Chương 3: Departure

I whipped my head around so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash, fully expecting to see some other poor soul standing behind me. Nope. Just me, the shriveled hotdog, and a shelf of stale pretzels. This guy was actually addressing me directly. I let out a nervous little cough and gave a stiff nod, trying to play it cool while my internal monologue was screaming in confusion.

"Arthur Gray," he began, using my full name like he was reading it off a holy scroll.

"Tell me, how would you feel about journeying to a realm where the only ceiling on your power is the strength of your own resolve?" I immediately took a giant leap backward, nearly tripping over a display of discount umbrellas.

"Okay, let's dial it back a few notches, Mr. Anime Protagonist," I stammered, my heart doing a drum solo against my ribs.

"Is this one of those elaborate prank shows? Was the whole blowout with my parents just a staged setup? Seriously, where are the hidden cameras? Are they in the nacho cheese dispenser?" I spun in a circle, squinting at the corners of the ceiling and checking behind the cardboard cutouts of soda brands. I found absolutely nothing but dust and fluorescent lights. The guy didn't even blink at my paranoid breakdown.

"You may call me Five," he said, his voice dripping with that weirdly calm authority again.

"I serve as a shepherd for those chosen to cross over into the lands of Eteria. And you, Arthur, have been handpicked to enter the Endless Dungeon. Although, I should mention that this conversation is mostly a courtesy. Once the selection is made, your participation is mandatory, regardless of whether you actually want to sign the waiver." I threw my hands up in the air, officially resigning from this conversation and my sanity.

"Alright, that is it. This stopped being funny about three sentences ago," I barked, backed away from the counter like he was carrying the plague.

"Keep the juice and the shriveled meat stick. I do not care. I am out of here!" I spun around and marched toward the exit, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. I half expected the doors to be magically locked or for him to tackle me with some superhuman speed, but to my absolute relief, the automatic sensor triggered. The glass slid open with a familiar hiss, and I prepared to bolt into the safety of the dark, boring suburban street. Except the street was gone.

The moment my sneaker hit the pavement, the concrete vanished. The dark night and the glowing neon signs were swallowed by a blinding flash of light. When my vision finally cleared, I wasn't in a parking lot anymore. I was standing in the middle of a colossal, seemingly infinite sea of vibrant green grass that swayed gently under the heat of a midday sun. The air didn't smell like car exhaust and disappointment anymore; it smelled like clover and terrifying possibilities.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. My jaw didn't just drop; it practically hit the dirt. I stood there, a skinny guy in a gray hoodie, looking like a total glitch in the landscape. Suddenly, a voice that sounded like a sophisticated, emotionless computer echoed directly inside my skull, vibrating against my brain cells. [Greetings and welcome to the realm of Eteria, Arthur Gray.] Just like that, the universe had decided to hit the fast-forward button on my life and toss me into a literal fantasy world. It happened so quickly that my brain was still trying to process the concept of the convenience store door. I reached up with one hand to physically shove my jaw back into place, staring out at the endless horizon of the most beautiful place I had ever seen and hated.

"You have got to be kidding me," I whispered to the empty, golden air.

"This is not happening. There is no way this is actually happening." I scanned the horizon of this never-ending sea of grass, half-expecting a stray lawnmower to appear and save me from all this nature. Instead, I spotted a figure perched atop a jagged rock like some sort of brooding gargoyle who'd lost his cathedral. It was Five. But the guy had clearly undergone a frantic wardrobe change in the five minutes since I'd last seen him. Gone was the "depressed retail clerk" aesthetic of his convenience store uniform.

Now, he was rocking a full-on medieval noble ensemble that looked like it cost more than my entire life. He even had a flamboyant hat perched over his golden locks, looking like he was ready to skip the grocery run and go straight to signing some peace treaties.

"Alright, I'll bite," I said, squinting at his fancy new threads.

"Who are you actually supposed to be? Because the 'local cashier' vibe was a lot less intimidating than this Renaissance Fair makeover." Five didn't even crack a smile. He adjusted his velvet sleeves with the gravity of a man about to declare war.

"As I mentioned to you previously," Five began, his voice dropping into a tone so stiff and formal it made my ears ache, "I am the designated guide for those players destined for the realm of Eteria. My presence here is a matter of fate, for you have been singled out from everyone else to endure the trials of the Endless Dungeon of Eteria." [Participant Arthur has successfully engaged with the Primary Guide. Initializing world-building sequence.] I blinked.

"The Endless what-now? Can we go back to the part where you explain why you're dressed like a Shakespearean extra?" Five stood there looking like he was posing for a royal portrait that nobody actually asked for. He cleared his throat, and the words came out sounding like they had been hand-calligraphed on expensive, ancient parchment.

"The Endless Dungeon of Eteria is a realm of infinite possibility," Five proclaimed, his voice echoing across the grass as if he were addressing a sold-out stadium instead of just one sweaty guy in a hoodie.

"It is a place where individuals of latent talent, such as yourself, are fated to seize a level of power that transcends the boundaries of mortal thought. Provided," he added, narrowing his eyes with a touch of dramatic flair, "that you possess the strength to claim it." I stood there for a second, letting the "infinite possibility" bit sink in. Usually, my possibilities involve choosing between spicy or mild instant ramen.

I took a solid few minutes to process the fact that I had been kidnapped by a fantasy cosplayer and dropped into a giant lawn. Panic started to bubble up, but then I realized that hyperventilating is surprisingly exhausting. I was already here. Unless I had a secret "teleport home" button hidden in my pocket, I was stuck. Instead of doing the sensible thing and weeping like a lost toddler, I decided to just lean into the madness.

I'd spent enough time reading about this kind of stuff; might as well see if I get a cool stuff out of the deal. Five tilted his head, his fancy noble hat wobbling slightly as he studied me.

"You are taking this transition much better than the others I have escorted. Most do not find their footing so quickly." I gave a dry, pathetic little laugh and kicked at a clump of grass.

"Well, Five, let's be real. Back on Earth, my social life was about as active as a pet rock. I don't exactly have a fan club waiting for me to come home. My family thinks I'm a total lost cause because I spend my days as a professional shut-in, embracing the glorious life of a lazy, anime-obsessed basement dweller. To be honest, I'm a complete nobody. So why would a 'chosen' spot go to a guy whose greatest achievement is a high score in a gacha game?"