Reincarnated into my favorite videogame

Nari approached the adventurer's guild once again, this time with Iris nestled comfortably in her shoulder bag. The streets were quieter in the early morning, and she felt a sense of unease mixed with anticipation. The events of the previous day lingered in her mind, but she shook them off, determined to focus on her new assignment.

Upon entering the guild, Nari noticed the difference immediately. A new attendant stood behind the counter, her green eyes glinting in the light and her vibrant green hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. She gave Nari a warm, polite smile — a stark contrast to the gruff attitude of the last attendant.

"Good morning! Are you here to sign up?" the woman asked cheerfully.

Nari returned the smile. "No, I'm actually here to get assigned to my group. I came here yesterday."

The attendant quickly scanned a list in front of her. "Name, please?"

"Nari."

The woman nodded and checked through a few scrolls before asking, "Would you like to be in a group that gathers materials or hunts monsters?"

"Monster hunting, please."

Without missing a beat, the attendant replied, "It seems you've already been assigned. These are your teammates' details — they're currently at Harven Wood for their next mission."

Nari's stomach sank as she accepted the document. "Thank you," she muttered, trying to hide her panic "oh poop" she thought. She quickly stepped outside and ducked into a nearby alley. She didn't have time to waste, and luckily, her in-game abilities allowed her to teleport. She focused on the location in the document: Harven Wood. With a quiet incantation, she vanished from the alley and reappeared in the thick of the forest.

The forest around her was dense, filled with the scent of pine and damp earth. Nari exhaled sharply, scanning the area. She looked down at the information packet she had received. There were images of her teammates, and her heart did a backflip when she saw one familiar face.

"Sarah," she whispered, smiling. "Guess we're meant to be."

As she walked deeper into the woods, dodging low-hanging branches, another face caught her attention. A young man with black hair and a stern expression. His name was Leo. Nari's eyes widened in recognition. He matched the description the innkeeper had given her about the person who had paid for her stay at the inn.

"Could it be him?" she thought, feeling a pang of curiosity mixed with caution.

Nari put away the documents and, with a quick spell, teleported directly to Sarah's location. Upon arrival, she saw Sarah and a few other group members huddled in a circle, likely strategizing. Nari grinned and walked toward them, tapping Sarah on the shoulder.

Sarah jumped, unsheathing her sword and pointing it at Nari's throat before realizing who it was. "Who- Nari? You're the new recruit?" she gasped, quickly sheathing her blade and pulling Nari into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"Guys, this is my friend Nari. You all better be nice to her," Sarah commanded, her tone half-joking but firm.

The others in the group stood up and introduced themselves. "I'm Ryan," said a tall, muscular man with sandy hair.

"Hilda," a woman with braided blonde hair nodded in greeting.

"James," a short, wiry man added with a grin.

Before the introductions could continue, another voice rang out from behind them. "There are nine ogres up north!"

A young man, red in the face from running, approached the group. "We should avoid them," he added.

"What do you think, Leo?" Sarah asked, turning toward the black-haired man who was leaning against a tree, seemingly uninterested in the conversation. His eyes, however, were locked on Nari.

Nari felt a shiver run down her spine as she caught his gaze. "It has to be him," she thought, her suspicion growing. She discreetly checked his stats but was shocked to find she couldn't read them. "No way… How is he stronger than me?"

Leo, still staring at her, remembered the day he had found her unconscious in the forest, and had saved her from a pack of black wolves and placed her in the inn. He hadn't realized then how beautiful she was, but now, seeing her standing there, something stirred in him.

Nari quickly looked away, her heart racing. "Is he planning to kill me? And then, dump my body in the forest?" she thought, recalling the ruthless way she dealt with annoying people in the game in her old world. She made a mental note to avoid being alone with him.

The group debated whether to fight the ogres or wait for lower-level monsters to pass by, but they ultimately decided to head north. Nari stayed close to Sarah, hoping to avoid Leo's gaze, but her plan was interrupted when a sharp sting shot through her ankle.

She stopped, lifting her foot to inspect it. A small, deadly-looking scorpion scuttled away into the brush. Panic surged through her. "Krono-scorpion," she muttered, recognizing the creature. It caused temporary paralysis, and Nari already felt her leg going numb.

Before she could react further, Leo appeared by her side. The others had already moved ahead, leaving them alone. Nari's heart pounded. "Is this how I die?" But to her surprise Leo knelt down, and inspected her ankle. "Krono-scorpion bite. You'll be paralyzed for a bit. If you want to keep up, you'll need to be carried," he said matter-of-factly.

Nari blinked, trying to process the fact that she wasn't about to be murdered. "No one here is strong enough to carry me," she retorted, half-joking, but Leo raised an eyebrow and swept her up into his arms with ease.

Shocked, Nari stayed silent embarrassed as Leo carried her toward the rest of the group. When they reached them, Leo's expression remained indifferent. "Let's keep moving," he said, ignoring the wide-eyed stares of the others.

Sarah smirked, clearly amused by the sight, but said nothing as they continued their journey north.

As they neared the ogres' location, the atmosphere grew tense. Nari's leg had healed, and she was back on her feet, though she stayed close to Sarah. The group crouched behind a thick patch of bushes, peeking through at the clearing ahead.

There, in the middle of the clearing, nine hulking ogres sat around a crude fire, speaking in their guttural language and feasting on what looked like human remains.

Nari's stomach churned. "They were much more… animated in the game," she thought, her body shaking. She quickly turned away, running behind a tree to vomit. She was wiping her mouth when she sensed something behind her.

Slowly, she turned, her heart sinking as she saw another ogre standing just a few feet away, its massive club raised, ready to bring it down on her head