“……”
After checking the government’s official announcement, I hit the back button and then accessed a community forum I frequently used.
To gauge people’s unfiltered reactions, relatively free platforms like community forums or social media were far more suitable than official news outlets, which inevitably involved moderation and censorship.
“…This is overwhelming.”
Two hours after the government’s official announcement, every community related to ‘Season Off Fantasy’ was on the verge of exploding.
With just one refresh, hundreds, even thousands of posts poured in.
Comments were flooding endlessly, and in the gaps, illegal advertisements had already begun infiltrating.
The community forums had turned into yet another battlefield.
“Hmm…”
Unsure which posts to read, I eventually clicked on one of the so-called “trending posts”— the one with the highest views and upvotes.
*
[Live Update – Busan… Kobolds Appear]
[Author: ㅇㅇ]
[A horde of kobolds has appeared in Seomyeon, Busan (Video) The military is retreating, total chaos right now]
*
— ?? WTF, we lost to kobolds?
ㄴ Kobold hide is crazy thick, modern weapons obviously won’t work.
— So what, we just die then?
— Where the hell are all the ‘Season Off Fantasy’ fanatics now?
— Meanwhile, how the hell did you even film this?
ㄴ I’m a Changer, my class is Assassin. Stealth is possible.
ã„´ Then stop being a creep and actually fight, damn it.
ㄴ I’m a level 20 noob, how am I supposed to fight, dumbass?
ã„´ Ugh, useless bastard. Go bow to a tree and apologize for stealing its oxygen.
ㄴ Take it easy, you’ll make the kid cry.
*
“……”
The footage of the kobold horde that appeared in Seomyeon, Busan, and the South Korean military being overwhelmingly defeated by them.
Watching the video, which was more brutal than I had expected, I maintained a stoic expression.
“Kobolds…”
Kobolds were massive, wolf-like monsters standing roughly 2 meters tall.
Known for their thick hides and razor-sharp fangs, they averaged around level 150 in ‘’Season Off Fantasy” and were classified as low-tier, C-grade monsters.
The fact that the military had been pushed back by kobolds suggested that the gap between ordinary humans and the anomalies from ‘Season Off Fantasy’— aside from Changers— was even wider than anticipated.
To the point where modern weaponry was effortlessly shrugged off.
…This wasn’t at all because our soldiers fought poorly.
If anything, I wanted to applaud them for overcoming their fear and fighting hard against an unknown life form.
It was just that the monsters from ‘Season Off Fantasy‘ were far, far too strong.
As expected, modern weapons clearly had their limits when it came to repelling them.
Only the players of ‘Season Off Fantasy‘— those who had transformed into their in-game characters, the Changers— would be able to defeat these anomalies.
“Hmm…”
South Korea’s situation was more dire than I had thought.
Frowning at the apocalyptic state of the country, I began slowly scrolling through other posts.
Most were bleak, laying bare the chaos of the early stages of the transformation.
But here and there, scattered among them, were glimmers of hope— photos and videos that offered some reassurance.
*
[Breaking News) Fate Guild Subdues Wyvern in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do]
[Author: ㅇㅇ (61.345)]
[Video Attached]
*
— Damn.
— This is it.
— Absolute legend.
— Fate Guild? The one with that Dark Archer guy? The #1 ranked archer?
ㄴ Yeah, that’s the guild with the bow god.
ã„´ Bow god? You mean KingDoomGodHam? You know him?
— This is how it’s done. Other guilds need to step up too.
ㄴ A lot of guilds probably aren’t fully organized yet since it’s still early.
ㄴ True. Until then, we’ll just have to survive solo somehow…
*
“Fate…”
The Fate Guild.
Since ‘Season Off Fantasy’ first launched its service, this guild— founded by the archer known as “Dark Ghost,” who had never once relinquished the title of #1 ranked archer— had been a powerhouse.
The news that Fate had taken down a wyvern in Asan, Chungcheongnamdo, sent waves of excitement through the community.
Wyverns were A-rank monsters, some exceeding level 1000 depending on the individual.
The fact that they had managed to defeat one was nothing short of inspiring for a nation still reeling from shock.
…This is Korea, after all— a country known for its gaming prowess.
Beyond Fate and Dark Ghost, there were countless other strong guilds and top-ranked players overflowing in the server.
If they could just hold out until those forces rallied and organized— if they could just survive today— then Korea’s situation would improve drastically.
*
[To Everyone in the ‘Season Off Fantasy’ Gallery]
[Author: MarchTree]
*
“Huh…?”
As I scrolled through the posts, another trending thread caught my eye.
Despite being recently uploaded, it had already amassed an unusually high number of upvotes.
It was written by none other than one of the community’s moderators.
*
[To All Ordinary Citizens Currently Visiting the Forum for Information]
First, let me clarify: the monsters pouring out of the light rifts are all from the VR game ‘Season Off Fantasy’ (hereafter referred to as SOF).
This phenomenon— where people are transforming into their SOF characters while monsters from the game rain down from the sky— is unprecedented and happening worldwide, not just in Korea.
The exact cause remains unknown.
To those who have never played SOF and did not transform into a playable character:
– Do not, under any circumstances, engage or approach SOF monsters.
– These are creatures that would shrug off a fireball to the asshole. A normal human body stands no chance.
– If you encounter one, run immediately or seek help from nearby Changers (transformed players).
Remember this.
If you don’t, you’ll just get ripped in half.
I sincerely hope you survive.
*
[For Those Who Have Undergone the Transformation]
If the military’s crushing defeat in Busan and other incidents weren’t proof enough, let me spell it out: the only ones who can fight these stupid monsters are players who’ve undergone the transformation.
– Guild-affiliated players: Move in your guild units and prioritize clearing monsters occupying cities.
– Solo players: Don’t overextend. Only engage what you can handle.
Additional Info:
– To open your status screen, swipe your left arm horizontally. It works differently from the game, so keep that in mind.
*
“Huh?”
An unexpected piece of information.
The revelation that swiping my left arm horizontally could summon my status screen made my eyes widen in surprise.
“Status, huh…”
The status of Selberion— unquestionably the strongest existence in ‘Season Off Fantasy’— sent an almost delirious thrill of curiosity and excitement pounding through my chest.
Just how staggering would the numbers and skills waiting for me be?
“……”
But for now, I forced myself to steady my racing heartbeat and continued reading the moderator’s post.
*
[…Apparently, after Fate took down the wyvern in Asan, one of the rifts closed. Seems like each rift is tied to a boss-level monster— take it out, and the rift shuts. It’s gonna be tough, but we’ve gotta try.
We’re all veterans who’ve grinded SOF for years.
If we don’t handle this, who will?
I know it’s scary, but let’s gather our courage and step outside.
Even just clearing monsters within your level range will help.
But remember this:
If you stubbornly try to raid above your level, you will die.
This isn’t a game anymore. It’s reality.
There’s no respawn.
Be careful.
And if any stage bosses appear— guild or solo— retreat immediately.
Especially if it’s Selberion.
No Korean player can take her down anyway.
Let’s all survive and meet again.]
— Is this Guild master…?
— LMAO why does Guild master sound so cool rn
— Guild master! Guild master! Guild master!
— Not lying, I smashed the upvote button 550k times.
— This was helpful. Thank you.
— I could probably solo the October boss tbh…
ㄴ October boss? Sad Clown? Who can’t kill that walking level dispenser?
ㄴ Dumbasses, he’s level 3500.
ã„´ Update: The two above are confirmed dead.
— If Selberion actually spawns, we’re so fucked lol. I’d spam chains the second I saw her.
ã„´ Remember getting frozen in place and decapitated? Still gives me chills.
ㄴ But she’s pretty, right? Cute, right?
ã„´ Facts.
ã„´ Facts. Say that again after she slices your head off.
— But seriously, how do you beat that psycho bitch? No one’s ever cleared her.
ㄴ True. Last year’s 3000-player raid failed too.
ã„´ What the hell are we supposed to do then LMAO
ã„´ Just run the moment you see her.
ㄴ But she’s cute tho. Wanna grab a drink?
*
“Selberion…!”
At the mention of my name— Selberion— in both the moderator’s post and the comments, my body instinctively flinched, a tremor running through me.
…Unfortunately, the general sentiment toward Selberion, the undisputed strongest and most infamous boss, was overwhelmingly pessimistic.
Having humbled countless players, the level of wariness people held toward her was sky-high— no, cosmic.
It seemed they hadn’t even considered the possibility that a stage boss could have transformed into a rational, thinking player.
Their plans for encountering Selberion boiled down to just two options: fight or flee.
Peaceful dialogue or cooperation?
Not even on the table.
Given Selberion’s reputation for brutal skills and a merciless personality, their caution wasn’t entirely unfounded.
But this meant that no matter my intentions, stepping outside would instantly paint a target on my back.
If I— still struggling to fully adapt to being Selberion— faced Changers rallying from across the globe, a bad ending would be guaranteed.
Whether I chose to help, fight, or simply survive, mastering Selberion’s abilities was non-negotiable.
What good was having her body if I couldn’t even activate her skills?
In this state, I’d just be reduced to a punching bag.
To endure this unprecedented crisis, to avoid that inevitable bad end, I needed to learn everything about Selberion— her skills, her stats, her limits.
“…Status.”
With that thought, I didn’t hesitate.
Mimicking the moderator’s instructions, I swiftly swiped my left arm horizontally—
“…!!”
— And a holographic blue screen, brimming with Selberion’s entire existence, materialized in the air, flooding my vision.