>Link Completed.
As the feminine voice echoed in Ethan's head, a blinding light swallowed his vision whole. When the brightness finally faded, he found himself standing in a vast, empty white space.
Ethan slowly turned his head, scanning the endless nothing around him. Just then, a clean translucent panel flickered to life right in front of his eyes.
> [ Insert Player Name ]:
"Hmm… what's a good name?" Ethan muttered, tapping his chin for a moment before eventually shrugging and typing his own name.
"Ethan."
> Player name confirmed.
>Player name: [ Ethan ]
> Notice: Your character's in-game appearance will resemble your real-world appearance, would you like to make any changes?
[ Yes ] or [ No ]
Ethan didn't bother tweaking his appearance. He already knew how good he looked in real life, so to him there was no need to waste his time fixing what was already perfect. With a lazy tap, he hit "No."
Another translucent panel blinked into view.
> "Please choose your beginner's weapon".
Rows of weapons floated before him, spears, daggers, and swords of every kind. Ethan's eyes scanned through them once before settling on a sleek, double-edged black sword. A faint grin tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Yeah… this one's looks perfect," he muttered, selecting it without a second thought.
After Ethan confirmed his weapon, the space around him started to tremble.
"The f.u.c.k—what's happening!?" Ethan's voice cracked as panic crept in. His first thought was simple and terrifying: bug. Maybe the system crashed. Maybe something went wrong.
The shaking lasted only a few seconds before everything went still. Then, a blinding light swallowed his vision whole.
When the light faded, Ethan's senses were assaulted by something no VR game had ever given him before.
Wind.
A gentle morning breeze brushed against his cheeks, carrying the scent of damp earth, fresh leaves, and faint traces of wildflowers. The ground beneath his boots wasn't the smooth, artificial surface of a game lobby but soft soil layered with scattered leaves.
Ethan slowly opened his eyes—and froze. Towering trees surrounded him, their branches swaying gently in the wind.
"Holy s.h.i.t!!" Ethan muttered, eyes wide as he spun in place, trying to take everything in. "I knew the game was supposed to feel real, but this," he paused, breathing in the crisp air, "this is way too f.u.c.k.i.n.g real!."
His heart thumped in his chest, not from fear, but from the overwhelming rush of it all. The texture of the ground, the scent of the forest, the cool breeze on his skin, none of it felt like a simulation. It felt like he had actually stepped into another world.
"Looks like I'm in a forest…" Ethan muttered, glancing around at the towering trees and the soft mist drifting between them. The sound of rustling leaves and distant birds made everything feel unnervingly real.
Then it hit him. Right… I read about this. New players got dropped in random spots near a city.
"There should be a city somewhere close," he said with a small grin. The corner of his mouth twitched, excitement bubbling up in his chest. "But before heading out, I should check my stats and weapons first."
Ethan lifted his hand and swiped through the air. A soft chime echoed, and a translucent blue panel unfolded in front of him.
---
Player Name: Ethan
Title: None
Cultivation Level: None (New Player)
Qi Experience: 0 / 100
Stats
• Strength: 11
• Agility: 14
• Soul Strength: 0
• Durability: 16
• Stamina: 13
Legacy: ???
Bloodline: ???
Physique: Golden Bone (Heavenly Rank)
Skills: None
---
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned through the panel. "Not bad for a starting point," he muttered under his breath. The numbers weren't anything special—except for his physique.
Golden Bone ( Heavenly Rank ).
Ethan remembered reading about it on the forums. In this game, everything had a quality rank—swords, techniques, artifacts, physiques, even bloodlines. Each one followed the same hierarchy: Mortal, Earth, Heavenly, Legendary, and Mythical.
Having a Heavenly-rank physique was considered quite rare. Realizing this, Ethan couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement—he'd gotten lucky, absurdly lucky.
After scanning through his stats one last time, Ethan flicked his fingers and dismissed the glowing panel. His eyes then shifted down, searching for something else.
"Storage pouch…" he muttered.
Every new player got one—it was basically the game's version of an inventory. Nothing fancy, but definitely convenient.
His hand brushed against the small pouch strapped to his waist. With a slight tug, he reached inside and pulled out the sword he picked earlier.
The moment the blade left the pouch, a faint shimmer ran along its edge. Jet black from hilt to tip, the double-edged sword carried a clean, lethal elegance that just screamed badass. It was about 110 centimeters long—nothing too fancy, but solid. A mortal-rank weapon, yet it felt anything but cheap in his hand.
Ethan gripped the sword with one hand and shifted his stance. He took a breath, then swung through the air. A clean whoosh echoed around him, the sound crisp and sharp—enough to make the corners of his lips curl up in satisfaction.
In most games, Ethan preferred using a longsword. Sometimes he'd switch it up with a spear or a dagger, but the sword had always been his main weapon. The weight, the balance—it all felt natural. Holding it now wasn't any different. His grip was steady, and every swing felt as familiar as breathing.
..
Ethan was quietly practicing his swings, lost in his own little world. In his mind, he pictured facing down a monster—reading its movements, countering its attacks, and cutting it down with clean strikes.
But just as he was getting into it, a sharp, panicked scream ripped through the air.
"Help! Help!"
His grip on the sword tightened, the imagined fight fading as reality crashed back in.
"Where the f.u.c.k is that noise coming from?" Ethan cursed in his head, scanning his surroundings. The scream echoed again, this time sharper—coming from the east.
Curiosity got the better of him. NPC? Another player? he thought, already moving in that direction.
The deeper he went into the forest, the clearer the voice became. It wasn't just some distant cry anymore. It was close. And it belonged to a boy.
After a short walk, Ethan finally spotted them—six figures in the clearing.
One of them was a boy, his robes torn and soaked in blood, barely standing on his feet. Surrounding him were five figures dressed in black, their faces hidden behind masks. They moved with a quiet, precise rhythm… like trained assassins.
When the boy noticed Ethan from a distance, his eyes widened. Desperation colored his voice as he shouted,
"Help!! Help me, please! I'll pay you handsomely if I get out of this alive!"
Ethan's ears practically twitched at the word pay. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips.
"How much are we talking about?" he called back, his tone far too casual for someone walking into danger. A wide, almost sinister grin spread across his face, making it clear he was more amused than concerned.