Ren slouched in his gaming chair, a triumphant smile spreading across his face. The soft glow of his PC screen bathed his room in pale light, casting faint shadows on the walls. After five relentless years, he had conquered *Forbidden*, the most unforgiving MMORPG ever created. His character, Ann Zero, stood at the pinnacle of power—max level, every stat pushed to its absolute limit, and a stash of forbidden and infinity points earned through countless hours of grinding. The final boss, a terror that had broken lesser players, had crumbled before Ann's might with laughable ease. Ren had cleared all seven stages of the game, from the perilous depths of Low Earth to the radiant heights of High Heaven. He was a legend.
Yet, as his cursor hovered over the game's icon, a flicker of doubt stirred in his chest. *Forbidden* was more than a game—it was a second life, etched into his soul through sleepless nights, heart-pounding raids, and hard-fought triumphs. Deleting it felt like erasing a piece of himself. His fingers lingered above the keyboard, the "delete" button glowing like a silent challenge. Should he keep it? Start a new character? Or dive into a different game entirely?
After a long moment, Ren exhaled, his smile tinged with resolve. "Time to move on," he murmured. Five years was enough. He'd squeezed every challenge from *Forbidden*. Clicking the button, he braced for closure.
A blinding light erupted from the screen, engulfing his vision. Ren's breath caught as a strange warmth surged through him, like static prickling his skin. His chair, his desk, the familiar hum of his PC—all vanished. Weightless, he drifted through an endless void, his heart racing as reality unraveled. *What's going on?* Before he could scream, the world snapped back into focus.
Ren stumbled, his boots sinking into soft, loamy earth. Towering trees loomed around him, their gnarled branches weaving a dense canopy that filtered sunlight into emerald streaks. The air was thick with the scent of moss and pine, laced with a faint, tingling pulse of mana. Glowing vines curled around massive trunks, their tips shimmering like distant stars. This wasn't his room. This wasn't *real*.
"No way…" Ren's voice trembled, echoing in the stillness. He spun around, taking in the sprawling forest. It was hauntingly familiar, a place he hadn't seen in years. "The Beginner's Forest? From *Forbidden*?" His laughter was half-hysterical. "This is some isekai nonsense, isn't it? I've watched those anime—guy gets sucked into a game, fights monsters, saves the world. But that's for people who hate their lives! I *love* my life! Goddess, game dev, cosmic prankster—send me back!"
His shouts faded into the trees, unanswered. Ren's chest tightened. He wasn't a hero. He was a gamer, not a warrior. In *Forbidden*, death was a minor setback—a quick respawn, a few lost points. Here, in this unnervingly real world, the thought of dying sent a chill through his veins. If this was the Beginner's Forest, he was likely level one, easy prey for even the weakest monsters. His skill as a player meant nothing if he was the one facing danger.
"Calm down," he muttered, raking a hand through his hair. "Maybe it's a dream. A really vivid dream." He pinched his arm, wincing at the sharp sting. "Okay, not a dream." His gaze darted around, searching for answers. Then, a faint shimmer caught his eye, like a holographic panel hovering in the air. He focused, and words materialized, clear and undeniable:
**[Name: Ann Zero]**
**[Title: Demon Lord of Infinity]**
**[Race: ??]**
**[Level: Max]**
**[Skill Points: Max]**
**[Forbidden Points: ∞]**
**[Infinity Points: 100]**
**[System Shop: Accessible]**
Ren's jaw dropped. "Ann Zero? *My* character?" He reread the stats, his heart pounding. He wasn't a level-one noob—he was Ann Zero, his max-level avatar, the unstoppable force who'd dominated *Forbidden*. The *Demon Lord of Infinity* title was new, though. He didn't remember earning it. And *infinite* Forbidden Points? In the game, those points were rarer than legendary drops, used to buy game-breaking items from the System Shop or exchange for currency. Infinity Points were even more precious, spent on reviving characters, joining tournaments, or powering up for raids.
He tapped the air, half-expecting the interface to vanish. It didn't. A submenu flickered open, detailing the points' uses:
**Forbidden Points**: Purchase any item from the System Shop. Exchange for any real-world currency. Enhance personal abilities or summon ability cards.
**Infinity Points**: Ascend to higher worlds. Summon items or entities from other realms.
Ren's mind raced. The System Shop was straightforward—buying items or boosting stats made sense. But *real-world currency*? Could he trade points for money in this world? And *Infinity Points*… Ascending? He recalled *Forbidden*'s lore: seven worlds, each a higher plane of existence. Low Earth, where he stood, was the weakest, with a level cap of 100. Higher worlds like Mid Earth or High Heaven housed beings far beyond that. Ascending might mean climbing that ladder, but what did "summoning from other realms" mean? Weapons? Allies? Something stranger?
"I'm Ann Zero, max-level, with infinite Forbidden Points," he said, testing the words. A grin broke through his panic. "This might not be so bad." If he had Ann's power, he was untouchable, even in the Beginner's Forest. But a doubt lingered. If he died, would those 100 Infinity Points revive him? Or was death permanent? He pushed the thought aside. No use worrying until he had answers.
Ren trekked through the forest, his boots crunching on fallen leaves. The air hummed with mana, a sensation he'd never felt in the game—a reminder this was no simulation. Soon, he reached a shimmering lake, its surface reflecting the glowing canopy above. Curiosity tugged at him. Did he *look* like Ann Zero? He knelt by the water, peering at his reflection.
Long silver hair cascaded past his shoulders, framing a sharp, almost ethereal face. His black, sleeveless coat revealed a toned chest, adorned with a coiling dragon tattoo that pulsed faintly with mana. Tight leather trousers hugged his legs, and a silver ring gleamed on his finger—the *Ring of Orion*, a mythical artifact that granted perfect control over mana, amplifying spells and reducing their cost to near-zero. Ren touched the ring, feeling its warmth. In the game, it had made Ann a spellcasting god, able to weave devastating magic effortlessly. Here, it felt alive, humming with power.
"I'm *really* Ann," he whispered, half-awed, half-terrified. Every detail matched his character's design, down to the intricate stitching on his coat. But the ring's weight, the breeze on his skin, the ache in his legs from walking—it was all too real. He wasn't controlling Ann from a screen. He *was* Ann.
As he stood, a violent presence stirred nearby. The air grew heavy, charged with menace. Ren's gamer instincts kicked in, his senses sharpening. From the shadows, a D-rank monster appeared—probably level 30, its form indistinct but radiating hostility. Red eyes glared, and its claws glinted in the sunlight.
Ren's pulse quickened, but he didn't flinch. In *Forbidden*, a D-rank monster was nothing to a max-level player. With Ann's stats—max defense, max everything—this thing couldn't harm him, even if he stood still. Still, its presence, so real and close, sent a shiver through him. Pain was real here. Death might be too. But he knew his defense was absolute.
He stared at the monster, his grin returning, tinged with defiance. "Alright, *Forbidden*. Let's see what else you've got." He turned and continued walking, the *Ring of Orion* a constant reminder of his power—and the mystery of why he was here.