I Knew This Day Would Come

[Breaking news. The second subjugation attempt against the Break boss Frost Dragon—alias the Ice Dragon—camped out in Pyongyang has failed.]

The paper-thin walls let the neighbor's TV blare right into my room. It's all bad news.

[The Association has decided to immediately form a third subjugation team centered on Guardian Hunter Han Seol-ah, but experts estimate the success rate at under 3%, making Korea's downfall a foregone conclusion...]

...Correction. It's not just negative—it's straight-up despair.

Korea is doomed.

"I knew a day like this was coming."

Just didn't think it'd be today.

Click. Click.

"...Pattern's obvious."

The boss Han Seol-ah couldn't beat. Ice Dragon. And here I am ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠massacring it in-game.

Surprisingly, the real world's "magic beasts" and the game's "monsters" are identical. Patterns, stats, skills, weaknesses—the works.

The game I'm playing, Lost Honor, is freakishly true-to-life.

Monsters you can't kill in reality? Piece of cake in-game.

...If only this were reality.

Frost Dragon? One-shot.

Looking back... I figured Korea was done for ten whole years ago. Ever since the Towers appeared worldwide.

The world changed a ton.

Those blessed by the Towers gained superpowers called Awakening.

Climbing floors dumped out resources that defied physics.

...But even then, I thought Korea was screwed.

Towers were a blessing to some. A nightmare to others.

And we drew the short straw.

Fail to renew the highest cleared floor in time, and it rips open a massive gate, spewing boss-tier magic beasts...

A Break.

Breaks were catastrophic. A few countries that couldn't stop them got wiped off the map.

So: If a country could climb? Blessing. If not? Disaster.

Power rules all, plain and simple.

But here's the kicker. The starting floors were bullshit.

USA: Floor 2. Japan: 23. China: 48. You get it.

14 Towers popped up in major cities worldwide, each with wildly different starts.

Low starters like the US partied. High ones like China ate Break damage just clearing one floor.

Of course, Seoul got one too. Starting floor...

94.

Insane difficulty.

That's why everyone, me included, wrote off Korea.

Ambitious raids failed, chewed through top Hunters, and eventually we declared the Tower unclimbable. Survived ten years by barely holding back monthly Breaks...

"We've held out pretty damn long."

...But that desperate struggle was finally ending.

Korea's sole hope. Last S-rank Hunter. Guardian. Han Seol-ah.

She Awakened at seventeen and saved Korea from doom for a decade. But now there's a boss she absolutely can't beat.

"...If Han Seol-ah's down, it's over."

What's left? Waiting for the end.

"Embrace death..."

The usually noisy Happiness Villa is dead silent. Only the neighbor Kim Cheol-su's forgotten TV breaks it.

Han Seol-ah's national apology presser for the third subjugation is just kicking off.

"Quiet's nice."

All ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠combat Hunters drafted for second ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and third teams. Non-combat "civilians" evacuated to shelters.

Just me left in this dump.

Why? Can't Awaken.

...So I'm not even human.

Earth now counts only mana-users as human. No mana? Not human!

That's the new normal.

If mana-less me gets caught outside? They sense zero mana, call me a doppelganger mimic beast, and try to kill me.

Been there.

So I...

"Gonna game."

Game equals livelihood.

Been grinding Lost Honor since becoming un-Awakenable ten years back. Keeps me fed.

Sold items for ramen money.

Lost Honor items cash out. The devs give "points" for auction house listings—redeemable for real cash.

Hardcore play = profit.

How could I resist?

"No way."

If it wasn't invite-only for un-Awakenables, it'd be a global smash.

What a shame.

Anyway, not blind escapism.

"...Gotta sell gear, buy winter survival stuff."

Ice Dragon's blight turns outskirts into sub-sub-Arctic hell, from what I hear.

In this mana-stone era, enchanted cold-gear might buy time.

Points are good.

Even ruined India's got survivors, right?

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

That my future?

Ding!

"Oh?"

"...?"

What the hell.

Lost Honor's a medieval fantasy game. No "Korea" on the map.

And with real Korea actually on the brink, this quest?

"What're you hinting at?"

No way it's...

Actual reality?

Nah.

Logical take: New region called "Korea" just got added.

"New zone... Finally, fresh content update."

What now?

"Han Seol-ah?"

The one on TV right now? Guardian Han Seol-ah?

"...The hell?"

Explicitly names S-rank Hunter Han Seol-ah. No denying it.

She's getting added to the game?

"...This could be fun."

Very.

Korea's guardian. Frost Queen. Ultimate INFP. Beloved by all, tons of nicknames.

Meeting that Han Seol-ah in-game?

"Oh."

Awakening!

"Damn, my character gets to Awaken since I can't."

Fun.

...Kinda jealous too.

Awakening's never happening for me.

The [Yes] button sparkles gold, urging me on.

—You skipping this god-tier content?

New Korea zone. Time with fave Hunter Han Seol-ah. My char Awakens.

Dopamine jackpot.

"Sounds fun."

Sweet. Imagining it already too sweet.

Moved the mouse. Click.

[No].

Normal folks hit Yes here.

"But I'm not normal."

I say No when everyone says Yes.

Reason for rejecting? Too pushy.

Bet you can't resist? No. I never lose mind games.

Blindly following leads to irreversible regret.

Bleeding out later yelling "Shouldn't have..." changes nothing.

Experience.

"Alright, let's see what happens."

Not reckless. Got patterns from past.

Play hard-to-get, and...

"...Possession Ticket?"

No clue from the name. Tooltip's blank even poking it.

"Hmm."

Hit Yes this time. Another rejection might nuke the quest.

"Ah, update?"

Makes sense for new content. Needs time.

Dove into bed. Buried face in the squishy mattress, closed eyes.

In the quiet room, the neighbor's TV pierced clearer than before through the thin wall.

"..."

"...?"

Han Seol-ah's calm voice cut out.

"Broadcast glitch?"

No TV here. Can't make noise, never got one.

Only way to watch: Audio from neighbor's set.

Couldn't see what happened to Han Seol-ah.

Murmurs...

Reporters murmuring too—her sudden move caught them off-guard.

[...]

Long silence from Han Seol-ah.

[...Yes.]

Voice came back, resolute.

Then.

"Wh-what?!"

Han Seol-ah vanished?

Mid-presser?

Hard to follow.

[...Uh, hello?]

"Wait, no? Voice is still there?"

Unlike the chaotic TV next door...

Han Seol-ah's voice rings clear.

[Hello there?]

The TV chaos doesn't match.

One side: Han Seol-ah chatting fine.

Other: She's gone, freaking out.

[Nebula?]

"...Huh?"

Nebula? That's my character's name.

[You there?]

"..."

Wait a sec.

Han Seol-ah's voice... Not from the TV wall.

Behind me.

Specifically...

My computer speakers.

"......No way?"

Heart pounding wild, shaky steps to the monitor.

[You there?]

"..."

Checked the screen.

The game.

...Han Seol-ah was there.

Silver hair shimmering blue.

Eyes like captured summer skies.

"Haha, holy shit."

[Um... I heard you're making me EX-rank...]

Han Seol-ah got summoned into my game.

...With a brutal timer.