Now, the world was white. Icy silence reigned. And in the dead center of it all, buried beneath a mountain of frozen regret, something ancient stirred.
A message blinked into being in the void:
> **TRANSFER COMPLETE**
> Welcome, Player Ren Arkwright.
> World Loaded: *Frostbound Exile*
> You are the new **Lord of the North.**
> Special Skill Unlocked: **10x Item Multiply**
Then, everything turned white.
Ren Arkwright blinked against the blinding white.
He was lying in a field of powder-fine snow, his breath coming in sharp gasps as he sat up. The cold bit into his skin, but he barely noticed — he was too focused on the floating blue screen in front of him.
> Skill Activated: **10x Item Multiply**
> All gathered, crafted, or looted items will be multiplied tenfold.
> Caution: This ability will draw attention.
"Is this... a dream?" he murmured, rubbing his gloved hands together. "Or did I die?"
His last memory was of sitting at his desk, beta-testing the new expansion for the popular VRMMO *Frostbound Exile*. The update was supposed to drop at midnight. He'd clicked *Start*, the screen flashed blue — and now here he was.
In the real world? Or something else entirely?
Snow crunched behind him.
Ren whirled around. A gray-furred beast stood on a ridge — a wolf the size of a horse, eyes glowing pale blue. Its growl rumbled like an avalanche.
> Objective: **Survive.**
He scrambled to his feet, panic surging. He reached down, scooped up a rock, and —
**CLANG** — a new prompt appeared:
> +10 Stones acquired
> [Common Material] - Usable for crafting, fortification
"What the—?!"
He checked his inventory. Ten identical stones.
The wolf lunged.
Ren ducked, rolling down the hill. He fumbled with the stones, hurling one — then another. The beast dodged, growling louder.
But then Ren saw it — a fallen tree, limbs bare but frozen solid.
He sprinted toward it, slamming his hand down on the wood.
> +10 Frozen Logs acquired
> [Building Material] - Highly flammable
He opened the crafting menu.
> Craft: **Makeshift Torch** — Requires: 1 Log + 1 Cloth
> You have: 10 Logs
Ren ripped a strip from his shirt, tied it around a branch, and struck two stones together.
The torch flared to life — and the wolf snarled, halting in its tracks.
"Yeah, not a fan of fire, are you?"
Ren waved the torch, forcing the beast back. It let out one last growl before vanishing into the trees.
Heart pounding, breath fogging the air, Ren stood alone in the snow.
"This... isn't a game anymore."
He turned toward the icy valley below. Smoke rose in the distance. A broken village? A base to rebuild?
> Quest Updated: **Establish a Shelter**
> Reward: Base Ownership | Unlock Upgrade Menu
Ren tightened his grip on the torch, eyes narrowing.
"If I've got 10x everything... then I'll build something no one's ever seen before."