Life Of A Gamer

by Temairine

Han Jee-Han was a perfectly ordinary boy who was addicted to video games. He did not, however want his life to become one. With his eyes open to a new magical world, containing the good, the bad and the somewhere in-between Jee-Han will struggle with the difficulty of leveling, the numbing boredom from training skills, and the dangers of both enemies and monsters. High level ones.

1. Chapter 1

The Life of a Gamer

Disclaimer: I make no claim of ownership to any part of The Gamer, and I am making no profit by writing this

Introductions are awkward. I always used to think that. Standing there, trying to make a good impression on somebody who you have not got a clue about. This is especially so if you have been introduced to them before, and have forgotten their name. Despite this exercise in mutual awkwardness, I never disliked them enough to even consider this as an option. A video game life...

Sure it makes introductions easier, just look above the person's head and you are told their name... just say observe, spend a few MP and voila! You know stuff about them. But no, even if I had an extreme phobia of introductions I would never have wanted my life to become a video game. Sure, I like to play video games, but that is because it is fun... where your actions don't matter in the real world. It kind of defeats the point if it does.

So why has my life turned into one as of yesterday. I was sitting in my room, doing homework when a screen appeared in front of me. A screen that moved so that it was always in front of me, felt solid to me, that my mother couldn't see when she came in to check on the shocked me, and that only went away when I pressed the exit button in the corner. According to said screen, I had levelled up... to level 2. Then the stat screen appeared, with a pretty normal... for a game at least... distribution of a beginners attributes.

The Gamer: Han Jee-Han
Level 2

HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50

STR: 6
VIT: 4
DEX: 7
INT: 8
WIS: 5
LUK: 6

Points: 5,
Money: £20

The names themselves were standard, I don't know if my scores were. My best one was Intelligence not that that was saying much since it was only higher than my lowest one, vitality by a margin of 4. None of them were even in the double digits. I ended up placing all 5 points into strength, the first one was just to see what happened, but when I realised that I actually felt stronger, and fitter in general I couldn't help myself. I guess delusions of grandeur, of being a martial artist champion addled my brain. I should have gone with Intelligence; Sun-Il is the martial arts champion of the school.

Speaking of Sun-Il, I don't know if it is due to his training but he is level 25, and has a title: Chunbumoon's Heir. It doesn't really make sense at all. I don't know why I'm thinking this though, the situation is awkward, just not a what-was-your-name-again one. Rather, it is the situation where you are being held hostage in midair, several stories high by a level 16 Black Slime and will be killed unless a girl named Kwon Shi-Yun chooses to fight a man named Hwan Sung-Gon at her full strength. Also they are 30 levels and 44 levels above me respectively. If they choose to attack me I wouldn't stand a chance. Well, I don't actually stand much of a chance against the black slime so... yeah I'll deal with the whole 'staying alive' bit for now.

At the moment I currently have 3 skills in my arsenal, A Gamers Body, A Gamers Mind and Observe, none of which are helpful in actual combat. Observe helps me by telling me stuff about the slime sure, but nothing else. The slime is strong, even with additional strength I cannot break loose. Ugh, what was its description again?

Black Slime: Level 16

HP: 1200 MP: 500

A Slime that lives in the Netherworld and keeps its demonic power inside itself which it can use it to strengthen its body.

I don't have exact details of its stats, but I am pretty sure it will be better than me in most things, or insanely good at one thing. I do hope it's the latter, and then there will be a weakness that I might be able to exploit. Grabbing a fistful of the so called slime I discover that it is not actually slimy. Rather it is like very tough, but stretchy rubber, the kind that is hard to tear. So I try to kick my feet, currently submerged in the black rubbery gloop. I don't make much headway, but there is a small gap. Is it one that I could force my hand into?

So I start to scissor my legs as quickly as I can, enlarging the gap. Relying on my increased strength I bring my body up, in some sort of midair sit-up and plunge my hand inside the slime. It hurts a lot. Apparently the demonic energy really is kept inside, because something is burning my hand. My HP has got to be dropping, and so I grab a handful of whatever it is and pull with all my power. A large chunk of the slime tears off, and it recoils from my grip, sending me falling towards the ground.

Did I mention that I was some distance off the ground? Now that the one thing holding me up is gone I am falling faster and faster, thank you gravity, twisting and turning in an attempt to avoid the inevitable collision with the ground. An unsuccessful attempt as all it does is get me to land on my left shoulder rather than my back. It actually isn't that painful. It might be shock but no, it is the kind of feeling you get when you are winded and out of breath, and I recover quickly enough to dodge the attacking slime.

The slime... does not look so good, I tore a decent chunk out of its side and it is leaking black ooze that I can only assume is demonic energy. It is the same demonic energy that I am currently holding a part of. Great, I'm holding the equivalent of slime guts, and I don't know what to do with them. From my gaming I know better than to throw it at the slime, that would do very little damage since it is also demonic, and it might actually make the situation worse by healing it. By now there are 3 screens in the corner of my vision, but I am more focussed on surviving right now.

First of all get rid of slime guts somewhere the slime cannot get them, as it seems to want them back, if the lunge at the hand holding them is any indication. Oh, a fourth screen joins. Not now! Why won't the stupid slime insides, well technically the slimes demonic energy just go away. I glare at the ball of black energy, willing it to fade away. And then it does. Huh? Something's not right here, and I don't know why. Maybe the demonic energy dissipates with no more support from the slime? I really couldn't say.

For now I'll focus on hitting the slime where it hurts, namely the wound on its side... though that seems to be closing up now. All the more reason to attack it now, before it can recover. After the slime's next lunge I run up to it and begin to hit, punch and kick it, I even try one of those karate chops on the wound. Its health is somewhat affected, though nowhere near as much as my first attack. Another one of those and it will die, so bracing myself for the burning feeling, and the mental nausea I punch my hand into the slime's wound and grab more of the burning energy.

Another screen appears, or maybe I just noticed it, I don't know, but yet again I ignore it in favour of kicking and ripping the slime with one hand as I attack its insides with the other. I am going to be having a long bath when I get home... I feel contaminated... The disgust is still there, but the burning feeling is not so bad this time. It is still painful, but definitely not the same level of intensity. The former was the equivalent of sticking my hand in a fire, while the other is like touching a hot metal pan. At least the burning doesn't seem to scar or destroy my skin which would be bad.

And then the black slime fades away... I defeated it! I'm alive! And I have a whole load of screens from the game to work through. I hope I at least levelled up, goodness knows I deserve it after all that trouble, plus I'm level 2 and its level 16 which is testament to the difficulty of the fight. Now what does the first screen say?

[Demonic Energy Resistance] (Passive) Lvl 3: EXP: 2.54%

A skill that gives the gamer resistance to demonic energy
6.5% decrease in damage from demonic energy attacks

Okay that must have been why the burning wasn't so bad the second time I grabbed a handful of it. It's a useful skill and passive as well. And it is already level Next!

[Rip] (Active) Lvl 2: EXP 50.30%

A skill that rips apart an enemy or an object using a strong force
Tearing force is increased by 30%

So that was the skill I used to tear a chunk of the slime off. Not as high a level as the first, but I did only use it a couple of times, while the demonic energy must have continuously been affecting me.

[Acrobatics] (Passive & Active) Lvl 1: EXP: 43.24%

A skill that increases the gamers flexibility, muscle control and reaction speed

Passively Increases DEX by 5%
Actively Increases DEX by 10%

Another useful skill, this is making me feel far luckier than my LUK of 6 indicated. It doesn't say a cost in terms of MP for it to be active, but then again neither did [Rip]. I guess I'll have to find that out through experimentation then.

[Observe] (Passive) Lvl 2: EXP: 10.96%

A skill that allows for the quick gathering of data on a subject

Well I already had that skill, so I suppose this is to inform me that it levelled up. Only one more screens to deal with, I hope it's something good.

[Demonic Energy Manipulation] (Active) Lvl 1: EXP: 92.81%

A skill that allows the gamer to create and manipulate demonic energy
-25% Damage from demonic energy created/manipulated by the gamer

That kind of sucks... I can make the stuff but if I use it then it will hurt me? Well I suppose that levelling the skill will help a lot, and levelling the [Demonic Energy Resistance] one will help a little. Pity there is no time to experiment; the girl named Kwon Shi-Yun is finished with her battle... some sort of giant insect and is coming over. Hwan Sung-Gon is nowhere to be seen, despite starting this whole mess. And there is yet another new skill? I don't think I've done anything to get one...

[Perception] (Passive) Level 1: EXP: 0.0%

A skill that allows the gamer to gather more data through interaction with the world
Passively Increases WIS by 2.5%

No time for that! She looks... angry for some reason... and even though she's cute... she is also scary and high level. Speaking of which why haven't I levelled up?

Your Level has increased by 1
Your Level had increased by 1

So the game was saving the best until last I guess. Now what does the Soul Blaze Fist User want with me. Thank you [A Gamers' Mind] for allowing me to stay calm and not run away scream ing. Although, considering that we are in some type of alternate place totally devoid of other people I am unsure exactly where I would run to.

"You, what are you?"

What am I other than human? While I realise that she has seen too much for me to plausibly deny doing whatever kind of supernatural stuff this is, it would be helpful to find out how much she knows.

"What?"

Her expression retains its hostility.

"That wasn't something an ordinary person could have defeated. So how did you kill it?"

Judging by her curiosity she didn't know the extent of my ability, and I was most certainly not going to tell her, a stranger I had just met, an unbelievable story about how my life became a video game. Okay, so the man could summon monsters, and the girl can manipulate fire, but that was minor compared to my situation. Besides where would I start if I was going to explain my ability. Then an idea hits me. The girl wants answers to her questions, and she probably has the answers to some of my questions. So what better way that to compare notes and satisfy both of our curiosities?

"Why are you interrogating a guy that almost died just now? There are tons of things I want to ask too, so why don't you take turns asking and answering questions?"

She looks pensive for a moment before her features settle into a determined look. I'm not complaining it's better than hostility.

"Fine, then first of all who are you?"

Another vague question comes from her, which will receive a somewhat vague answer.

"My names Han Jee-Han and I am 18 years old. I have a little special power and am currently a high school student. Is that enough for you?"

Her eyes narrow in scrutiny. Was it really that surprising that I have a special power? She had already said as much herself.

"You look pretty dumb... But you are a Special Power user?"

I'm getting the feeling that she is the blunt type with few social skills. Either that or she thinks that I am far beneath her in skill, and therefore not worthy of respect. Hope is going for the first option, for the sake of my self esteem. Wait, she is speaking again.

"I memorised your name and face."

She then turns around and vanishes completely through some invisible barrier, probably leading to the real world... without answering my questions! On top of that how on earth do I get out of here? She should have at least explained something in return... and she seemed the honourable type as well. Guess that means she sees me as unworthy of respect. Oh why isn't there a charisma stat? Then I could have tried to persuade her to let me out before I die alone in an empty alternate reality!

Then my surroundings begin to crack. It's like a glass window has been shattered, only rather than the view being the same on the other side of the barrier, it is different. But it is a good different though, as I am back in the real world. That is good news, even with the mind of a gamer I would have been hard pressed to keep calm if I was stuck in there for an indefinite period.

Now that reality sets in I have to hurry to school, and thankfully I am not late. That is odd. I spent a fair amount of time battling that slime... does time stop in those places... no, because too much time has passed for that. Maybe it is just me being confused though, getting caught up in the moment and assuming that time has slowed down due to some sort of adrenaline rush? I really need to find out more about that barrier thing... what did Hwan Sung-Gon call it? Ah, yes, it was called an illusion barrier – because it creates an illusion?

During class I experimented with the game mechanics... and found the inventory! I can put anything I want in it, as long as I am careful to avoid notice... So far it worked. There is an equipment menu as well, which shows a picture of me with a school uniform on. I also gained a new skill when the teacher caught me not paying attention and smacked my hands with the ruler. So a bit of cool stuff from the game that in no way whatsoever makes up for the ruining of my life as I currently know it. I would have rather never got that stupid skill.

[Physical Endurance] (Passive) Lvl 1: EXP: 57.20%

The gamers body increases in durability and takes less damage
-3% Damage from physical attacks

It's way too weak to be of any real use to me at this point. The black slime was powerful enough that if it had hit, 3% would make practically no difference. But since it gets experience whenever I take damage, if I keep on getting attacked it will become more and more useful. The teacher calls on me again and through some fluke I actually managed to answer correctly. And of course since nothing makes any sense in my life anymore, I got a new skill. And by the end of the school day I had another 2 skills, which I checked out on the way home.

[Recollection] (Passive) Lvl 1: EXP: 19.18%

The ability of the gamer to memorise facts for the future, and recall them when needed
passively Increases INT by 2%

So I get a skill from just about everything I do.

[Logic] (Passive) Lvl 2: EXP: 0.39%

The ability of the gamer to link facts and form conclusions
Passively Increases INT by 2.5%

Another Intelligence stat increasing skill: although this one gives a higher boost than the previous one. Perhaps the bonuses they give increase by 0.5% every time they level up? That would certainly explain the difference. What is the last skill then...?

[Studying] (Passive & Active) Lvl 1: EXP: 21.96%

The ability of the gamer to increase skill experience faster
passively Increases Mental Skill Experience Gain by 2%
actively Increases Mental Skill Experience Gain by 4%

Yes, this will be a great help in the future... and it also means that there should be an equivalent one for Physical and maybe, just maybe Supernatural experience gain as well. Since I've just arrived home I'll go and practise/experiment after dinner, and homework are finished. And you never know that might actually help me level skills. I am referring to the homework which might, but not dinner. Actually does food recover HP? I had better check that out.

It turns out that my mother's cooking really is miraculous. I spent the time before dinner using [Observe] on the surroundings and... I was disappointed. Only medicines had any effects, none of my clothes did, nor did a baseball bat that I thought could be a weapon. Oh, I am sure that it still can be used, but an attack score would have been helpful. But that's not the point. My mother's cooking is able to heal 50 HP with a single meal, compared to the 5 HP from the medicine. That meal though was the most delicious medicine I have ever had. If cooking good food is so helpful maybe I should ask for lessons? After all I will be going to university next year and being able to cook would be a bonus. More importantly if I could make that dish I could have the tasty equivalent of healing potions! My inventory would make sure that it stayed fresh and warm!

Cooking lessons could wait, though. I have 10 points to assign to my various attributes. I think that 3 will go to DEX, 1 each to STR and VIT and 5 to INT. I need to be able to survive, which means a decent set of base stats as well as a high Intelligence. Intelligence can affect so many things that it is ridiculous. Your reasoning, your problem solving, your tactics and strategy, your magic, should I become able to use it are all prime examples of this. So I brought up my combat stats slightly and greatly increased Intelligence.

After that I found that homework was slightly easier to do when compared to normal... Now with my homework finished, the baseball bat I found under the bed will go into the inventory... I would rather not look like a delinquent, carrying a weapon. I am going to go and practice, and see if I get a useful combat skill other than rip. Ripping a slime is bearable but what is it's something with a head and body and blood. I would rather not rip an animal apart... that would just be cruel beyond belief. So I set off, telling my mother that I want some fresh air. Hopefully nothing bad will happen...

The Gamer: Han Jee-Han
Level 4

HP: 150/150
MP: 140/140

STR: 13
VIT: 5
DEX: 10
INT: 13
WIS: 5
LUK: 6

Points: 0,
Money: £20

Skills:

Acrobatics: Level 1
Demonic Energy Resistance: Level 3
Demonic Energy Manipulation: Level 1
Logic: Level 2
Observe: Level 2
Perception: Level 1
Physical Endurance: Level 1
Recollection: Level 1
Rip: Level 2
Studying: Level 1