[Initializing Neural-Lace Interface…]
Darkness.
Then—a rush of light, streaks of data streaming past like shooting stars. A sensation ran through Zack's body, but it wasn't quite physical. It was the feeling of being pulled, like his mind was being carefully lifted and lowered into place.
[Connection Stabilized.] [User Authentication Complete.] [Welcome to FIFTICIA.]
Zack exhaled. Even though he was sitting in his real-world apartment, body motionless in his gaming chair, the world inside the headset felt visceral. The immersion level was leagues beyond anything he'd played before—even among VRMMORPGs.
The moment his consciousness fully entered, his surroundings shifted seamlessly, transitioning from the data stream into a pristine, starry void. Planets orbited around him like an endless, cosmic skybox, shimmering in hues of blue and gold. The interface was smooth, minimalistic, and elegant.
A deep, calm voice echoed around him, neither robotic nor human.
"New player detected. Please create your avatar."
"Alright… let's see what we're working with."
Zack had been through hundreds of character creators across VR games. Most were cluttered with sliders, redundant options, and meaningless cosmetics. But FIFTICIA's UI was surprisingly clean.
A semi-transparent mirror materialized before him, displaying a default male avatar with a neutral stance. The interface let him adjust height, muscle tone, eye shape, and other attributes, but it was all within realistic human limits.
No absurd 9-foot-tall muscle giants. No abominations with lopsided eyes.
[Class Selection Unlocked.]
The interface expanded, revealing the available starting classes.
1. Knight – Tanky, high defense, great for frontline combat.
2. Spellblade – Hybrid magic/melee fighter, highly adaptable.
3. Berserker – Heavy-hitting, reckless damage dealer.
4. Duelist – Precision-based, high-speed melee class.
Zack smirked. There was never a choice for him.
[You have selected: Duelist.] [Confirm?]
"Yeah."
The moment he confirmed, a surge of information flooded his vision. The Duelist's core attributes, skills, and progression paths appeared, giving him an overview of what he'd be working with.
Base Stats – Level 1 Duelist
* Strength (STR): 8
* Agility (AGI): 14
* Endurance (END): 9
* Dexterity (DEX): 13
* Perception (PER): 11
* Intelligence (INT): 7
A Duelist wasn't about raw power. It was about speed, precision, and reactions. With high AGI and DEX, Zack could chain together quick slashes, perfect dodges, and counterattacks, overwhelming enemies through momentum and footwork.
[Choose Starting Weapon.]
Two options appeared:
* Rapier – Lightweight, fast, excels at piercing and counters.
* Sabers (Dual-Wield) – Balanced between speed and control, allows mix-ups.
Zack hovered over the dual sabers, then selected them. If he was going for a high-risk, high-reward build, he might as well go all in on aggression.
Skill Loadout – Duelist Starting Abilities
1. Quickstep [Active] – Instantly dash 1.5 meters in any direction. Costs stamina.
2. Riposte [Counter] – Parries an attack and instantly strikes back. Timing-based.
3. Adrenaline Flow [Passive] – Gain a speed boost after landing three consecutive hits.
Zack's grin widened.
"Now we're talking."
With Quickstep for mobility, Riposte for counterplay, and Adrenaline Flow to stack momentum, he was built for reaction-based combat.
He adjusted his avatar's appearance, making slight changes to hair length, scars, and facial features. Then, he entered his in-game name:
[Enter Username: Zamian]
A name he had used across dozens of VR games.
[Confirm?]
"Confirm."
The moment he finalized, his reflection smirked back at him—then shattered into a thousand fragments.
The void disappeared.
Zack fell.
His body plummeted through the sky, wind roaring past his ears. His surroundings morphed rapidly, as if he were descending from another realm. A sprawling world opened up below him—lush green fields, massive forests, rivers weaving through villages, and towering citadels stretching toward the heavens.
A world that felt alive.
He had played hundreds of VRMMORPGs. But this…?
This felt real.
The interface pulsed.
[Welcome, Zamian. You have entered the world of FIFTICIA.] [Starting Location: Valtheria Outskirts]
The fall slowed, and he landed gracefully on his feet. A rush of sensation hit him—the cool breeze, the scent of grass, the distant sounds of chirping birds and flowing water.
For a few seconds, he just stood there, processing the level of immersion.
Then, instinctively, he tensed his fingers.
Two polished steel sabers materialized in his grip.
They felt solid. Weighted. Not just pixels or code—real weapons.
Zack took a deep breath.
"Alright."
He twirled the blades once, adjusting to the realistic physics of the weapon handling.
Then, he took his first step forward—toward the vast unknown.
FIFTICIA had just begun.
[System Notification: Tutorial Active]
[Beginner Combat Training Recommended: Y/N?]
Zack scoffed.
"Skip."
The tutorial prompt vanished instantly, almost like the game itself was surprised. Most players would probably go through the tutorial to get a feel for the game's combat, but he wasn't most players.
Instead, he took a few steps forward, feeling the earth shift beneath his boots. The textures, weight distribution, and movement physics were flawless—so realistic that if he weren't wearing his Project Nexus headset, he might have thought he was actually here.
More importantly, his character didn't automatically adjust posture or stance like in traditional VR games.
- No artificial movement corrections.
- No auto-tracking or attack assists.
- Everything relied purely on player input.
*"They weren't kidding when they said it was full realism."*
Zack tightened his grip on his dual sabers. The weapons were perfectly balanced, but there was a noticeable delay in motion whenever he moved too fast—a realistic momentum carryover effect. If he over-committed to an attack, he'd have to recover before chaining into another move.
"Alright. Let's test the fundamentals."
Zack took a deep breath, then performed a basic attack with his right saber.
The blade sliced through the air smoothly, but the moment he tried to follow up with his left hand—
[Missed Timing Penalty: Combo Dropped]
A subtle lag in his second swing disrupted the chain. His movement had been too fast, and his off-hand timing was slightly desynced from his main hand.
This wasn't a game where you could spam attack inputs mindlessly.
*"Alright. One more time."*
He adjusted his footwork, lowered his center of gravity, and swung again.
This time, his first saber connected into the second strike flawlessly. The system registered the attack chain, and a small blue glow traced along his blades, signaling a proper execution.
- Basic Attacks Connected: 2-Hit Chain.
- Adrenaline Flow Stacks: +1.
*"Much better."*
Next, he tested his mobility.
Quickstep.
Zack snapped his body to the right, activating the Duelist's instant side-dash skill.
A burst of wind kicked up behind him, and he shot 1.5 meters to the side in an instant, his body low and balanced, momentum carrying into his next stance.
[Stamina -5%]
He checked his stamina bar, noting that Quickstep burned a decent chunk per use. If he spammed it without thinking, he'd run out of stamina fast—leaving him completely vulnerable.
The game was rewarding speed, but punishing reckless movement.
"I like it. Precision over spam."
Zack spotted a lone creature ahead—a low-level slime, its gelatinous body wobbling as it sluggishly bounced near a small tree.
A perfect test subject.
He rolled his shoulders and approached, weapons drawn.
[Wild Slime - Level 2]
[HP: 30]
The slime noticed him, but instead of attacking, it pulsated slightly, reacting to his movements. Unlike in most games where mobs had preset behavior patterns, this thing was actually watching him.
*"Let's see how smart you are."*
He lunged forward.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
The moment his blade came within range, the slime jerked sideways, dodging his first strike.
[Attack Missed]
Zack's eyes narrowed.
"Okay. That was unexpected."
The AI wasn't just standing there like a punching bag—it had actual reactionary movement.
He switched tactics. Instead of blindly attacking, he feinted left, then immediately cut right—
Riposte.
His off-hand saber moved just as the slime tried to dodge, cutting directly into its movement path.
[Critical Hit – 22 DMG]
The slime jolted, stunned by the perfectly-timed strike.
Adrenaline Flow Activated.
Zack felt a slight boost to his movement speed, allowing him to chain his next attack faster than before. He followed up immediately, slashing again—
[Final Strike – 12 DMG]
The slime shuddered violently, then exploded into blue mist, dissolving into nothing.
[EXP Gained: 10]
Zack exhaled.
That shouldn't have been as satisfying as it was.
Fighting one slime in any other game would've been boring. But here? The way the AI reacted, the weight of his swings, the timing-based counterplay—it felt like a real duel, even against a mindless enemy.
He checked his stamina bar—down to 60% after just one fight.
*"Damn. FIFTICIA doesn't mess around."*
After fighting for about an hour, Zack had gathered some key observations:
1. Every action cost stamina – Even basic dodges burned energy. Managing stamina was just as important as managing HP.
2. Mob AI was dynamic – Enemies actually reacted to movement instead of following predictable attack patterns.
3. Perfect Timing = Rewarded – Properly chaining skills and dodges gave buffs, like his Adrenaline Flow speed boost.
He pulled up his status screen, reviewing his progression.
Duelist Progression – Level 1 (Post-First Battle Adjustments)
- HP: 100
- Stamina: 100 → Max Stamina Scales Based on Endurance
- Adrenaline Flow: (1/5 Stacks Active – +5% Speed Boost)
- Quickstep Uses Remaining: (Can Be Used 4 More Times Before Stamina Recovery Required)
Zack sheathed his sabers and stretched.
He had played dozens of VRMMORPGs, but none had this level of fluidity. Every stat, every action, every movement choice had consequences.
The AI adapted. The physics demanded precision. And stamina was a real limiter.
*"This is how you make a game."*
He was about to move to the next area, when suddenly—
A rustling sound.
Zack froze.
Something was watching him.
He turned slowly, scanning the treeline behind him.
Nothing.
Just as he was about to move again—
A low growl echoed from the darkness.
Zack's instincts flared.
This wasn't another slime.
Something bigger was coming.
[Environmental Shift Detected]
[Nightfall Approaching – Visibility Decreasing]
A low growl rumbled from the treeline.
Zack's body tensed instinctively. The sound wasn't just ambient background noise—it had weight, direction, and intention.
Something was there.
He adjusted his grip on his dual sabers, heart rate steady. His Perception stat (PER: 11) meant he had above-average detection, but not enough to fully reveal hidden enemies.
*"Damn it. I should've invested in Perception early."*
He took a slow step back, scanning the darkening forest ahead. The sun was dipping behind the mountains, and with it, the game's real-time lighting system was kicking in.
Shadows stretched across the ground. The once vibrant, colorful environment was turning cold, eerie, unfamiliar.
Then—movement.
A blur shot between the trees.
Zack barely registered it before—
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
Instinct.
His body moved on reflex, and—
Quickstep.
WHOOSH—
He dodged sideways, just in time.
A black shape lunged from the darkness, claws swiping the air where his throat had been. The impact alone split the dirt beneath it, carving deep gouges into the ground.
If he hadn't dodged, he'd be dead.
Zack's eyes narrowed as he finally saw it.
A sleek, predatory creature stood before him—a massive black-furred wolf, its crimson eyes burning with unnatural intensity. Its muscles coiled like steel cables, and its presence felt different from normal enemies.
Not just a wild animal.
Not just a high-level mob.
Something else.
[Black Wolf Nightslayer – ???]
[Classification: Unique Boss]
[Status: Actively Hunting]
Zack's breath hitched.
His HUD displayed no level, no HP bar.
The wolf simply stood there, staring him down. Waiting. Calculating.
"…Shit."
He'd played enough hardcore games to recognize one universal truth.
If an enemy doesn't show its level, it's because you're not supposed to be fighting it.
And this wasn't some random encounter.
The Black Wolf Nightslayer had spawned because of him.
Zack had always loved kusoge—terrible, janky, unbalanced games that punished players for no reason.
He'd beaten the most broken AI bosses, suffered through ridiculous difficulty spikes, and endured garbage-tier mechanics that made people ragequit VR games entirely.
But FIFTICIA wasn't supposed to be a kusoge.
It was polished, intelligent, balanced.
So why did it feel like he'd just softlocked himself into an impossible fight?
*"What the hell did I do to spawn this thing?"*
His mind raced.
1. Was it because I skipped the tutorial?
2. Was it because I fought too efficiently?
3. Did I step into a trigger zone without realizing?
No matter the reason, one fact remained.
This thing was coming for him.
And judging by its unblinking stare, it knew.
Zack was prey.
The moment he showed weakness, it would pounce.
His first instinct screamed—RUN.
But then, another thought crept into his mind.
*"What if I can actually win?"*
A normal player would've sprinted toward the nearest safe zone.
But Zack wasn't a normal player.
His hardcore gamer instincts kicked in. He wanted to see if this was winnable, even if the odds were impossibly stacked.
*"I can at least test its patterns."*
He exhaled, lowering his stance.
Then—
The wolf moved.
The Black Wolf Nightslayer didn't charge blindly.
It took slow, methodical steps, circling Zack, forcing him to move as well.
It was waiting for an opening.
Zack lunged forward—testing its reaction.
The wolf sidestepped instantly, dodging with unnatural speed.
Not just fast—it was reading his movement before he even finished attacking.
*"Okay. So that's how we're playing this."*
Zack changed approach.
Instead of attacking directly, he feinted left—
Then Quickstepped right.
For a brief half-second, the wolf hesitated—its body slightly misaligned with Zack's movement.
*"There it is."*
Riposte.
His saber lashed out.
The blade bit into the wolf's side—
CLANG.
Zack's arms buckled from the impact.
It felt like he had slammed his sword into a wall of steel.
[Attack Blocked – No Damage Dealt]
A glimmering black aura rippled across the wolf's body, absorbing the attack effortlessly.
Then, before Zack could react—
The wolf countered instantly.
A shadowy blur.
A clawed paw came for his head—
WHOOSH—
Zack barely ducked, Quickstepping backward at the last second.
[Stamina -20%]
He exhaled sharply, heart pounding.
This wasn't a normal enemy.
It blocked direct damage. It countered almost instantly. And if he made a single mistake, he was dead.
His gut told him everything he needed to know.
*"I can't beat this thing at Level 1."*
Running wouldn't be easy.
The wolf was watching him, waiting for the first sign of retreat.
If he turned his back, it would pounce instantly.
He needed a distraction.
Quickly, Zack glanced around the battlefield, scanning for anything he could use.
- Thick trees to maneuver around.
- A shallow river nearby—maybe the wolf avoided water?
- Loose rocks on the ground—potential projectiles?
A plan formed.
He faked another attack, forcing the wolf to shift position—
Then, instead of following through, he Quickstepped sideways.
WHOOSH—
The wolf snapped toward his original location—but Zack was already gone.
Before it could correct itself, he sprinted toward the trees.
[Stamina 40%]
The wolf reacted immediately.
A low snarl—then it exploded forward, tearing after him with inhuman speed.
Zack dodged left, then right, weaving between trunks and roots, trying to break line of sight.
For a moment—he thought he was gaining distance.
Then—
A blur of black appeared directly in front of him.
It had predicted his escape route.
Zack's blood ran cold.
The Black Wolf Nightslayer bared its fangs.
It was over.
The instant death attack was coming.
He had nowhere left to run.
[WARNING: You are being targeted.]
[Enemy Status: Aggressive]
The Black Wolf Nightslayer stood before him, blocking his only escape route.
Its crimson eyes glowed in the darkness, unblinking, locked onto him like a predator sizing up its prey. Its claws flexed, scraping against the dirt with a slow, deliberate motion.
Zack exhaled sharply.
He had played hundreds of brutal VR games, but FIFTICIA's intensity was different.
This wasn't a normal boss fight.
- No predictable attack patterns.
- No scripted movements.
- No room for mistakes.
And worst of all—no way to run.
His stamina was already down to 40%, and the wolf wasn't tired at all.
If he was going to die, he needed to at least learn something useful first.
*"Screw it."*
He shifted his stance, sabers raised.
If this was the end, he'd go down swinging.
The wolf's muscles tensed.
Zack didn't wait.
Adrenaline Flow activated—speed boosted.
He rushed forward, blades flashing.
The wolf lunged at the same time.
A blur of motion—
Zack sidestepped at the last second, narrowly avoiding its initial charge.
He twisted—sabers slicing toward its exposed side—
CLANG.
The attack bounced off its black aura, completely absorbed.
"Figures."
Zack barely had time to react before—
SNAP—
A clawed paw lashed out.
He Quickstepped backward—
Too slow.
CRACK.
His body jerked violently as claws tore through his chest.
[Critical Damage Taken – HP 100 → 12]
Blood sprayed across the ground.
Zack staggered, barely staying on his feet.
His vision blurred, his breathing ragged.
The wolf lowered itself, preparing the finishing blow.
And then—it moved.
Zack's perception slowed.
His body was too damaged to dodge.
This was it.
The wolf leaped, fangs bared.
Zack lifted his blade in a desperate last-second counter—
WHOOSH—
Fangs sank into his throat.
A sharp pain—
A flash of red—
Darkness.
[YOU HAVE DIED]
[Respawning at the Nearest Shrine...]
Zack gasped awake.
Cold stone pressed against his back.
For a moment, he thought he was still in reality.
Then—the interface reappeared.
[Location: Valtheria Respawn Shrine]
[Death Penalty Applied: -10% to All Stats for 30 Minutes]
*"Damn it."*
Zack sat up, rubbing his neck.
The sensation of dying in FIFTICIA was disturbingly real. His body still remembered the pain—not actual suffering, but a lingering impression of the damage.
He had fought enough bosses in his life to recognize one simple truth.
If you lose without learning, you wasted your death.
And Zack hadn't wasted this one.
He replayed the battle in his mind.
1. The Wolf Had a Damage Nullification Phase.
- His direct attacks had zero effect in the beginning.
- Meaning he needed to find a window where its defense dropped.
2. Its Counters Were Based on Momentum.
- The wolf punished predictable movements.
- But during the fight, one of his feints had made it hesitate.
- Meaning he could trick it into exposing itself.
3. It Committed Fully to Its Final Strike.
- The last instant-death attack had been all-in.
- If he could survive that, he might be able to counter while it was vulnerable.
He exhaled slowly.
This fight wasn't impossible.
It was just a puzzle.
And he just had to find the answer.
Zack rose to his feet, gripping his sabers.
The death penalty sucked, but it didn't matter.
His stamina had recovered.
His mind was clearer.
And most importantly—he had a plan.
"Alright. Round two."
Without hesitation, he marched back into the forest.
[Respawn Complete]
[Death Penalty Applied: -10% to All Stats for 30 Minutes]
Zack rolled his shoulders, adjusting to the faint weakness in his movements. The death penalty debuff wasn’t crippling, but it was enough to make a difference. His reflexes felt sluggish, his stamina drained slightly faster.
But that didn’t matter.
He’d fought the Black Wolf Nightslayer once.
And now, he knew how to fight it again.
---
The forest was just as dark and silent as before.
Zack moved carefully, keeping his footsteps light, sabers drawn.
He knew the wolf was still out there, waiting in the shadows.
This time, he wouldn’t fall into its trap.
He wouldn’t run.
He wouldn’t panic.
He would fight.
---
[Environmental Shift Detected]
[Nightfall Fully Active – Visibility Reduced]
A gust of wind rustled the trees.
Then—the growl returned.
Deep. Slow. Controlled.
Zack didn’t flinch.
Instead, he stood his ground, keeping his stance low, balanced, patient.
His fingers tightened on his sabers.
The wolf was watching him—but this time, he was watching back.
---
The Black Wolf Nightslayer began its slow, methodical circle.
Zack followed its movements carefully, mirroring its pacing.
Last time, he had lunged in first—which had triggered its counterattack.
This time, he waited.
For exactly twenty seconds, neither of them moved.
The tension built.
Then—the wolf acted first.
A flash of black fur—
It lunged—but not at him.
Instead, it veered left at the last second, baiting him to react.
Zack didn’t move.
The wolf hesitated mid-motion.
There it was.
Zack feinted right, forcing the wolf to shift—
Then, he Quickstepped left.
For the first time, the wolf’s movement misaligned.
Its defensive aura flickered.
A window.
*"Now."*
---
Riposte.
Zack’s left saber lashed out—a perfectly timed counterstrike.
[Hit Confirmed – 18 DMG]
The wolf staggered slightly, growling in pain.
Its black aura flickered again.
For the first time, Zack had actually done damage.
His Adrenaline Flow activated—speed increasing by 5%.
And more importantly—
He had proof.
The wolf wasn’t invincible.
Its counter-stance could be broken.
If he could do it once, he could do it again.
---
The Black Wolf Nightslayer recovered instantly, eyes blazing.
This time, it attacked relentlessly, testing Zack’s reactions.
- Claws slashed at his throat.
- Zack barely ducked.
- A crushing paw strike aimed for his ribs.
- Quickstep – barely evaded.
- The wolf feinted an attack, trying to bait him.
- Zack didn’t fall for it.
His stamina was draining rapidly.
65%… 50%… 40%…
But he was still standing.
And more importantly—
He was still learning.
---
The wolf’s movements were faster now, but not flawless.
Zack had fought it long enough to recognize the pattern shifts.
1. It always countered if attacked first.
2. It hesitated against unpredictable movement.
3. It committed fully to its finishing strike.
Which meant—
*"I just need to survive that final attack."*
The instant-death move.
If he could bait it out and dodge it perfectly—
The wolf would be completely open.
This was his best chance.
He just had to last a little longer.