As Aaron stepped through the door, he was enveloped by a flowing field of stunning flowers with a peachy hue. The landscape reminded him of the starter zones in many of the games he had played, and although it wasn't grand, it still held a special place in his heart.
No VR technology could replicate this feeling, not even in the slightest.
In the distance, he could see a castle city, which had a unique style that was difficult to describe. It was futuristic yet had elements of the Renaissance, blended together in a modern mix that sort of defied classification.
He tilted his head, noticing something in the distance.
Slimes, of all things. It was a strange sight but somehow fitting for this new world.
The creatures were a light shade of blue, with cartoonishly cute faces.
Well, cute was a bit of a stretch.
They were more like squiggly lines that resembled a face.
Aaron was taken aback when he noticed that he was adorned in his old light armor from his days playing Astrala Online - a black sweater adorned with skulls on the sides, complemented by brown pants, white gloves, a torn red cape, and his gleaming greatsword.
As a Battlemancer, he was a rare combination of a Necromancer and a Warrior, giving him unique abilities and advantages in combat.
What's more, he was nineteen years old, at the peak of his prime.
"Status." He said.
But nothing happened.
He scratched his chin, "Hmm."
With closed eyes, Aaron concentrated on his sword, hoping to recreate the familiar feeling he experienced while playing VR games. He focused on the sword's energy, trying to feel it out.
To his surprise, the greatsword, which was surprisingly light, glowed with a deep purple hue. With a swift swing, a massive energy wave cut through the air and into the sky. Aaron couldn't believe it had worked, but he immediately felt the exhaustion hit him like a ton of bricks as if he had just run a marathon without a break.
"Alright, nice." He panted.
After waiting for a short while for his nausea to dissipate, he attempted a less potent skill meant for beginners. This time, it worked without much backlash, but he could feel a noticeable change in his balance.
It appeared that all the skills he had acquired during his time in Astrala could be used in this world as well. Astonishingly, he even had access to his second job advancement skill, which typically required a minimum level of fifty to unlock. It appeared that all of his skills were available to him from the beginning, and the only limitations were his mana reserves and physical strength.
What about passive skills?
"Passive Skill: Flash Dance."
A magic circle materialized beneath his feet, and he immediately felt a weight lifted from his body. Although it wasn't as effective as the skill in the game, it still had some lingering effects.
He realized that some passive skills could only be activated if he was strong enough and that they required him to expend mana over time - not the best idea when he was just starting off.
Anyway, his obvious objective was to make his way to the castle city.
He cut through droves of slimes and various other simple monsters, including Ferric Wolves, which had iron in them, and encountered several other strange creatures, such as goblins, along the way.
After just thirty minutes, he arrived at the large gate.
"Halt!" A guard called out. "Who goes there?"
"I'm Aaron," he said with a wave. "A hero."
The guard's eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Oh! A new one already? The last one was only a year ago."
Aaron shrugged. "How often do heroes come here?"
"The one before that was a few decades ago, before my time of course," the guard replied. "If you are a hero, we invite you to the castle to greet our ruler, for they are the floor master of these lands."
"Floor master?" Aaron asked, curious.
"Yes," the guard nodded. "Floor masters are heroes themselves who have taken up the mantle of maintaining the kingdom and its inhabitants. Since heroes cannot die, we follow their guidance for everyday life."
"Cool, lead the way." Aaron replied.
Without question, he was taken through the streets. Perhaps it was his garments that earned the guards' trust, but regardless, the city was a sight to behold. Colorful banners hung from well-maintained roads lined with short bushes and trees leading up to the castle. Though there were many people about, no one paid him any mind, as there were plenty of adventurers dressed in similar attire.
And into the castle, he went!
Though things were happening quickly, he didn't mind. He followed his guide through the castle walls, past several gardens, up several flights of stairs, and finally into a grand hall with a throne at its center.
He wasn't sure if he was supposed to bow, but he was struck by the beautiful woman at the center of it all. A female emperor? She had light silver hair, was clad in shimmering white armor, and held a rapier at her side.
"Hello, I am Aaron," he introduced himself with a slight bow.
"Oh, no need to bow!" she said with a smile. "Welcome to the First Floor."
"Glad to be here?" Aaron replied hesitantly.
"I know it may seem peculiar to you, but you'll learn more about it in time," She replied warmly. "I am Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina."
Aaron paused for a moment, processing the long name. "That's quite a name."
"You may just call me Maria, however," she said, noticing his hesitation.
"Alright," Aaron agreed with a nod.
"Tell me about yourself!" Maria replied with enthusiasm.
Aaron didn't know where to begin. Would someone like her even understand the world of competitive gaming?
"I'm a hero who fought alongside others to conquer new lands," he said hesitantly.
Her face lit up. "A conqueror, then?"
"I suppose you could say that."
"In that case, you'll love the Tower of Heroes," she said, spreading her arms wide. "This is the First Floor, also known as the Floor of Beginnings. Here, you can find everything you might need in life, from a place to call home to books on the history of this floor. Each floor has a Tower Master, and it's my job to maintain the status quo."
"How do I climb the tower?" Aaron asked.
"It's quite simple," Maria replied. "Each floor has a Divine Dungeon. Once you clear the dungeon, you can enter the next floor."
"What if I die?" Aaron asked with concern.
"Heroes cannot die," Maria smiled. "Upon your death, your soul will gather and reform near the City of Progress, which is my city. The only things you lose are the equipment you've gathered along the way, some of your memories from your past life, and your body will bear some strain."
"I lose my memories?" Aaron asked, surprised.
"Of course," Maria responded. "Climbing the tower has its risks. Some people lose their reason to climb or forget why they wanted to. However, the First Floor is always safe because it's maintained by the citizens here."
"Do the citizens know about the other floors?" Aaron asked.
"Of course!" Maria replied. "Citizens native to the tower have finite lives and can die. That's why some choose to live on the lower floors. Each floor has its own minerals, ecosystem, and kingdoms."
"What about monster catastrophes?" Aaron asked.
"Most heroes cull the monsters, and people native to the floor also have heroes of their own. Even natives can become heroes upon death. If their legend is great enough, they can be reborn in the tower itself."
"Wait, so heroes from the tower can be reborn and become heroes again in the same tower?" Aaron asked, intrigued.
"Correct," Maria confirmed. "Although they receive more perks than us. Divine blessings give them extra growth up to a certain extent, and they don't lose their memories upon death. I know of a few heroes who have retired on the upper floors and originated from the tower."
"That's surprisingly interesting," Aaron said, nodding.
"I know you have many questions, but let's get you something to eat first," Maria said kindly. "Then, we can take you to the Adventurers Guild where you can register and put yourself into the Heroes System."
"Sounds like a plan." Aaron replied.
For the most part, everything made sense to Aaron. This was similar to most games he had played in the past - a sort of rogue-like game where you had to clear a boss from one floor to advance to the next. The fact that he could stay in the tower and enjoy himself was intriguing.
But that raised the question: Did he even want to climb the tower?
He could live a carefree life on the first floor, get some land, build a home, and maybe even find love - something he had always neglected in his past life due to the responsibilities he had as a CEO.
However, deep down, who wouldn't want to climb the tower? Aaron knew he would be foolish to ignore his calling. This was the best game in the world - far better than any VR game he had ever played. He couldn't pass up this opportunity.
And besides, finding love in that place seemed like a bit of a cop-out. I mean, if he was going to put in the effort to find love, he might as well go big or go home, right? He needed to find love back in his original world, not in this oddly enjoyable afterlife.
He's going all in, baby! Let's go for a marathon!