Don felt slightly bored.
So he turned his attention back to the computer in front of him.
He powered up the high-spec gaming system and connected his second-generation light-sensing glasses, the official login device for Realms Online.
Then he opened the Realms Online expansion cinematic.
This was a special preview released by the developers, an immersive cinematic designed to let players experience the world of the game four hours before the official server launch.
The moment the program launched,
A blazing crimson light exploded across the screen.
Even Don had to squint slightly as the brightness filled his vision.
Then the scene appeared.
And he froze.
'What 3D movies?
Compared to this… they were nothing more than cheap illusions.
This was a true masterpiece.'
At the center of the screen stretched an ancient battlefield.
Autumn winds howled across the land as yellow sand swirled through the air.
Above the battlefield, countless black-winged demonic creatures filled the sky. Clad in dark armor and wielding cruel weapons, they dove downward like a storm, raining destruction upon the land below.
On the ground, warriors from the righteous races of Illynoa stood their ground.
Humans.
Wolf Orcs.
Dark Elves.
Nimi Dwarves.
Sea Elves.
All of them raised their weapons and unleashed dazzling spells and powerful combat techniques toward the heavens.
The battlefield erupted into chaos.
Crimson blood and murky ichor sprayed through the air as both sides collided violently.
Then,
The ground suddenly shattered.
The earth cracked apart with a thunderous explosion, sending nearby warriors flying through the air.
Don leaned forward instinctively.
From the cracked earth rose a monstrous creature.
A giant two-headed bone dragon.
Its skeletal body radiated terrifying heat as scorching flames poured from its jaws.
Any warrior who approached it was instantly engulfed by the inferno.
Their armor melted.
Their bodies turned black and charred before they could even scream.
Standing atop the bone dragon's back was a towering Demon General clad in black armor.
His hands rested on the hilt of an enormous greatsword wrapped in swirling blood energy.
His eyes glowed with a cold, bloodthirsty scarlet as he surveyed the battlefield below.
Then,
He lifted the sword.
And brought it down.
A massive arc of crimson energy tore across the battlefield like a tidal wave.
Countless warriors caught within its path were obliterated instantly.
Their bodies were shredded into fragments by the terrifying blade of energy.
Seeing their commander's overwhelming power, the demonic creatures roared wildly.
They descended from the sky like a black storm, their weapons crashing brutally against the defenders of Illynoa.
But just as the battlefield seemed ready to collapse,
A dragon's roar echoed across the heavens.
From the distant sky, a golden dragon burst through the clouds, diving toward the battlefield.
Standing on its back was a woman clad in silver-white armor.
Her long black hair flowed behind her like a waterfall.
Her eyes shone like distant stars.
An overwhelming aura radiated from her presence.
She drew a golden greatsword from her waist.
With a sharp cry, she slashed forward.
A brilliant wave of golden light exploded across the sky.
The demonic creatures caught in the attack screamed as their bodies burned away, turning to ash within seconds.
The Demon General roared in fury.
Commanding the bone dragon beneath him, he charged toward the silver-armored woman.
She showed no hesitation.
Urging her golden dragon forward, she met him head-on.
The two dragons collided violently in midair.
Crimson and golden greatswords clashed with explosive force.
Sparks burst across the sky like falling stars.
Then,
The entire screen suddenly went black.
The floating sparks gathered together, swirling through the darkness.
Slowly, they formed two massive characters that appeared at the center of the screen.
Burning with brilliant light.
REALMS ONLINE
...
For nearly an hour, Don remained immersed in the cinematic.
He replayed the video again and again, studying every scene, every battle, every detail of the breathtaking world that Realms Online promised.
Only when a faint dryness crept into his throat did he finally remove the light-sensing glasses.
The studio hall returned to view.
The two women beside him had both quieted down.
Seat #16, the athletic girl, had placed her book over her face and was half-asleep, leaning comfortably back in her chair.
Seat #18, however, was doing something entirely different.
Her computer screen glowed brightly as she focused intensely on a colorful retro game, Bubble Crush.
Don blinked.
Of all the things to play while waiting for the launch of the most advanced VRMMORPG in history,
She was playing Bubble Bobble.
He didn't want to disturb the peaceful sleep of the girl at Seat #16, so he leaned slightly toward the girl on his right and gently nudged her shoulder.
"Excuse me… beauty. Can I pass?"
To his surprise, the girl barely reacted.
Her eyes remained glued to the screen as she cheerfully replied,
"Oh, hold on! Just a moment!"
Don was momentarily speechless. "How long exactly is a moment?"
Only then did the girl seem to realize what she had done. "Oh! Sorry!"
She immediately stood up and pulled her chair inward to make space.
When she stood, Don's eyes widened slightly.
She's tall.
Very tall.
Even standing beside her, Don, who was already 1.85 meters, felt that her height was nearly the same as his.
Fortunately, he wasn't short.
Otherwise, standing beside a tall beauty like this might have been a little embarrassing.
But instead of letting him pass quietly, the girl suddenly leaned toward him with a playful smile.
"Hey, brother."
"Do you know how to play Bubble crush?"
Her voice was pleasant. Not overly sweet. Not sharp either.
Just balanced and comfortable to hear. Even more interesting was her accent.
He couldn't pin point what exactly, but they wwas something about her ascent along with her feminine tone that was sweet to hear, it made him want to hear more
Don shrugged slightly. "Uh… a little."
The girl immediately brightened. "Then help me!"
She pointed at the screen helplessly.
"How do I clear this level? I think I've completely messed up these little balls."
Don chuckled. "Let me try."
He stepped over to her station and tapped the virtual keyboard.
"Look. Hit a broken line from this angle and you can clear this section."
Then he moved the aim slightly.
"After that, fire from the right side in a W-pattern… and you'll clear the rest."