The night was heavy with silence.
After returning from the second world, Eunseo lay sprawled across his bed, limbs spread in every direction like a crumpled starfish. The moonlight filtered through his curtains in fractured silver lines, washing over the minimal decor of his small bedroom. His skin was fresh, clean—scrubbed of mud and forest dust, his mind still buzzing from the earlier mission.
His pajama top was a soft, loose blue cotton shirt, slightly oversized, with a faded logo of some old cartoon character long washed away. His bottoms were black, knee-length jersey shorts, soft from too many cycles in the laundry. No socks. Just bare feet against his sheets, one of them dangling off the bed.
But sleep... sleep would not come.
Eunseo stared at the ceiling. His eyes traced every speck, every imperfection on the white plaster above him. The ticking of the wall clock pulsed in his ears. 1:45 AM.
His body was tired, but his mind wasn't.
The sword. The mission. The mint-scented herb. The weightless way mana moved through his fingertips. The system's voice, teasing and chaotic, still rang in his head like a bell.
He sighed deeply and turned onto his side.
"Hey, System," he murmured aloud, unsure if it would answer.
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[Yes, dear sleep-deprived player?]
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Eunseo smirked, barely.
"I've been thinking… If I finish the first twenty worlds like you said… and I get that reward—the two powers from past missions, and a person I choose from one of those worlds… can I use the powers in the real world? And can that person… Come here? Like, actually be here?"
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[Oh wow, you're actually thinking ahead. Color me surprised. (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ\*:･ﾟ✧]
[Yes, you can use your powers in the real world. And yes, the person you choose will be given a backstory, legal documentation, and memories to make it seem like they've always existed here. They'll remember being close to you, of course. Wouldn't want things to get awkward, now would we?]
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Eunseo blinked at the ceiling again. That was… massive.
"So... they won't remember the game?"
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[Ah, yes. Make the people who will help you in your missions forget about the game. What a great suggestion.]
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Eunseo looked confused on whether the system was being serious or sarcastic.
"Soooo… They won't… Remember…?"
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[Of course they would remember. Use your brain to think, player.]
[According to my data and information about you, you're pretty smart for someone your age.]
[Color me impressed, actually.]
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He rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but be impressed by the system's data and information.
"You're… Not that bad yourself."
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[Flattery will get you nowhere.]
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Eunseo sat in his bed for a while, looking down at his sword. And then he suddenly remembered what Minjae had told him before while they were playing a video game at his house not too long ago.
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"You know Eunseo…" Minjae's voice echoed in his mind as he remembered himself laying in Minjae's bed and reading a random comic boom he found in the room, while the latter was sitting on the floor playing a video game. "My favourite thing about this game is that I can get access to all the stuff I've got from the last fights just by opening the inventory!" Explained Minjae to Eunseo with exaggerated hand gestures.
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"Hmm… is that so…?" Hummed Eunseo in amusement with a smirk, he really liked it when Minjae got all happy and excited like this. "Good good… Keep having fun Minjae." With a surpassed yawn he closed his eyes and dozed in his friend's bed.
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That jolted him up.
"Hey system," He started cautiously. "By any chance… Is there something called an Inventory Window?"
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[Yes, dear noob player. The Inventory has all the stuff you retrieved from the past two worlds.]
[Would you like to take a look?]
[Tip: Say Inventory Window but don't wake up your mom.]
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Eunseo grinned at the confirmation.
"Inventory Window." He commanded.
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Instantly, a translucent blue window appeared at his left side, hovering above the bed. It was arranged in neat little squares like a video game grid. Out of dozens of empty cells, only two had images inside.
The first was a slender, curved sword wrapped in black leather and etched with silver along the blade. The second was a glass jar filled with glowing bluish-purple herbs—Siren's Breath. The name appeared in a delicate font beneath each image.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Eunseo reached out.
His hand passed through the window like dipping into cool water. He touched the cell containing the sword, and immediately, a slight shimmer surrounded his arm. He pulled back—gripping cold steel.
The weight of the blade was lighter than he expected. Perfectly balanced. The way he remembered it from the first mission ever.
Just thinking about it made a chill pass his spine.
He sat up straighter, admiring it under the faint moonlight. With a soft hum, he ran his fingertip lightly across the blade's edge.
"Ouch—!"
A single drop of blood welled up.
Instinctively, he put the finger in his mouth.
"It's real," he whispered around his finger, slightly in awe. "I can actually bring it out..."
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[No kidding. You're welcome, by the way.]
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"Okay okay… what about the powers from earlier missions? Can I use those here too? Like fire? Or wind?"
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[Nope! Locked tighter than your math grades in middle school. You can only use mission-assigned powers in the worlds themselves—unless you're granted them permanently through rewards later on.]
[But—and here's the fun part—you can earn coins with every mission you complete. And with coins, you can buy all sorts of fun stuff. Potions. Weapons. Artifacts. Furniture. Even a custom mini-castle.]
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"Wait, coins??"
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[Let me finish! You'll start earning coins at Level 10. And at Level 15, you'll unlock access to buy permanent powers.]
[Tip: When you become level 10 you can summon it by saying Store Window.]
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But Eunseo, already excited to the point he didn't hear the level requirement part, blurted—
"Store window!"
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A larger interface burst to life in front of him, bright and dazzling, filled with gray squares and mysterious silhouettes.
Right across the entire window, however, was a giant glowing lock symbol, pulsing ominously.
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[Tsk tsk. Someone got ahead of himself. Store unlocks at Level 10. You're only Level 3, rookie. Calm your pajamas.]
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Eunseo slumped.
"Of course," he muttered.
He held the sword for a moment longer, then placed it gently back into the inventory window, watching as it shimmered out of sight.
The window vanished with a faint chime.
He lay back down and pulled the blanket over his chest, eyes drifting to the side wall.
His room felt quiet again.
Still.
*Was it worth it?*
The training, the injuries, the constant risk in every mission. It was thrilling—yes. But he hadn't asked for any of it.
And yet... he felt more awake than he ever had before in his life.
As his eyes slowly closed, his limbs softened, and the weight of the day began to slip away.
At exactly 3:00 AM, the door creaked open gently.
She stepped inside, barefoot, wearing a faded white nightgown. Kang Yuna, Eunseo's mother. Her steps were silent as she walked to the side of the bed. Her face was serene, soft in the pale moonlight.
Without a word, she pulled the blanket up to Eunseo's chin, brushing his bangs aside lightly.
She kissed his forehead.
"Good night, my star," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
She turned, left the room, and the door clicked softly behind her.
The clock ticked.
[02:59:59... 03:00:00.]
Outside, the wind stirred.