Chapter 1: Uninvited Guest - (1)
Section 01
It has been roughly two days since an unprecedented event began—people transforming into playable characters from Season Off Fantasy, and monsters pouring out of light rifts that opened in the sky.
What was discussed during the meeting of the top four guilds 48 hours ago remains a mystery to me, but ever since then, the situation in Korea has been picking up speed like a runaway train, growing more urgent and intense with each passing moment.
"Announcement…"
As evening approached, tinged with the glow of the setting sun, I, now in the body of Celberion, blinked my crimson eyes and stared intently at the cracked screen of my old smartphone.
Displayed on that fractured screen was the full text of a government announcement released just a few hours earlier.
[Official Announcement from the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters]
Announced at 17:00 / Ministry of the Interior and Safety - Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters
Title: Government Response and Cooperation Guidelines for the Collapse of Reality-Virtual Structure
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety hereby issues the following official statement to the public regarding the recent manifestation of Season Off Fantasy-based monsters across multiple regions nationwide.
These anomalies partially defy conventional physical laws, rendering full suppression by existing forces—such as the military, firefighters, and police—challenging. Consequently, the need to enhance our current disaster response system has been raised internally.
To address this, the government has formalized cooperation with civilians identified as "players" and established a new nationwide response organization: the Season Off Fantasy Phenomenon Response Headquarters (SOF Phenomenon Response Headquarters), abbreviated as SPR. This body will collaborate with players to manage practical responses, including anomaly countermeasures, regional defense line establishment, special force deployment, damage recovery, and information analysis.
To effectively counter the regional spread of these anomalies, the government has delegated command and control authority to key players and guilds, dividing the nation into four zones, each assigned to the following:
Capital Region: "Yoon Sol (SoLSoL)" – Ace Guild
Eastern Region: "Kim Duk-soo (TyphoonMan)" – Vajra Guild
Central Region: "Jung Hyun-joon (Dark Phantom)" – Destiny Guild
Jeju and Southern Regions: "Han Yeon-hwa (YH)" – Legend Guild
These four guilds will work with the government to conduct operations and maintain public order, with overall command jointly led by Han Yeon-hwa (YH) of the Legend Guild and Minister of National Defense Lee Duk-chun.
We request that other citizens who have awakened as players report to the nearest military base or SPR-designated safe zone to undergo the government’s official certification process. Certified players will receive combat support, supplies, and modest compensation during operations, participating under the direction of SPR and the players and guilds overseeing their respective regions.
However, alongside cooperative players, numerous reports have emerged nationwide of players indiscriminately threatening or looting civilians. Such individuals are deemed a separate threat from the anomalies, and their actions constitute serious crimes under the Criminal Act, warranting immediate arrest and isolation.
Should you encounter anomalies or armed individuals outdoors, please verify their government certification. In suspicious circumstances, maintain absolute distance and report immediately to the SPR Integrated Reporting Center. We strongly urge the public to refrain from outdoor activities and remain indoors until further official guidance is provided.
Additional announcements will follow as the situation develops. Please regularly check SPR’s official channels and local disaster response agencies for updates.
We sincerely thank you for your cooperation and assure you that the government will stand with you until this crisis is resolved.
"Hmm…"
After reading the announcement in full, I scratched my chin. I’d been curious about what the top four guilds discussed two days ago, and it seemed they’d negotiated cooperation with the government and the creation of a new department for an effective response.
"SPR, huh…"
Establishing a new department felt almost inevitable. Whenever epidemics or disasters struck, specialized agencies were always formed.
Moreover, with only transformed players capable of handling the monsters at this stage, the government’s call for cooperation was a logical move.
In novels and comics, don’t organizations like hunter associations or guild alliances always pop up in response to such crises?
Players could now fight more systematically without their movements getting tangled, and receiving government support and compensation didn’t sound like a bad deal either.
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"…"
That said, there are always those who savor their solitude.
No matter how much support the government offers, some people dislike being part of an organization or taking orders. They’d keep raiding solo, avoiding the new SPR entirely.
…Like me, for example.
"Under the guilds and government? Why bother…?"
I tilted my head as I skimmed the announcement again.
They were luring players to join SPR with promises of support and compensation, but Celberion was far stronger than all four top Korean guilds combined.
I didn’t need special combat assistance, and the compensation they dangled could be acquired through Celberion’s abilities in other ways.
No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t see the appeal of heading to a military base to join SPR.
In fact, the idea of being ordered around or controlled by others while in Celberion’s body felt like the ultimate insult—and the dumbest thing I could do to myself. I resolved to keep navigating this chaos on my own terms, doing whatever I pleased.
…Besides, the government was riddled with corruption and irregularities, and players, newly endowed with immense power and authority, had egos swollen to match.
Even if it wasn’t apparent now, a major rift between the two groups was bound to emerge eventually. I had zero interest in joining SPR and getting caught up in that mess.
"…Still, the battles are about to kick off in earnest."
Regardless of my choices or what the future held, with SPR’s creation and the gradual rallying of major guilds, Korea was now poised to plunge into full-scale combat.
Under the command of Legend, Vajra, Destiny, and Ace, everyone would fight tooth and nail to reclaim the nation’s major cities.
Just imagining the roars of monsters, screams, and battle cries that would soon assault my ears gave me a headache already.
"Players looting and threatening civilians…"
The lengthy announcement also warned of rogue players’ misdeeds, beyond just SPR’s establishment and the call for cooperation.
"That’s only natural…"
How could every player be righteous and kind-hearted? Desire drives all humans, and with superior strength and opportunity now in their grasp, some would inevitably stop at nothing to satisfy their cravings.
With police and military powerless to apprehend or subdue players, it was no surprise that rogue players were running wild.
Unless God remade humanity from scratch, there’d always be those who chased their selfish interests without restraint.
I hoped the newly formed SPR would crack down on these rogue players effectively, but if SPR itself turned corrupt, there’d be no one to stop them—a whole other problem.
…Maybe the real enemy of humanity isn’t the monsters spilling from the rifts, but the humans standing on the same soil.
"So busy…"
From the SPR set up by the government and players, to the flood of monsters, to the rogue players exploiting the chaos to indulge their desires—Korea had been buzzing with activity amid massive confusion in the two days since this all began.
"…"
Of course, it wasn’t just the government and big guilds keeping busy.
I, too, had spent the last two days frantically investigating Celberion’s body, uncovering several intriguing facts along the way.
…First, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Celberion’s stamina far surpassed that of any human.
I hadn’t slept a wink in two days, yet I felt no fatigue or urge to rest.
Hunger didn’t gnaw at me either—no pangs or cravings. All the chronic exhaustion and ailments I’d endured in my original body were entirely absent in Celberion’s.
"Am I a monster now…?"
I muttered, scratching my head.
Though she looked like a beautiful girl, Celberion was, at her core, a "boss monster" from Season Off Fantasy. In essence, she wasn’t human but a monster.
Realizing I’d become a different species stirred an odd sense of emptiness, though it wasn’t that I longed for my past or disliked my current state.
I was just unaccustomed to this boundless stamina and strength.
"Ugh…"
…But even Celberion wasn’t flawless. She had one glaring weakness: she couldn’t eat vegetables.
"Yuck, it’s disgusting…"
Feeling peckish, I’d dug out a salad I’d saved, but the moment I bit into a tomato, a rancid stench and fishy taste assaulted my mouth and nose.
At first, I thought it had spoiled, so I switched to some side dishes and kimchi, setting the table anew. But when I shoveled in a mouthful of greens, it was like cramming garbage into my mouth.
"What’s that smell…?"
Ugh.
Even after spitting it all out and rinsing my mouth, the rotten odor lingered in my nose and throat.
Rice and instant foods tasted fine, though, so it seemed Celberion simply couldn’t handle vegetables or greens.
It was an unexpected flaw—a weakness I hadn’t anticipated.
…To assassinate Celberion, maybe hiring a chef to force-feed her veggies or juice would do the trick.
"Chefs are scary…"
Coincidentally, Season Off Fantasy had a "chef" class—a support role. I decided it was best to steer clear of them.
"…"
Aside from this bizarre inability to eat vegetables, Celberion—the final boss of December—possessed a near-perfect body.
Her senses were also ridiculously advanced, far beyond human limits.
With her crimson eyes, I could read the letters on a distant sign even in pitch-black night.
My sense of smell picked up the faint whiff of gunpowder from far-off shells and subtle shifts in odors.
My sense of touch had transcended mere sensation—it was like gaining a new instinct. I could automatically detect threats or attack trajectories, my body dodging instinctively—a domain of pure "instinct."
…But the most striking upgrade was my hearing. Celberion’s auditory senses were leagues beyond a human’s.
— P-Please, spare me, ugh!!
— …Shut up, bitch. No one’s coming, so be quiet.
— Hyung, hurry up and let me have a turn.
— Shut it, just grab anything valuable.
"…"
…It was so sharp I could even catch the faint whispers of uninvited guests creeping into our neighborhood late at night.
"Rogue players looting, raping, and murdering…"
Muttering the words from the government’s announcement, I rose quietly from my seat.
I transformed the Dream Tiara on my head into a black mask and slipped it on. Then, I morphed the Chains of Death and Frost into a greatsword.
"…Plenty of fearless ones out there."
Sure, it was a poverty-stricken neighborhood, but it was home—a place I’d lived in for five years, where I’d grown attached. I even knew some residents by sight. I couldn’t just stand by while rogue players wreaked havoc here. If I let it slide, they might even come for my place next.
…Now that I had power, I ought to use it right. I wanted to protect what I could—what I wanted to protect.
I refused to relive the experience from five years ago when I lost everything in an instant.
"…Some PVP practice wouldn’t hurt."
Chapter 2: Uninvited Guest - (2)
Section 01
"Fuck, this is it."
Volunteering to patrol this quiet, rundown neighborhood was the best decision he’d made in the past year—or so Lee Woo-jin of the Ace Guild thought.
A corner on the outskirts of Seoul where the socially marginalized gathered, steeped in the stench of poverty.
Compared to the relentless battles raging in Seoul’s downtown for two and a half days, this place was eerily silent.
…No monsters, no players.
Only the occasional stray cat basking in the moonlight broke the stillness. The neighborhood seemed almost untouched by the chaos that had erupted elsewhere.
It made sense, though. The people here, who might not even scrape together three meals a day, were unlikely to have shelled out for expensive VR gear or played Season Off Fantasy. Naturally, there were no transformed players around.
Plus, most were too busy defending bustling hubs like Gangnam or Jongno—nobody spared a thought for a dilapidated place like this.
Even SPR, the government-player cooperative, and the Ace Guild, tasked with the capital region, had ranked this neighborhood dead last on their protection priority list. So, the quiet wasn’t entirely unexpected for Woo-jin.
"No monsters, perfect."
Still, it was odd that not a single monster had shown up, given the thousands of Light Rifts dotting Seoul’s skies.
But who cared? For Woo-jin’s covert plans tonight, this was the ideal setting.
"Hyung, it’s just like you said."
Beside him, Kim Jin-ho—also from the Ace Guild, a skilled thief ranker known as PantyGoblin—muttered with barely contained excitement.
Seeing his younger partner’s gleaming eyes, Woo-jin puffed out his chest even more proudly.
"Of course. Tonight, we’re kings and gods here. We can do whatever we want."
Woo-jin smirked at Jin-ho. Thinking about what would unfold tonight, he couldn’t suppress a grin.
…Woo-jin and Jin-ho were both over level 1000—pretty capable players in their own right.
Not just police and military, but most players couldn’t stand up to them. In a neighborhood devoid of other players, no one could stop or interfere with their actions.
In short, tonight, in this place, Woo-jin and Jin-ho could loot, rape, even kill, and no one could touch them.
Better yet, this chaos outstripped war. If they killed someone, they could pin it on monsters—a perfect excuse.
Above all, they were part of the Ace Guild, directly entrusted by the government with the capital region—hands down Korea’s most popular guild.
Woo-jin even had ties to Yoon Sol, aka SoLSoL, the guild master and now a high-ranking official. If anything went awry, he could pull strings to cover it up.
"So, tonight, this place is our world."
Thus, at least in this unguarded, rundown neighborhood, they could unleash every deviant impulse and desire.
For a fleeting moment, they could be kings, gods.
Before this upheaval, they’d been shut-ins, holed up in their rooms for over 20 hours a day in a virtual world, friendless hikikomoris. This was a heart-pounding thrill they’d never dared imagine back then.
"Alright, let’s go."
"Yes, hyung."
And so, the self-proclaimed "patrollers of neglected neighborhoods" from the Ace Guild officially stepped into the area.
Woo-jin’s class was the close-range dealer "Assassin," while Jin-ho’s was the support-class "Thief"—the ultimate combo in Season Off Fantasy for sneaking in or ambushing silently.
Both Assassins and Thieves had their noise halved by default, and Thieves boasted the unique "Lockpicking" skill, capable of opening any locked door or chest.
Plus, alongside Scientists, they were the only classes with a passive to locate valuable items, making Jin-ho indispensable tonight.
"…"
"…"
They singled out the most decent-looking building in this decrepit neighborhood and promptly picked the lock of a small first-floor room.
The sturdy locked door turned useless as Jin-ho stretched out his hand and activated his skill.
"…"
"…"
Inside the cramped studio, the first sight that greeted Woo-jin and Jin-ho was a middle-aged man in a tank top and underwear, fast asleep.
Snores
His thunderous snoring suggested he wouldn’t wake no matter what they did.
"…"
"…"
Confirming he was out cold, Woo-jin and Jin-ho exchanged hand signals and began ransacking the place. They planned to take anything of value.
Poor folks often carried more cash since bad credit barred them from cards. Sure enough, Woo-jin found a thick wad of bills in the man’s wallet on the desk.
"…Lucky."
Maybe he’d just gotten paid for day labor? It was more than expected. Woo-jin grinned and stuffed it all into his pocket.
With currency values fluctuating, cash might not mean much, but having it in hand still felt good.
"Hmm…"
"…"
Glancing over, Woo-jin saw Jin-ho trying on what looked like the priciest watch among the man’s belongings.
"…"
Next, Woo-jin gingerly picked up the smartphone by the bedside. Not the latest model, but it’d fetch a decent price second-hand.
Snores— Uh, hmm…?
"?!!"
"!!"
Mid-theft, the man suddenly opened his eyes—maybe struggling to breathe through his snoring.
…Woo-jin’s gaze locked with his.
"…"
"…"
The man’s eyes darted around, trying to process the situation, and an awkward, bewildered silence hung in the air.
For a split second, Woo-jin and Jin-ho froze, thinking they’d been caught. Then, realizing burglars were in his home, the man unleashed a deafening scream.
"B-Burglar!!"
"Shh, shut up!!"
Panicked, Jin-ho and Woo-jin lunged to cover his mouth. But the middle-aged man flailed wildly, screaming in terror.
"Burglar! There’s a burglar!! A burglar broke in…!! Gah…!!"
His panicked cries didn’t last long, though—they faded into the air.
Stab.
"Phew…"
…Woo-jin drove his dagger into the man’s heart and yanked it out hard. Pierced clean through, the man died instantly, without a sound.
"Fucking annoying…"
Woo-jin glared down at the corpse with disgust. He’d briefly forgotten, but tonight, they were kings here. If someone annoyed or bothered them, they could just kill them—whoever it was.
"D-Did he die?!"
"Yeah."
Woo-jin nodded curtly at Jin-ho’s startled question. Though Jin-ho looked shaken, Woo-jin shrugged it off and left the first house.
They’d grabbed all the valuables—cash, watch—and with the owner dead, there was no reason to stick around.
"W-Wait for me…!"
Jin-ho scrambled after him.
"…"
"…"
They moved to the next house. In another neighborhood, the man’s screams would’ve drawn players running, but here, no one came—proof they’d picked the perfect spot.
Ding—
"…It’s open."
The second house, a bit farther from the first. Again, they used their skills to pick the lock and slipped inside quietly.
This place was twice as neat and organized as the last—a laptop, textbooks, and papers clearly marked it as a college student’s apartment.
"…Lucky us."
And then, something caught Woo-jin and Jin-ho’s eyes—something that made them smile wider than the cash haul.
"…"
A young woman with a pretty face, sleeping soundly. Seeing her, Woo-jin and Jin-ho licked their lips in unison.
Yeah, maybe this was their real goal tonight. Losers their whole lives—when would they ever get a shot with a woman?
But now, with strength far beyond normal humans, they could take it by force if they had to. No hesitation slowed them.
"…"
"…"
They nodded to each other and sprang into action. Woo-jin seized the sleeping woman’s upper body, Jin-ho her lower, and they pinned her down.
"W-What?! Ah, aahhh!!"
Jolted awake by the sudden assault, the woman screamed. She thrashed wildly, trying to break free.
"P-Please, spare me…!! Mmph…!!"
"Shut up, bitch. No one’s coming, so be quiet."
But a mere civilian couldn’t overpower two players—especially high-level ones. Woo-jin easily clamped her mouth shut and began untying her thin nightgown.
…Her pale skin met the open air.
"Nice…"
Woo-jin licked his lips and started unzipping his pants. A happiness he’d never known was now within reach.
But getting there wasn’t so simple. Just before he could, an unexpected hurdle crashed in.
"Hiyaaaah!!"
"?!!"
"Wha…?!"
A shout rang from the front door. Then, something heavy slammed into Woo-jin and Jin-ho atop the woman, sending them smashing through the wall and out onto the dark street.
"Fuck…"
"Fuck, what the hell?!"
Their superhuman durability kicked in. Despite crashing through a wall and tumbling onto the road, they sprang up and scanned for whoever had attacked.
"…You bastards, I came because I heard screams. Who are you?! What guild are you from to be looting like this?!"
Emerging slowly from the gaping hole in the wall was a burly man in thick armor, gripping a large shield.
Woo-jin frowned at the sight.
"A Holy Shield Knight…?"
Anyone could tell he was a "Holy Shield Knight," the iconic tank class from Season Off Fantasy. Behind him, a woman who looked like a priestess peeked out.
"Damn, there were players here…"
Woo-jin clicked his tongue as he brushed off his knees and stood. He’d assumed this rundown neighborhood was player-free, but two stood before him—an unwelcome shock.
He flicked his eyes up to check the info of the man standing boldly in their path.
[???]
Level: 821
Class: ???
"…"
In Season Off Fantasy’s system, without skills or items, you could only see an opponent’s level and HP gauge.
It was a maddening limitation, but for now, it sufficed.
Only level 821…?
The Holy Shield Knight’s level was about 200 below Woo-jin and Jin-ho’s. The priestess behind him was similar—both roughly B-grade monster tier.
"Annoying…"
Realizing they weren’t unbeatable, Woo-jin drew his twin swords. The knight’s high defense and HP would be a pain, but the level gap made victory seem likely.
"You think you can just ram into people…"
Jin-ho, too, scowled and pulled out his dagger. Interrupted at the peak moment—maybe their one shot at fulfilling a lifelong yearning—their rage boiled over.
…They just wanted to eliminate these weak, nosy intruders and get back to it.
"…Take out the priest first so she can’t buff. I’ll handle the Holy Shield Knight."
"Yes, hyung."
Killing the enemy’s support—source of heals and buffs—was basic Season Off Fantasy strategy. Woo-jin tasked the nimble Thief, Jin-ho, with the priestess.
"Hmph, come at me if you dare."
Maybe confident in his skills or class, the self-appointed neighborhood guardian readied to fight, despite seeing Woo-jin and Jin-ho’s higher levels.
"Idiot."
This wasn’t a game with respawns. Pointless bravado and baseless confidence would only lead to eternal sleep. The Holy Shield Knight would soon regret not fleeing.
…Woo-jin gripped his twin swords and charged.
"Here I come!! Shadow Slade!"
As he swung, two shadowy blades fired toward the knight. The knight clutched his shield tight and triggered a skill.
"Defend Up!!"
A common tank skill boosting defense. An orange aura wrapped the knight, enhancing his already stout defense, letting him block Woo-jin’s first strike with ease.
"Die."
"Urgh…!!"
Using the Assassin’s speed, Woo-jin closed in and unleashed a heavy basic attack. The knight raised his shield in time, but the level gap made it a struggle.
"Woo-hoo, I’m passing through! ‘Silent Sprint!’"
"Wha…!!"
While Woo-jin and the knight clashed, Jin-ho activated a Thief-only skill, darting past them toward the priestess.
Even with a support Thief’s low attack power, the level difference should let him handle her easily.
"Not so fast, ‘Shield’s Howl!’"
Knowing losing the priestess would doom him—especially with the level disparity—the knight triggered another skill.
"Huh? What? My body’s moving on its own…?!"
A tank’s job is to soak up all damage for the team. "Shield’s Howl" forced all enemy attacks onto him for a set time—a Holy Shield Knight exclusive.
Jin-ho’s dagger, aimed at the priestess, swerved against his will toward the knight.
"Song of the Shield!"
The priestess cast a timely defense buff, letting the knight weather both Woo-jin’s and Jin-ho’s attacks.
"Annoying bastard…"
With his plan to take out the priestess first thwarted, Woo-jin scowled. Maybe pleased by this, the knight smirked at him mid-struggle.
"What, never seen a Holy Shield Knight before?"
"Arrogant…"
Woo-jin broke the lock, flipped one sword into a reverse grip, and slashed at the knight’s face. The knight hastily raised his shield again.
Clang!
He blocked in time, but lifting the shield left his abdomen wide open.
…Exactly what Woo-jin had been aiming for.
"Hup…!!"
Seizing the chance, Woo-jin spun and kicked the knight’s exposed gut. As an Assassin built for one-shot kills, even his basic attacks hit hard. The knight flew back, crashing into a nearby wall.
"Ugh…"
Unable to block with his shield, the knight seemed to take real damage. But Woo-jin didn’t let up.
"Jin-ho!"
"Okay, on it. ‘Steal!’"
At Woo-jin’s call, Jin-ho stretched a hand toward the wall-embedded knight and activated a Thief-only skill.
Steal.
A unique Thief ability with a 50% chance to swipe an item or weapon from a downed or afflicted enemy—so versatile, many picked Thief just for it.
Against targets of equal or lower level, the success rate jumped 20%, hitting 70% at max level.
With the knight 200 levels below Jin-ho, this Steal had a 70% shot.
"…Success."
"?!!"
Seventy percent was steep odds.
Jin-ho cleanly nabbed the knight’s core weapon—his massive shield, the heart and soul of his class.
"F-Fuck?!"
Seeing his shield vanish like a mirage, the knight’s face stiffened. All his skills hinged on that shield—losing it was as good as losing the fight.
He had no strong basic attacks or a damage dealer to back him up. Defeat was now inevitable.
"Idiot, you should’ve run when you saw higher levels."
"Damn…"
"There’s a thing called a level gap. Did you really think you could win? Without a damage dealer?"
"…"
Woo-jin advanced slowly toward the Holy Shield Knight—Kim Dong-wook, aka Sinsa-dong Masochist—twin swords poised to end him. Dong-wook scrambled for an escape, but he was boxed in against the wall.
"D-Dong-wook!!"
The priestess called his name desperately, but as green as she was, she couldn’t do much here.
"You attacked first, so consider this your own doing."
"Damn it…"
…Woo-jin sneered as he raised his blade to Dong-wook’s neck. All Dong-wook could do was pray his bare defense could tank a critical hit from an Assassin 200 levels higher.
"…!!"
He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the pain and impact.
…But instead of agony, a bone-chilling cold swept in.
"Hmm…?"
Sensing the sudden, piercing chill, Woo-jin—moments from finishing the knight—paused and turned.
"What’s that…?"
Likewise, Kim Jin-ho frowned and muttered, looking the same way.
"…Who’s there?"
Puzzled by the unseasonable cold on this early summer night, they spotted a girl walking toward them from the alley’s end.
"A girl…?"
"At this hour…?"
But she wasn’t ordinary. A black mask hid her face, and a gray hoodie shadowed her head, concealing her entirely.
If not for her slim yet curvaceous frame, they might not have clocked her gender.
Plus, the menacing red greatsword hovering behind her marked her as a transformed player—like them.
Ice…?
With each step, frost spread, the road icing over bit by bit.
As she neared, the cold deepened—she was clearly its source.
"Hey, you two."
…The mysterious girl spoke cautiously as she approached, addressing Woo-jin and Jin-ho, the neighborhood’s uninvited guests.
"…I hope you came prepared to die."
Through her mask’s slits, crimson eyes glinted under the night sky.
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