Bulan was busy delivering orders through the narrow streets and busy roads of Quiapo. The honking of horns, the rush of jeepneys, and the noise of the people had become a regular part of his life. Though it wasn't the future he had dreamed of, this was where fate had led him---a college dropout now trying to make ends meet as a delivery rider.
As he continued his deliveries, a heavy feeling suddenly settled in his chest. It wasn't because of the heat or the fatigue from work, but the memories of his past that came rushing back. The day he gave up his dream of becoming an engineer after his mother's death was a turning point. The scholarship he had hoped would secure a better future for him vanished in an instant when his mother fell ill, and he had to quit school to support them.
Every corner of Quiapo that he passed held memories of his old life---days when he was still with his mother, and the plans they made to rise from poverty. But now, those dreams felt so distant.
He passed by Quiapo Church, a place his mother frequented to pray. He paused for a moment, watching the people, hoping for some miracle to come into his life. But deep inside, he knew there would be no miracle to lift him out of his situation. He was on his own.
Bulan didn't realize he was crying until the rain suddenly poured down, mirroring his emotions. He continued riding his motorbike, slower and heavier this time. He didn't care about the wet streets or the coldness of his soaked clothes anymore. Passing through an alleyway, he spotted a young boy selling sampaguita flowers---a familiar scene from his childhood.
Their eyes met, and Bulan saw in the boy his younger self---full of hope and dreams, but now swallowed by the harsh realities of life. He stopped and handed over the last coins from his pocket.
"Never stop dreaming, okay?" he whispered to the boy. The child nodded, not fully understanding the weight of those words.
As Bulan made his way to his final delivery, memories of his former classmates flooded his mind. On social media, he saw their posts---successful graduation ceremonies, new jobs, and pictures of their happy lives. Meanwhile, here he was, knocking on doors and hoping for tips that were often disappointingly small.
"Is this all I'll ever be?" he asked himself while handing over a milk tea order to a customer. The meager tip he received felt like another blow to his already broken spirit.
There were days when he wanted to give up---wondering why he kept pushing through when every path he tried seemed to end with a wall.
As he rode home through the wet streets, his cellphone suddenly buzzed. He stopped his motorbike and pulled it out of his pocket, surprised to see an unfamiliar message.
"You have been selected to join the Game. High rewards await. Wealth, power, and the fulfillment of your deepest desire. Click the link to accept."
Bulan's eyes widened. "What is this, a scam?" He shook his head, glancing around. It seemed like a typical spam message, but something about it gave him an uneasy feeling. He'd heard enough stories about online scams and phishing schemes to know better than to click on random links.
"High rewards? Fulfillment of desires?" he murmured. He stared at the phone, hesitating whether to open the link. On any other day, he would've deleted the message and moved on. But at that moment, weighed down by his life's disappointments, it was hard to ignore the idea that this might be his chance.
In the end, he shook his head and closed the phone. "Just another scam," he muttered to himself, too tired of false hopes.
He refocused on the road and continued driving to his small apartment.
Later that night, lying in bed, Bulan tried to push thoughts of the message out of his mind. He attempted to sleep, but he couldn't shake the restlessness. His mind kept drifting back to memories of his mother, the dreams he once held, and the crushing reality he now lived in.
When he reopened his phone to browse online, his breath caught. The message was there again, even though he had deleted it earlier. It had somehow reappeared in his inbox.
"This is so weird," he said, feeling a growing sense of unease in his chest. This time, he didn't delete it. Instead, he read the message again. A part of his mind told him to follow through---that maybe, despite how strange it was, this could be his way out of the endless cycle of failure.
Without thinking too much, he decided to click the link.
Almost immediately, the lights in his apartment flickered and died. His phone continued to glow, but in a way that felt unnatural. A strong gust of wind suddenly swept through the room, and he instinctively dropped his phone, which seemed to be emitting a strange purple energy.
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in his apartment. Instead, he found himself in an unfamiliar, magical world.
"What kind of place is this?" he wondered aloud. The cool breeze brushed against his skin, but that wasn't his main concern. As he quickly surveyed his surroundings, instead of panic, a smile spread across his face. "Wow, this place is amazing!"
His awe was interrupted when a purple interface suddenly appeared in front of him.
Unknown Player143 ENTER Online
[Click Start]
Rather than being scared or confused, Bulan felt excited about this strange situation.
"Wait... am I inside a game? Awesome!" he exclaimed, slapping his face three times to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
As expected, nothing changed, and the interface remained.
"Well, if this is how things are, why would I pass up the chance?" he said with a grin, pressing the start button.
[Begin a new adventure]
[Load an existing one]
"Why go back to the old when I can start fresh?" he muttered and eagerly selected the first option.
Please Create Your Character
"Nice, this feels so real," he said, watching the 3D model of his character slowly rotate. It looked dull for now since he hadn't designed it yet.
Sitting down, he began crafting his avatar.
"Height? 6'1, of course! Hair color? Blue, to look cool. Eye color? Green, instant charm points. Skin tone? Tan, gives that adventurer vibe. Role? Assassin, gotta be slick!"
He opted for a simple outfit, knowing he'd need to level up to unlock his desired skins. As for his username, he didn't overthink it. "Bulan, obviously."
CLICK! He pressed the confirm button to start.
As soon as he hit "confirm," his surroundings shifted. The open fields were replaced by a bustling town full of NPCs and adventurers.
"I'm really inside a game!" he exclaimed, running around like a kid with a brand new toy.
PLAYER INFORMATION
Name: Bulan
Region: Asia
Level: 0
Health Points: 100
Power: 100
"Alright, I'm ready!" he said before noticing his first quest:
Quest Log
Hunt 10 Devourer Slimes
Reward: 100 Gold Coins, 50 XP
Without hesitation, he followed the green arrow leading into the forest. He sprinted forward, oblivious to any potential dangers that awaited him.
YOU ARE READING
ENTER Online
AvventuraA college dropout and struggling delivery rider in Manila, was no stranger to chasing odd jobs just to make ends meet. Despite his low morale, he couldn't shake off his longing for a better life. So when he received a mysterious message offering a p...
