Ch.0Extra Among Extras

*Click-! Click-!*

My daily life these days is simple. I work during the day, and when night falls, I invariably play games.

A new masterpiece from my favorite series has been released.

‘Psychologic.’

A famous JRPG franchise that instantly revitalized a game company once considered washed-up.

I don’t particularly like JRPGs themselves. Honestly, turn-based games feel outdated in this era. However, this game was different.

For one thing, this game was structured as a coming-of-age story. You attend school during the day, and at night, you save people in another world—following the composition of an urban fantasy.

‘It must be nice… experiencing youth.’

I couldn’t help but think.

The royal road of youth stories: studying at school, participating in club activities, hanging out with companions and strengthening friendships. Moreover, depending on your progress, you could even pursue romance. It was the pure essence of youth.

And at night, you face trials while confirming the bonds with your companions. It was packed with elements that made otaku hearts race.

The stylish background music and illustrations completely captivated the otaku soul.

After finishing work during the day, I spent my time healing by playing Psychologic 3. I was already on my third playthrough. Am I not tired of it? It’s always fresh.

‘I haven’t gone outside at all recently…’

Due to the nature of my job as a web novelist, I was living a hikikomori life—just working during the day and playing games at night.

Maybe it’s what happens when you stay indoors too long, or perhaps it’s an occupational hazard.

I began to have one crazy thought.

‘Wait… what if I actually get transported into the game?’

A truly insane idea. However, it strangely had some credibility.

You never know. It could really happen. Partly because my brain is saturated from being a web novelist, I immediately started simulating what would happen if I were transported into the game.

‘I need to prepare.’

It would be disastrous if I went with my body in its current state, deteriorated from years as a writer. What if I became one of the protagonist’s companions and had to fight?

After that, I immediately made various preparations.

I enrolled in a kendo dojo run by a junior from my neighborhood. Although I dropped out of college during my sophomore year, we still kept in touch.

“No way… Senior. Suddenly deciding to exercise? Did your health checkup show some red flags?”

My junior spoke to me with an expression of disbelief.

“You never know. I might suddenly get transported into the game world I’m playing.”

I said this with complete seriousness.

“Senior… please live in reality. Just a bit.”

My junior looked at me like I was a patient.

“Anyway, teach me some self-defense.”

Well, learning martial arts would be one way for self-defense, but who would fight game monsters bare-handed? It was wiser to learn swordsmanship.

“Sigh… I guess it can’t hurt.”

He was a good guy who knew how to deal with a lunatic like me.

Anyway, I began learning kendo. In the adult class that started at 8 PM.

And during the day, I carved out time from my writing schedule for livelihood and started studying.

‘Well, this game has a Japanese setting, but…’

Still, the compulsory education content shouldn’t be too different. Especially subjects like Korean, math, and English. I immediately started reviewing high school curriculum. Grades were also important in the game. I needed to prepare for that in advance.

———–

And so, a year passed uneventfully. Unfortunately, I still hadn’t been transported into the game.

However, my preparations for the transportation were perfect.

First, kendo. I placed in a tournament for working adults. Additionally, I advanced to 1st dan. Honestly, with a sword in hand, I could subdue most opponents. Moreover, swinging bamboo and wooden swords had increased my stamina and strength.

“Seriously… Senior, you have talent in the strangest areas.”

My junior, now an instructor, looked at me with an expression of disbelief.

And my studies also bore fruit.

For authenticity, I even took the college entrance exam.

I scored well enough to get into a top-tier university in Seoul.

‘I should have studied harder during my school days. College entrance exam prep… it wasn’t as difficult as I thought.’

I had such bitter thoughts.

Anyway, I became accomplished in both literary and martial arts. With this, my countermeasures for when I get transported were perfect.

‘Once I get transported, everything will be perfect!!!!’

I continued playing the game, waiting for the day I would be transported.

——-

It was about a year and a half later.

I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling.

“KIEEEEEEK!!!! An unfamiliar ceiling!!!”

I woke up in a place that was clearly not my home. I opened my eyes in a strange, exotic house I had never seen before.

Waking up to an unfamiliar ceiling. That means I’ve been transported into another world, into another character, right? It’s common sense.

‘Senior… please go to the hospital.’

I could hear my junior’s incredulous muttering in my mind, but I ignored it.

It was the moment a web novelist’s dream came true. Why write web novels? The vicarious satisfaction had become reality here.

“What’s wrong? Why are you shouting?”

At that moment, a middle-aged woman rushed toward me.

“Ah… I had a nightmare.”

Suddenly being transported might have been shocking, but I was a web novelist—in other words, a transportation expert (not really). I immediately estimated that this person was my mother.

“I-I see…”

The woman wore an incredibly sad expression. What’s going on? I wondered.

Anyway, now that I was awake, I needed to assess the situation while washing up. I also needed to confirm who I was.

After taking a deep breath, I looked in the bathroom mirror.

“…Oh sh…”

I immediately clicked my tongue.

I didn’t expect to be transported as a main character. It’s common sense that the person you get transported into is an extra, right? The only question was what kind of extra. Of course, I had simulated all possibilities. That’s how serious I was about being transported.

And the character I had been transported into was the worst.

A pathetically scrawny kid was reflected in the mirror. His notably unappealing appearance was the key point.

Arigiri Shota.

Yes. He was the victim of the first incident that occurs in the game.

The first week of March. I was in danger of being murdered.

With trembling hands, I touched the screen of my phone.

Today was February 14th. The time limit on my life was roughly three weeks. I was terminally ill.