I blinked in confusion, trying to make sense of what was happening. Was this real? It certainly felt like it. And yet, it couldn't be. I looked down, only to see a  leather tunic over my shirt and a sword scabbard strapped to my waist. I had a buckler strapped to my left arm, with armguards lining my pudgy forearms.

I looked around in a panic, trying to find some sense of familiarity or understanding. But all around me, people were standing stunned, their eyes darting back and forth as they tried to make sense of the situation.

But then I saw her. Emma. My new acquaintance from the anime club. She was standing a few feet away, staring up in awe at the man that had appeared in the sky. She was now wearing a robe with a staff in hand.

It was as if the game had been brought to life.

I ran towards her, my heart racing in my chest. "Emma!" I cried out.

She turned towards me, a look of shock on her face. "Erm, you? What's going on?"

"I don't know," I said, shaking my head. "But it... it feels like it's like the game is real."

Emma's expression shifted from shock to apprehension. "Are you saying we're in Arinthia? The world of Crystal Harmony Online?"

I nodded, still trying to process everything that was happening.

The man in the moonlit sky continued to speak, his voice carrying over the entire city.

"In this game, you will face challenges and obstacles that will test your strength and your resolve. You will need to work together and make alliances if you hope to succeed. But be warned, failure is not an option."

The holographic display flickered to life, showing a map of the world with different symbols indicating different challenges and quests.

The man's voice boomed again, "Welcome, brave adventurers of Arinthia! This is your world now. Everything here has real consequences. Death isn't just a setback—it's permanent. Injuries can heal naturally, but they will still feel painful in the meantime. Your choices and actions determine the result; pain is inevitable but the rewards for success are great. So, let the games begin!"

And just like that, the entire city erupted into chaos. People were running in every direction, trying to figure out what to do next. Some were forming parties and alliances, while others were frantically trying to find their bearings in this new world.

Emma turned to me, a worried look on her face. "Hey, have you checked your menu screen yet?"

I shook my head, still trying to absorb everything that was happening. Emma grabbed my hand and pulled me towards a nearby alleyway, away from the chaos of the square.

"Check it now," she urged, her eyes shining with excitement. "I did it by accident — Just think [Status] with intent."

I opened my [Status] screen, and it was like a wave of information hit me all at once. There were stats for my strength, agility, intelligence, and more. And there were skills and abilities that I had never seen before.

My blood ran cold as I saw my screen:

Michael Kang

Level 1

Bulwark

Health: 100/100

Mana: 50/50

Rage: 0/100

Strength: 11

Agility: 7*

Constitution: 8*

Intelligence: 14

Wisdom: 16

Charisma: 4*

Skills:

Shield Bash: 1

Taunt: 1

Block: 1

Defensive Stance: 1

Balanced Stance: 1

Athletics: 1

Appraisal: 1

Equipment: Rusted Sword, Rusted Buckler, Old Leather Top, Old Leather Vambraces, Old Leather Greaves, Old Leather Boots

Guild: --

Buffs: --

Debuffs: @$()*)!(

I was speechless. All my progress in Crystal Harmony Online was gone. I was just level one, and my stat spreads were terrible compared to the maxed-out Bulwarks I had seen in Crystal Harmony Online.

"My friends list is blank now, too," Emma said, her voice full of disappointment. "I can't contact my girlfriend or anyone else I knew from the game. It's like we're starting from scratch."

I nodded, my mind racing as I tried to come up with a plan. It was like we had been thrown into a new world with nothing but the clothes on our backs and our starting stats.

"Dammit, where are you Yuna?" Emma grumbled, her voice laced with concern as she traced her fingers in the air. "I need to find her."

"Wait. Emma, did you log out here too? In Diamondwood Forest?"

Emma nodded, her eyes scanning the alleyway in search of anything that could help them. "Yeah, I remember logging out here last night."

"...and do you remember where your partner logged off?"

She paused, her eyes widening as realization hit her. "Oh my gosh, she logged off in Daltania! Do you think she could've come in there?"

I could see the panic in Emma's eyes, but I knew we had to stay calm and focus on our next steps.

"Okay, let's take a deep breath," I said. "We need to figure out what our next move is. We're obviously in a game, but it feels so real. The consequences are real. We need to be careful."

Emma nodded, taking a deep breath. "You're right. So, what do we do now?"

I thought for a moment, my mind racing with possibilities. "Well, first we need to find out more about this world. We need to get a lay of the land, so to speak. Let's not rule all the possibilities out, though. Have you tried logging off?"

I jumped in surprise as a holographic window popped up in front of me with a light tapping noise.

[Skill Acquired: Reasoning 1]

I had no idea what had just happened, but I felt a surge of energy coursing through my body. It was like a jolt of electricity that left me feeling both invigorated and confused.

"What was that?" Emma asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"I have no idea," I replied, still trying to process what had just happened. "But it looks like the game is still active, even if it feels like real life."

Emma nodded, her eyes scanning the alleyway for any sign of danger.

"We need to be careful," she said. "We don't know what kind of dangers we might face in this world."

I nodded in agreement, my mind racing with possibilities.

"I think we should find a safe place to regroup," I said. "Somewhere we can rest and figure out our next move."

"I wonder if we can still start the Main Story Quest here? That was the fastest way to level in Crystal Harmony. Hell, there wasn't even a real level grind if you did the Main Story Quests," Emma replied, a small smile forming on her lips.

I nodded, liking the idea. "That's a good point. It's worth a shot. Maybe we can find something that will help us get our bearings in this new world."

Emma smiled, looking relieved. "Okay, let's do it. Lead the way."

She paused for a second, before looking me in the eyes. "Umn, what's your name again?"

I flinched, yet I felt a sense of relief that at least some things were still the same.

"Michael," I said. "My name is Michael. But, you can call me Mike."

We stepped out of the alleyway, cautiously making our way through the crowded streets. I could feel the eyes of the other players on us, and I could tell that they were just as confused and scared as we were.

But we pushed on, determined to make the best of this situation.

"I think we should definitely head for the outskirts of the city of Diamondwood," I said, my mind already working out a plan. "It's less crowded and we might find some clues or resources that can help us out."

Emma nodded, her eyes scanning the crowd for any signs of danger.

"Agreed," she said. "Well, let's find a place to regroup and figure out our next couple of moves."

Eventually, we stumbled upon a small tavern. It looked like the perfect place to rest and gather our thoughts.

We stepped inside, and a wave of warmth washed over us. The tavern was cozy and welcoming, with a fire crackling in the hearth and a group of players huddled around a table in the corner.

The bartender, a grizzled old dwarf, looked up as we entered and greeted us with a nod.

"Welcome, travelers," he said. "What can I get for you?"

I glanced at Emma, and she nodded.

"Two rooms, please," I said. "We need a place to rest and regroup."

The dwarf nodded, taking the pouch and counting out the coins. "Right, I have two rooms available. That will be forty silvers."

I thought of my [Status] screen and opened my [Inventory], only to quickly realize I didn't have any money.

"Uh, we don't have any silvers," I said sheepishly, feeling embarrassed.

The dwarf raised an eyebrow at us. "No money, eh? Well, that's a problem, isn't it?"

I turned to Emma, feeling a sense of panic rising in me once again. "I don't have any money. Do you?"

Emma shook her head, her eyes scanning the tavern for any sign of help. "No, I don't. But maybe someone here can help us out?"

I looked around the tavern, feeling a sense of embarrassment wash over me. We were supposed to be strong, capable players from what I heard of Emma, but here we were, without a single coin to our name.

"So, what now?" I turned to Emma.

She frowned in exasperation, "I guess we head outside of town and try to scrounge up some coins. Maybe we can find some easy quests or something. Or, we could even try our hand at hunting some low-level monsters."

I nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of determination rise inside me. We had been thrown into this world without warning, but that didn't mean we couldn't survive.

"Alright, let's do it," I said, my voice filled with newfound confidence. "We'll find a way to earn some coins and come back to this tavern once we have the money for those rooms."

As we made our way toward the outskirts of the city, a sudden high-pitched scream pierced through the air.