Scenario One: The Crimson Moon City
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"Not everything written in books is fiction! Sometimes… it can become reality."
In the city of Lusail… there was a young man in his twenties, working a regular job at a company. His name was Noctis Kim.
Noctis was someone drowned in melancholy. He had attempted suicide several times due to family problems, academic pressure, and work stress.
But he eventually found a hobby… one that made him isolate himself from the world and build his own universe—reading web novels and survival guides.
He found in fantasy what reality could never give him: happiness. The first book he read was titled "5000 Chapters: How to Survive When the Hidden Cities Appear."
It was a guide that talked about the emergence of long-forgotten cities, or their sudden teleportation into another world, manifesting out of nowhere.
The book focused on survival methods, and how one could "close" these cities. Because once they appear, the strongest action possible is to seal them off. However, they remain visible to everyone, encased in an invisible barrier.
Noctis adored this book so much that he bought all twenty volumes, spending his entire paycheck just to own them.
He was sitting alone in his modest room: a single bed, a neatly arranged bookshelf, a wardrobe, and a study desk near the window.
"Reading on a phone is exhausting for the eyes… Thank God I managed to buy the most important volumes, though I still have many left." Noctis spoke with a happy tone.
For the first time in ages, genuine happiness washed over his pale face. His cheeks were slightly flushed, his short messy black hair tangled like a storm, and his lifeless blue eyes had deep black circles beneath them.
He opened the first volume titled "The Crimson Moon City." He was reading from chapter ten, since the previous chapters were already read on his phone.
Noctis read all through Friday night. He flipped page after page with sheer excitement, feeling an absolute joy he hadn't experienced in a long time.
After several hours, the clock hit 1:30 AM. Noctis was sipping his coffee while reading in bed. He had reached chapter 100.
"I can't sleep. The story is too damn good… just a few more chapters left and I'll finish volume one."
Just as he read silently, sipping his hot coffee, a red flash suddenly pierced through the window and exploded, shaking the entire apartment complex.
The impact made the coffee spill on his chest, burning him. Some of the liquid drenched the book as well. Noctis, heartbroken, grabbed the soaked volume, his face twisted in sorrow.
Then came the sound—screams of people, sirens blaring across the city. Noctis was in total shock. He stood up from the bed and walked toward the window for a quick glance… but what he saw made his eyes widen in sheer horror as he stumbled back.
It was terrifying.
A crimson moon hung in the sky, casting its eerie light over a kingdom with a Western-Victorian design—right in the center of Lusail City.
"Is… is what I'm seeing real? Did the book I read just become reality?!"
Noctis was frozen. Imagine the very text you read coming to life—no longer bound to imagination.
Suddenly, the crimson moon released a red wave that struck the surrounding areas, transforming buildings into Victorian architecture—Noctis's apartment included.
His room morphed before his eyes: an old Victorian bed, a hard wooden desk, dusty bookshelves, red candles, and lifeless wooden flooring.
The screams outside grew louder… mixed in with monstrous roars, beasts devouring everything in sight.
Noctis, still paralyzed in shock, tried to piece together his thoughts slowly. He sat on the bed and whispered to himself:
"Everything written about this city… it's all showing up here. Even the wave that converted things to Western-Victorian style—it happened exactly the same."
He pulled his hair back and tried to focus, continuing his muttering:
"With the appearance of this city… the Nine Catastrophes will emerge… Not even a nuclear bomb could stop them."
As memories of the book flooded his mind, his eyes widened as he recalled something important:
"That's right… yes, of course! The emergence of this city means the appearance of certain support characters, like the protagonist—Song Majin."
He felt some relief, closing his eyes… but when he opened them again, he was stunned.
A book floated midair, surrounded by a blue aura, its pages flipping rapidly.
Noctis rubbed his eyes, trying to comprehend the surreal sight. The pages froze suddenly, and glowing words appeared.
Then, a mocking female voice echoed in his mind:
"Noctis Kim, you idiot. Did you really think you were outside this game? Everything you read has turned into reality because of your obsessive reading and imagination."
He was startled, looking around to locate the voice, but then more text appeared in the book and the girl's voice continued:
"Why are you looking around like a dumbass? Oh, right—you are a handsome dumbass. Anyway, you're going to take responsibility for this catastrophe. My voice… only you can hear it in your head."
"There wasn't a system or a sarcastic female narrator in the book with Song Majin… are there new elements added to this world?" Noctis muttered internally.
He scratched the back of his head and whispered:
"To be honest, I'm surprised too… But when reading a book, it's natural to imagine the scenes. Still, why should I take responsibility? I'm just a regular employee and a failed reader."
The book glowed bright blue again, displaying new text:
"Hahaha, don't try to run away… Everyone will fight against this catastrophe, and you will be the leader in charge."
"What? But wasn't Song Majin the main fighter? Why me? Why do I have to do this terrifying thing?"
As the thought lingered in his head, the book's glow shifted to red, and the girl's voice grew sharp:
"The appearance of The Crimson Moon City will involve everyone in its closure… to end the nightmare festering inside."
"Noctis Kim, are you going to participate or not?"
It was a terrifying offer for someone introverted and melancholic like Noctis. So he sat down, analyzing things carefully, speaking in a low voice:
'It all seems connected. This offer feels very similar to the one the mysterious girl made to Song Majin… asking him to protect the world from these cursed cities.'
'And the wager was Majin's sister… if he didn't comply, she would become a servant to the Nine Catastrophes.'
He looked again at the book—specifically at the words accept and decline—then closed his eyes and continued speaking:
'If I'm the cause of all this… then I should take responsibility. Hahaha, looks like I finally found something entertaining in my miserable life.'
The book floated closer to Noctis. He slowly reached out toward the "accept" option, hesitant. But then, the girl's voice returned:
"Your acceptance is final and irreversible, Noctis Kim."
He hesitated for a moment, but still pressed accept anyway. The book's glow shifted to blue. The girl spoke in a softer tone:
"Now, you're a reader and an adventurer… so try to continue your adventure without dying like an idiot."
"Wouldn't it be better to build a little respect between us, you fierce cat?" Noctis smiled and spoke with a sarcastic tone.
"Don't try to be my friend… and by the way, I become a fierce cat when you do stupid things." The book glowed blue as the girl spoke again in a proud tone.
'There's a strange connection… the way she speaks feels familiar. Could she be the author——'
As he pondered this, someone knocked softly—three times. Noctis Kim turned toward the door.
"Someone's knocking… in the middle of all this chaos?"
He walked toward the door.
"Who's there?"
No answer came—only a soft knocking.
'This knocking scenario… it's like the scene where Song Majin received a box with a samurai weapon inside… Could the same thing be happening to me?' Noctis recalled certain events from the book.
As he thought, the book glowed red, and the girl's voice came again, this time deep and ominous:
"The Broken Mountain Lord… gives you two choices: open the door and receive his shattered magical sword, or decline and receive nothing."
An annoyed expression crossed Noctis Kim's face. He muttered sarcastically:
"The Broken Mountain Lord… one of the Rulers, but honestly kind of a joke…"
"And a broken sword? Seriously? Everything I get is incomplete."
He placed a finger on his chin and thought:
'This offer is too important. It would be stupid to reject it… So I'll gamble on this one.'
Noctis Kim slowly grabbed the doorknob… opened it—and standing before him was a tall girl, her face smeared with white paint, a black poker symbol under each eye. Her long black hair was tied tightly back. She wore a white shirt striped with black.
She was from the Mime Artist Faction.
Noctis Kim looked at her, confused. She looked at him, smiled, and walked into the room.
'Who the hell is she? She wasn't even in the book… And why is she so tall?' Noctis wondered to himself.
The girl raised her index finger… then brought all ten fingers together… then opened them vertically. She grabbed something invisible. Noctis could only watch, completely stunned.
She smiled at Noctis. He smiled back.
But his smile faded…
When the girl suddenly stabbed him with an invisible sword. He spat blood from his mouth, shocked.
The last thing Noctis saw before he died…
Was a kiss on his cheek.