Trapped in game - 01

ARC 1 First step : Get to know the world that threatens you by gathering enough information.

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Heavy rain poured over the ruins of Hale Castle, turning into a flood that soaked the stony courtyard. Lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the blood-soaked and muddy battlefield. Dark puddles reflected the dim light of the moon, creating a horrifying scene. Amidst the chaos, Lucian Hale lay sprawled, his body stiff on the wet, cold ground, fresh blood still flowing from his wounds. In front of him stood Cedric Valenhart, a gallant figure equally covered in mud and blood, but an aura of strength radiated from him. His clothes were tattered, showing signs of fierce battle. In his right hand, he gripped Radiance, the holy sword that emitted a bright white light, contrasting with the thick darkness of the night. That holy light seemed to refuse to go out, pulsing weakly in the midst of the storm.

"Lucian Hale," Cedric Valenhart's voice echoed, heavy and full of anger. He stared at Lucian with a sharp gaze, full of hatred and regret. "Do you know what you've been doing all this time? Your presence has brought unrest and disaster to this world. You've spilled innocent blood, destroyed the balance, and tainted this holy land." Cedric gritted his teeth, holding back the raging anger in his chest. Radiance trembled slightly in his hand, as if sensing the swirling emotions.

Luvian chuckled, his voice hoarse and weak, yet still holding onto remnants of arrogance. "Unrest? It's funny how you talk like that, Cedric. You don't even know what you're really fighting against. You're just a puppet dancing to the tune played by greater powers." He coughed, fresh blood flowing from his lips.

Cedric ignored Lucian's taunts. He raised Radiance, the holy light of the sword illuminating Lucian's pale face. "That's enough," Cedric said, his voice firm and determined. "I'm going to end this suffering. I'm going to end you. For this world, for those you've hurt, and for justice!" Cedric stepped forward, ready to deliver the final blow. The rain continued to pour, as if witnessing the end of this battle.

"So funny. Ahahaha, I'll remember you Cedric. I'm thankful to you"Said Lucian, he while smiling sarcastically hearing that from Cedric, Cedric's last attack hit his chest. The sword pierced Lucian's heart, and in an instant, a burst of light covered the battlefield. That blinding explosion swallowed the entire battlefield. When the dust and smoke settled, all that was left was a ruin more shattered than before, and Cedric Valenhart standing tall, breathless, the holy sword Radiance still drawn in his hand. Lucian's body lay motionless, seemingly truly dead. Victory felt sweet, but bitter. Cedric felt an overwhelming fatigue, mixed with satisfaction and a bit of regret.

However, a faint whisper could be heard in his ear, a voice so soft that it was almost drowned out by the roar of the wind and the rain still pouring down. It wasn't Lucian's voice, but a deeper, older, more terrifying voice. The voice whispered, "You think you've won, little hero? You've only killed a pawn, a tool used for a greater purpose."

The whisper got louder, breaking through Cedric's awareness. The voice explained that Lucian wasn't the mastermind behind all this chaos. He was just someone being used, someone tricked by a much greater evil force, an ancient entity that had been awakened by a group of Orders that were the puppeteers of what has been happening in the world all along.

The whisper grew louder, piercing Cedric's consciousness. The voice explained that Lucian Hale wasn't the mastermind behind all this chaos. He was just a pawn, someone tricked by a much greater evil force, an ancient entity that had dwelled in the heart of Hale Castle for centuries. Lucian, with all his wickedness, had actually been trying to fight that power, but he was defeated and used.

Cedric felt a bone-chilling cold. He realized that by killing Lucian, he had accidentally helped that evil force. By getting rid of the only one who could fight against it, he had opened the way wide for that evil power. Lucian was actually the victim, and Cedric, with his actions, had become a tool for the real enemy.

"Damn it," Cedric growled, his hands clenched tightly until his knuckles turned white. The Radiance holy sword that was still drawn in his hand shook violently, as if he felt a burning anger within him. "Who are you really? You were the one who whispered it? Explain!" He stared at the darkness around him, trying to find the source of the mysterious sound. The rain was still falling heavily, adding to the tense atmosphere in the middle of the castle ruins.

"Kukukuku...." A mocking laugh rang out, echoing among the ruins. The laughter was cold and piercing, like the sound of the wind blowing from hell. "You don't need to know, little hero. Obviously, you helped us a lot, by defeating that hale kid, you have made our goal even faster to be achieved. How stupid you are." The sound became clearer, suggesting that the source was nearby, but remained invisible.

"What are you saying, damn it!" Cedric shouted, his voice full of anger and despair. He swung the Radiance, but the holy sword only split through the empty air. He could not see his enemy, but he could feel his presence, an evil and terrible presence. The torrential rain seemed to be a silent witness to his anger and despair.

"We are very grateful to you," the voice said, in a colder and more threatening tone. "As a reward, we will meet you, stupid little hero. Well, that's even if you are still able to fight the burden that is in your destiny. We'll meet again, Cedric Valenhart. And then, you won't be able to run." A mocking laugh rang out again, this time closer, more threatening. Then, the voice vanished, leaving Cedric alone in the darkness and rain, haunted by the shadow of an invisible enemy, a much stronger and more terrifying enemy. His victory over Cayle Grimhold was just the beginning of an even greater catastrophe.

[ You get a bad ending ]

Kalandra Adytama tossed his phone onto the bed, then lay down, feeling the emotional weight he had just experienced. "Damn, this game is really crazy," he muttered while staring at the ceiling. In his mind, the scene of the quest battle between Lucian hale and the player was still vividly playing out, as if he was really in it.

The RPG game "The Luminous Hero of Arvandor" is really popular right now, catching the attention of both male and female players. The captivating character visuals are a major draw for female players, while the challenging battle royale system has hooked the male players. Because of that, its player base is pretty diverse, made up of both guys and girls.

"So far, it seems like no one has beaten the main story quest to the end," Kalandra said while reading a post on the game forum, "The extreme difficulty and complex storyline make a lot of players give up before reaching the end."

"Because I often get bad endings, most players are only interested in playing events," he continued, recalling the interesting rewards offered, like playable companion characters and items that really help in completing the event story. "Those rewards are a big draw, distracting from the deadly difficulties of the main story."

"I actually play this game just focusing on the main story, and the achievements I get for completing the main quest are always random from gacha. I've spent half my earnings on in-game currency just to get items that only slightly increase my chances of success. In fact, there were times I almost gave up because of the insane difficulty and the constant bad endings I faced. But there's a certain satisfaction when I finally get past a tough checkpoint, like solving a complicated puzzle. It feels like a pointless struggle, but I don't know why I'm still challenged. Maybe it's because of the irresistible curiosity to see how this main story will end, or maybe it's the desire to prove that I can beat this game," Kalandra said, his ngers still busy tapping on his phone screen.

"Should I try playing the event once in a while?" He continued, looking at his phone screen with a still uncertain expression. " The event usually offers playable companion characters and items that can help. But honestly, I'm a bit lazy. I've already focused on the main story, and shifting my attention to the event feels like it would disrupt my concentration. But... maybe there's something that could help me in the main story in this event. Or at least, a little entertainment in the midst of this difficulty. Ah, it's also a bit confusing." He rubbed his forehead, then smiled slightly. "Alright, I'll try to play the event for a bit. Hopefully, there's something useful."

[Notification; Special event from the developer.]

[Are you willing to join?]

[Yes] / [No]

"Hah, a new event? I just scrolled through the forum and didn't see any notice? That's weird," Kalandra muttered, frowning. He checked his phone notifications again, making sure it wasn't a spam message or a bug from the game. "Usually, big event announcements are always posted on the main forum, so why is this suddenly popping up in my personal notifications? What's going on?" He felt a bit suspicious, but his curiosity was stronger. "Ah, whatever. Maybe there will be an explanation later. I'll just give it a try." Carefully, he pressed the "Yes" button.

The world around her spun, her phone screen blurred, and then... darkness. Thick darkness enveloped Kalandra, a strange roaring sound filled his ears. He tried to scream, but his voice got stuck in his throat. Panic started to take over him. Where is he? What happened?

Slowly, his vision began to adjust to the darkness. He realized he was no longer in his room. An unfamiliar ceiling, the distinct smell of rattan, and the moonlight that looked strange. He tried to remember what happened, but his memory felt hazy. All he remembered was the event notification and then... darkness.

Suddenly, a transparent screen, similar to the profile settings panel in the game "The Luminous Hero of Arvandor," appeared next to him, floating in the air as if it were attached to him. The screen displayed various information, including health status, magic power, and inventory, just like in the game. However, its appearance was much more detailed and realistic than in the game.

[Update complete]

[Checking player]

[Failed to identify]

[You failed to be a player]

[Re-identifying.]

"What is this? This is the notice that usually appears in that RPG game, right?" Kalandra murmured, his eyes fixed on the transparent screen floating beside heim. He tried to touch it, and it actually felt real. "But... why can I see it in the real world? This isn't just a regular bug, right?" he became more confused and panicked.

[Identification completed]

[Since you failed to become a player, the developer made you Lucian hale]

"Whaaaaaattttt?!?!?!?!?" Kalandra shouted, his voice echoing in the quiet forest. He stumbled back, his hands covering her wide-open mouth in shock.