Chapter 1

There is a saying, "A star falls."

It is used when a person with exceptional talent can no longer use that talent.

The scene of a talent that shines brilliantly, like illuminating a dark night sky, disappearing in an instant...

It perfectly matched the metaphor of a star disappearing.

Swishhhhhh!

On a dark night with a torrential downpour, another star fell to the ground.

In the rain, a crumpled dump truck was visible, suggesting that a traffic accident had occurred.

And...

A taxi, crushed and mangled, was blinking its broken turn signal.

"Careful! Careful!"

"Damn it! This is terrible! Why on such a rainy day!"

"Sir! The truck driver seems to have died instantly!"

"This young man here seems to be alive! Check his ID! Name, Yun Chan-seong!"

At the accident site, firefighters were moving around, engaged in rescue operations.

In a place so tragic that a death had already occurred, a young man was found.

He had a youthful appearance, suggesting he had just become an adult, but his distinct facial features would have made him attractive to women if he opened his eyes.

"Wh-what about his legs?"

"Quick, stop the bleeding first! And move him!"

Below his knees, where his legs should have been, was the wreckage of the crushed taxi.

Even the firefighters, who were accustomed to all kinds of accidents, could not help but turn pale at the horrific sight.

And...

Behind the accident scene, a broken sword lay on the asphalt, as if symbolizing his fate, drenched in the rain.

***

The day of the accident was supposed to be the best day for Yun Chan-seong.

After about 10 years of sword training to become an adult, it was the day he finally received his long-desired real sword.

However.

When Chan-seong regained consciousness in the hospital bed, he looked at where his legs "used to be."

His face was expressionless, but his eyes were filled with despair.

"Ha, ha, ha."

What came out was a hollow laugh. Originally, that day was supposed to be the happiest day for him.

"How could this happen? If you're going to take it, just... take my life too. Ha, ha..."

When he first woke up, he felt a sense of discomfort. He soon realized that his two legs were gone, and he could not help but fall into endless despair.

Many people think that "swordsmanship" is something you swing with your arms, but it is a full-body effort.

Especially, legs were essential for maintaining balance and movement, just as important as arms.

"What value do I have now?"

He had been recognized for his innate talent from birth.

Therefore, for him, who had always walked a hopeful path with everyone's recognition, this was an extremely harsh despair.

"Cheer up. At least... you're still alive. They said the taxi driver died instantly."

"Yeah, that's true. I don't have to go to the military, and that's good... Choke!"

"Are you really going to say that in front of someone who will have to spend the rest of their life in a wheelchair?"

"But to live in the future..."

After that, medical staff, family, and friends, including his teacher, came to offer their condolences.

However, with his two legs already amputated, his despair could not be easily alleviated.

To overcome despair, a new hope must arise, but for someone who had dedicated himself solely to the "sword," it was not easy to find a new passion quickly.

"Ooh, Chan-seong, it's been a while since the last training session, hasn't it?"

"...Uncle?"

"Yeah, it's me. You don't look good."

"Ha... No, I don't. I wish I had just died in the accident."

After the visits from family and friends, a man appeared.

Dressed in a neat suit and acting friendly, he was the "uncle" who had trained and exercised with him.

"In-seok, how sad must your brother and sister-in-law be? Especially since you were the youngest and so cherished... Just being alive is a blessing. Of course, I understand your feelings. I was once an athlete and lost everything, though not as suddenly as you did. Sigh."

"Uncle... What should I do now?"

"What should you do? You're alive, so you have to live."

"How can I live like this? My head is terrible, and I can't study well. I barely passed the high school equivalency test. If Uncle hadn't tutored me, I would still be studying."

As the successor of a school, Chan-seong had only attended middle school and passed the high school equivalency test for his sword training.

Uncle's expression became subtle upon hearing Chan-seong's words.

"To be honest, if I gave you a good head, it would upset the balance."

"Balance... What do you mean?"

"Hey, I shouldn't be saying this, but are you curious if you can live a normal life?"

Uncle's face changed to one of disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah, you can. Sometimes I'm a little envious. Such a clear mind."

"But Uncle... Are you really here to tease me?"

"Of course not. Why would I do that to you? Look at this."

Chan-seong's suspicious gaze fell on the smartphone Uncle pulled out from his pocket.

The screen showed a video that looked like a fantasy movie. Scenes of a massive war, knights in colorful armor, dragons, wizards, and priests fighting in a spectacular manner were displayed.

"What is this? A movie?"

"Of course not. You never cease to amaze me. Not knowing about virtual reality games... that's pure innocence."

"No, I'm not that stupid. I did go to middle school. I saw and heard what the kids were talking about. Plus, it's in the textbooks."

Although he passed high school through the equivalency test, Chan-seong had indeed attended middle school.

However, the video on Uncle's phone was far more impressive than any game he had known.

"It's not that realistic."

"This is the next-generation latest game, 'Another World Archive.' It maintains the nature of a game while enhancing the realism of the environment and movements. It's also known as 'World Archive' or 'World Arca.'"

Uncle nodded proudly.

"It's a brand new game that has been out for about three months. Anyway, doesn't this give you any ideas?"

"What ideas?"

"Now, your body is like this, so you can't wield a sword again... but what about here? Look at this."

Chan-seong was struck by a bolt of lightning when he heard Uncle's words.

"Look closely."

The next video was from a famous video-sharing site, showing a creator's video.

In real life, he had no arms, but in the game, he was walking around with a complete body.

Just as Chan-seong had guessed.

"Right. It's not just a simple avatar creation through body scanning; it also allows the virtual representation of lost body parts, which can be used like your real body. In other words, you can wield a sword again here. So... huh? Why?"

"But it's still fake, right? Even if I can wield a sword in the game, there will be a sense of discomfort because it's not my real body. Besides, can I use my sword skills as they are? I... I may not know much, but it's still a world made of 0s and 1s and rules set by developers."

Uncle was surprised by Chan-seong's unexpectedly sharp observation.

"Wow, sharp."

Ultimately, wielding a sword would mean controlling an "avatar" in a "game" world, following the rules of a world made of 0s and 1s.

"However! Common sense is temporary knowledge that the majority accepts! In other words, a paradigm. Paradigms are bound to change. In the past, it was common sense that the Earth was flat, but that has changed."

"..."

"Alright, I'll go and arrange your discharge. Look forward to it until you can confirm it yourself."

Uncle left Chan-seong's room after saying what he had to say.

Chan-seong, who watched Uncle's back disappear with a look of disbelief, had a glimmer of hope in his eyes.