sky was pitch-black. The air felt colder.
"Huwa… I overslept."
He rubbed his face, grabbed his sword, and went into the Umbrella Forest.
And he was right night monsters were much more aggressive.
Bad Snakes attacked from every direction even from above. They were faster, unpredictable. But the EXP gain was huge. He fought, slashed, dodged, rolled everything felt real, like his actual body was doing it.
He defeated dozens of Bad Snakes. Even three Superior Snakes.
Until eventually
He walked too deep into the forest.
A long, echoing hiss emerged from the shadows. Rhaen stopped slowly and turned around.
A giant snake stood before him black and shiny like wet stone.
Its length exceeded 12 meters, its body thick as a small tree. Its yellow eyes glowed, staring directly at Rhaen.
The system displayed its info:
King of Snake – Level 15
Night effect: all stats x2
Rhaen froze.
His body felt like thin ice hitting boiling air.
"…holy shit…"
And the snake opened its mouth