The chaos in Hajimari Village continued long into the night. Sanji watched from his position in the alley as players grappled with their new reality in different ways. Some sat in circles, holding each other and crying. Others paced frantically, still trying every possible method to log out. A few had already given up, lying motionless in the street, staring at nothing.
The worst were those who'd lost all reason. Sanji witnessed two players get into a fight over a health potion, their argument escalating until one drew his sword. The village guards intervened before anyone died, dragging both players to what appeared to be a jail building. At least the safe zones had some protection built in.
Sanji's analytical mind was already working through the implications. If death was permanent, then information became the most valuable currency. Knowing which monsters were safe to fight, which areas to avoid, which quests gave the best rewards all of that could mean the difference between survival and death.
He needed to be smart. Methodical. He couldn't afford to panic like the others.
"You're handling this better than most."
Sanji spun around. A girl stood at the other end of the alley, leaning against the wall. She had long white hair that seemed to shimmer in the torchlight, and pale blue eyes that studied him with sharp intelligence. Her equipment marked her as a mage a staff strapped to her back and robes that glowed with faint magical energy. Her name tag read: Yuki - Level 2.
"I'm not handling it well," Sanji admitted. "I'm just... thinking."
"That's more than most are doing right now." Yuki walked closer, her movements graceful and controlled. "I watched you earlier. You didn't join the mob trying to attack NPCs. You didn't try to hack the system. You just backed away and started analyzing."
"Panicking won't help," Sanji said. "If this is real and I have to assume it is then we need to adapt. Fast."
Yuki nodded approvingly. "Exactly. I'm trying to form a party of people who can think clearly. People who won't get us killed because they're emotional or reckless." She extended her hand. "Interested in working together? At least until we figure out what's really going on?"
Sanji hesitated for only a moment before shaking her hand. In situations like this, numbers meant safety. And she seemed competent, rational. Those were rare qualities right now.
"I'm Sanji. Adventurer class."
"Yuki. Ice mage." She glanced toward the village square. "We should find somewhere quieter to talk. The inn, maybe. If we're stuck here, we might as well figure out how the sleeping mechanics work."
That was practical thinking. Sanji appreciated it. They made their way through the crowded streets toward a building with a hanging sign that read "Hajimari Inn." Inside, the common room was packed with players, but they managed to secure a small table in the corner.
An NPC innkeeper, seemingly unbothered by the crisis, cheerfully explained that rooms cost 10 bronze coins per night. Both Sanji and Yuki had enough from their starting quests.
"Before we rent rooms," Yuki said quietly, leaning across the table, "we need to establish what we know for certain. Facts only, no speculation yet."
Sanji nodded, impressed by her systematic approach. "Fact one: we can't log out. All normal exit methods are blocked."
"Fact two: death appears to be permanent, based on what that entity said and what we saw happen to those three players."
"Fact three: the game mechanics still function normally otherwise. We can level up, gain skills, complete quests."
"Fact four," Yuki added, "NPCs are either incredibly sophisticated AI or something else entirely. Did you notice how Elder Tanaka responded to your specific answer earlier? I was watching. That wasn't scripted dialogue."
Sanji had noticed that too. "My unique skill lets me see hidden information. When I use it, I get this sense that something's wrong with the fundamental reality here. Like there are layers we're not seeing."
Yuki's eyes widened slightly. "You already have a unique skill? That's extremely rare. I've been trying to figure out how to unlock one." She paused. "What else does it do?"
Sanji explained the Game Master's Eye ability how it revealed hidden information, detected secrets, and identified weaknesses. Yuki listened intently, and he could practically see her mind working through the implications.
"That's incredibly valuable," she said. "If you can spot hidden quests, secret areas, and monster weaknesses, you'll level faster than anyone else. And in a world where death is permanent, being higher level means better survival chances."
"Which brings us to the real question," Sanji said. "What do we do now? Tomorrow, I mean. Do we grind levels? Explore? Try to find a way out?"
Yuki was quiet for a moment, her fingers tracing patterns on the wooden table. "I think we need to approach this like an actual survival situation. First priority: secure basic needs. Food, shelter, safety. Second priority: gather information. Learn everything we can about this world, its rules, its limits. Third priority: grow stronger. Because whatever the endgame is, we'll need power to survive it."
It was a solid plan. Logical and practical.
"The village is a safe zone," Sanji added. "As long as we don't attack NPCs or other players, the guards protect us here. But that means the village will get crowded. Ten thousand players, limited resources. There will be competition for quests, for hunting grounds."
"Then we need to get ahead of the curve," Yuki said. "Tomorrow morning, while everyone else is still processing the shock, we start leveling. We find the best grinding spots before they get overcrowded. We complete quests efficiently. We get stronger, faster."
Sanji liked the way she thought. But something was bothering him. "Why me? You could probably find higher-level players to party with. That warrior in the square, Ryota, he's level three already."
Yuki's expression turned cold. "I watched him too. He's charismatic, sure. But he's also ruthless. When those two players started fighting over the potion, he didn't intervene until one was about to draw blood and then only because it would damage his reputation as a 'leader.' He's the type who'll sacrifice party members if it benefits him."
That matched Sanji's impression as well. He'd seen players like that in other games the ones who treated other people as disposable resources.
"Besides," Yuki continued, her voice softer, "level doesn't mean everything. Your unique skill is worth more than three levels. And you think before you act. That's rare and valuable."
"Fair enough." Sanji extended his hand again. "Partners?"
"Partners." Yuki shook it firmly. "At least until we figure out what's really happening here. After that, we can reassess."
They rented their rooms small but clean spaces with simple beds and basic furniture. Sanji sat on his bed, testing it. The mattress felt real, appropriately firm. He lay back and closed his eyes.
Sleep in a VR game. He'd never experienced this before. Most games just skipped time forward when you rested. But if this world was now their reality, presumably sleep would function normally.
Exhaustion hit him like a wave. The emotional toll of the day the excitement, the fear, the shock suddenly caught up. His eyelids grew heavy.
Before drifting off, Sanji opened his status window one more time.
Status Window:
- Name: Sanji
- Level: 2
- Class: Adventurer
- HP: 120/120
- MP: 60/60
- Strength: 6
- Agility: 6
- Intelligence: 8
- Wisdom: 8
- Luck: 7
Skills:
- Game Master's Eye (Unique - Passive)
- Basic Swordsmanship (Level 1)
Equipment:
- Iron Short Sword (Attack +5)
- Wooden Shield (Defense +3)
- Leather Armor Set (Defense +8)
Inventory:
- Beginner's Health Potion x3
- Slime Core x5
- Bronze Coins: 42
He had resources. He had a skill that could give him an edge. He had found a capable ally. Things could be worse.
But as sleep claimed him, his last thought was of his mother. Was his body still sitting in his bedroom in the real world, suspended in some kind of coma? Was she panicking, calling doctors, trying to wake him?
The thought made his chest ache. But there was nothing he could do about it now except survive and hope that somehow, eventually, there would be a way home.
Sanji woke to sunlight streaming through the window. For a blissful moment, he thought he was back in his real bed, that everything had been a dream. Then he saw the wooden beams of the inn ceiling, felt the slightly rough texture of the game-world sheets, and reality crashed back.
He sat up, checking his mental state. No fatigue debuff, no grogginess. The sleep had apparently restored him completely, just like a game mechanic. That was good it meant they wouldn't accumulate exhaustion if they rested regularly.
A knock on his door. "Sanji? You awake?"
Yuki's voice. He stood and opened the door. She looked alert and ready, her staff already equipped and her expression determined.
"Morning," she said. "I've been thinking about our route for today. If we head to the western part of Shinrin Forest, there's supposed to be a grove where flower wolves spawn. They're level two to three, which means good experience for us. Most other players will probably stick to the eastern area with the slimes because they're scared to fight anything stronger."
Sanji nodded, impressed that she'd already scouted information. "Sounds good. Let me grab breakfast and we'll head out."
They met in the common room fifteen minutes later. The inn's dining area was quiet most players were apparently still sleeping or too depressed to eat. Sanji purchased a simple meal of bread, cheese, and dried meat from the NPC innkeeper for 5 bronze coins. The food tasted real, satisfying actual hunger he hadn't realized he felt.
"Do we need to eat regularly?" he wondered aloud.
"I tested it," Yuki said, eating her own breakfast. "There's a hunger meter in the detailed stats menu. If it drops too low, we get debuffs to stamina and health regeneration. So yes, we need to eat at least once a day, probably twice if we're doing heavy combat."
More survival mechanics to track. Sanji added it to his mental checklist.
They finished eating and headed for the village gate. The streets were less chaotic than last night but still tense. Players moved in small groups, talking in hushed voices. Some sat alone, staring at nothing. Others were already gearing up for another day, determined to push forward despite everything.
At the western gate, a different guard than yesterday stood watch. He nodded as they passed through.
"Be careful out there, adventurers. The wolves are fiercer than slimes."
"We will," Sanji promised.
As they walked down the forest path, Sanji activated his Game Master's Eye. The world sharpened into focus. He could see hidden berry bushes that would restore small amounts of HP if harvested. A faint trail marker pointed toward a hidden path that wasn't on the standard map. And in the distance, the outlines of wolves moving between trees, their levels displayed: Level 2, Level 3, Level 2.
"This way," he said, leading Yuki toward a clearing where three level-two wolves were prowling. "Three wolves, all level two. If we position correctly, we can take them one at a time."
Yuki smiled. "I like working with someone who scouts properly. Lead on."
As they approached their first real challenge in this deadly new world, Sanji felt his fear transform into something else. Determination. Focus. The same feeling he got when facing a difficult boss in a game, except now the stakes were infinitely higher.
He drew his sword. Yuki readied her staff, frost beginning to form at its tip.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Ready."
They stepped into the clearing, and the first wolf turned toward them, its eyes glowing red with predatory hunger.
To be continued...