The glowing countdown ticked down in the corner of his vision.
00:09:53
00:09:52
Nine minutes left before… something.
He took a step forward, boots clacking lightly against the cobblestone. The plaza stretched wide, circular, with four colossal gates standing like silent guardians at equal distances around the edge. Each one shimmered faintly, their carved runes glowing as if alive.
Other figures milled about—some human, some… not. An elf with silver hair tapped impatiently on a floating screen. A bulky lizardman adjusted the straps of his armor. All of them wore the same faintly bewildered expression: new arrivals.
A soft ping brought up another panel.
[Tutorial – Step 1] Orientation
Welcome, Player. You are currently in the Gate Lobby — the neutral hub that connects all Gate Worlds.
Movement: Physical motion translates directly into Player motion.
Interface Access: Blink twice to open the System Menu.
Communication: Speak normally to converse. Use "/whisper" for private messages.
He blinked twice out of curiosity—A transparent menu unfolded in front of him, showing tabs labeled Status, Inventory, Map, and Settings.
Before he could explore, another prompt appeared.
[Tutorial – Step 2] First Objective
Proceed to the Tutorial Kiosk at the center of the plaza.
This will register your Player ID and provide your Starter Kit.
He spotted it — a sleek, crystalline pillar glowing pale blue, with an ethereal attendant standing beside it. She looked human, but her eyes were pure white, her movements unnaturally precise.
Approaching, he was greeted with a warm yet mechanical voice.
"Welcome, Player. Please confirm your identity."
A smaller panel popped up:
[Player Registration]Name: ___________
Confirm Species: Human ✅
Confirm Age: 18 ✅
He hesitated over the name field. His real name felt… wrong here. After a pause, he typed: Ashen.
Player ID Confirmed: AshenStarter Kit Dispensed
A soft hum, then a faint blue glow enveloped his body. A satchel appeared slung over his shoulder, surprisingly light. He peeked inside: a simple short sword, a canteen, three sealed rations, and a folded map marked with a single blinking dot—his location.
The attendant bowed slightly.
"Your Gate Assignment begins shortly. Please wait near the designated warp zone. And… good luck, Ashen."
00:06:21
The countdown was still ticking.
[Tutorial – Step 3] Understanding the Gates
Each Gate leads to a different World Instance.
Worlds vary in difficulty, climate, and resources.
First-time Players are assigned randomly. Survival is your responsibility.
He looked up at the towering gates, each humming faintly with energy.
Somewhere beyond one of them, his second life was about to begin.
Information Section – Chapter 2
Gate Lobby: Central hub connecting all Gate Worlds. Safe Zone; no combat allowed.
Tutorial Kiosk: Automated station for new Player registration and Starter Kit distribution.
Gates: Massive portals to separate world instances. Each has unique challenges and environments.
Hint for Chapter 3:The countdown ends — and Ashen's first Gate world is nothing like he expected.