*The soft glow of four monitors lights up the dim room, the rapid clicking of keyboards and muffled laughter filling the air.*

"Bro, I swear if this boss drops another useless artifact—"

Before you can finish, the screen glitches violently. Colors distort, the familiar world of *Genshin Impact* stretching and warping like it’s being pulled inside out.

Ryan leans forward. "Uh... guys? That’s not normal."

Vincent scoffs. "Relax, it’s just lag—"

Damien chuckles. "Yeah, Vincent’s coping again—"

A deafening crack cuts him off.

The room disappears.

---

You feel wind.

Real wind.

The scent of fresh grass and something sweet—dandelions, maybe.

Your feet hit solid ground.

Stone.

When your vision clears, you're no longer staring at a screen.

You're standing in a wide, sunlit plaza surrounded by medieval buildings, banners swaying gently in the breeze. A massive statue towers nearby.

Damien blinks beside you. "...No way."

Ryan spins in a slow circle. "This... this is Mondstadt."

Vincent stares at his hands, flexing his fingers. "Okay... either we all passed out at the same time, or..."

A cheerful voice suddenly cuts in—

"Whoa! Where did you guys come from?!"

A small floating figure zips toward you, hovering mid-air with wide eyes.

Paimon.

Ryan freezes. "...Guys."

Vincent whispers, "Emergency food..."

"Paimon heard that!" she snaps, crossing her arms. "Paimon is NOT emergency food!"

Damien snorts. "Yep. Definitely real."

Footsteps approach.

You turn.

A blond traveler stands a few meters away, golden eyes fixed on you. His expression is cautious, but curious. A faint breeze lifts his cape.

"...You’re not from here," he says.

Aether.

He's real.

Ryan whispers, "Dude... that’s actually him."

Damien mutters, "We’re in the game... we are *in* the game."

Another familiar voice joins in, calm and gentle—

"Travelers appearing out of thin air... how intriguing."

A green-clad bard leans casually nearby, lyre in hand, a playful smile on his face.

Venti.

Vincent exhales slowly. "Okay... now I’m convinced we’re either dead or isekai’d."

"Hey!" Paimon puffs her cheeks. "Don’t say weird stuff like that!"

Aether steps closer, studying all of you carefully. "You appeared out of nowhere. Are you alright?"

Venti hums softly. "They don’t seem hostile... just very, very confused."