Welcome, Darren! You've been chosen by the Developers to experience The Prince live-action game firsthand!]
Darren stood still, listening to the voice of a woman echoing through the vast grasslands. In his eyes, there was no one around except five people tied up in front of him.
There was no woman speaking, at least not one he could see.
[My name is Sasa. I'll be your guide as you go through the tutorial of this game!]
Whoever Sasa was, Darren couldn't see her. His gaze lifted to the sky, a huge question mark in his eyes.
He wondered—why him? Why did he have to be trapped in this cursed game?
[As a leader in The Prince, you'll have to complete tasks to level up. These levels will help you reach the next stages.]
[Your level will influence your power within the group you lead, the title you earn, and the responsibilities you'll take on.]
Darren listened closely to the voice, not realizing that the people in front of him were completely still. Even the only one who had been conscious now looked frozen.
Only Darren was moving—time had stopped for everyone else.
Strangely, even the wind had stopped. The tall grasses didn't sway at all.
[To level up, you must complete missions and combine achievements, wealth, political or public support, and military strength.]
[You'll face dangers along the way, adding more excitement to the game. Make sure to protect the remaining people and train them in self-defense.]
[I'll appear when needed, or whenever you need to complete your missions.]
The voice disappeared. The wind returned, brushing against his skin. Time began to move again. This game—it was real. Darren was truly inside it.
"Help! Please help me untie this!"
Darren ran toward the only conscious person. He didn't know what to do. His hands just worked on untying the ropes, not thinking about what his life would be like inside this game.
"What's your name?" Darren asked.
"Evan, Your Highness," the man said softly. "Evan Windmere."
Once freed, Evan stretched out his muscles. Like Darren, he didn't look too exhausted—unlike the other four who still lay tied up and weak.
Darren approached one of them who groaned softly. He knelt down to untie the ropes.
"Water..." the man with shoulder-length, neatly tied hair murmured.
"Your Highness, I think they're still alive!" Evan called out as he checked the other three's pulses. He was making sure they were still breathing. Darren studied Evan's serious face—it seemed likely they were still alive.
[Task: Find food and water for the villagers. You will receive 50 XP.]
Sasa's voice returned. Darren didn't waste time. As long as Evan was here, Darren felt confident he could leave the four to him while he searched for water.
"I'll look for water. Maybe there's a stream nearby that we can use." Darren took the initiative and stood up.
He tiptoed forward, relying on his sight and hearing to locate a water source for the villagers.
He considered two options: enter the forest to find clean water, or wander the open plains aimlessly. Logic said the forest would hold some reserve of water. Surely, there'd be at least a small stream inside.
Darren stepped into the dense forest, shaded by thick trees. He had never been here before. He entered cautiously, making sure he didn't stray too far from the five people behind him.
Come to think of it—who are they? Do they have any connection to the prince whose body I'm now in?
He would ask them later. His priority now was to find food and water.
He listened intently... a faint trickling sound. He moved closer to investigate.
The sound grew louder. Darren was sure—it was water.
Still, he had to be cautious. Fetching water in the forest was dangerous. He could be ambushed by wild animals. Lions. Bears, maybe.
He might die here—and there was no guarantee he'd return to his real world.
A glimmer of hope shone when he spotted a medium-sized river, flowing steadily.
He knew he wasn't sent to this world just to die.
He dashed to the river and cupped water in his hands, drinking first to quench his own thirst.
Not far from where he stood, he saw apple trees—red, ripe fruit hanging from the branches.
That was the food he needed!
Darren rushed to the tree. Plenty of apples hung there—he might not go hungry for days.
He picked about ten apples and tucked them into his shirt as a makeshift pouch.
Once he had enough, he returned to the river's edge. The water supply was good—but how would he carry it without a container?
His eyes landed on a black patch of soil—evidence of a campfire. Maybe others had camped here before.
If so, the area might be safe for spending the night.
Then he spotted a pile of coconut shells. Perfect!
He could use them to carry water, bit by bit.
Without hesitation, Darren grabbed one, washed it thoroughly in the clean river water, and filled it up.
One hand held the coconut-shell container, the other gripped his shirt filled with apples. He made his way back.
"Let me help carry that, Your Highness." Evan arrived and took the container, freeing Darren to carry the apples more easily.
Thankfully, the others had begun to regain consciousness. Evan helped each of them drink from the coconut shell. Meanwhile, Darren handed out apples so they wouldn't go hungry.
[Tring! You've completed this task. Congratulations, you've earned 50 XP.]
Darren let out a sigh of relief, looking up at the blue sky. He hoped—somehow, some way—he'd find a way back. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life in a world that wasn't his.
[1450 XP remaining to level up to Community Leader!]
"Is that the only container we have, Your Highness? I think we need more to store water," Evan said, noticing the empty shell.
"There's a whole pile back in the forest. Should we go grab some more?" Darren stood up, ready to lead the way.
"We should collect as much water as we can, Your Highness."
Darren stopped. The title made him uncomfortable. He wasn't really a prince.
Still, looking at Evan—strong, capable—it raised many questions in Darren's mind.
Whether he was right or not, curiosity burned within him.
"Are you..." Darren asked, staring Evan straight in the eye, "...from the same world as me?"