Change and Adaptation

My last memory was clear: creating a game character at Director Kim Won-gang's request and logging in. I could understand passing out like a light after hitting the connect button. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd been skipping meals lately and barely sleeping during the beta test. But the heavy sensation in my chest as soon as I opened my eyes. The empty feeling down below where something should have been. Even the strange tickle at the nape of my neck. The sense of things that should be there missing, and things that shouldn't be there present—I jolted awake in shock.

I opened the capsule door and frantically searched for my watch. It was past noon, the scheduled launch time for Lost World Season 2. I'd been collapsed in the capsule for over ten hours, my waist screaming in pain as I staggered to the mirror.

There stood...

...a woman who looked exactly like the character I'd customized. Long silver hair cascading down, amethyst-like glowing purple eyes. An ideal hourglass figure that curved in all the right places.

"...Ugh?"

She—no, I—let out a dumb noise at the sight in the mirror. A slightly mature, sultry voice leaked from my lips.

...

I'd heard people go through five stages when accepting something: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.

Yeah. It was similar for me.

Stage 1: Denial.

"This... is me? No way. It has to be a dream..."

Stage 2: Anger.

"Why?! What did I do to deserve my body changing like this?!"

Stage 3: Bargaining.

"Okay. Becoming this pretty girl is definitely a good thing. I don't know why it happened, but..."

Stage 4: Depression... but I wasn't depressed at all about this form. Even if I didn't know why.

Stage 5: Acceptance.

"Alright. So... I ended up doing a full TS like in those novels I read, but let's think calmly. What happened to my past and identity? Did everything change?"

I pulled out my resident registration card and graduation album. My original appearance was gone, replaced only by photos of my changed self, looking a bit younger. But they all showed black hair and black eyes, not the current silver hair and purple.

The name was the same: Kim Juwon. The resident number had changed slightly, but no identity issues.

"Haa..."

A sigh of relief escaped me. If my identity stayed the same but my appearance changed, it would've been a hassle. People who remember me... well, whatever.

I calmed down and pondered why my body had turned female. Right before collapsing, I'd been talking to Director Kim Won-gang... logged in as instructed... then blacked out. He'd said contact might be spotty.

Remembering back, his words popped into my head.

'Everyone has wishes they can't tell anyone.'

...I'd vaguely mentioned wanting to be a beautiful girl the day before Season 1 ended. Had he taken that offhand comment and made this wish come true...?

...No matter how I thought about it, it didn't make sense. Did that mean Kim Won-gang was some god?

It seemed the most logical explanation right now, but I decided not to dwell on this unrealistic phenomenon.

...A mere human like me couldn't comprehend the supernatural anyway.

I set aside the thoughts, lay back in the capsule as always. Lost World Season 2 had been open for 30 minutes, character select screen waiting.

There was my witch character.

[Noel]

"Ha, she looks exactly the same. Unrealistically pretty."

I glanced at my reflection in the capsule, closed my eyes, visualized the character inside.

...Two women so similar it was hard to find differences.

"Gotta do what needs doing."

I reached for the login button but paused, feeling sweat-matted hair sticking to my nape.

"...Shower first?"

With unfamiliar sensations, I peeled off my pajamas layer by layer. A beautiful woman's nude body revealed itself.

Glancing at the bathroom mirror felt a bit embarrassing, but thinking it's my body made it easier.

I turned on the shower, closed my eyes under the water, lost in thought.

The appearance change... gotta see it positively.

171cm was short for a guy but tall for a girl. Among all my customizations, this was a masterpiece—no debate on the face's beauty.

But one thought lingered.

So what changes?

The appearance alone changed a lot. It had changed.

But I meant something else.

In the end, 'me' hasn't changed.

The change boosted my confidence, sure. Was I just unadjusted to the sudden shift? The pretty exterior felt ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠more poisonous to my self-esteem. The bigger the gap between outside and inside, the more people would disappoint when they saw the real me.

...

Unlike as a guy, showering took longer. Shampooing, washing, drying this long hair doubled the time.

After drying and redressing, I habitually opened Messenger, entered the group chat.

I scrolled down the chat, smirking. Yeah, these guys wouldn't think it weird even if they saw my old self. I could brush off being a male college student with some excuse.

I closed the chat and logged into the game.

...

Lost World's leveling system differs slightly from other RPGs. "Alt characters" exist conditionally: you must level one to 160 (out of max 200) before creating another. This solved bot farms and exploits—a brilliant move.

The system was praised, but post-100 levels slow dramatically, locking casual players from other jobs. Season 2 reduced EXP penalties post-100, but devs kept it to encourage dedication to one job.

In short, I had to hit 160 on witch before trying sorcerer or dual swordsman.

Surprisingly, little backlash—thanks to deep skill trees per job. Mages alone branch into fire, water, nature, black, white... thousands of builds from 16 jobs.

Researching was fun; Koreans optimized min cost max efficiency. Four new jobs would ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stir things up.

...

Witch bases on mage. Classic mages gain high-circle spells but lock to 1-2 elements. Witches can't but use most elements (except special white/black), mostly 4-circle or below. They supplement with curses (slow, debuff defense, poison) and potions (boost attack, support party).

Good control handles any situation, deals decent DPS, solid support—essential. Bad control? Useless hybrid.

Potion system unlocks at 4th job, slow power curve. Jobs at 10/30/60/100/200—very late.

My alts took 3-6 months to max; high barrier. Season 2 faster, though.

Logging in, reality-like sensation greeted me. Walking plains, newbie helper uncle waved from afar. Gives quests to 1st job smoothly.

"Haha, do adventurers pick by looks these days? You're quite beautiful."

"...? Thank you."

Did he always say that? Compliment for good customs, I guess.

"Climb that hill behind; horned rabbits spawn. Kill 10 for EXP."

I accepted, estimated: 5 repeats for 1st job. Cleared all, took my first witch step.

"Hohoho! You'll go far, adventurer. Want to be a witch? Visit the purple tavern in the back alley. Grand Witch Asella awaits."

I headed to the back alley. Spotted the obvious witch spot—purple building—pushed the door.

Fog enveloped instantly; space warped.

"...Illusion magic?"

"Correct~ Came to become a witch?"

Scene shifted to serene room; black-haired, red-eyed little girl appeared.

"...Grand Witch Asella?"

"Ahaha. Why ask if you know?"

She giggled at me. Expected mystical, but... not always.

Lost in thought, sudden killing intent hit.

"...!"

I whipped out my club, battle-ready.

"No other thoughts before me. Good crisis response—witch essential."

...As expected from showcase. Season 1 auto-jobbed on level; now tests each time.

Tensed, I eyed openings on Asella. She laughed, clapped.

"Ahaha! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Truth is, you passed on entry. Congrats—first witch step."

"...??"

I stared blankly at Asella.

"Ah, first witch condition starts with beauty."

...Ah. Customs meet it. What kinda condition? Vague. Or 1st just formality, auto-pass.

"Fell for your face instantly. Like you. Do well!"

...Good customs have perks. Felt proud as space shifted; back outside tavern.

Did more quests, leveled, checked info.

"Haa... That's enough for today."

1st job at LV20 seems whiny, but it took over 3 hours.

Mailbox rewards for 2nd job later; unlike Season 1, I'd take it slow.

Logged out. Slight pain, vision blurred then cleared.

"Ack..."

Hand to head, opened capsule—blue energy wisps floated around.

"...What's this now?"