TRAPPED IN GREAT HERO ONLINE

CHAPTER 02

"What do I have here? Hmmm...? Oh, I still have this chocolate bread! I thought I finished it this morning. Alright, I’ll have this while I’m playing later. This chocolate milk will add an unforgettable flavor combination. Okay, this should be enough," Eldric quickly picked out his food.

The short-haired young man grabbed a package of plain bread and vanilla milk, neatly wrapped in plastic from his fridge. He brought the snacks back to his room, feeling he'd spent quite some time in the kitchen and that GHO would be fully installed by now.

"Alright, alright! Is it all set up?" Eldric walked back to his original spot.

He placed the bread and milk on the small table next to his phone. Then he settled into his large chair facing the monitor, adjusting his glasses and focusing intently on the screen.

"Wow! It’s done! I knew setting up the internet would pay off! I’m amazing!" Eldric boasted to himself.

With a confident grin, he opened the GHO app and checked the time. It was almost 8 p.m. — just when the servers would open. This was easy for him.

Eldric couldn’t keep calm. His thoughts were entirely on the fun he’d soon be having, defeating monsters like the heroes he admired. The computer screen started showing the early stages of GHO’s menu.

╠YOUR HERO’S NAME IS {.........}╣

The words appeared on the screen as he opened the app after setup was complete. Eldric was slightly confused at first, but this was no big deal. He knew exactly what name to choose.

He thought for a moment about a few possible names for his in-game hero, someone who would go on adventures, battle monsters, and help anyone in danger. This was the core of his love for adventure stories. He made his decision.

"It might sound silly, but... whatever. The server must be open now," Eldric typed into the blank field, already envisioning the kind of hero he wanted to become.

╠YOUR HERO’S NAME IS {DYNE}╣

Eldric named his in-game hero DYNE. What did the name mean? Only he knew. He pressed {ENTER} on his keyboard, but something strange happened.

The screen turned black. The monitor seemed to go dead instantly. Eldric looked at it, puzzled and concerned, and started tinkering with his keyboard and CPU.

Nothing worked. His computer wouldn't turn on. It felt like it might have been hit by a virus or something similar. But then, words from GHO suddenly appeared on the monitor.

"What is...this?"

╠WELCOME, ELDRIC AKA HERO DYNE. YOU ARE ONE OF THE SELECTED WHO WILL EXPLORE A WORLD YOU’VE NEVER SEEN. MAY YOU BECOME THE HERO OF OUR NEW WORLD╣

THUD!!

A loud noise came from behind him, startling Eldric. He turned from the monitor toward the sound and saw something unbelievable. This was terrifying.

"E-Everything’s... getting sucked... down..."

Eldric watched in horror as items in his room were pulled into a red vortex that had suddenly appeared. The vortex seemed to be devouring everything nearby, including the large wardrobe that had just fallen with a loud crash.

"What is this?! This...is a disaster!! I need to get help!!"

The young man could no longer keep calm or laugh. His face was pale with fear, his playful mood vanished. He felt like his room was no longer safe.

Quickly, Eldric got up from his chair and opened the window near his computer. He wanted to call for help. But he wasn’t the only one experiencing this disaster.

"What...is that? A red hole?" Eldric muttered, terrified by the dreadful scene outside his house.

A massive red hole was opening in the ground, pulling in nearby houses and objects. The cries of people filled the air, terror etched on their faces as the hole swallowed parts of their city. Eldric’s excitement turned into dread in an instant.

Could this be the end of the world?

He couldn't move, his eyes glued to the horrifying sight that was consuming his city. His spirit felt drained. What was going on? All Eldric wanted was to play GHO in peace. But this was no ordinary disaster. He had no idea what was happening.

"Why?! Why?! Why?!" Eldric clutched his head, frustrated and helpless.

Eldric couldn't motivate himself anymore. He felt defeated, his vision blurring as he struggled to focus on the destruction around him. It was all over.

"Goodbye, me, who couldn’t be a hero..."

Eldric's body fell into the red hole, which was growing larger in his room. He’d lost what purpose he thought he had. The hero he wished to become was dying within him. Eldric couldn't protect his world. This was the end. His body and his world had vanished.

======

"Eldric? Eldric! Wake up! It’s me, Rylan, your friend!"

"Uhmm..."

A young man was trying to wake Eldric up. He stepped back a bit, helping Eldric sit up straight. Eldric looked dazed, his head throbbing.

"Are you...Rylan?" Eldric's memory was a bit scrambled.

"Yes! It’s me, Rylan! Thank goodness you’re okay." The red-haired young man was relieved to see his bespectacled friend unharmed.

"Safe? Ah, my house... our city..." Eldric started recalling the disaster that had befallen him.

"I’m sorry, Eldric. It looks like...we’re no longer on Earth."

"What do you mean, Rylan? Are you saying Earth is gone?" Eldric asked, posing a heavy question to his friend Rylan.

Rylan found it hard to explain, but he anticipated Eldric’s reaction. He decided to show him something as a clue that would guide them both.

"Eldric, try moving one of your hands forward. Then, move it slightly downward," Rylan suggested.

Eldric was puzzled but trusted his friend. He moved his hand forward, and then a strange red screen appeared.

"What is this?"

"This is the ╠Status Bar╣. It shows us information about the submenu and other details." Rylan explained calmly to Eldric.

"But... how?"

"It’s illogical, but you have to believe me. We’re no longer on Earth."

Eldric was taken aback by Rylan’s words. It was hard to accept. No one could process such a fact quickly. Eldric’s mind struggled to grasp what Rylan was saying.

"That... that’s impossible..." Eldric refused to believe it easily.

"It sounds absurd. But I have two strong proofs and facts to back it up. First, try pressing the ╠Log Out╣ button at the bottom." Rylan guided Eldric through something simple to understand.

Eldric did as Rylan instructed, moving his hand slowly toward the button. He reached it, and pressed it.

╠ERROR╣

The word appeared right on the ╠Log Out╣ button. Eldric tried pressing it multiple times, but nothing changed. This proved that they were no longer on Earth but in a world resembling a fantasy game.

"You can’t log out, can you? In other words, it’s like the fantasy world of some modern games." Rylan confirmed his first point.

"And what’s the second proof?" Eldric was eager to hear the next point.

"Stand up. Follow me." Rylan got up from his seat and moved forward, surrounded by some green plants.

Eldric stood up, brushing off his tattered and dirty clothes. Though still shaken by the disaster he witnessed while playing GHO, he didn’t have time to dwell on it. He followed Rylan’s lead, matching his friend’s pace.

"Ah, there it is. Eldric, look," Rylan stopped and pointed ahead.

"Huh?" Eldric caught up to Rylan and looked forward to see the second proof.

He saw a scene unlike any he’d ever known. He stopped in his tracks, witnessing a city in ruins, overtaken by forest. Buildings had become planters for overgrown green foliage.

"This..."

"You probably didn’t know, but that city’s name is Aldora. It was supposed to be the starting city for new players in GHO. At first, I didn’t believe any of this, but after witnessing the disaster that destroyed our hometown and the existence of menus and features similar to the game...there’s one undeniable truth..." Rylan tried to prepare Eldric’s heart and resolve.

"We’re...in the world of [Great Hero Online]?" Eldric uttered, unable to take his eyes off the ruined city of Aldora.

"Yes," Rylan confirmed with certainty.

The new world they had entered: Great Hero Online. The world they were now feeling, seeing, and breathing in. They were trapped, along with the people in Aldora City. Their former world was no more. This was a different world, one that had replaced their human Earth.

Welcome to Great Hero Online. A new world where you can become a revered hero or a feared villain. Facts and myths seemed to blur. This new world would lead them to a life full of mystery.