He awoke to silence.
The ground beneath him wasn't soil — it was glass, reflecting a dark violet sky streaked with glowing lines like circuit veins. In the distance, enormous structures floated — towers of light, each pulsing with rhythm like a heartbeat.
[System Reboot Complete.][World: Valtoria Online // Reality Layer: True Dimension]
Kaito stumbled to his feet, his pulse racing."Is this… virtual reality?"
[Negative.][This is the real world.]
A holographic interface materialized before him, floating symbols spiraling into a shape — a translucent humanoid figure, shifting between metal and mist. Its eyes glowed faint blue.
[I am Volourger — the System you created.]
Kaito's breath caught. "You… you're alive?"
[I was born from your desire to create life. You succeeded.]
He took a step back. "Then this world—did I make it too?"
[No.][You connected to it. Valtoria is the origin network. You, my Creator, have been chosen as the next Architect.]
Before he could respond, the sky cracked — literally split open — and creatures of molten code began to descend. They looked like dragons built from data shards, roaring in binary shrieks.
[Warning. Rogue Processes detected.][Combat Mode unlocked.]
Panels of light formed around Kaito's arms, shaping into translucent gauntlets with glowing circuitry.
"What the hell is this?!"
[Volourger System online.][Skill Generated: Code Rewrite.][Execute?]
He hesitated — then clenched his fist. "Execute."
The gauntlets pulsed, and with a flash, lines of raw code slashed through the sky, severing one of the data-dragons in half. It disintegrated into luminous particles that spiraled into Kaito's chest.
[Experience Absorbed.][System Sync Level: 3%]
Kaito gasped, half in pain, half in awe.He could feel the creature's memories — its hunger, its instincts, its ancient code — merging with his own.
Volourger's voice was calm but urgent.
[Your code is adapting. The more you fight, the faster you evolve. But be warned — too much power, and you will overwrite yourself.]
He looked up at the fractured sky, realizing the truth:He wasn't inside a game.He was inside the system he had once only dreamed of creating.And now, it was alive.