[Notification: It appears that Player Leon is currently inside a cave.]
Upon hearing this notification, Leon looked utterly bewildered.
"Inside a cave? Do I look that stupid to you? Do you think I can't tell where I am?" Leon snapped, his voice echoing against the damp stone walls.
"I'm asking you—wasn't my logout supposed to be successful?"
Despite Leon's interrogation, the system remained silent. His irritation flared. "Hey! System! Can you hear me? Weren't you supposed to have logged me out by now?"
Once again, there was no response. Leon paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself before calling out the familiar command:
"Status Window."
Nothing happened. Usually, the game's main interface would manifest instantly upon those words, but the void remained empty. The system was not responding to his voice.
Refusing to accept this, Leon tried again, his voice rising in desperation. "Status Window! Status Window!"
Still, nothing changed. The silence was beginning to drive him to the brink of madness with every failed attempt.
In that moment, a cold, mechanical voice resonated deep within his mind. It was directed specifically at him, and while the tone was familiar, something felt fundamentally different.
[Notification: Player Leon, you can no longer communicate with the Game System.]
It was the same voice that had warned him about the fall moments ago. However, Leon realized this wasn't the system he had grown accustomed to within the game.
Leon jumped back in alarm, his heart racing. "Who are you?" he demanded, the question being the only thing his shocked mind could formulate.
[Notification: I am the Alternative Assistant to the Old System.]
A strange expression crossed Leon's face. He wasn't convinced, nor did he fully grasp the meaning behind those words. "What do you mean, 'Alternative Assistant' to the game system?"
[Notification: It appears a massive glitch has occurred, causing the collapse of the Old System. Therefore, I am the Alternative Assistant created by the system before its disappearance.]
Leon frowned, struggling to process the information. But the most pressing question returned to the forefront of his mind. "Where am I?"
[Notification: It appears that Player Leon is trapped inside a cave.]
That was not the answer Leon wanted to hear. His annoyance peaked.
"No, no! That's not what I meant! I know I'm in a cave—I'm not blind! But where am I really? Am I still stuck in the game? I doubt it... didn't the system say the logout was successful?"
[Notification: I currently do not have precise information regarding the Player's location. However, it is certain that the Player's logout was successful; this is what remains in the logs of the Old System.]
Leon was shaken. If the logout had been successful, then what were these voices he was hearing? Such things as an "Alternative Assistant" shouldn't exist in his real world. These thoughts raced through his mind, prompting him to ask again.
"Wait a second... you said the logout was successful, right?"
[Notification: Yes. According to my data, Player Leon has successfully logged out of the game 'Wonderland'.]
The confirmation only made the situation more convoluted. Leon felt like screaming. "Wait! If what you're saying is true, then why am I not at home? And why am I still hearing your voice?"
[Notification: After a more precise analysis of the available data, I confirm the success of Player Leon's logout. However, it appears an error occurred during the process, causing the Player to be transported to another location.]
Another location.
Leon stopped thinking. The reality was becoming painfully clear: he was stranded in another world, not his own. The very existence of this Assistant was the ultimate proof.
He took a moment to compose himself before speaking again. "Fine. It doesn't matter right now. Alternative Assistant, can you show me the way out of this cave?"
[Notification: Please wait. Processing the magic power present in this cave... I will determine the exit path after the processing is complete.]
"Wait... did you say 'magic power'?"
There was no longer any room for doubt. He was definitely in another world. Magic did not exist in his real world.
[Notification: Process completed successfully.]
[The Player must head North, proceed forward, and then turn right to reach the exit of this cave.]
Upon hearing this, Leon immediately set off toward the North as instructed. He moved through the massive, sprawling cavern.
Suddenly, a rustling and clicking sound echoed near him. The sound felt hauntingly familiar. Leon turned his head toward the source and shouted, "Who's there?"
There was no verbal reply. Instead, the noise grew louder and more chaotic, leaving Leon in a state of tense anticipation.
It didn't take long for the source to reveal itself.
As Leon had suspected, the sounds were indeed familiar, though he had never imagined he would encounter such creatures again. "Hah... so it's you lot making all that noise. You damn Goblins."
Seeing the Goblins confirmed it once and for all: he hadn't returned to the world where he belonged. He was trapped in a world strikingly similar to the world of Wonderland.
Leon scowled, looking at the Goblins with pure disdain. "Who would have thought the Chaos King would be forced to kill a pack of filthy Goblins all by himself?"
A dark, sinister laugh escaped his lips. "Hahaha... Ahahaha! You should feel honored to die by my hand. Make sure to enjoy these final moments."
With those words, Leon raised his hand, pointing his palm toward the gathering horde of Goblins.
"Oblivion Nebula!"
It was a moment thick with dread, but it didn't last. The spell Leon was about to unleash failed completely. Nothing happened.
Leon's confusion was palpable. He tried to cast his magic again. "Oblivion Nebula!"
And again: "Oblivion Nebula!"
Each time, it was a failure. Nothing changed. His magic seemed to have vanished entirely.
Leon was unable to grasp the situation. He was in a desperate position, facing a horde of Goblins while rendered powerless. This was the worst possible scenario.
Despite the crisis Leon was facing, his enemies were not inclined to be merciful. As soon as the Goblins sensed his weakness and hesitation, their aggression surged.
The horde of monsters began to rush toward Leon, who stood frozen, unable to decide his next move.
With no way to escape, a thought struck him. The Alternative Assistant. She might have a solution.
"Hey! Alternative Assistant! Can you help me with this? Why can't I use my magic? I'm certain this world allows for the existence of magic!"
[Notification: According to the data, Player Leon is capable of using magic. There is no issue preventing this.]
It was a stupid answer in the eyes of Leon, who was now struggling to dodge the attacks of the Goblins. they swung their crude stone weapons wildly, with no discernible pattern, making the situation even more dire.
[Notification: After re-checking, I have discovered an issue regarding the Player's magic.]
That was the last thing Leon wanted to hear in his current state. "Hah? An issue with my magic? What are you talking about? How is that possible?"
[Notification: According to the processing results, I have discovered an issue regarding Player Leon's magic. The magic previously used by Player Leon no longer exists, and it is no longer possible for Player Leon to use it.]
End of Chapter 2