An unbelievable event has occurred.
Where should I start the story?
Yes, it would be best to begin with the background.
Let’s talk about my school days first.
Like other boys of that time, I too enjoyed games.
They were a great topic for conversation and subtly sparked a sense of competition, drawing us in naturally.
Most of the joys of school life came from games.
Indeed, we were captivated by them.
As time passed, more games were released, and we followed the trends, letting them come and go like the seasons.
There was one game that even we, confident in our gaming skills, could not conquer.
The name of that notorious game was “Chronicles of Asares.”
The genre was an otherworldly fantasy set in the medieval era, featuring nobles, monsters, swords, and magic.
You could choose one of over a hundred playable characters, then select a few others to form a party, with the main content being to clear the main scenario.
Each character had their own independent storyline, and those not chosen by the player would proceed automatically via AI.
As the characters cleared stages, they would gradually share common scenarios, culminating in a final scenario that the party would clear together. This was the game’s identity.
With such vast character narratives and what was considered high-quality graphics at the time, along with excellent musical direction, the game was momentarily in the spotlight, but the enthusiasm soon faded.
The reason was simple.
The most notorious element was that if you died, your save data would disappear.
Ironically, this made it easier to play other characters.
It was so ruthless that it erased even the attachment one had built up.
As a result, in hopes of finding an easier character to clear, we tried all of them, but the outcome was always the same.
Game over before we even got a clue about the final boss.
Because of this, my friends started placing bets, and I, recalling all the games I had cleared, accepted out of pride.
So, did I clear this terribly difficult game that no one else could?
Despite staying up nights for months, I couldn’t clear the game. Fortunately, like most bets among our peers at that age, it fizzled out.
This is a part of my school days’ memories.
Next, let’s talk about a more recent story.
Eight years later, I was working in information security at an IT company.
The salary was good, but job satisfaction was low.
There were frequent late nights and constant nagging.
It was far from my dreams.
I had learned coding because I loved games since childhood and wanted to create one.
However, by then, the Korean package game market had already collapsed.
This job was a compromise with reality, a safe haven after changing my path.
Having set aside my cherished dreams, I could never be fully satisfied.
This was the reality of being an adult, and it became a natural course of events, making me indifferent over time.
The silent commute and the lonely footsteps had become familiar and monotonous, as they are for most.
Then, one day, during my routine commute, I received a text message.
A typical message about a class reunion.
Then, I suddenly remembered the bet from back then. A good idea came to mind as well.
What if I cleared Asares by the time the reunion happens, which is in a month?
“It’s an old bet that everyone has forgotten. It would be perfect to revive the memory and use it as a conversation starter.”
A week passed since I dedicated myself to Asares.
I died midway through.
I died just before the final scenario.
With no progress, I had no choice but to compromise.
I decided to use my skills and hack the game.
So, did it work out well?
This turned out to be harder than I thought.
For a game that’s over ten years old, its security was surprisingly robust.
Driven by stubbornness, I secretly wrote code on my personal laptop at work and continued to work on it at home, barely sleeping.
After all that effort, I created a code engine that could penetrate even the most secure defenses.
But that doesn’t mean I could manipulate the game like a god.
Due to my limited skills, I could only tweak one thing.
That was invincibility.
With over a hundred characters, there were many unique traits.
These traits could be seen as skills or quirks, but none were related to invincibility.
That means I possessed an unofficial trait that didn’t exist in Asares.
I planned to use this to aim for a clear.
Of course, I didn’t intend to lie at the reunion and say I cleared it with pure skill.
I just wanted to ask if they remembered the bet from back then and share the ending of the game.
I planned to prepare a story that could serve as a good conversation piece.
With a heart full of anticipation, I entered the final scenario with my invincible character.
That’s as far as the story goes.
Well… as you can see, the result is this.
Right now, I’m inside the game.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself as a tall, handsome guy with blonde hair.
Judging by the situation, it seems I was punished by something unknown for hacking the game.
No, I’m certain of it.
If you ask how I know, the trait window in front of my retina will explain it.
◇Embers of Noble Blood◇
Enhances dignity in front of others.
Exudes noble charisma in front of others.
This is the insignificant trait that the original owner of this body had.
What I wanted to show is this.
◇1 Second Invincibility◇
Nullifies any threat for 1 second.
Cooldown: 60 seconds.
Without any offensive traits, it’s just 1 second.
Looking at it the other way, it’s like being told to survive without offensive traits in 59 seconds of danger.
I’ve repeatedly asked myself why I’m in this absurd situation, but the answer that comes to mind is only one.
“Because I’m a cheater who used the invincibility hack.”
Therefore, the 1-second invincibility trait is a fitting punishment for my crime, as it clearly reflects malicious intent.
Anyway, it’s clear that this is a bad situation.
But, I’ll figure something out…
After all, the body I possess is the eldest son of a great noble family.
“As the young master of a wealthy family, what danger could there possibly be?”