Saving the ruined Knights’ Order

Saving the Ruined Knights Order – Chapter 2

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was this message:

[Quest Activated]

[On the night of the red moon, the demons will invade.]

[Days until the red moon: ???]

[Grow the knight order, stop the demon invasion, and protect the world.]

[If you fail the quest, you will die.]

It was a message I had seen so many times before.

This was the first quest screen every player saw when starting Saving the Ruined Knights Order.

I closed the window and looked around.

“Wow…”

A small, shabby room.

It smelled unfamiliar, and the cold air made it the perfect place to catch a cold.

But even in this strange room, some things felt familiar.

A sword leaning against the wall. A neatly ironed uniform.

And on the shoulder of that uniform—an emblem.

The emblem of the Pallantier Knight Order.

Along with the quest window I had just closed, this was the first background every player saw when starting the game.

I mumbled in a low voice.

“…I’m so screwed.”

Let’s go over the important facts:

First, Saving the Ruined Knights Order is not a virtual reality game.

Second, it’s a pixel-graphic game.

Third, it’s a game played with a keyboard and mouse.

Conclusion: Then where the hell am I?!

“This is way too sudden.”

This kind of thing happens a lot.

Getting possessed by a game character you played for years.

Getting hit by a truck and reincarnating in another world.

But those things only happen in stories.

Not in real life.

And of all times, this had to happen right when I decided to quit the game after spending 10,000 hours on it.

“What a messed-up life.”

I had made up my mind to leave the game behind and start fresh. But now, it was clinging to me like this.

Maybe it’s like the Flying Dutchman needing a captain. Or the Lich King always needing someone to take the throne.

Either way, all I could do was mutter like an idiot.

“…Father, looks like I’ll be late for work.”

First, I need to figure out what’s going on.

I forced myself to stay calm.

The only reason I could keep my cool in such a ridiculous situation was because of my father’s training.

“Your life will be tough. So always stay calm and act carefully. If you let your emotions take over, even simple things will become impossible.”

As an only child, I had heard these words a thousand times growing up.

Telling that to a five-year-old might have been a bit much, but looking back now, my father clearly had amazing foresight.

“…So this is the tough life you were talking about, huh, Dad?”

Maybe he even saw this coming.

That I’d end up stuck inside a game, completely lost.

“…Yeah, right.”

I closed my eyes and sighed.

But closing my eyes didn’t change reality.

Slowly, I opened them again and turned toward the mirror on the wall.

The strangest thing in this whole room…

Was me.

Isaac Wood.

That was this guy’s—no, my name now.

Also, random thought, but… I actually look pretty good.

“Not bad.”

Long hair fell past my chin. My body was lean, but well-toned and strong.

Completely different from my original body—the one that had spent years sitting at home, playing games all day.

“Ha.”

I let out a small laugh and lay back on the bed.

Yeah, I’m Isaac Wood now.

The same Isaac Wood who shared the memories of a gaming addict who had poured half his life into Saving the Ruined Knights Order.

Honestly, this felt just like being the main character of a novel.

Wow. So exciting.

“…Ha.”

I might have been a hardcore gamer, but I also read a lot of web novels.

And this situation? It was exactly the kind of thing I had seen a million times in those stories.

Back then, it always felt so predictable and boring.

But now that it was happening to me?

I had no idea what to do.

Okay. What did the usual protagonists do in moments like this?

They thought smart and acted wisely.

And their ultimate goal?

Find a way back to their original world.

If that’s the case, then the first thing I need to do is clear the game.

“No problem.”

I had played this game for 10,000 hours.

Beating it? Easy.

Taking the fastest and safest route to the ending was basic knowledge for a veteran player like me.

“…Clearing the game isn’t the issue.”

The problem was how long it would take.

At minimum, eight years.

At worst, ten.

Of course, that was in-game time.

But now, this game had become my reality.

I wasn’t going to expect things like a “time-skip” function to magically exist.

Still, one thing was clear.

Lying here won’t change anything.

Alright. Situation analyzed.

Time to do whatever I can do right now.

I jumped up from my seat and grabbed the doorknob.

And then—

CRACK.

The doorknob came right off in my hand.

”…..”

Still smiling, I stared at the broken piece of metal in my palm.

Yeah. This was exactly how the game started.

The main character wakes up in a knights’ dormitory that has been abandoned for over a year and steps outside.

“Wow. The game really nailed the details.”

Creeeaaak.

The half-broken door groaned as it swung open.

And there it was—the dormitory hallway.

Thud, thud, thud!

A rat the size of my forearm scurried away in surprise.

A giant cockroach sat comfortably against the wall, as if it owned the place.

Cobwebs stretched across the ceiling and corners.

The air was thick with the smell of rotting wood and mold.

“Perfect.”

Every disgusting little detail from the game had been recreated in reality.

This was a place anyone would want to leave immediately.

Creak. Creak. Creeeaaak.

The rotten wooden floor groaned under my weight.

I made my way down the central staircase to the first floor.

And the sight waiting for me was even worse.

“Hahahahaha.”

The front door was completely missing.

Leaves, dirt, and dust had blown into the lobby from outside, piling up in every corner.

There was no caretaker.

No servants. No maids.

Only an empty, abandoned building.

The wind whistled through the broken doorway, making the place feel even more desolate.

But the worst part?

There were no knights.

This so-called “Knights Order” had only one member—the knight commander.

Me.

“Wow. This game was brutal enough when I played it… but living through it?”

“It’s even worse.”

Seeing this reality with my own eyes—no, actually living it—made me feel suffocated.

It didn’t matter if I was a veteran player or a newbie.

The sheer helplessness of the situation hit me hard.

This was Saving the Ruined Knights Order.

Just like the title said, I had to rebuild this completely ruined knights’ order from scratch.

By the time I finished that thought, I had already stepped outside the broken entrance.

And right in front of the dormitory, I spotted a small mailbox.

“Hmm.”

Creak.

Inside the mailbox was a single envelope.

I tore open the wax seal, revealing a long letter written in elegant handwriting.

**[Isaac, I imagine you must be shocked by the poor state of the dormitory. I ask for your understanding. The Palantir Knights have been abandoned for years without proper management.

But now, a new knight commander has arrived—you.

Recruit talented knights, complete missions, and rebuild the order.

No matter what others say, you are already an outstanding knight.

Find other knights as worthy as you and serve the king.

Isaac Wood, come to Knight’s Forge. We’ll talk in person.]**

The letter ended there.

On the back of the envelope was a rough map of the royal capital, with a marked location—Knight’s Forge.

I smiled as I tucked the letter into my pocket.

“A chance to see Knight’s Forge in real life.”

Not that I needed the map. I already knew this world inside and out.

With a deep breath, I took in the scenery around me and started walking.

That heavy feeling from before?

Gone.

My steps felt light.

***

“So this is Knight’s Forge.”

I muttered to myself, overwhelmed with emotion.

I never thought I’d get to see it with my own eyes.

“Haah!”

“Haaaah!”

All around me, knights were training.

Some swung swords over and over.

Some ran across the training grounds, drenched in sweat.

Others sparred with wooden swords, fighting as if it were a real battle.

A massive fortress filled with nothing but knights in every direction.

“Knight’s Forge.”

This place was named after a blade, symbolizing how knights were sharpened and trained here.

Simply put, it was a training ground for all knights in the kingdom.

It was also the main stage where the game took place.

Knight’s Forge welcomed all knights, from rookies to veterans.

Here, I would recruit talented knights and accept missions that would take me across the kingdom.

This was the beginning and end of Saving the Ruined Knights Order.

The holy ground of knights—Knight’s Forge!

In the game, when the ruined order gets a new commander (that’s me), the person who sent me the letter prepares three knights for me.

I had to choose one to join the order.

That knight would become my first official member, marking the true start of my journey.

And this decision?

It changed everything.

The knight I picked would later rise to vice-commander, leading future recruits.

If I chose poorly, things could get ugly.

A bad match would make recruiting difficult later on.

Worst-case scenario?

My vice-commander betrays me and takes over the knights’ order.

So yeah.

This choice was the most important one.

The problem?

I’d never played as this character, Isaac Wood, before.

I had no idea who was waiting for me.

I hope it’s someone like Maron the Red-Haired or Stern the Black Blade…

I thought of my favorite characters as I walked toward the office of the person who sent me the letter.

I couldn’t wait.

Even if my options turned out to be terrible, I was confident I could handle it.

Alright. Bring it on.

Who was going to be my first knight?

***

“Sorry, Isaac. No knights want to join your order.”

…

Where’s my first knight?!