At ten o’clock in the morning, Erina Chenzi was still asleep.
Outside, the sun had already climbed high into the sky.
But inside the luxurious Chenzi Mansion in Young Town, everything was quiet and peaceful.
Erina had everything most people could only dream of—wealth, comfort, beauty, and a life surrounded by luxury.
Yet there was one thing she valued more than all of it.
A secret.
A secret that only a handful of people knew.
To the outside world, Erina Chenzi was the twenty-two-year-old heiress of the Chenzi family—a wealthy young woman who seemed to have nothing to worry about.
But behind that identity was another girl.
A girl known throughout the gaming world by a completely different name.
Astra.
And that morning, while Erina slept peacefully in her room, she dreamed of someone she had never been able to forget.
Someone who had once encouraged her to live freely.
Someone who had always remained close to her heart, even when he was far away.
But would she ever meet him again?
Erina didn’t know.
And perhaps her dream was about to give her the answer.
Erina’s bedroom looked like something straight out of a modern fantasy anime.
Everything was decorated in elegant white, creating a soft and luxurious atmosphere.
On one side of the room stood a huge walk-in closet filled with clothes and sneakers from some of the world’s most expensive brands.
In the center of the room was a massive king-sized bed.
Wrapped comfortably in a light-pink blanket, a beautiful girl slept peacefully.
Erina Chenzi.
Twenty-two years old.
She wore a simple white T-shirt and a pink skirt.
Her light-pink hair was scattered across the pillow, while her delicate light-blue eyelashes rested against her closed eyes.
Even in sleep, she looked like a princess.
But this princess had a secret that the world knew nothing about.
In the corner of the room stood a powerful, state-of-the-art gaming setup.
Above it, glowing in bright neon pink, was a single word.
ASTRA.
The walls were covered with posters of some of the most popular and legendary games in the world.
And among all the players in those games, one name stood above the rest.
Astra.
The undefeated queen of the gaming world.
But right now, that queen was fast asleep.
Dream or Reality?
Erina opened her eyes.
But she wasn’t inside Chenzi Mansion anymore.
She was standing in a strange, lonely field.
A cold wind swept across the land.
She looked down at herself.
Her appearance had completely changed.
She was no longer Erina Chenzi.
She was Astra.
Her light white-pink hair moved gently in the wind, and her blue eyes shone beneath a beautiful crown decorated with silver and light-blue details.
Her clothes shimmered like white silver armor, while stylish boots covered her feet.
A faint sky-blue aura surrounded her body.
In her hand was her most precious weapon—a magical sword covered in silver and white light, releasing streams of pale-blue energy.
But there was one thing that made Astra instantly recognizable.
A red ribbon was tied around her hand and another around her forehead.
For Astra, that ribbon wasn’t merely an accessory.
It was her signature.
Her status.
Her identity.
Suddenly—
Rustle.
Astra froze.
Someone was approaching.
The temperature seemed to drop.
An icy wind brushed against her skin.
Danger.
Astra reacted instantly.
She jumped high into the air and disappeared behind a giant tree.
BOOM!
The ground shook.
A gigantic black demon resembling a monstrous ape emerged from the dust.
Its eyes glowed like burning coals.
Astra’s heart skipped a beat.
She stepped backward, raised her magical sword, and took a combat stance.
“Who are you?”
The creature stared at her.
Then, surprisingly, it spoke.
“Don’t be afraid, Astra.
I won’t hurt you.”
Astra narrowed her eyes.
Her grip on the sword remained firm.
“Then what do you want from me?”
A strange smile appeared on the demon’s face.
“I want to become your in-game partner.”
Astra blinked.
“My partner?”
“Yes.” The demon nodded.
“Will you join me on a secret mission?”
For a moment, Astra simply stared at him.
“Are you serious?”
“Absolutely.”
A familiar smile slowly appeared on Astra’s face.
Her fear disappeared.
Her old gaming spirit returned.
“Fine.”
She raised her sword.
“Let’s go.”
The moment they moved forward, Astra activated the game.
The world around them suddenly changed.
Darkness swallowed the field.
The screen loaded.
Then—
WARNING.
A red zone appeared before them.
A powerful rival spawned inside it.
Beside him appeared another enormous demon, almost identical to Astra’s partner.
The battlefield was ready.
Both teams stood facing each other.
Then a message flashed across the screen.
BATTLE STARTED!
Smoke exploded across the battlefield.
The fight began.
Astra and her demon partner charged toward their opponents.
Magic collided with brute strength.
Attacks flew from every direction.
The battle became more violent with every passing second.
Then—
BOOM!
A devastating attack struck Astra’s partner.
The demon was thrown backward and crashed onto the ground.
He was badly wounded.
Seeing him fall, Astra’s eyes changed.
The playful smile disappeared from her face.
Her gaze turned cold.
She stepped forward.
“You stay here.”
She tightened her grip around her sword.
“I’ll handle both of them.”
Her wounded partner nodded weakly.
Astra turned toward the two enemies.
She was alone now.
Two against one.
But Astra didn’t retreat.
Instead, she slowly raised her left hand.
A faint blue light appeared around her smallest finger.
Then a glowing thread emerged.
Mystic Thread.
The magical blue thread danced through the air like a living creature.
Astra’s eyes sharpened.
This was no ordinary attack.
Anyone touched by the Mystic Thread would be frozen instantly.
Forever.
Astra swung her hand.
The thread shot toward both enemies at incredible speed.
But her opponent wasn’t an amateur.
He knew exactly what Astra was trying to do.
Just before the Mystic Thread could reach him—
He launched a devastating surprise attack straight at Astra.
And this time…
Astra had nowhere to run.