Akaha Kuefi was sitting in her room, carefully rereading the system mail that had come to her in mail. The message said that in order to make contact with Vyatka and get closer to her, you need to become noticeably stronger.
At first, Akaha frowned, the text sounded almost like a challenge. But already a second later, a slight smile touched her lips, and then a loud laugh burst out.
— A little stronger? Ha! Yes, I've been waiting for this.
She said to herself as she reached for the VR headset. She settled comfortably in the chair, checked the cables of the game capsule, and lay down as if she were about to embark on a journey not in a dream, but in reality. Her heart began to race, and anticipation filled her entire being.
The screen flashed, and an inscription appeared on her retina:
Welcome to the world of Log Apofis.
Akaha took a deep breath, allowing her consciousness to fully immerse itself in the virtual world.
The character creation menu opened in front of her. A soft glow surrounded her, reflecting in the transparent panels where she could choose her race, appearance, and initial stats.
—So let's get started...
She whispered, with excitement and a sly twinkle in her eyes.
Each movement of her fingers left a trail of light, as if she were weaving her own destiny. She had to create someone who could not only survive in the dangerous world of Apofis, but also face Vyatka one day.
Akaha had no intention of creating a simple or ordinary character; her goal was bold and audacious. In the editor's menu, she enthusiastically modified every detail until a tall warrior figure appeared before her.
Her tanned skin seemed to glow with gold, her muscular arms emphasized strength and endurance, and her brown eyes were filled with determination.
—That's it... An Amazon you'd better not cross.
She chose the Warrior class, with a focus on shield and sword. It wasn't just a style; it was a symbol of her determination to protect her allies and withstand blows that would break other players. A true "tank," capable of standing on the front lines and diverting any enemy's attention.
When the loading screen ended, Akaha found herself in the starting location. It was a spacious beginner's camp surrounded by lush forests and fields, where she could train and gain her first levels.
Her character's hands immediately materialized a heavy round shield and a sword with a wide guard.
She felt a surge of excitement, and every swing of her weapon sent a slight vibration through her body, as if she were truly experiencing it.
Akaha knew perfectly well that at the end of the starting area, she would find a difficult group boss that could not be defeated alone. Too strong protection, too much damage. The perfect test for a new tank.
—Well, it's time to gather a party!
Opening the general chat of the location, Akaha quickly typed:
[I]: Who's going to the boss? We need a strong group, I'll take the tank. The shield will hold up.
The message immediately caused a surge of responses, and the newcomers who were wandering nearby had been looking for a leader for a long time.
Many were afraid to go alone, and the strong and confident Amazon looked like the kind of person they wanted to follow.
In the world of Log Apofis, there was a special tool called the open chat, which was accessible to all players within the same location.
It was like a huge message board, where people could ask questions about rare monsters, sell items, or find allies for raids. This is where Akaha came in, hoping to find a team quickly.
Around her, other players were going about their business, some were farming low-level monsters, some were showing off their new gear, but no one was in a hurry to face the fearsome guardian of the area.
—What, are they all so brave until it's time to face the boss?
She muttered under her breath and sent the message again. Finally, after a couple of minutes, the chat came to life.
[Arden_15]: I'm ready, but we'll split the drops equally.
[Selvara]: I have ice magic, I'll go with you. But keep in mind, I want my share of the loot.
[GrimFox]: I'll take the role of the archer. I agree to the terms, as long as there's no cheating.
Messages were pouring in one after another. It was clear that many players wanted to try their hand at it, but they were afraid to go alone. The conditions were simple and strict, and the rewards would be shared among all participants.
Akaha thought about it. Of course, she wanted to keep more for herself, but she didn't have a choice. A solo battle against the boss would result in defeat, and she was too eager to reach Iacreumor, the first real city, to argue about the division right now.
She wrote a brief message:
[Me]: I agree. We'll meet at the central campfire in 5 minutes.
After that, her avatar, an Amazon with impressive shoulders and a shield on her back, stood by the fire, waiting for new allies. Anticipation was already pulsating in her chest: this was her first real team raid in the world of Log Apofis.
Akaha suddenly remembered that she had not asked her colleague from work about her in-game nickname and character appearance.
All she knew was that Viyatka was somewhere in this vast world, but how could she find her among the thousands of players?
The thought confused her a little, and for a moment her fingers hovered in the air above the virtual keyboard.
—Well, sooner or later we'll cross paths.
At that moment, three players who had responded to her offer began to approach the fire. The first was a thin man in a green leather cloak, carrying a longbow on his back.
His name was glowing above his head: GrimFox. He looked at Akaha carefully, as if trying to figure out if she was serious or just using a playful avatar.
A girl with short blue hair and a staff in her hands appeared next. Her name was glowing above her head: Selvara.
She tilted her head to the side and looked at her new partner with a slight smile, her eyes lingering on her muscular arms.
—An Amazon, huh? At least we'll have a reliable tank.
The last person to join the group was a red-haired guy in light armor. His nickname was Arden_15. He was holding a short sword and had a smaller shield than Akaha's on his back.
He looked up at her, and the corners of his lips twitched in a restrained chuckle.
—You've grown quite a bit. You're almost a head taller than me.
Akaha crossed her arms over her chest, and her muscles flexed under her virtual skin.
—I wanted to be memorable. And if you're laughing, that's a good thing. The important thing is that you won't be laughing when I cover you with a shield.
The three of them looked at each other, and a hint of respect crossed their faces. However, they couldn't help but chuckle as they watched Akaha's avatar tower over them.
What stood out the most was her username, "Aka-32." It stood out for its simplicity and brevity, contrasting with the intricate names like "Selvara" or "GrimFox."
No one could understand the significance of the "32" or why she chose it. The group chat erupted with light-hearted conversations. A couple of minutes later, one of the participants, a girl with the nickname Selvara, suddenly asked Akaha:
—Hey, what does your nickname mean?
Akaha hesitated for a moment. She was well aware that her "Aka-32" looked strange and didn't fit in with the overall style.
Several options for an answer flashed through her mind, ranging from humorous to downright silly, but in the end, she wrote in a calm tone:
—Just a random set of letters that I liked.
But then, after a moment of thought, she added to the private chat:
—Okay, to be honest, it's not entirely random. "Aka" is a syllable from my name, and the number 32... it represents the years I'll live in reverse. I'm 23, so 32 is like a reflection of me.
Selvara didn't ask any unnecessary questions, but based on her brief "understood," it was clear that she was intrigued by this explanation. However, there was no time for discussion, as the arena where the boss of the location was waiting was already in sight.
The battle was long and intense, with the boss, wrapped in thick vines, striking the players and launching unexpected attacks.
Aka-32, armed with a shield and a sword, took the brunt of the blows and struggled to keep the monster at bay while the rest of the party dealt damage from behind.
At one point, she found herself laughing and shouting with adrenaline for the first time in a long while, feeling a part of something greater.
After a fierce struggle, the boss collapsed, and everyone's screen displayed the message.
[ Victory! Rewards have been distributed among the group members. ]
Aka-32 finally breathed a sigh of relief. For her, the rewards were secondary, the most important thing was that the road to Iacreumor, the first major city, was now open.
As she saved her character in the city, she felt a slight pang of loneliness. She remembered Vyatka, the colleague she had encouraged to try the game. Akaha immediately opened a message window and wrote:
—I'm already in the city. Send me your character name and location.
The sending indicator flashed on the screen.
Inside, everything tightened with a slight excitement: who knows, maybe right now their first real meeting in the virtual world will begin.
Before Aka-32 could even settle into the main square of Iacreumor, there was a short beep of an incoming message. She eagerly opened the chat and familiar letters appeared on the screen:
"Disava" was her nickname.
And a little below, a location tag: Aofeadale.
A smile stretched itself across Akasha's face, becoming wider and more sincere. Now everything was going the way she wanted it to: she had a goal, not only in the game, but also in her personal life. She imagined walking alongside Vyatka in their new guises, and this thought gave her strength.
"Great, then it's time to set out."
But it was this upcoming challenge that only fueled her excitement. With a sense of excitement, almost a challenge to herself, Aka-32 chuckled.
"Well, if it's necessary to smash and break, then I will smash and break. Disava, wait for me."
She marched towards the gates of the city with a fiery determination, like a true warrior ready for a new hunt.
Every enemy she encountered was no longer just a random obstacle; it was a stepping stone that brought her closer to Aofeadale, the very point on the map where her real-life counterpart awaited her.