After securing major investments from the orphanage, I managed to get my hands on a sizable amount of money.

‘With this much, I could just run away, couldn’t I?’

I could take this cash, flee, and maybe marry some rich guy from Gangnam’s upper crust.
It’s the kind of “easy life” route that’s all the rage among the girls at Hope Orphanage.

– With your looks, Wooyeon, you could snag a rich guy in no time!
– Once you get to the city, your life’s set!
– Don’t forget us after you get married, okay?

I’ve been recommended this shady path countless times.
There’s probably a bit of jealousy mixed in from the other girls.

But to be clear, I have zero intention of going that route.

There’s a sense of camaraderie at Hope Orphanage thicker than blood.
It’s the bond of people who grew up in tough circumstances.
The unwritten rule is that if you make it big, you come back to show your face, and even if you don’t, you at least bring gifts for the younger kids.

I’ve got my own history of scarfing down those gifts as a kid.
I can’t betray Hope Orphanage.

There’s also a more personal reason.

Freedom.

I was reborn, so I’m going to live freely.
I’m not about to spend my life catering to someone else’s whims.

The idea of marriage? Just thinking about it feels suffocating.
Becoming some rich family’s sold-off bride?
That’d leave me with no freedom to do anything, wouldn’t it?

That’s why I need to succeed on my own strength.
And I’m confident I can.

Because I’m kind of a big deal.

Thud.

I unpacked my things and plopped down on the wooden floor, looking around.
There wasn’t much to look at.
This cozy one-room apartment on the outskirts of Seoul could be taken in with a single glance.

A bed mattress. A mini fridge. A washing machine. A wardrobe. And a broken air conditioner stuck in the corner of the ceiling.
This place will be my base from now on.

I lay on the bed, stretching my legs out.

Is this what freedom feels like?

No noisy orphanage roommates, no teachers scolding me for resting alone.
Maybe living like this wouldn’t be so bad.
But the cost of living is pretty tight.

Gotta make some money.

Ding-dong!

Right on cue, a delivery arrived.
It was the virtual reality connection device I’d splurged on.

Since it’s such an expensive and precious item, signing and identity verification were mandatory.
I opened the front door to find a young delivery guy standing there with the package.

“You must really like gaming, huh?”
“Yup.”

The delivery guy tried to make small talk, but I cut the conversation short with a curt reply.
I could guess what was going through his head.

Small stature but a doll-like face.
Long, straight black hair down to my waist, tempting people to reach out and touch it.
Fragile-looking limbs and flawless white skin that awaken protective instincts.
And fierce eyes that make people feel good when I glare at them like I’m scolding…

I’ve heard this stuff endlessly since my orphanage days.
Not just from the boys but from the girls too, so I guess I objectively look like that.

“If you’re the recipient, just sign here, please.”

I took the pen and scribbled my signature on the electronic device.
Joo Wooyeon. The name I’ve carried since my past life.
I had to put in some effort as a kid to keep that name at the orphanage.

“All done?”
“Yes. But, um…”
“Thanks!”

That’s enough chit-chat.
I snatched the package and closed the door.
I flashed a big smile at the end, so he’s probably feeling okay about it, right?
If not, oh well—he can curse me out and move on.

I set the box down on the floor with a thud.
A virtual reality connection device—what a grand name.
But it’s comically small for something so fancy.

People from the past might imagine headsets, VR goggles, or sensory devices, but the thing in the box is nothing like that.
It looks like a sleek pebble, and you just place it in the room to set it up.

It’s pretty far removed from science.
It’s based on what’s called “super-engineering.”
In a world where monsters rampage and superpowered people fight, they’ve analyzed and applied those magical effects.

Back in my day, they barely researched this stuff.

Beep!

The operation is simple.
Just walk up and press the button.
A blue force field enveloped the area, and the surroundings began to shift rapidly.

[Checking mana reserves.]
[Available connection time: 4 hours, 00 minutes.]
[Recharging with a cartridge is required afterward.]

You can stay connected to virtual reality for four hours a day.
After that, it needs a long recharge, which costs more money.
It’s insanely inefficient compared to mobile or PC games, but there’s a reason people can’t put it down.

The surroundings were an endless expanse of green plains.
A rare sight in post-apocalyptic Korea, which barely survived destruction.

Everything feels vivid.
The soft crunch of grass and dirt underfoot.
The gentle breeze tickling my collar.
The open horizon that makes my chest feel free, and the fresh air filling my lungs with every deep breath.

“It really feels just like reality.”

I muttered to myself, struck by how every sensation matches the real world.
Yet, the game’s system is fully integrated.

‘Was this how it works?’

With a designated hand gesture, a small window popped up, displaying information.

[Current Status: Awaiting Start]
[Remaining Survivors: 100]

The world may have gone to hell, but somehow, they always manage to gather 100 players for the game.

[Knight Arc] is a battle royale game to determine the last survivor.
The setting is medieval fantasy.
Swords, magic, crossbows, and various weapons appear, with diverse terrain creating ever-changing battle scenarios.

My weapon of choice is, obviously, the sword.
I personally hate magic. I’m not too fond of ranged weapons either.

And one more thing.
I’m not your average player.

I’m a streamer.
For a stream to gain traction, the concept is crucial, and mine is none other than “the sword.”

I reject all other weapons.
I’ll rise to the top using only a sword.

Sure, I’m pretty, but I can’t rely solely on my looks to stream.
You need a hook like this to succeed as a streamer.

Swish.

With a simple gesture, another window popped up.
This one was related to the streaming setup.

[Currently broadcasting normally.]
[Viewer Count: 0]

Right now, a small orb satellite is floating beside me.

The Satellite.

A device that records and broadcasts my actions in virtual reality.
It’s ridiculously expensive.
Optimal view selection through autonomous judgment. Automatic camera correction. Stabilization technology. Real-time streaming. Fully autonomous flight. Perfect synchronization with virtual reality…
With all that tech packed in, it’s not something you can buy for pocket change.
Without the support of my orphanage friends, starting this stream would’ve been impossible.

Between the virtual reality device, the [Knight Arc] game package, and the streaming equipment, I’m flat broke.
If I don’t make money streaming, I’ll literally starve because I can’t afford living expenses.

I’ve got maybe three days of leeway.

I’ll have to go all-in before then.

[Game starts in 10 seconds.]

With the game system’s message, a blue magic circle began forming beneath my feet.
In ten seconds, teleportation magic would scatter the 100 players across the city.

You can choose a starting area, but, well…
I decided to go random.
I’m still learning the game step by step.

Finding a weapon wasn’t hard.
A medieval-style street. A dagger lay on the cobblestone ground.

Picking up stuff off the ground.
One of the ways to get weapons in [Knight Arc].

An opponent with a solid guard is tricky to deal with.
Especially when all I’ve got is a measly 30cm dagger.
Keeping distance is impossible, and I need to slip into their openings, but those openings are hard to spot.

My opponent wielded a shield and spear.
Judging by their build, a sturdy man.
He said something to me, but it was obviously a pickup line, so I muted him.

Focus on the fight instead.
A massive metal shield blocked my attacks.
In reality, I could’ve sliced through a shield like that in one go, but this is a game.

Games have rules and systems.
Cutting a shield like tofu with a dagger? That’s against the rules.

The opponent pressed forward, using the spear’s reach.
At the same time, he kept the shield ready to block any potential attacks.
His weapon handling was flawless in both offense and defense, but he picked the wrong opponent today.

A shield that big inevitably blocks part of your vision.
Through years of real combat experience, I’ve learned the blind spots of armored enemies.
I also learned how to exploit those blind spots back then.

My past-life memories and my current body.
How much effort did I put into bridging the gap between them?

The solution I found was flexibility and quick movements.

An attack from an unexpected angle slipped through his guard.
The spear snapped cleanly, which meant I’d secured an opening.

I ducked low, closed the distance,
and struck upward at the shield’s inner side.

Clang!

The metal shield flew into the air with a satisfying ring.
At the same time, his arm grabbed me, and we tumbled across the medieval fantasy street.

Sword wrestling, a key part of swordsmanship.
Close-quarters grappling and hand-to-hand combat.
A dagger is often used as a backup weapon for moments like this.

Since I was already wielding a dagger, there was no way I’d lose this fight.

I quickly took the top position,
and with my body weight behind it, I drove the dagger into his neck.

Thud.

[Enemy defeated.]

It’s virtual reality, so no one actually dies, and the blood isn’t overly realistic.
Still, it’s probably a pretty deflating feeling for the loser.
Or maybe, since they got taken out by a beauty like me, it’s not so bad.

I always found shield-wielding guys so annoying.
Dragging out fights they can’t even win.

I looked down at the fallen guy and flashed a grin.

“Lame.”

A taunt like that?
It goes over great on streams.