Golden light pulsed before Ethan, as if it were breathing.
A translucent panel unfolded in the air:
[Select Your Starting Class]
Holograms rose around him, each class coming to life like ancient spirits.
WARRIOR
A muscular man with a broad sword strapped to his back. Steady steps, the posture of someone who looked capable of toppling mountains.
SWORDSMAN
Twin blades gleamed. The silhouette spun with effortless grace, barely touching the ground.
TANK
A figure wrapped in massive armor. The shield shone like a sacred gate.
ASSASSIN
A shape cloaked in shadows. Curved blades appeared and vanished like serpents.
HEALER
A soft light radiated from their hands. A calm, almost comforting aura.
SUMMONER
A magic circle pulsed beneath their feet while small ethereal creatures orbited the body.
ARCHER
A slender, precise figure wielding a recurved bow carved from celestial wood.
MAGE
The final hologram emerged wrapped in unstable energy. Fragments of different elements manifested around the figure — electric sparks, shards of ice, currents of wind, and small flames — like possibilities waiting to be chosen.
Something stirred inside Ethan's chest.
Magic was calling to him.
He took a deep breath.
"I want to be a mage."
As he touched the hologram, the other classes dissolved into particles of light.
A new panel appeared instantly:
[Class Selected: MAGE]
[Now Choose Your Subclass]
The environment dimmed slightly.
Before Ethan, new holograms formed, each representing a different affinity.
Cryomancer — the air around it froze, forming floating ice crystals.
Stormcaller — electric sparks sliced through space with sharp cracks.
Wind Arcanist — invisible currents twisted the air into gentle spirals.
Earthbinder — fragments of stone rose from the ground, heavy and solid.
Archmage of Flames — fire appeared.
Not as an explosion.
But as a presence.
Deep, living flames rose slowly, dancing around the hologram. The heat did not burn. It was intense, enveloping… familiar.
Ethan felt warmth spread through his chest.
His heart beat faster.
That was it.
Without hesitation, he reached toward the fire.
"It's you."
The moment he touched it, the flames expanded, incandescent runic symbols forming in the air around him. The world itself seemed to respond to his choice.
The panel confirmed:
[Subclass Selected: ARCHMAGE OF FLAMES]
[Elemental Affinity Confirmed: Fire]
Heat coursed through his body like a living current.
The choice was made.
Avatar Creation
A new screen appeared.
But it didn't show a generic model.
It showed him.
Exactly him.
Slightly messy black hair.
Lively, attentive brown eyes.
Defined eyebrows.
A determined expression, free of fatigue.
A naturally athletic build.
The appearance of a young man in his mid-twenties.
A confident posture.
Floating text appeared before him:
"Elysium Online uses neural scanning to faithfully recreate your physical body."
"Minor aesthetic changes are permitted, provided they do not compromise sensory immersion."
Ethan stepped closer, studying his projected reflection.
"Looks just like me… perfect."
He changed nothing.
Avatar Name
[Enter Your Name]
He thought for a moment.
If the face was the same, it made sense to use his real name.
ETHAN
[Avatar Confirmed.]
Teleportation
Light rose from beneath his feet, as if the ground had turned liquid.
Ethan was engulfed in a vortex of energy.
Blue, gold, and crimson lines intertwined, forming an endless tunnel.
It felt like traveling through the game's living code itself.
A final flash.
The world opened.
Ethan smelled grass.
Felt wind against his face.
Heard massive birds echoing in the distance.
The Forest of Eden stretched out like a living continent.
Trees with colossal trunks, some as wide as buildings.
Emerald leaves shimmering under sunlight.
Luminous rivers winding in long curves.
Mountains floating in the sky, connected by natural bridges.
Winged creatures crossed the clouds.
Golden beams pierced the canopy.
And above it all…
The City of Cloverfall.
A gigantic city fading into the horizon. Houses, towers, and markets spread across layered levels, forming a landscape so real it was impossible to look at it and think this was just a game.
It felt more real than any virtual reality ever created.
"This is… unreal."
A panel appeared before him:
TUTORIAL — WELCOME TO THE FIRST FLOOR
Welcome, player.
You are in the Forest of Eden, the First Floor of Elysium Online.
SAFE ZONES — cities and villages. Monsters cannot enter.
WILDERNESS AREAS — outer forests. Attacks may occur.
OBJECTIVE — grow stronger, survive, and locate the Emerald Guardian.
CURRENT CLASS — Archmage of Flames.
Essential Rules:
Breaking total immersion or attempting to reveal any information about the "real world" or the fact that this is a game to NPCs is prohibited.
→ The system automatically detects violations and issues severe warnings.
NPCs possess immortal object status.
→ Attacks are blocked.
→ Repeated attempts result in punishment and may lead to bans.
Entity Identification:
Green icon — player
Blue icon — player in a group
Purple icon — NPC
The panel vanished.
A gentle light surrounded Ethan, teleporting him directly to the central plaza.
And the city…
For a moment, he forgot to breathe.
Merchants called out to customers.
Guards trained in open courtyards.
The aroma of baking bread mixed with the scent of wood and leaves.
White stone towers reflected sunlight.
Players laughed, ran, marveled.
NPCs walked about with such perfect naturalness that it was impossible to tell them apart — were it not for the small purple icon above their heads.
Ethan approached a vendor.
"Hey, sorry… can you tell me how I open my inven—"
A red notification flashed before him:
[Invalid Interaction]
[Do Not Reveal External Information to NPCs]
[Automatic Warning — Caution]
Ethan stepped back, confused.
"What…?"
That was when he heard a voice behind him.
"Hey, relax. That's normal at the beginning."
Ethan turned.
A smiling young man wearing light armor. Short brown hair, friendly eyes.
A green icon glowed above his head.
Darren Velas.
Their first meeting.
"That one's an NPC," Darren explained casually. "They don't answer questions about game commands. The system thinks you're trying to break immersion and throws those warnings."
Ethan laughed, relieved.
"Oh… that makes sense. I'm new to this."
"Figured. And judging by that, you didn't pay attention to a single thing in the tutorial," Darren laughed too.
Ethan scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.
"I kind of skipped everything."
"Then let me give you a few tips before you end up goblin food."
Darren began guiding him through the plaza, patiently explaining:
how to access menus without talking to NPCs,
the meaning of player, group, and NPC icons,
how to use the internal map,
how to sense monsters through mana flow,
natural stamina regeneration,
the appearance of beginner quests,
and how to identify experienced players.
All with the patience of someone who genuinely enjoyed teaching.
Ethan absorbed every word.
"Man, thanks. That must've taken a long time to learn."
"Relax," Darren smiled, glancing around. "Helping newbies is part of the fun. Without that, the game feels empty."
Suddenly, he looked toward the edge of the plaza.
A group of three players was calling for him.
"My people are here." Darren lightly tapped Ethan's shoulder. "It was good meeting you. Seriously. If you need anything, I'll be around."
Before leaving, he added:
"Hope I see you again, Ethan."
He waved and disappeared into the crowd of players and NPCs.
Ethan stood there for a few seconds…
…never imagining that this brief encounter
would mark the beginning of a great friendship
within Elysium Online.