Chapter 1
Arkadia
Inside an VRMMORPG called Arkadia, a meeting was held by the Nightingale guild. Guild members were invited for the last gathering of their guild as the game was about to be shut down permanently.
However, there were only two people present at the moment. Steve and Gray went on their final journey within the virtual realm of Arkadia, their cherished game. As the day arrived for the server to bid adieu, the duo convened in their guild, ready to witness the countdown of the game's closure.
"This is it, the moment we've both dreaded," remarked Gray, his voice resonating with a somber farewell to the digital world they had immersed themselves in for years. The game had become a repository of countless memories, making bidding it farewell a challenging task.
"Yeah, the game is over," acknowledged Steve with a hint of sadness, "unfortunately, not all our guild members are here to witness this moment."
"It's a shame indeed," sighed Gray, "but at least we're together in this farewell. That counts for something, doesn't it?"
"As I reflect on it, you're absolutely right. We've accomplished our goals. Nightingale Guild has secured its position as the top guild worldwide, and I've proudly earned the coveted title of Demon Lord. There's truly nothing left to conquer in this game," admitted Steve with a sense of accomplishment.
Having ascended to the pinnacle of power, Steve had become the unrivaled champion of Arkadia, a VRMMORPG that enjoyed global success as the most popular game. His achievements were unparalleled, and he stood as the ultimate player, having conquered nearly every challenge the game had to offer.
"Ah, but now that you mention it,you haven't completed the main quest line for the Demon King job class, have You?" Gray interjected.
"Hm? That one? Yeah, I haven't. The only remaining task is to transcend from the status of Demon Lord to achieve the coveted title of Demon God. Unfortunately, that requires defeating other Demon Lords, a feat we know is impossible now. The game is on the brink of closing forever," Steve sighed, acknowledging the unattainable quest that would forever remain incomplete.
Steve found himself faced with the reality of unfinished endeavors, grappling with the necessity of bidding farewell to his prized possessions within the game – rare items and collections he had meticulously amassed over the years.
As they prepared to witness the final countdown before the server's closure, a sense of anticipation hung in the air. However, the moment took an unexpected turn when Gray, with a noticeable shuffle, interrupted the solemn atmosphere.
"Uh, Steve," Gray hesitated, "I have to go. An urgent matter has come up."
"Now? Can't it wait just a bit longer?" Steve questioned, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"I can't. I'm sorry. Take care, buddy," Gray uttered hurriedly.
"Alright... Take care," Steve replied, watching as Gray left the server and went offline, leaving Steve alone in the guild hall. As the countdown commenced, Steve stood solitary, contemplating the impending closure and the memories he was about to leave behind.
Alone in the server, Steve remained the sole inhabitant, accompanied only by the familiar weight of the grimoire he always kept by his side. As the countdown inexorably approached zero, fatigue began to settle in. Yawning, Steve's watery eyes fixed on the dwindling numbers.
"Why am I so tired? Pulling an all-nighter was probably too much," he mumbled, weariness evident in his voice. Seeking a momentary respite, he rested against the throne in the guild hall. Closing his eyes for a brief reprieve, he intended to gather some energy before bidding his final farewell to the game.
However, as seconds ticked away, Steve succumbed to drowsiness. The effort to find a brief moment of rest turned into an unintended slumber, and with the countdown continuing, he drifted into a peaceful sleep, unaware of the final moments of the game unfolding around him.
As Steve succumbed to sleep, unaware of the impending closure of the game server, an unforeseen event unfolded. The countdown reaches zero, signaling the closure of Arkadia. However, instead of the expected cessation, an unexpected glitch occurred, plunging the virtual world into darkness.
When Steve finally stirred, he found himself in an unfamiliar place. Perplexed, he looked around and gradually recognized the surroundings – it was the home of his in-game character, Sylas Oakenheart. The character lore portrayed Sylas as an orphan adopted by noble demons and raised as their heir.
"Huh? Where am I?" Steve questioned aloud, his gaze scanning the room. The realization hit him as he connected the dots. "I'm in my own bedroom now... Sylas' bedroom. How did I get here? Wasn't I just in the throne room before?"
The sudden shift left Steve bewildered, and the mystery of his relocation within the game world unfolded as he grappled with the surreal nature of the experience.
As Steve attempted to reconcile his surroundings with the expected closure, he turned on the system screen to check the countdown. It had indeed reached zero. However, a perplexing revelation awaited him As Steve scrutinized the system screen, revealing the number of logged-in and online players, the realization struck him with a perplexing force. The digital display clearly indicated that he was not alone in the server, challenging his previous assumption.
"The numbers...I wasn't alone," he mumbled to himself, a mixture of bewilderment and curiosity gripping him. The figures on the system screen painted a different narrative than what he had perceived earlier.The server, which was once solitary in his presence, now boasted around 500 players.
"Huh? Where are these guys coming from? Why has the game not ended yet?" Steve questioned, his confusion deepening as he saw the number of people who were still online.
In typical VR game server closures, all players would be automatically logged out, and Steve should not have remained in the game. Yet, there he was, logged in with a sudden influx of unexpected players. Faced with this anomaly, he dismissed the peculiar occurrence and attempted to log off manually. To his dismay, the log-off button had vanished.
"What? What is happening? Why can't I log out?" Steve muttered to himself, frustration and concern etching lines on his face. Despite his efforts to contact GM and admin through the system options, all attempts proved futile. Steve found himself trapped inside the game, the boundaries between the virtual and real world growing increasingly blurred.
Frustration mounting, Steve attempted to assess his situation by checking the Direct Messages on his personal profile. To his surprise, his guild members were also online, yet communication with them proved futile. No messages were going through, and they didn't appear to be attempting to reach out to him either.
His next logical step was to contact tech support, seeking answers to this bizarre predicament. However, all attempts to reach out were met with silence. The game seemed to resist his every effort to make contact beyond the confines of his current reality.
Lost in thought, Steve began pacing around the room in an attempt to quell the unease building within him. It was during this anxious wander that he noticed something peculiar, an anomaly in the familiar environment of Sylas Oakenheart's bedroom.
As Steve examined his surroundings more closely, he began to notice details he had previously overlooked. The room, unmistakably belonging to Sylas Oakenheart, seemed more intricately detailed than he remembered. Messy clothes were scattered on the floor, and unwashed laundry added a touch of realism that the game had never featured before.
However, the most striking revelation awaited him as he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror. It wasn't merely the room that had transformed; it was Sylas himself. The character he had meticulously created looked different, stunningly so. Describing the reflection as handsome felt like an understatement. The figure before him exuded a beauty that surpassed anything he had designed in the game.
Steve stood there, his own avatar seemingly transcending the boundaries of virtual artistry. The uncanny realization left him wondering whether he was still in the game, trapped in a perplexing blend of reality and virtuality that defied all logic.
As Steve approached the mirror, the reflection staring back at him revealed a tall, dark-brown-skinned elf young man. The sharp yet delicate features of his face radiated charm and beauty, leaving Steve momentarily stunned by the unexpected transformation.
"Did I always look this good?" he pondered, his surprise lingering. However, the urgency of the situation snapped him back to reality.
"Wait, that's not it. I need to figure out what is going on," he affirmed, refocusing his attention on the pressing matter at hand. The enchanting appearance of his in-game character now seemed secondary to the mysteries unfolding around him.
Despite the mysterious glitches and the unexplainable transformation, Steve decided to explore the remaining accessible game mechanics. Opening various game windows, he tested different features that were still available to him. To his relief, he discovered that he still had complete access to all of his equipment and in-game items. Everything in his inventory remained intact, and his virtual property and fortune were unaffected by the unusual errors that had trapped him in the game.
A sense of reassurance washed over him as he confirmed the stability of his belongings within the virtual realm. However, the overarching question of why he couldn't log out and the unexpected changes persisted, prompting Steve to delve deeper into the mysteries surrounding this inexplicable alteration of the game's reality.
Relieved that his possessions remained intact, including the cherished grimoire he always kept equipped, Steve let out a sigh of relief. He scrutinized his inventory, ensuring that everything he had acquired over his virtual journey was still present.
Turning his attention to his character profile window, Steve observed its distinct appearance compared to the standard system interface. The golden panel exuded opulence, adorned with intricate decorations that hinted at its significance. However, his attempt to access the character profile elicited a warning message.
[Warning! Opening the Character profile would cause an overload of data into the user. Are you sure you want to open it now?]
Without hesitation, Steve commanded, "Open it." In his mind, the urgency to find a way out of the game overshadowed any concerns about potential data overload. Little did he know that this decision would lead him down a path fraught with unforeseen consequences, ones that would challenge his understanding of reality within the confines of the game.
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