Inside a small room, three young men sat in front of their own computers. Their eyes were fixed on the glowing screens, fingers moving quickly across keyboards and mice. The soft rhythm of clicking and typing filled the air as they worked together with unwavering focus — creating a game born from their shared dream. Determination was written all over their faces.
The man with short black hair, wearing a plain white T-shirt and black pants, lifted his head from the screen and spoke with a grin.
"Just a little more and this game will finally be done. We might be unemployed now, but once this is released, we'll finally earn something from our own creation. I can't wait to see the characters, the cities, and the weapons we designed come to life. Man, it feels amazing just thinking about it."
The brown-haired man in a brown shirt and black pants, still focused on his monitor, replied without looking away.
"You're right, Rhyde. I'm sure this game will turn out great. If we pitch it to a big company, we could make a fortune — and maybe then, people will finally recognize me. Besides…" He sighed softly. "I'm almost out of money for this month."
Rhyde took a sip of water and smiled slightly.
"Don't worry, Dan. This game will be our masterpiece — something the world will remember. We've worked on it for three years already. It won't all be for nothing."
A chubby man with black hair, dressed entirely in black, sat quietly before his computer, lost in thought.
(Hi there, my name's Kai. The guy in the white shirt? That's Rhyde — he handles skill design, character creation, and monsters. The one in brown is Dan — he's in charge of weapon design and all the treasure systems. As for me?)
He chuckled inwardly.
(I'm the map designer. I create the continents, dungeons, and cities in our world. We all got kicked out of our homes after losing our jobs — a bunch of introverts with nowhere else to go. But at least the three of us have each other.)
Kai's serious gaze lingered on his screen as he suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, you two… what if something happened that sent us into the world we created? Would you go?"
Rhyde looked over from his computer with a laugh.
"Of course I would! I bet the world we made is way better than this one. Hah! Honestly, I wish that could happen."
Dan leaned back in his chair, grabbed a snack, and grinned.
"If that really could happen, where would we meet up first? Hahaha."
Kai answered while still focused on his design software.
"How about the city of Sema? It's the central hub where everyone gathers. Sounds perfect, right?"
Rhyde, still typing, frowned slightly as something appeared on his screen.
"Hey… guys, there's a weird message popping up. It's asking me to click something."
Kai smirked.
"Don't tell me it's another one of those dating sims you secretly play. Hahaha."
But Rhyde didn't laugh. Sweat formed on his forehead as he stared at the screen.
"It says, 'Do you wish to live in the world you created?' And there are two buttons — Yes and No. What the hell is this? Some kind of prank?"
Dan stood up and leaned over Rhyde's shoulder to see for himself.
"No way… it's real. Look, Kai, it's right there! This is just like in those anime, isn't it? Damn, if I could really go there, I'd love to see how my characters turned out!"
Kai spoke seriously this time.
"Well… what do you guys think? Don't you want to leave this world behind? If it's real… then I'm in. Meet me in Sema."
Rhyde froze for a moment, surprised by Kai's tone. Then he laughed nervously.
"Come on, Kai, don't tell me you're taking this seriously—"
Before finishing his sentence, he grabbed the mouse and clicked [Yes] with a shaky hand, half-joking yet secretly wishing it were true.
"Hah… as if something like that could actually happen."
All three sighed at the same time, thinking the same thing.
If only it were real…
Then — the room began to tremble. A low hum filled the air as a glowing circle of light formed on the ceiling. A massive magic sigil spun slowly, its intricate lines shining brighter and brighter.
The three froze, eyes wide with disbelief.
In an instant, the sigil flared — blinding white light filled the entire room. The brilliance swallowed their bodies before any of them could react. When the light faded… the room was silent and empty. No trace of the three remained.
Rhyde groaned softly as he opened his eyes. Jagged black rocks surrounded him. The ground beneath was hard and uneven.
He grabbed his head, trying to steady himself.
"Ugh… where am I?"