Silence still lingered on the floor; the fight had ended so quickly that it left everyone in disbelief. Gradually, the crowd began to murmur among themselves.
“Is he a newbie with just good physique?” a passerby asked, trying to make sense of what he had just witnessed.
“Sheesh, keep it down,” another whispered urgently. “You don’t know who that is? That’s Bucky, rank 3 at Primary University. The guy has a punching force of over 300 kg! And the top 2 are seniors, so he’s basically the prodigy of the university. If they hear you talking like that, you’re as good as gone.”
The man who had asked the question gasped, shrinking back into the crowd, suddenly aware of the gravity of the situation.
The judge’s voice cut through the murmurs. “Bucky is unconscious. Arthur wins.”
He quickly moved to inspect Bucky for injuries and was visibly surprised to find that Bucky was only lightly hurt, with damage that could be healed within a day or two. 'This Arthur guy has remarkable control over his body; he might have surpassed 10 percent brain activity,' the judge thought, his eyes lingering on Arthur with newfound respect.
In Theia, the average brain activity was capped at 10 percent or below for most people. Those who crossed the 10 percent threshold could exert exceptional control over their bodies and achieve feats that seemed superhuman. However, advancing brain development was notoriously difficult; even VR games only eased the challenge by about 50 percent. Reaching above 10 percent was a milestone often achieved around 25 years of age, but here was Arthur, clearly ahead of the curve. He wasn’t just a good fighter—he was a genius.
Arthur turned to the group from Primary University, his expression stern. “Take him and get out of my sight.”
The students hesitated, their pride bruised, but none dared to push back. The sight of Bucky crumbling to the ground replayed in their minds, and they knew better than to challenge Arthur again. Reluctantly, they picked up their fallen leader, shooting Arthur resentful glances as they made their way out, their confidence shaken.
Mayon rushed over, his face lit up with excitement. “Bro, that was awesome! I’ve never seen you like that.”
Arthur grinned, a mix of relief and pride washing over him. He’d done more than win a fight; he’d just changed the course of things for him and his friend. The future he remembered was shifting, and with each decision, he felt more in control. His heart raced, not just from the fight, but from the thrill of knowing he was making a difference.
Mayon slapped him on the back, laughing. “Seriously, you’ve got to teach me that move.”
Arthur laughed, feeling lighter than he had in a long time. The sense of excitement was building—this was just the beginning.
The meetup continued smoothly after the earlier commotion, with the energy shifting back to casual fun—songs, dancing, and dinner filling the evening. As the night wound down and they all started to leave, Arthur caught up with Mayon.
"Well, see you in Epoch," Arthur said, a hint of anticipation in his voice.
"Yeah, for sure! Have you picked a starter town yet? There are thousands of them, and I got lost just trying to decide," Mayon replied, sounding both overwhelmed and excited.
Arthur nodded thoughtfully. “Let’s start in Maple Leaf Town. None of the big guilds are planning to settle there, so it’ll give us a good opportunity to establish ourselves and recruit our first guild members.”
Maple Leaf Town wasn’t just a random choice for Arthur; it was where he had started in his previous life. Back then, the Thunder Knights had made it their base, and Arthur remembered two hidden quests that could offer a significant early advantage. These quests weren’t easy to find; one required completing a string of smaller quests to even get a hint, while the other was discussed on forums, often leading to dead ends. Arthur knew exactly where to look, having pieced together the clues and solved them in his previous life, although his efforts had only earned him XP and no tangible rewards back then.
At 11:55, Arthur lay on his bed, VR helmet securely in place, and activated the device. The familiar hum filled his ears as he was transported into the virtual space, greeted by a large countdown timer ticking away the seconds. Five minutes felt like an eternity to Arthur, his excitement bubbling just below the surface. Finally, as the timer hit zero, the black background around him dissolved, replaced by the stunning sight of a grand temple.
The temple was a breathtaking structure of jade and gold, radiating a sense of magnificence and ancient mystique. Ornate carvings and glowing symbols adorned its walls, giving off an aura of both power and history. As Arthur took in the impressive sight, a small fairy fluttered towards him, her wings shimmering with a soft light.
"Hello, adventurer! I am your guide, Isabelle," the little fairy said, her voice light and cheerful.
Arthur nodded, a small smile appearing on his face. "Hello, Isabelle."
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Isabelle returned his smile and gestured toward the temple entrance. "Follow me," she said, fluttering ahead.
Arthur followed her inside, where the grandeur continued. The interior was dominated by four towering stone pillars, each carved with intricate runes and symbols that glowed faintly. Isabelle stopped in the centre, hovering gracefully between the pillars.
“These pillars represent the four main classes in Epoch,” Isabelle explained, pointing to each one in turn. “We have Melee, Tanks, Ranged, and Healers. The Melee class includes Swordsman, Berserker, and Assassin. Tanks consist of Shield Warrior and Guardian Knight. For Ranged, you have Archer and Mage. Lastly, the Healers have Cleric and Sage.”
She paused and looked at Arthur with bright, curious eyes. “So, what path have you decided to follow, adventurer?”
Arthur hesitated for a moment. In his last life, he had chosen the Mage class, captivated by the allure of magic and its vast potential. He had made significant progress as a Mage, but after years of playing, he realized he was naturally better suited to close combat. The Assassin class had always intrigued him—fast, stealthy, and lethal.
After a few seconds of contemplation, Arthur made his choice. “I will follow the path of the Assassin,”
"You can choose to continue using your real name, or you can select a different one for your in-game persona," Isabelle offered
"I'll set my in-game name to Eminence," Arthur said confidently.
Isabelle nodded “Very well. May your journey through Epoch be prosperous and filled with adventure.”
As Eminence vanished from the temple, the space around him was swallowed by darkness, a brief moment of disorientation before his adventure truly began. Back in the temple, Isabelle's usually cheerful demeanor shifted, her eyes glinting with a rare sharpness as she watched the spot where he had disappeared.
"He knows exactly which path to choose," Isabelle murmured to herself, her voice now carrying a tone of quiet curiosity. "It's as if he's seen it all before… an anomaly from a lower world, yet with such confidence in his choices. There's more to him than meets the eye."
With a soft flutter of her wings, Isabelle reverted to her usual cheerful form.
Maple Leaf Town was a bustling hive of activity as players materialized from their teleportation, their eyes wide with awe at the town’s stunning realism. Among the sea of excited voices, one player’s frustrated shout cut through the noise: “I can’t remove my pants!” The crowd around him swiftly edged away, clearly unimpressed with the unfortunate bug.
Arthur, now known in-game as Eminence, took a deep breath and accessed his status screen. He called out, “Status,”
Status:
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Player: Eminence Level: 0 (Xp: 0/1000) Class: Assassin
Race: Human Life Rating: Grade 1 Title: None
Gold: 0 Silver: 0 Copper: 10
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Basic Attributes
Hp: 80 Mp: 80 (Hp = End*10, MP = Int * 10)
Str: 8 Spd: 12
Int: 8 End: 8
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Physical Attack: 40 (Str*5) Special Attack: 40 (Int*5)
Physical Defence: 40 (End*5) Special Defense: 40 (Int*4 + End)
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Passive Skills
Basic Stealth: Decrease Presence by 10%
Proficiency (0/200): Learned
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Active Skills
Neck Breck: 80 true damage on neck, else 20 true damage plus Attack * 100
Proficiency (0/200): Learned
Cooldown: 12 seconds
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Attribute points: 1 Skill Points: 1
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Equipment:
Novice Dagger
Novice Leather Helmet
Novice Leather Trouser
Novice Leather Shoes
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Eminence swiftly added his attribute point to Agility, raising it to 13. He then allocated his skill point to Basic Stealth, achieving proficiency in the skill. The enhancements made him more agile and significantly improved his ability to remain unnoticed—a valuable trait for an Assassin.
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Active Skills
Neck Breck: 120 true damage on neck, else 30 true damage plus Attack * 100
Proficiency (0/800): Proficient
cooldown: 8 seconds
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As Eminence finished examining his stats, a friend request popped up from a player named Big Bear. Recognizing it as Mayon’s in-game name—he had chosen the Shield Warrior class, his favorite—Eminence accepted the request.
Mayon quickly called him. “Hey, Arthur! Where are you? I’m at the market.”
“I was just checking my stats,” Eminence replied. “I’ll be there in a minute. I’ve got a quest lined up for us.”
Eminence began walking toward the market while chatting with Mayon.
“Okay, boss. The common equipment here costs more than 30 copper each. To gear us up, we’ll need at least 5 silver.”
“Well, we can always farm them from mobs,” Eminence suggested.
“No way! There are so many players out in the field right now. Even a chicken is being chased by a crowd,” Mayon responded, sounding frustrated.
Eminence chuckled. “I guess the novice equipment will have to do for now.”
“As you say,” Mayon agreed, a hint of resignation in his voice.
Eminence reached the market, where he saw Mayon waiting near a store, surrounded by various players haggling over gear.
Eminence called out, “Hey, come over here.”
Mayon, dressed in rusted iron gear and holding a massive wooden shield, hurried over. “Boss, what’s the quest?”
“Follow me,” Eminence replied.
They formed a party and headed towards the edge of town, making their way to the Guard Captain.
Eminence approached the Captain and asked, “Captain, how may we assist you today?”
The Captain eyed them critically and said, “You’re a bit under-equipped for the task I had in mind.”
Eminence nodded. “We understand, but we’re capable of handling other types of tasks.”
The Captain considered this for a moment before conceding, “Fine. Go and survey the town’s surroundings. We’ve been spotting a lot of monsters lately.”
***
Quest Acquired: Survey the Town’s Surroundings
Do you accept? (Y/N)
***
“Yes, Captain. We’ll be back shortly,” Eminence confirmed.
The Captain nodded, cautioning them to be careful.
***
Quest Accepted:
Search the areas around Maple Leaf Town for monster gatherings.
You will be rewarded based on your findings.
***
As they ventured into the open, they saw players swarming over mobs as soon as they spawned.
Big Bear looked thrilled. “Boss, you’re a legend for finding such a quest so early. Most players only get gathering or building quests, which barely give any money or XP.”
“Information is key, Mayon. Instead of just questing, you should gather info from others. This game is incredibly realistic—the NPCs act almost like real people.”
“Got it, Boss.”
They soon left the beginner area and entered a level 3-5 forest map. The players there quickly took notice and started whispering among themselves.
“Look at these overconfident rookies.”
“Huh they will soon lose the only equipment they have.”