"Brother! I've got the game you've been waiting for!" A young girl called out excitedly to the figure lying still on the large bed. In her hands, she held a sleek helmet, a futuristic design that seemed to merge a motorcycle helmet with high-tech, sci-fi features.
The young man on the bed had his eyes closed, seemingly asleep, but the girl continued, her tone cheerful, "Here, let me help you put this on."
With gentle care, she climbed onto the spacious bed—large enough to accommodate an entire family—lifting her brother's head and carefully fitting the helmet onto him.
"Thanks," the young man finally whispered as she gently laid his head back down, his voice soft but filled with appreciation.
She smiled, brushing aside his hair that had fallen out of place. "Don't worry, brother. I know school will keep me busy for a while, but next week I'll definitely have time to play with you."
"Un..." he mumbled in response.
"Alright, have fun! I'll check on you later!" With that, she pressed a button on the side of the helmet and watched as her brother's body went limp, as if falling into a deep slumber. Satisfied, she quietly left the room.
Within seconds of the helmet's activation, the young man's consciousness slipped from the real world. The warmth of his bed vanished, the familiar scent of his room dissipated, and he found himself standing—something he hadn't done in years.
The space around him was dark, like an empty void, though he could make out floating numbers in front of him, slowly counting down.
<10:01>
<10:00>
<09:59>
He stared in awe, flexing his fingers and wiggling his toes. "I can see… I can move... I'm not paralyzed anymore!" His voice trembled, emotion swelling inside him.
Blind at seven, paralyzed at thirteen, his life had been a prison of darkness and stillness for as long as he could remember. At eighteen, he'd resigned himself to a life of limitations, confined to his bed, dependent on others for the simplest tasks. Yet here, in this strange black void, he was free. Free to see. Free to move.
For someone who had spent so many years unable to do anything but exist in silence and shadow, the sensation was overwhelming. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he almost collapsed to his knees.
"So this is the first fully immersive VRMMORPG, huh…" he murmured, still in disbelief.
When his younger sister had told him about the game, Eternal Realm, he had brushed it off as some distant dream—a fantasy beyond the reach of modern technology. A game that allowed players to experience a virtual world through complete neural immersion, using only their minds to control their bodies in the game? It sounded impossible. But now, standing here, it felt more real than he had ever imagined.
<02:19>
<02:18>
The numbers continued to count down as the young man moved his limbs, savoring every sensation.
<00:03>
<00:02>
<00:01>
Suddenly, the darkness around him was bathed in light. The empty void transformed into a brilliant white space, and a crack began to form in the air before him, like shattered glass spreading across the fabric of reality.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
The crack grew larger, widening until it was big enough for a person to step through. Then, with a final shatter, the crack opened fully, revealing a deep, endless void beyond.
From within the void, a figure emerged. A woman, her movements graceful, her aura commanding. She stepped out from the darkness as though walking through a doorway between worlds. Dressed in a flowing crimson gown, her figure was both ethereal and imposing. Her eyes, a piercing gold, locked onto the young man with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine.
"This is..." The young man's voice trailed off as he stared, mesmerized. The woman's beauty was beyond anything he had ever seen—sharp, flawless features and a regal presence that seemed otherworldly. Yet, there was something unsettling in her gaze, an air of dominance that made it clear she was not to be trifled with.
"Mortal," she spoke, her voice cold and authoritative. "Place your hand on this."
From nowhere, the woman produced a crystal sphere, holding it out to him with a commanding gesture.
"Alright," the young man, believing her to be an NPC, complied without hesitation, placing his hand on the smooth surface of the crystal.
Instantly, symbols and words appeared within the crystal, revealing information about him.
Name: ???
Cultivation: None
Legacy: None
Bloodline: None
Physique: Heavenbound Body
Physical Strength: 35
Mental Strength: 280
Soul Strength: 1,215
Physical Defense: 12
Mental Defense: 1,110
The woman's expression, once unreadable, shifted. Her golden eyes widened in shock, and she nearly dropped the crystal.
"The Heavenbound Body?! And his Soul Strength… it's at the level of a Spirit Guardian even though he hasn't cultivated?!" Her hands trembled slightly as she processed the information.
For a moment, the regal woman seemed lost in thought, her gaze flickering with urgency. "I must ensure he joins my faction before the others find out," she muttered under her breath.
The young man blinked, confused. "Is something wrong?"
She looked up at him sharply. "What is your name?"
"You can call me Zian," he replied, still uncertain about the situation.
Without another word, the woman retrieved a jade medallion from thin air and tossed it to him. "Keep this safe. We will meet again."
"Huh? Wait, I have questions—" But before he could finish, the woman turned and vanished back into the crack, which sealed shut behind her, leaving Zian alone in the white space.
"That was… strange." Zian stared at the medallion in his hand, wondering what it was for.
<00:02>
<00:01>
Before Zian could make sense of what had just happened, his vision blurred, and a dizzying sensation washed over him. When he blinked again, the white room had disappeared, replaced by the sight of a bustling village. Players dressed in simple white robes, just like him, gathered around, chattering excitedly.
"This is… Eternal Realm?" His eyes widened as he looked up, seeing massive mountains floating in the sky, towering even above the clouds.
"Welcome!" A deep voice echoed through the village. An elderly man in a blue robe hovered above the crowd, standing on what appeared to be a floating sword. "I am Master Yun, here to guide you in your first steps within this world."
"He's flying!" someone shouted from the crowd, awe filling the air.
The old man smiled kindly. "In time, all of you will learn the wonders of this world. But first, let me explain the path that lies before you…"