ALL NOVEL Chapter 1: THE FIRST STEP
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Chapter 1: The First Step!
Boom!
In the vast universe, a meteor flashed, hurtling through the cosmos from the chaos and heading straight for a place where vitality and turbulence intertwined.
This commotion soon drew the attention of certain beings.
Before long, a grand gaze descended upon it, carrying waves of music, one after another.
Thus, the meteor was drawn in and integrated into the symphony.
A new syllable, never before heard, was born, hovering outside the grand melody, novel and harmonious.
"Yes," murmured the owner of the gaze before withdrawing their attention.
Suddenly—
...
[Achievement Unlocked: "Step into the Shire!"]
"Objective: Enter the Shire."
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Ah?
The sound of wind rustling through grass, the friction of leaves, chirping birds…
And the sensation of warmth on his face.
Levi opened his eyes, and sunlight pierced his senses, forcing him to squint.
After a while, he adapted to the light and surveyed his surroundings.
The first thing that caught his eye was a line of small words floating in front of him.
"Achievement?"
Why did this seem so familiar?
"Shire…?"
Levi stood up, inhaling deeply. The air felt remarkably fresh, with faint fragrances of grass and soil—vastly better than the stale atmosphere of his shabby house.
At this moment, he was standing under a tall oak tree. Looking around, he saw fields of green stretching endlessly.
He was absolutely sure there was no such place near his home.
Had he been kidnapped? Or sleepwalked his way abroad?
Levi felt utterly confused. He tried to recall what had happened before this, but his mind drew a blank.
His last memory… was playing Minecraft at home?
Minecraft—a famous sandbox game, beloved by players of all ages.
It had accompanied Levi through half his life. From the moment he first encountered it to now, he had played it for over ten years.
Even though it was just a series of pixelated blocks, it never bored him.
Wait!
Levi jolted upright, staring at the small words in front of him.
At that moment, the text began fading to transparency, slowly vanishing. But when Levi focused on it, the words reappeared:
"Isn't this the Minecraft achievement system?"
Shocked by his discovery, Levi suddenly noticed a translucent prompt in the upper right corner of his vision:
"Tutorial for beginners: Open your inventory."
Inventory?
At Levi's mental command, a familiar interface opened.
Three rows of slots for items, a hotbar below.
In the upper-left corner was a blocky, slightly stiff rendering of himself, alongside four empty armor slots.
When he closed the inventory, Levi noticed a health bar and hunger bar in his field of vision.
Was he inside the game?
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Just as Levi pondered crafting a workbench from wood, a voice suddenly addressed him.
"Hey, uh… are you alright?"
[Language module loaded.]
Accompanied by the voice, a prompt box appeared again.
Startled, Levi scanned his surroundings. He saw no one.
What the heck…?
"I'm here, sir."
A hand waved in front of his face.
Levi looked down and locked eyes with—what the heck—a dwarf?
"Sir, are you okay?"
Levi hesitated, scrutinizing the person before him.
First of all, this figure barely reached his waist.
The mature tone, weathered face, well-tailored clothes, and a fish hanging from their belt all signaled that this wasn't a child.
There was only one explanation—dwarfism?
Levi straightened his expression and nodded.
"Hello."
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"Uh, human sir, are you lost?"
"Human sir"?
The unusual greeting felt odd, but the sight of the short man eased Levi's nerves. At least he wasn't stranded in a desolate wilderness.
"That's right. I seem to be lost. Could you tell me where I am?"
The small man blinked before replying, "Oh, this is the Shire. More specifically, Hobbiton."
No way.
The Shire?
Memory fragments flooded Levi's mind.
The Shire… Lord of the Rings…
He froze.
Lowering his gaze, Levi carefully examined the figure in front of him.
Childlike height, large, hairy feet, slightly pointed ears…
A halfling.
Or, a Hobbit.
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Levi's heart raced.
Middle-earth? Was he in Middle-earth?
When he had first watched The Lord of the Rings, this stunning land was a dream come true. Rolling landscapes, fascinating cultures—it was everything he ever wanted.
But it was just a dream. Levi knew the truth.
As an ordinary person, life in Middle-earth wouldn't be easy. Orc raids, Nazgûl, and random dangers meant living here wasn't exactly peaceful.
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The Hobbit in front of Levi scratched his head.
This human seems a bit slow. Is something wrong with his head?
Still, the black hair, strange clothes, and soft features marked him as someone foreign.
"Sir," the Hobbit said, "if you're looking for shelter, you might try the village tavern. To the east is Bree—plenty of humans there. You might find it more to your liking."
"Ah, thank you."
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Gurgle…
An awkward silence descended as Levi's stomach growled.
The Hobbit glanced at him, then at his stomach.
"Uh, I'm planning on making fried fish and potatoes tonight. Would you like to join me for dinner?"
Levi hesitated, but the hunger bar in his vision was already halfway depleted. If it hit zero, he'd start losing health.
"Thank you," he said quickly.
The Hobbit's face froze—he clearly hadn't expected Levi to agree so readily.
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Following his host to Hobbiton's bustling market, Levi marveled at the quaint architecture and lively atmosphere. Halflings eyed him curiously, his tall stature making him stand out like a beacon.
"Are you a wizard?"
A curious Hobbit child approached him, eyes wide with wonder.
"No, I'm not," Levi replied with a chuckle, but the child was quickly ushered away by their parents.
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Finally, the Hobbit introduced himself as they reached his cozy home.
"My name is Baggins. Bilbo Baggins."
Levi froze in shock. Bilbo Baggins?
This was no ordinary Hobbit—it was the Bilbo, from The Hobbit!
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