Chapter 1:Ghoulers

"Huah! What a breath of fresh air! Finally, I'm in the game," I exclaimed, exhilarated by the vibrant world around me. After an eternity in a featureless void with a mundane loading indicator, the game world unfolded before me in all its splendor. The skies were a pristine blue, the trees swayed in lush greenery, and a crystal-clear river wound through the valley. Every detail felt alive and present.

"Oh, no! I'm falling!" I cried out as gravity took hold. With a thud, I landed on the ground below, surprisingly unscathed except for a few scratches and dust on my back.

"Phew, that was close," I muttered, brushing myself off. Something caught my eye—a gauntlet on my wrist, so light I hadn't noticed it until now. It must be how I access my inventory. Sure enough, it revealed an empty space, except for a mysterious egg tucked away in the miscellaneous section. Could it be a starter dragon? I realized, to my dismay, that my cheats were no longer accessible. 

"With the strength of a hundred warriors, let's see how it feels to move at a thousand times the speed of a normal human," I decided, exhilarated by the rush of wind as the world blurred around me. "This is incredible!" I laughed, feeling the thrill of god-like speed as landscapes flashed by in seconds—hill to river in the blink of an eye.

But such power came with a price. After a few exhilarating minutes, thirst and hunger set in, grounding me in the reality of my virtual body's needs. Striding towards a nearby river at normal speed, I heard a sudden shout.

"Watch out!" a voice cried out, urgent and panicked. "You're in danger!"

Turning, I saw a young elf girl, clutching her chest in pain from a fresh wound.

"Are you okay?" I rushed to her side, concern etched on my face.

"Stay back!" she pleaded, fear in her eyes as she tried to shield me with trembling hands and legs.

"What's happening?" I demanded, scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.

"We're ambushed," she explained quickly, her voice urgent as the gravity of the situation sank in.

I scanned the surroundings, finding nothing but distant shadows resembling ghosts. Were these creatures monsters or spirits? Their true nature only revealed itself in the light.

"Hey, rookie. Looks like your luck just ran out," a tall man in a blue coat smirked, emerging from the woods. He was flanked by six rugged men, all sporting beards and a menacing aura.

"say, what level is this rookie?" the presumed leader asked his companions.

"Sir, he's just level 1. Probably just started the game," one of them replied.

"Haha, just a level 1? You won't even put up a fight. How about you lick my boots and maybe I'll let you live?" the leader sneered.

"Who do you think you are, disrespecting me like that? It's just a game," I retorted, my tone defiant.

What did he mean by sparing my life? This was supposed to be just a game. I noticed they had gauntlets to check stats; they weren't NPCs—they were real players.

"Hahaha, your fancy sword won't kill me, but your humor will. You're clueless, aren't you?" the leader mocked, flipping me off.

"What is he talking about? I can't stand this guy," I thought to myself.

"Well, it won't matter because we're going to kill you anyway," he continued coldly.

"Over my dead body! I won't let you harm innocent creatures in this area," a voice shouted defiantly—a young elf girl had joined us.

"Innocent? Helpless? This elf's making assumptions. This is getting ridiculous; I have to help her," I resolved.

"And who are you, her sidekick? Doesn't matter; you barely survived our last encounter," the leader taunted, nodding to the elf.

"Check her level too; it won't be much," he ordered his henchmen.

"Her XP stats are level 34," one henchman reported with a smirk.

This guy... I won't let him get away with this, I thought grimly.

Looking at me, the leader sneered, "What are you smiling at? say,You're clueless about your situation. If I were you, I'd consider licking the boots. But that ship has sailed; we, the Ghoulers, will surely make you remember us in hell. By the way, we're level 50."

"Go, I can handle them. You need to run; you can outrun them; I'm sure," the elf girl smiled back at me.

But her body couldn't take much more; it was painful to watch. I had to do something, but I was running low on energy. Glancing at her small bag, I asked desperately, "Your bag! Is there anything in there? Food, water—anything?"

"Why are you still here? I told you to run," she replied weakly.

"I can't leave you. If only you'd..." I started.

She handed me the bag. "Yes, take it." The elf girl couldn't endure the archers' barrage any longer; she collapsed to her knees.

After quickly devouring the apples, I glanced back at her lying on the ground. "It was tough to watch. I'm sorry for making you wait, elf girl. Looks like you're still with us."

"Why didn't you run when you had the chance?" she grumbled.

"You can rest now. I see these fools clearly now," I reassured her confidently.

"So, you guys... who were you again? Ghoulers? That's a pretty lame name."

These people were clueless. They had no idea who they were up against.