* * * * *

No matter how long Hyuk sat there beneath the tree, night wouldn’t fall. It must’ve been hours, and yet, the sky remained a defiant blue.

Stranger still was what was happening to Hyuk’s body. Or, rather, what was not happening. Ever since he had arrived in the deserted castle yard, Hyuk did not feel either hungry or thirsty.

When the initial shock had passed, Hyuk was faced with a choice. He could cry there under the pixelised tree until, hopefully, Mr Jung returns to the game room and gets him out of the machine he seemed to had, miraculously, trapped himself in. But if Hyuk had learned anything from his experience in games, it was that waiting doesn’t get you anywhere. It can only get you killed. On the other hand, Hyuk could get up and look for an exit himself. Jumping to his feet, Hyuk took a long breath. He felt strangely composed.

After all, games were his thing.

First of all, he took a tour of the caste yard, only to find… nothing. Secretly, he had been hoping for treasure boxes that would contain helpful items (really helpful items, like potions and ethers - not Chopper dolls!) but to no avail.

When he touched the castle door, he let out such a scream that his ears started ringing.

Over his eyes, just for a few seconds, there was a blue square with a message, right in the middle of his vision.

“Area locked. Please level up to Level 20 or above.”

“Aish!!! Stop messing with my eyes!!!” yelled Hyuk at no one in particular. Annoyed, he tried to swat his health bar away, but it had become a permanent part of his vision. Wherever he looked, the green line was there, right in the bottom right corner.

Hyuk had only one more option.

He knocked on the gates that let out of the yard and into the woods beyond.

Thankfully, no message popped up this time. As though by magic, the heavy wooden gates, many times taller than Hyuk, swung gracefully outwards.

With nothing but a Chopper doll, Hyuk stepped out into the woodlands.

Unlike the castle yard, the woods seemed to be an area where it was always night. Black as can be, the sky was dotted with small yellow squares, which Hyuk supposed were stars. A quiet, eerie tune played, added to the shrieks of some large bird. Despite himself, Hyuk shivered, the hairs at the back of his head standing on end. He clutched the Chopper doll to his chest, as it was his only weapon.

Without a doubt, being inside a game was much scarier than just playing one in the game room.

“Yo, stranger.”

* * * * *