Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Is this level 1?

In Yeman’s vision, there was only unending darkness and a window-like interface in front of him.

“What is this thing in front of me?”

“I remember I was shot and lost too much blood and then… I can’t remember anything else after that.”

“So, what is this thing in front of me?”

“A floating monitor?!”

“Wait, this is the same as the status screen that could be found in a game!”

“Create a character, huh!”

“Is this a... game!?”

.....

“Even though I have no idea what is happening. I am trying to accept the fact that I am now in front of something like a floating window that looks like a player’s status window in a game.”

“Since leaving the university, I become one of those what you called a SHUT-in. I’ve started to watch anime after that, and read web novels to ease my boredoms.”

“I’m not really a cool person. But, before I became a shut-in, other people usually called me a normie.”

“Regardless...”

“Did I die after saving my ex-girlfriend?”

“But why I am still here? And what about this game window?”

“And where is this place?”

“It’s so dark!”

“Wait… what if..... everything is just a dream?”

“Maybe this game window appeared in my dream because of that VR game I last played. Right, it looks like that is the reason. Then, I will play it until I wake up.”

“Hmm… I feel so excited somehow!”

“Okay, let’s play. There’s nothing I can do anyway. Only me in this unending darkness. I can not feel anything other than loneliness.”

“So now, let’s click the ‘Ok’ button.”

Trooiin~

“Ooh~” He was startled by that sudden sound.

[CREATE CHARACTER]

“Hm, create character, huh! This thing is insisting me to create a character.”

“[Ok] or [Cancel]?”

“Sure, okay, let’s choose... [Ok]!”

Click!

Trooiin~

[Input a character name:_________]

“...”

“Of course. It will need a character name, no? I already expected this to happen.”

Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap,

[Input a character name: Zombie__]

“Yep, this is the IGN I usually used in a game.”

“Alright, [Ok] again.”

Click!

After tapping the [Ok] button, there appeared an avatar with a face identical to his when he was 17 years old. It appeared after inputting his character name.

The avatar was wearing leather chest armor.

“Eh?! Why it has my face? So weird! And I look young huh,” he could not help but be surprised when he saw his avatar’s face.

And then, he noticed some choices beside the avatar.

[Hairstyle]

?Color

?Style

[Eyes]

?Color

[Cancel] [Next]

“So little choices!” He can’t help feeling a little helpless.

Later on, He chose to make his avatar’s hair a little shorter since the previous hair is a bit longer. Then, he chose a pure black color. He also made the eyes red. He was one of those types of players who like to make their characters look cool.

Click!

After choosing his desired hair, he tapped the [Next] choices.

Then, a list of weapons came out after.

[Choose your primary weapon!]

Shortsword [1-Handed Weapon]

?Normal Attack

?Normal Defense

[Select]

Greatsword [2-Handed Weapon]

?High Attack

?Low Attack Speed

?High Guard

[Select]

Bow [Long Range Weapon]

?High Attack

?Low Defense

[Select]

Staff [Magic Weapon]

?Magic Attack

?Magic Defense

[Select]

Knuckle [Melee Weapon]

?Low Attack

?Normal Defense

?High Attack Speed

[Select]

Halberd [Mid Range Weapon]

?High Attack

?Normal Defense

[Select]

[Random]

.....

[Select]

“Hmm, a primary weapon? Maybe I can change it later or maybe I can use a secondary weapon later.”

“Ugh, it’s so hard to chose one out of many, honestly.”

“So, which one is a better choice...? I’m not really the type of player or of a person who is good in one particular weapon.”

Later on, he selected [Random] choices since he couldn’t decide.

What follows next was like a shuffle. A square as big as his thumb appeared. Inside the square is a rapidly changing icon of weapons. While the icons keep changing, a sound of *bling, bling, bling!* followed.

“So hard if you are not a pro gamer. I wish I could play like a pro. But I’m just what you called an ordinary player in any games I played.”

“Even though I, most of the time spent money to boost my character, I’m still an extra player who populated the game without proper achievements! Well, I played for fun only and it’s not just my reasoning to hide my shame for being like — a villager NPC in any games I played. Also, I was only playing games to forget about my first love and all the bad luck that happened to me from my high school-days to university.”

*Bling, bling, bling!*

The random shuffle continued rolling.

Later on, after 3 mins of waiting.

[Congratulations!]

[[Unarmed selected!]]

“.....”

“Eh?” He gawked in shock. “What is the meaning of this? Unarmed? No weapon? Is this a new kind of joke? You said primary weapon though. How come there’s ‘Unarmed’ in the list?”

He wanted to bark at the developers of this game. It was a bad idea to put [Unarmed]. Sadly though, he didn’t even know where he was right now. Also, “Isn’t it just a dream only?”

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at the chosen primary weapon. Still, he knew he messed up big time this time.

After choosing his primary weapon, and before he could even swallow the bitterness of choosing the wrong weapon selection, everything turned dark again in a blink of an eye.

The floating window also disappeared like a puff of smoke. Only darkness had remained once again.

He looked around. “Hm?! What was happening?”

He was worried about this sudden change. He tried to scream, but no voice came out of his mouth. Suddenly, he felt like he was sucked in by a strong wave of invisible energy. “Err…” he tried to struggle to free himself, but to no avail. Then, he suddenly lost consciousness.

After a while…

He slowly opened his eyes. What greeted him was a very dark sky. He tried to rub his eyes with his right arm. But then, he felt a searing pain in his head.

AwwwwwwWWWWW!!!

He felt his body become heavy and numb. He could not stand as well. He also felt a little dizzy.

Suddenly,

Eman! Eman!

He heard a loud call from someone he couldn’t recognize. He didn’t know who this voice tried to call. The name it was calling was not far from his. He’s not Eman, though. His name was Yeman.

He thought, this guy was probably calling for someone else.

Anyway, his ears picked some noise. They were coming from around him based on how he heard them. He tried his best to get up while holding his aching head. When he was finally sitting, he peered around him. And then, he was shocked by what he saw.

“W-What is this…?”

KLANG! KLANG! KLANG!

Tiing! Tiing! Tiing!

Woosh!

Swoosh!

Around him, a brawl was happening. People wearing different kinds of armors were holding different kinds of weapons. They were fighting against monsters?!

To his right side, he saw a person about 20 meters away from him. He was knocked out by a monster’s tail whip!

Oh my goodness!

Then, another person, not far away from the other, was trying to stab a monster on its head.

KeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

The monster let out a deafening shriek!

“Eman, Eman! Watch out!”

The voice from earlier shouted a warning. But, he didn’t know who this man was trying to warn. Suddenly, he noticed a grotesque figure in front of him.

“Hiiieee! M-Monster!” He freaked out.

“Wait! Is this even a game?! Is this a super CGI monster!?”

SqueeeeEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!

The monster was identical to a giant rat. However, it stood up on its two feet. It’s 2 heads shorter compared to a grown-up man. In their supposed right front limb, was a right hand which was holding a dagger. Its tail was 2 meters and a half long. It could be used to whip their enemies.

He noticed a red bar over the monster’s head. Above the red bar, he could see a name. The name could be read as Ratman. Beside its name, there was a Level 1 text. In his mind, ‘it looks like the name is this monster’s name and level 1 is this monster’s level.’

He couldn’t help asking himself if this related to the earlier [Create Character] thing? Seeing the situation around him, it looks like it. But, the pain was very realistic though.

“Wait! There’s also a thing called reincarnated in a different world in the novel!”

“Is it possible that I got reincarnated?”

“That sounds impossible compared to being a dream.”

“R-Regardless, they are monsters that could only be seen in movies or in games.”

While he was mumbling in confusion,

SqueeeeeeeEEEEEEEAAAAAAAKKK!!! A monster shrieked and came to attack him.

Oh shit! No time to think of anything. F*ck! The monster in front of me tried to slash me using the bloody dagger in its hand.

Before the dagger could reach his chest, his right hand touched something hard on the ground. He grabbed it out of reflex, without even looking.

Then, He tried to block the ratman’s slash.

SqueeeeeEEEEEEAAAAAAAAKKKKK!!!

Its eye gleamed in red glint.

Ting!

A high-pitched tone from the collision of two hard objects rang out. His hands trembled. He was in a disadvantaged position. His butt was on the chilly ground while his legs stretched wide open. His hands were gripping a shaft, trying to fight back the monster’s force.

CreeeeaaaAAAAAAAKKKKKKKK!!!

A long grating sound from two scraping hard objects reached his ears while he was trying to push away the monster’s dagger. The object that he was holding was a spear. It was the same spear used by some other people in his surroundings.

CreeeeaaaaAAAAAAAAKKKKKKK!!!

“Nonetheless, what kind of situation is this? And what kind of place is this? Is this really a game? Or a dream? Or was I reincarnated to another world?

Even if he keeps asking “what’s”, the situation would never change. All he could do currently was to grit his teeth while trying to push away with all his strength the monster in front of him.

SqueeeeeEEEEEEEEAAAAAAKKKK!!!

He noticed the monster’s tail slowly stretched upward. He figured out that the monster planned to whip him using its tail.

GyaaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!

With all his might. He tried to kick the monster’s stomach.

BlaaaaAAAAGGH!!!

-0

“Eh? A damage reminder like in-game? So, is this a fucking game!? But what? Realistic like VR!” He started to believe that it was a game, but still not 100 percent sure about it.

He saw a red text after kicking the Ratman. It was the same text he saw in an MMORPG game.

SqueeeeEEEEEAAAAAAAAAKKK!!!

Even though he used all his might in that kick just now, he only managed to make the ratman step back 3 steps away.

‘Is this even a level 1 monster?’ He doubted.

SqueeeeeEEEEEEAAAAAAAKKK!!!

Anyway, it gave him enough time to regain his ground. Before the ratman came charging at him once again, he pointed fast the blade of the spear in his hands to the ratman’s stomach. His right knee was on the ground while his left leg was at half-kneeling state. Without a second thought, he stabbed it with all his might.

ChaaaAAAAAAPPP!!!

A flesh piercing sound followed next.

-10

Another Ratman’s HP was subtracted. He noticed the red color in its health bar was now about 90%.

SqueeeeeEEEEEEAAAAAAAAK!!!!

The ratman tried to swing its dagger in every direction– like a frenzy idiot. But the dagger was shorter than his spear, so it couldn’t reach him no matter what.

He smirked upon noticing it. Hehe.... What a fool, he thought.

The ratman tried to struggle. He felt sorry for this fellow. But, he needed to end it before it could end him.

*Sigh!*

Fwosh~

-15

“What!?”

Even though he stabbed it so hard, it did not kill the ratman directly. “Dammit, what level 1? Is this level 1 monster a cheater? Holy cow! I need to repeat my attack!” He spat.

When he pulled back the spear, the ratman came charging at him at full force. He quickly stabbed it again.

-15

The text came out again.

But still, it wasn’t enough to kill it. Also, the ratman managed to make him step back for 5 steps. “This level 1 is very tenacious!” Not only that, it was also noticeably stronger than him.

-15

SqueeeEEEEEEEAAAAAAAKKKK!!!

His attack only dealt another 15 percent damage. Now the current Ratman’s HP is at 40 percent. And the red color on the red bar has almost half left.

SqueeeaaaaaaaAAAAAAAEEEEKKK!!!

He could feel the ratman’s painful cries while getting stabbed by him. It seemed weak now. He also noticed that it was not as strong as before it lost HP.

He repeatedly pulled and stabbed the Ratman till its HP reached 0%. What follows next is a notification.

[You have killed Level 1 Ratman!]

Phew! He sighed in relief. That was a heart-pumping fight.

He noticed a bright green colored like energy goes towards his direction and it was absorbed by his body.

“.....”

+100% Exp

Level Up!

Woah! He suddenly felt refreshed.

He could feel his body getting a little stronger after that.

“Dammit! This is fun! Haha! This is so much realistic!”

He exclaimed.

Right at this moment, He started to believe that he was inside a game. But still, his doubts was still lingering. He couldn’t explain his true feelings at this moment. It was a mixture of different kinds of feelings.

While he was mulling, “Watch out!” He heard a loud warning.