As the kaleidoscope of colours faded, the four of them—Instructor Dong-soo, Tae-young, Joon-ho, and Hyun-ae—found themselves standing in an otherworldly expanse. The ground beneath their feet was a blend of soft grass interspersed with jagged stone, each blade of grass and each edge of rock rendered with an almost unsettling level of detail. A light breeze brushed past them, carrying no scent, only the faintest sensation of movement.
Above them stretched a vast, endless sky, its colour a deep, shifting azure. There was no sun, no clouds, and yet the space was illuminated by an ethereal glow as if the very air itself radiated light. Around them, the hill rose sharply at their backs, giving way to a high vantage point, while the descent ahead was steep and uneven, dotted with strange, glowing flora. The horizon remained elusive, blending seamlessly into the sky, giving the space an infinite, surreal quality.
They stood apart, each taking a moment to absorb the environment. Joon-ho's eyes roved over the landscape, his analytical mind noting every irregularity and potential hazard. This was no ordinary terrain; it was designed with precision, meant to challenge and test in ways that went beyond the physical.
Hyun-ae knelt briefly, running her fingers through the grass. It felt real—soft yet firm, slightly cool to the touch. She glanced up, her expression betraying a mix of awe and caution.
"This place…" she muttered, her voice trailing off.
Tae-young stood with his arms crossed, his gaze sweeping across the hill's edge. His posture was casual, but his sharp eyes betrayed the tactical mind behind his laid-back demeanour.
"Looked like the usual to me," he remarked, his tone neutral but laced with curiosity.
Instructor Dong-soo, standing slightly ahead of them, allowed them the silence to take it all in. He, too, was scanning the terrain, though he was the practised gaze of someone who already knew its secrets. His calm presence felt like a part of the scenery itself, steady and unyielding as if he belonged to this space more than the others.
"This," he finally said, breaking the quiet. "Is where we begin. Take your moment, because the next time you see this place, it will not feel so serene."
His voice was low but carried an edge, a hint of the intensity that lay ahead.
The four stood there, suspended in the moment. The hilltop felt timeless, as though the world had paused just for them, granting a fleeting sense of calm before whatever challenges awaited them below.
Instructor Dong-soo gestured broadly to the surreal expanse surrounding them, his calm yet authoritative tone cutting through the ambient silence. "Before we proceed, take some time to get familiar with this version of the Realm. It's not like the ones you've used before." He crossed his arms, his stance relaxed but his gaze sharp, watching their reactions closely.
Joon-ho was the first to shift, walking a few paces away to test the terrain. Each step he took sent subtle vibrations up his legs, the uneven surface of the rocky grass pressing against his soles with startling clarity. He crouched, running his fingers over the ground. The blades of grass yielded slightly under his touch, and when he pressed harder, he could feel the rough texture of dirt underneath. It's a game… right? he thought, bewildered.
"This… feels different," Hyun-ae murmured, standing still as she raised a hand toward the sky.
The air around her fingers felt cool and slightly humid, a sensation she had never associated with NexaRealm before. She swung her arm through it experimentally, half expecting her hand to encounter some glitch, some stuttering boundary where the illusion faltered. Nothing happened. It was smooth and seamless.
"It's too real," she said, her voice tinged with awe.
Tae-young took a few measured steps and then broke into a short sprint, testing the responsiveness of his movements. The feedback was immediate—every muscle movement, every shift in balance mirrored perfectly in this world. He stopped abruptly, twisting his torso to stretch, feeling the strain ripple through his back as if he were in his own body.
"No lag," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "It's like... my actual body is here."
Instructor Dong-soo nodded approvingly as he watched them, his expression unreadable.
"That's the point. The new Realm devices are designed to blur the line between virtual and real. Every sensory input you feel here is enhanced—closer to reality than anything you've experienced before. This isn't just about visuals or sounds. It's the smell of the air, the texture of the ground, and even how your body reacts to movement. That's what you'll be competing with in the World NexaRealm Championship."
Joon-ho straightened, frowning slightly.
"But it's still just a game, right?" he asked, though even as he said it, he doubted the words.
Instructor Dong-soo gave a faint smile.
"It's still a game," he replied. "But one designed to push you to your limits. The deeper the immersion, the more you forget it's not real—and the better you perform. That's why this device is revolutionary. The boundaries are almost nonexistent. It's as much a test of your mind as your body."
Hyun-ae glanced around, unease flickering across her face.
"But what happens when we lose track of that boundary? When we can't tell the difference?"
"That's part of the challenge," Instructor Dong-soo said simply. "The question isn't whether you can stay grounded. It's whether you can thrive when everything feels this real."
His gaze hardened slightly.
"Now, explore the space. Run, jump, climb—whatever you need to do to understand how this Realm functions. The better you know it, the better prepared you'll be when the real games begin."
The three exchanged glances before dispersing, each delving deeper into their surroundings. The more they moved, the more surreal it became. Joon-ho vaulted over a jagged rock and felt the solid resistance under his palms. Hyun-ae traced her steps up a steep incline, her boots slipping slightly on loose gravel, just as they would in the real world. Tae-young tested the weight of a branch on a nearby tree, marvelling at how the bark crumbled slightly in his grip, releasing a faint, woody aroma.
As the minutes passed, a shared thought crystallized in their minds: this was no longer just a game. The line between virtual and reality had blurred to a razor's edge, leaving them suspended in a world where their senses could no longer tell the difference.
Instructor Dong-soo clapped his hands sharply, the sound echoing in the vast, silent expanse of the hilltop. The three students, still scattered and exploring their surroundings, turned their attention back to him. His smile was faint but carried an unmistakable edge of anticipation.
"Alright," he began, his tone light but commanding. "Enough sightseeing. It's time to get serious."
He gestured for them to gather, and as they formed a loose semi-circle around him, his gaze swept over them, lingering just enough to make them straighten unconsciously.
"You've all proven yourselves during the elimination process," Instructor Dong-soo continued. "But that was just the start, a baseline test to see if you had what it takes to be here. Now, I want to see what you're made of—up close and much more personal."
His words were measured, yet there was a glint of something unreadable in his eyes. It wasn't a menace, exactly, but it made Joon-ho's fingers twitch instinctively toward his daggers. Hyun-ae exchanged a glance with Tae-young, who stood with his arms crossed, expression unreadable but intrigued.
"I'm offering you a challenge," Instructor Dong-soo said, his smile widening slightly. "If any one of you can harm me—not eliminate, just land a single hit—I'll reward you."
"Reward us how?" Hyun-ae asked, her voice cautious but curious.
Instructor Dong-soo's grin turned smug.
"Simple. If you succeed, I'll trade meals with you at dinner. I'll eat that bland, tasteless excuse for food you've been complaining about, and you'll get my meal—the luxury menu."
The air shifted as the weight of his words sank in. Luxurious food wasn't just an indulgence; it was sustenance, comfort, and the promise of something better in the gruelling environment they were in.
"That's quite the prize," Joon-ho muttered, his lips curling into a faint smirk.
"But there's a catch," Instructor Dong-soo added, his expression unreadable once more. "You'll find that hurting me isn't as easy as it sounds. Don't let my rank fool you; I've been doing this a long time."
Tae-young, who had remained silent until now, tilted his head slightly, his voice calm but sharp.
"Your rank says otherwise."
Instructor Dong-soo raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing wider.
"Ah, yes. The number one Assassin in South Korea, Tae-young," his tone was mocking but not dismissive. "You're good. No one's disputing that. But rank isn't everything. What you see on paper doesn't always tell the whole story."
The confidence in his words sent a ripple of unease through the group. If anyone could challenge Instructor Dong-soo, it was Tae-young. Yet, the instructor stood there, exuding a calm assurance that implied he was holding back far more than he let on.
"Enough talk," Instructor Dong-soo said, his voice suddenly brisk. "Your time starts now."
The moment he finished speaking, Tae-young moved. There was no hesitation, no wasted motion. In an instant, he was behind Instructor Dong-soo, daggers flashing as he struck in a blur of speed.
Instructor Dong-soo's body dissolved into a wisp of shadow and smoke, the sound of the strike echoing into nothingness.
No announcement. No system message.
Joon-ho's eyes widened as the realization hit.
"That's… Body Double."
Hyun-ae let out a low whistle.
"A high-level skill. He wasn't kidding about this being tough."
Body Double was a skill known to only the most elite Assassins. It allowed the user to leave behind a fake projection of themselves while relocating elsewhere—an ability as rare as it was difficult to counter. And to be fair, all three of them also possessed the skill, a reminder that they were among the best as well.
"Impressive reaction, Tae-young," Instructor Dong-soo's voice crackled through their communication channel, sounding far too amused. "But you're going to have to do better than that. Come find me."
The three Assassins froze momentarily, scanning their surroundings as the weight of the challenge truly set in. The hunt had begun.
Tae-young's lips curved into a small, determined grin.
"Fine," he muttered, adjusting his grip on his daggers. "Let's hunt."
With that, the three of them dispersed, their movements swift and calculated, each scanning for any sign of the instructor. The sprawling landscape around them felt suddenly larger, more ominous, as they realized the full scope of what they were up against.
And somewhere in the shadows, Instructor Dong-soo waited, watching, and ready.