Chapter 4: Volume I - 3: A New Chance

Chapter 4: Volume I - Chapter 3: A New Chance

When I realized where the room I woke up in was, I froze for a few seconds.

Minutes, no... Just seconds ago I thought I was dead and I was going to stay in that dark place forever, but now...

Now I was in a room inside the game I most enjoyed spending time in.

Everything I touched screamed at me that this was 'real', but how was I supposed to believe it?

Trembling, I was looking at everything around me, trying to find traces that this was some kind of hallucination or dream when the mirror on the closet door not far from me caught my eye.

I stared at it for a while, afraid because I didn't have the courage to approach it.

Literally everything about this place reminded me of the room I had seen countless times. That's why I was afraid of seeing my reflection in the mirror, afraid that the person who would appear before me would not be 'me'.

Even though I felt like the walls were closing in on me, after a while I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. I was scared, but I couldn't stand here forever.

So I stood in front of the mirror, even if I was shaking, and looked at my reflection.

The first thing I noticed was the coal-black hair, not long but not short either. I was also greeted by gray, almost colorless eyes, rather ordinary facial features, and a skinny and short body that could be no more than one hundred and seventy centimeters long.

I kept staring at my reflection in the mirror, because I didn't look like my old self, nor like any of the characters of the game I knew... Even though my facial features were quite ordinary, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't think of anyone with such an appearance.

Who... Who am I? Although... Where am I really in the first place? There's no way I'm really in the game, right?

I quickly looked around the room to see if there was a window and then I saw a wall covered with curtains.

I approached the curtain with slow steps, quickly pulled it aside, and couldn't help being dazzled by the sudden glare of the sun. After squinting to block out the light as much as possible, I looked outside and for the first time since I woke up here, I literally couldn't believe my eyes.

I must have been between the seventh and ninth floors of a building, so I was quite high up, but that didn't matter. Strange but familiar-looking modern buses easily visible through the glass, uniformed and non-uniformed people walking along the side of the roads, an academy campus that looked like a huge technology center...

I was so mesmerized by the landscape, glistening magnificently in the refracted light of the sun... All those animations I had once seen were now realistically in front of me, and it was so beautiful that I continued to look out as if I were a child seeing the sea for the first time. I could not take my eyes off this modern landscape that I could only see by looking out the window.

It was just... too beautiful.

~beep

In my absent-mindedness, I jumped when suddenly a sound echoed in the room. Then I saw a phone with a glowing screen right next to the bed I had just woken up in.

Curiosity got the better of me and I approached the very modern and simple-looking phone, but then something else caught my attention.

Right next to the phone were a few boxes that looked like they had been thrown without care. The word written on them was 'cyanide'.

When I saw that the boxes were almost empty, a horrible scenario came to my mind.

Me... Or rather, had the 'former me' committed suicide?

The more I read the glowing inscription on the boxes, the more the idea struck me, but if so, how was I alive?

I reflexively checked my body, but I seemed to be quite healthy. My theory was disproven as I realized that I had no pain or problems, but there could be no other explanation for the empty boxes.

While I was lost in thought, the screen of the phone next to the boxes flashed again and the 'beep' sound echoed in the room.

So when I picked up the phone, the first thing I looked at was the time and date.

<<------------------------------

11:56

Monday, September 14, 2043

Eight new messages from Clara:

Good morning! - 09:13

Are you awake yet? - 10:22

Are you ignoring me agai... - 10:58 n0velusb.c0m

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When I looked at the date, I was reassured that I was indeed in the second part of the story mode because the day, month, and year were exactly the same as in the game, but I had a more important problem... When I read the notifications in the middle of the screen, I had no idea what to do.

Clara?

Who is Clara? I'm almost, but not quite sure, that I'm not related to this person by blood, because if she was a member of my family, her name would definitely be 'mom, sister' or something like that.

So is she my girlfriend or something? Although... I don't even own the body in the first place.

I paused for a moment, reconsidered what had just gone through my mind, and the moment I did, my eyes widened. Because I realized again what kind of situation I was actually in.

I've become someone I don't even know who I am and I'm pretty sure it's not a dream. In the same way, I'm in a game called The Lands of The Lunerra, but I've never met anyone who looks like this, neither my main character nor anyone else in the six thousand one hundred and thirty-two hours I've been playing the game.

I... I somehow died and then I entered the body of an extra, an 'extra' who committed suicide, who has no place in the story...

I started to feel dizzy and nauseous. I couldn't think straight because of a headache that was like a sharp dagger in the center of my forehead.

I tried to calm down by laying myself down on the bed, but the moment I closed my eyes, I remembered the dark place where I had spent who knows how much time, and I felt even more nauseous. I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom.

It took a while for me to find the bathroom, but as soon as I got in, I emptied my stomach into the toilet bowl, then went to the faucet to gargle a little because of the disgusting taste left in my mouth. After flushing the toilet, I lay back down on my bed, or rather on this body's bed.

Damn it...

When I closed my eyes, I quickly opened them again for fear of remembering that dark place, and this time I looked up at the ceiling.

No matter how much I denied it, I knew for sure that this was not a dream. The conversation I had with the producers after finishing the game, the pain I felt afterward, and that smile emoji I saw before my eyes closed... The producers of Lunerra are definitely responsible for what happened to me.

What am I supposed to do? First of all, what is the real identity and name of this body?

Is it really possible that there's a character I haven't seen, even if he's an extra in this damn game?!

I started to feel crushed by these thoughts, but then I suddenly realized that there was a glow in front of the ceiling I was watching.

Curiously I focused on the glow, how had I not noticed it in the first place? Even if it wasn't very bright, it certainly stood out...

I sat up and tried to reach for the glow, but the moment I touched it, or rather the void, the glow expanded and opened a holographic window in front of me.

I recognized the hovering window as soon as I saw it. This was Lunerra's in-game system for accessing all sorts of things like inventory, crafting tabs, and skills.

When this world 'woke up', it was this system that allowed people to become stronger. So, this system wasn't exclusive to me, everyone in the world had access to it.

Although we used to have some privileges as the main character, but now, in this game that has become my reality, I have no idea what the system can do.

I was strangely excited to see this holographic window floating in the air, but that excitement was dampened by a text that appeared in front of the window.

<<------------------------------

Hello there! We hope you enjoyed the privilege we offer you!

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I stared at the message for a long time, not having the slightest idea what to do or even what to think, and it didn't take long for the rest of the message to follow.

<<------------------------------

Just as you suspected, we have transferred you into The Lands of The Lunerra! We hope that with this opportunity you will be able to change your previous life of boredom and mediocrity!

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My mouth opened, I wanted to curse whoever was talking to me, but I couldn't say anything.

<<------------------------------

At first, we wanted to transfer you into the main character's body... But as someone who has achieved 100% achievements in this game, we decided that being the main character would not add anything new to you, so we decided to open a completely different path for you!

First of all, we have to say that unfortunately we couldn't give you any privileges considering your deep knowledge of the game and the hours you have buried. In fact, you have more disadvantages than advantages compared to the people of this world, but we are sure that your 'ordinary' life will change with the help of this body that will give you a brand-new experience with your vast knowledge and the 'talent' we think you have!

Also... Just like you guessed, your previous body is no longer alive but who cares, right? After all, you were bored with that life and you went so far as to tell us so. That's why we believe that with the new experiences you will have in this new world, you will be able to relieve the discomfort caused by your painful past!

And you don't have to worry about the body you wake up in. Your body belongs to a weak person who chose to commit suicide, and if you hadn't woken up in this body, his dead body would have rotted in this room for at least a week, considering that the previous owner of your body had no friends. He already hated his family so much that it would be a favor for him and for the world to replace him...

Finally, we must say that this will be the last time we will be able to communicate with each other. In other words, we will not be able to talk to you and you will not be able to talk to us. We hope you can heal the hole in your heart that has been there for a long time! Good luck and have fun!

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The long message was still floating in the air when it suddenly closed and the holographic window disappeared. I just continued to stare into the void.

I stayed where I was for a while and then I went back to bed.

Actually, what the producer said is technically correct. I don't care about my previous life. After all, I had no loved ones or family there. When people who thought they were my friends find out that I'm dead, they will probably go on living as if nothing has changed in their lives.

I continued to stare at the wall and thought for a long, long time.

These thoughts were about what to do, and how to act.

Then I paused again, something had occurred to me.

I sat up slightly from where I was lying, and then I imagined something like the holographic window I had just seen. Immediately after that, a window exactly like the one I had just seen opened right in front of me.

<<------------------------------

--Personal Information--

Name: Aiden

Last Name: Tenebra

Race: Human

Age: 18

--Statistics--

General Level: F

Strength: F-

Agility: F-

Vitality: F

Endurance: F-

Luck: E-

Magic Power: F

Mana Efficiency: F

Charm: E-

--Masteries--

Swordsmanship(F)

The most basic swordsmanship without style, without any predisposition or focus.

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As I was looking at my statistics window, I thought of the 'disadvantage' that the producers said.

I'm... I'm definitely the garbage of this world. I mean, I'm not at the bottom, but I'm certainly not in a good situation. All my stats are at the lowest possible level, one click above F-, and I have no skills.

Well... I have one mastery, but it's only F grade swordsmanship.

I looked at my name with a bitter smile on my face.

Aiden Tenebra...

Is this child a character in the game that I've never met, or is he an entity that was specifically created when I was transferred to this world? Because no matter how much I think about it, I can't think of such a character.

Aiden Tenebra, huh...

"In short, you're saying that if you're bored, here's the real version of our game... I'll finish the game again without being the main character, with a brand-new character as if I've installed a DLC, is that it...?"

I smiled involuntarily. When I think about it, isn't it everyone's dream to enter a fantasy world? Fighting creatures, being able to use magic, and having the power to split mountains in two even though you are a human... Isn't it something that one would really want to experience?

"Aiden Tenebra... Aiden Tenebra..."

I called out my new name a few times and then got up from my bed.

Okay, I've decided. I'm getting rid of my old and boring life here!

I may be trash, and my stats may be worse than everyone else's, but that's not a barrier to progress. And just like the producers said, I have a big trump card in my hand.

I know the future by heart, the legendary items in the game, the hidden skills, and so on. If I progress properly, I can really turn this body into a legend.

I quickly gathered the cyanide cans and threw them all in the trash, then came back to the window of my room and smiled warmly at the world of Lunerra, which had now become my reality: my new chance...