Our eyes met for just a moment.
From across the room, I could see Stardus, the professional gamer, staring right at me.
She appeared composed, but I could see she was observing me closely. Her eyes lingered a bit too long, as if she was attempting to decipher me.
I smiled at her, casually raising my hand and giving a small wave.
She quickly looked away.
Amused, I took another sip of my wine. As much attention as Kurita and Stardus were getting from the crowd, they didn't matter to me. Not yet, at least.
At that moment, the room's lights went down, and everyone turned to face the stage as whispers and conversation subsided.
The big screen behind the podium was lit by a single spotlight as the event's host moved forward. His smile was practiced and broad, and he wore a sharp suit.
"Players, welcome!" The stadium echoed with the host's voice, exuding a phony enthusiasm that only event hosts could generate. "This is the start of something truly revolutionary... You are one of the fortunate 100,000 who have been selected to be among the first to explore the revolutionary world of Ascend!"
The audience gave a round of applause and cheers. I listened with my arms crossed, staying silent.
The host went on, his voice brimming with energy. "Ascend will be a journey that will test your limits. It's not just a game... You'll climb 100 floors in a tower, each one more challenging and rewarding than the last. The benefits will be unmatched by anything you've ever seen, but only the best will reach the top!
My thoughts drifted as he rambled on about the game's features.
I'd already read about most of it. The Full Immersion tech—the capsules that simulate all five senses, the pain, the hunger, the thirst.
It was impressive, sure, but I'd experienced worse in the other world. There, everything was real. Here? This was just a game.
"Now," the host's voice snapped me back to attention, "we have a special message from the creator of Ascend himself, the visionary behind this masterpiece. Please, welcome... KIBARA!!"
The enormous screen flickered and a hooded figure appeared. His voice was low and almost cryptic, and his face fully hidden so that only the bottom portion of his mouth could be seen.
"Welcome, players and viewers. Today, you are witnessing the beginning of a new era in which reality and virtual reality intertwine."
His words hung in the air, and I felt a strange tension ripple through the room.
"This tower is not just a game," he continued. "It's an assessment. A challenge to your resolve, fortitude, and very being. You'll go through challenges that will test your skills. A portion of you will ascend, while others...fall. What you encounter here will be more genuine than anything you have ever encountered."
Now that everyone was listening to his every word, the room was silent. Even I noticed that I was paying more attention.
The creator's voice deepened, almost ominous. "Prepare yourselves... for your new reality."
With that, the screen went dark, and the room erupted in applause. Everyone seemed excited, buzzing with anticipation. I clapped along with them, though my mind was racing with something else.
"New reality, huh?" I muttered under my breath. "I'm used to that."
We were led out of the grand hall, a steady stream of players following the staff members back to the first floor, where all the capsules were.
Excitement was in the air, but I kept silent, taking in everything.
Around me, people were chatting nervously; some were excited, while others were just inquisitive about what would happen next.
The staff led us through the room, designating each player to their own capsule.
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The capsules themselves looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie—smooth and metallic, with blinding lights coming out from the inside.
I couldn't help but smirk. This world sure had changed in the 10 years I was gone.
"Player number 417?" a voice called out.
I turned toward the source of the voice. It was the staff member that was leading us, clipboard in hand.
I raised my hand casually. "That's me."
The staff member nodded and motioned for me to follow. "This way. Your capsule's ready."
I followed her down the line, past rows of capsules, until we stopped in front of one.
It had the same appearance as the others, but 53P was written on a tiny label above it. The employee grinned and tapped her clipboard.
"This is yours! Capsule number 53P." she uttered. "Please enter the capsule. Entering the game will be similar to going to sleep. When your eyes close, the Full Dive experience will begin."
I nodded slightly and took a quick look at the capsule. With a soft squeak, it opened, the door effortlessly sliding to one side. It was roomy and plush inside, akin to a high-tech coffin, but that didn't bother me. I'd experienced worse.
Climbing in, I settled myself into the capsule, the padded interior surprisingly comfortable. The staff member leaned in slightly, giving me a reassuring smile. "Just relax. You'll feel a slight sensation as you enter, but it'll be over before you know it."
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back.
The staff member whispered, "Good luck," as the capsule door gently clicked shut.
The sound of the machinery hummed faintly as it began to seal me inside. Inside, the atmosphere was serene as the lights completely went out.
I briefly experienced weightlessness and a fading sense of the outside world as I sank farther into the capsule's embrace.
And then it was all dark.
* * *
I opened my eyes to complete darkness.
There was nothing.
No ground, no sky, just an empty void stretching endlessly around me.
For a second, I thought something had gone wrong, that maybe the game hadn't loaded properly. But then, a faint, almost mechanical hum began to fill the air.
Suddenly, brilliant light sliced through the darkness. Sound effects—crisp and dramatic—exploded in my ears.
The word Ascend appeared in front of me, hovering in mid-air, glowing in soft gold.
The darkness around me faded into pure white, as if the world was slowly coming to life.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, that's new."
This was way more immersive than anything I'd seen before.
In front of me, a large button materialized, floating just beneath the game logo. It simply read:
---
[Start Game]
---
I reached out, half expecting my hand to pass through it, but it felt solid. With a light tap, the button clicked, and the entire world around me shifted.
A new screen appeared, this one filled with more familiar options: Character Creation.
I scanned the categories laid out before me, a virtual menu that felt oddly like something I'd seen before in RPGs. Stats and Classes. The whole deal.
I clicked on the first category: Stats.
A stat window popped up, displaying several attributes. Classic RPG stuff:
---
[Stats]
Strength 10
Agility 10
Vitality 10
Magic 10
Health 10
Endurance 10
Dexterity 10
[Remaining Stat Points: 10]
---
"Alright, let's see..." I muttered, mostly to myself.
I had a good number of stat points to allocate. With a glance over the options, I decided to distribute them based on how I used to fight in the other world.
After all, if things got tough, it'd be good to have stats that backed me up.
I focused on strength first. High strength meant more damage, and that always came in handy. I added a good chunk there, boosting my physical power.
Agility was next. I didn't need much, just enough to keep up with faster enemies. Speed can kill, but only if you're not strong enough.
Vitality and health—these were non-negotiable. It was always better to take a hit and stay standing than to dodge everything perfectly. I'd learned that the hard way in the other world. So, I pushed a lot of points there.
Magic and dexterity? I skipped those. Magic wasn't really my thing, and my fighting style wasn't about precision, but brute force.
Finally, I added the remaining points to Endurance. No one likes to run out of stamina mid-fight.
---
"That should do it," I said with a small grin, feeling satisfied with the balance.
Next, I chose a class. The options were laid out in front of me like a menu.
Warrior. Rogue. Mage. Summoner.
I scrolled through, though I already knew what I wanted.
Warrior. No question about it.
I selected it without hesitation. Physical combat, heavy damage, and brutal efficiency. It was exactly what I needed.
Once I confirmed my choices, the game prompted me for one final step: *Choose a Name for Your Character.*
A virtual keyboard appeared before me. I stared at the blank space for a moment, thinking. I could use my real name, but where was the fun in that? This was a new world, a new start.
"Erebus," I muttered. The name I was very familiar with. The name I had spent 10 years with.
I typed it in and hit the confirm button.
---
[Your character is complete. Starting game...]
Welcome, Erebus…
---
The words floated in front of me for a brief moment, but then, without warning, the world around me began to glitch. The glowing letters flickered, the screen buzzing with strange static.
---
[Error. Error. Error.]
---
"What the hell?" I muttered, staring at the screen. The error messages kept flashing, one after another, filling my vision.
---
[Pre-existing character detected...]
[Error. Current character deleted.]
---
I froze. Deleted? My head spun as the virtual world around me began to fall apart.
The bright white environment twisted into darkness, pixelating like broken data.
"What the fuck is going on?!" I shouted, but the darkness swallowed my words, and soon, it swallowed me too.
Everything went black.