Chapter 4: Step-by-Step Guide (1)

I woke up abruptly.

A sharp pain shot through my head. It felt like a hangover, reminiscent of the morning after a night of drinking.

Hangover, huh? Where are the painkillers? I rummaged around the bedside table, hoping to find some Tylenol that I usually keep handy. Two pills wouldn't cut it this time, so I decided to take around four.

But to my dismay, there was nothing there.

I slowly opened my eyes.

[Welcome, Master!]

To proceed, internal data is required. Would you like to download it? Wi-Fi usage is recommended.

[Yes (selected) / No]

[Downloading 001/537]

I found myself in a white room.

Every direction I looked, all I could see was white.

I was lying on the white floor. As I got up and surveyed my surroundings, the white space seemed to stretch endlessly to the horizon.

Where am I?

In the upper right corner of my vision, a window with text popped up.

[Downloading 004/537]

[Tips/Pick Me Up is a hyper-roguelike summoning RPG. In fact, it's more of a simulation than an RPG.]

I dusted off my clothes and stood up.

The blurry shapes gradually came into focus.

The space remained entirely white.

I stood atop that mysterious space, observing as the holographic window blinked and the number on the right continued to rise.

[Downloading 009/537]

[Tips/The waiting room where heroes gather is called a room.]

The loading bar progressed, and gradually, the blank space began to take shape.

Suddenly, a dining table materialized out of nowhere, followed by chairs, a refrigerator, an oven, a carpet, and a sofa. Walls emerged, sealing off all exits, while the ceiling and floor were completed with metallic tiles.

The once empty space transformed into a fully furnished room.

[Downloading 015/537]

I gazed at the unfolding scene, then gently tapped my cheeks to refocus.

Stay calm, keep a clear mind.

They say even in the face of danger, a composed mind can lead to survival.

I tried to retrace my steps. How did I end up here? What transpired yesterday? I needed to recollect slowly.

What did I do yesterday, Han Seojin?

I woke up, got ready, and had breakfast.

Routine tasks followed, like uploading a video on YouTube and buying dinner at the convenience store. Did something happen before I returned home? Did I drink? No, I quit drinking long ago.

Upon returning home, I charged my battery

The Advent Dungeon.

A high-level Advent Dungeon opened during the 100 million downloads event.

My vanguard team was defeated, and just as I pondered my next move

I encountered a bug.

The bug was unprecedented.

The graphics and text were completely jumbled, and the boss level seemed to be 999, far exceeding the hero level cap of 99. As I attempted to go back to the main screen following my party's defeat, my phone suddenly froze.

What was my next move? I reached for the power button on my phone,

And then my memory went blank.

[Downloading 045/537]

Did I drift off?

Was I that exhausted?

I lifted my head in bewilderment.

After some contemplation, I came to the conclusion that this was all a dream.

It felt like I was dreaming while lounging on the couch. Not just any dream, but a lucid dream where I was aware of its nature.

Yet, I'm not one to dream often.

I couldn't even recall the last time I had a dream.

[Downloading 055/537]

The white room's interior began to materialize.

The once empty space was now being furnished, with all the furniture being metallic and either gray or pure white in color.

It didn't suit my preferences.

Although it had a contemporary vibe, it lacked the warmth of a lived-in space.

Is there anybody present?

I called out.

No one replied.

A bad dream?

I always thought nightmares were just scary dreams filled with monsters or ghosts.

I opened the door that had suddenly appeared and stepped outside the room.

As I exited the room, I found myself in a plaza. It was as vast and open as a school playground, but it was an indoor plaza, not an outdoor one. At the far end of the plaza stood a towering wall.

Above me, instead of a ceiling, there was a hazy, rippling sky.

Is anyone here? If you're here, respond!

I shouted.

Once again, there was no answer.

What kind of bizarre dream is this?

It has a surreal quality of a dream.

The sensation of the cool air against my skin, the rhythmic sound of my shoes on the floor, and the vibrant colors surrounding me heightened my senses. This led to an increased feeling of frustration.

On the extended wall of the plaza, an iron gate stood prominently.

The gate remained shut, with a plaque above it bearing the inscription "The Rift of Time and Space." Multiple gates of a similar nature were scattered across the walls.

As I strolled through the plaza, I carefully examined the plaques affixed to each gate.

"The Rift of Time and Space," "Training Ground," "Synthesis Lab," "Armory."

I reached for the doorknob of the armory and attempted to open it, but it only shook without budging.

What kind of dream is this?

Trying the other doors yielded the same unyielding result.

Ultimately, I retraced my steps back to the initial room. Although no new objects materialized, the floating text continued to update.

I opened the refrigerator...

The refrigerator contained a plethora of orange juice. I selected a bottle from the lower compartment and poured it into a cup.

I reclined on the sofa.

The soft fabric enveloped me. The orange juice was cool and invigorating as it flowed down my throat.

I lightly pinched my cheek.

Ouch-

It stung.

As I tapped my cheeks to ground myself, the pain felt real.

What is happening?!

Is this all a dream?

The orange juice, the cozy sofa, the cheek pinch - all part of a dream.

But then, a thought crept into my mind.

What if this is reality?

The unexpectedly chilly tone caught me off guard. I promptly pushed aside the taunting voice in my head. 

Version 1: The unexpectedly frigid voice was jarring. I swiftly disregarded the mocking tone from my thoughts.

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