A Regressor's Awakening in the Game World
Amid the fierce rain that seemed to mourn the world itself, making it impossible to see even an inch ahead.
While rubbing my eyes, whether from tears or rain, I struggled to sharpen my blurry vision.
What on earth had happened? Why was I here?
A chill seeped into my wet clothes. My entire body trembled violently.
I am—
"The late Professor Lutera was a hero of this era who stood firm against the criminals who invaded the academy and protected her students without retreating even an inch. As a result, she lies in this cold ground beneath us, but we at the academy will never forget her name."
—I shouldn't be here.
A scene from the game that I recognized all too well. Why, why was I suddenly standing here?
Even as I trembled, I reflexively delved into my game knowledge to understand the situation.
In times like this, I had to stay calm. If I panicked and froze upon facing a new situation, I would be stuck in perpetual panic. Even with my personality, I knew I had to act calmly in this situation.
Professor Lutera. And this familiar modern funeral service. Clear evidence.
As expected. If it was Lutera, she was a professor at the academy and a true hero, the name of the playable character and protagonist I loved in the game.
Through her unique ability 'Inscription', she strengthened the power of her followers and fought against enemies threatening the world.
As I guessed, the scene I was seeing now was the world of the game 'Four Crowns'.
A game dealing with events in an empire divided into four forces in a virtual world setting.
As expected from the background, the students standing around were each in different uniforms.
"..."
No, it must be a hallucination. This couldn't be real.
If I was really seeing the world inside 'Four Crowns', the protagonist Lutera couldn't have died.
Moreover, I had just finished the final game of the game, confirmed that all challenges were completed, and fallen asleep. When I opened my eyes and regained consciousness, I had fallen into this unknown situation.
While thinking it might be that transmigration, I forcibly shut down my thoughts on this unbelievable situation.
Yes. It was probably a dream. Perhaps I was having a lucid dream in the situation where I had completed all routes with dozens of supporting characters and the game was over.
Yes. After all, it was impossible for the protagonist with cheat-like abilities to die like this.
I just wanted to let the situation slide.
CHECKPOINT REACHED.
Would you like to save?
Yes / No
What... is this, real...?
Why?
I had no memory of such stories from the beginning!
If I was dreaming, it was only natural to see the happy ending I had watched endlessly, right?
No, no.
Even so, this couldn't be real.
No matter how much of a otaku who loved subculture I was, I didn't believe in transmigration, reincarnation, or other world transfer like dreams at all.
"Ah..."
To wake from a dream, just sleep, right?
"Cough..."
My body had been trembling uneasily since a while ago, and before I could stop thinking, my head started throbbing with a terrible headache.
"Adel!"
As consciousness faded, someone grabbed my shoulder, and a worried voice came from somewhere.
Even so, I didn't try to regain my senses.
I just let myself be carried away by the approaching darkness, thinking I wouldn't wake from the dream.
And that was the moment it signaled the beginning of the game I had avoided so much.