December 31, 2999. Ten minutes until the new year.
It was a monumental day, one for the history books.
But Times Square in New York City was eerily empty. No one was celebrating the arrival of the new year. Instead, everyone had returned home, waiting for the arrival of something.
Finally, the clock struck midnight.
As the first snow of the new year began to fall, a majestic and divine voice echoed in everyone's mind:
"The global MMORPG Aetheris has arrived. All players, please log in immediately!"
In an instant, humanity erupted with excitement. People closed their eyes and, following the instructions they had long since memorized, connected to the neural implants in their brains. They located the glowing blue dot and selected "Log In."
A grand scene unfolded before their eyes. The game forcibly displayed its foundational settings, skills, and breathtaking landscapes to every player.
No one could skip the opening cinematic. All they could do was watch, growing increasingly impatient as they waited.
Meanwhile, in a hidden corner of Aetheris, a pair of golden eyes, filled with pain and weariness, suddenly snapped open. A sharp gleam burst from the pupils, shattering the rocks in front of them.
But the brilliance quickly faded, and the pain and weariness in those eyes were replaced by confusion.
"Where… am I?"
Leander clutched his throbbing head as he got up from the ground. He looked around, bewildered. The environment felt both unfamiliar and strangely familiar, as if he had forgotten something important.
From his left came a faint, almost imperceptible call. Drawn by instinct, Leander walked toward it. He stopped in front of a dilapidated grave, where a rusted sword was embedded in the ground before a nameless tombstone. The call in his heart grew stronger.
Leander reached out and pulled the sword free. It was a broken longsword, its surface covered in rust. On the hilt, a faint symbol of a "star" was engraved.
A strange sense of connection surged through him, as if the sword was a part of him. Just as he was puzzling over this feeling, a transparent panel suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Congratulations! You have obtained the weapon: Rusted Iron Sword ×1.]
[Weapon: Rusted Iron Sword]
[Quality: F-level]
[Level: Lv.5]
[Attack: 2–4]
A flood of understanding suddenly filled Leander's mind. Basic information about this world poured into his consciousness.
This was a world called Aetheris. In addition to its native monsters, it would soon be flooded with "players." These players would start off weak but could grow stronger by killing monsters or completing quests to "level up and evolve."
What made Aetheris unique was that any abilities players gained in the game could be brought back to the real world—at a price. The greater the ability's power, the higher the cost.
At this moment, Aetheris was officially merging with reality. While everyone else was stuck watching the opening cinematic, Leander was free to move.
He had arrived in this world ahead of everyone else.
No one guided him, yet he instinctively opened the game's interface. It felt as though this knowledge was etched into his very being.
[Personal Information Panel (Current Status: Public)]
Name: Leander
Level: Lv.1 (EXP: 0/10)
Race: Human
Class: Warrior
HP: 10,000/10,000
MP: 100/100
Stamina: 100/100
Lifespan: 9,999,999 years
Wealth: 0
Faction: Human
Reputation: 0
Guild: None (Unlocks at Lv.10 )
Equipped Medals: None
[Basic Attributes Panel]
Strength: 5
Defense: 5
Endurance: 5
Agility: 5
Intelligence: 5
[Equipment Panel]
Weapon: Rusted Iron Sword [Bound] [Attack +2–4]
Backpack: Beginner's Backpack (Space Remaining: 1/20)
[Skill Panel – Warrior]
Basic Swordsmanship (Tier 0): A normal attack that consumes no MP. Slashes the enemy, dealing 5 physical damage.
Skill 1 (Tier 0): [Locked. Unlocks at Lv.2.]
[Talent Panel]
Talent 1: Infinite Evolution (SSSSS-level). When in a solo state, killing non-elemental monsters grants evolution points equal to the target's level × your level. Evolution points can be used to uplevel skills.
"So, I need to go out and hunt monsters to level up."
Leander closed the panel and thoughtfully opened the minimap.
He discovered that he was in a small corner of the beginner's area, right next to a faintly glowing blue portal. It was the entrance to the beginner's dungeon, but he couldn't enter it yet.
Unbothered, Leander turned and walked toward a distant light.
As he stepped out of the corner and onto the soft grass, several flashes of light suddenly appeared around him. Moments later, a dozen men and women dressed in simple cloth garments materialized.
"Holy crap! This isn't the starter village!"
"Why are we spawning in the wild? What if we run into a beast?"
"What are you scared of? Didn't the system give us all daggers?"
Reminded by someone, the panicked players quickly pulled daggers from their backpacks, feeling a bit more secure.
"Wait, why does that guy have a longsword?"
"Did he get into the game before us? Could it be a system bug?"
"No way it's a bug. Don't forget, the voice that announced this game descended directly into all our minds. It's flawless."
"Then how did he get in early? The opening cinematic is twenty minutes long, and you can't skip it! I almost fell asleep watching it!"
Leander glanced at the rusty sword in his hand. He stood out among the group, drawing their attention.
Curious, the players approached him.
"Hey, man, how'd you get that weapon? Mind sharing your secret?"
Leander gripped the sword and shook his head. "I don't know. When I woke up, it was right next to me."
The group leaned in to examine the "star" symbol on the hilt, their envy evident.
"Why didn't the system give me something like that?"
"Are you the Chosen One?"
"Right! The opening cinematic mentioned a Chosen One. Could it be you?"
Leander looked confused. He hadn't seen the cinematic and had no idea what the Chosen One was.
Just then, a girl suddenly exclaimed, "Check the forum! Someone posted about the Chosen One—it's Varek from the Ironclad family!"
"Varek awakened an S-level talent: Empathic Resonance!"
"You mean the one that lets him sense and manipulate other players' emotions, even control their minds? That S-level god-tier talent?"
"Oh my god, who could even beat him? He'd just control you before you could fight back!"
The players buzzed with excitement, completely forgetting about Leander.
"S-level? My talent is SSSSS-level. Doesn't that mean mine is way stronger?"
Leander opened the forum like they had, scanning the top post. The image showed a young man in simple clothes, his expression arrogant. Even through the screen, Leander felt an inexplicable sense of hostility, as if he and Varek were mortal enemies.
"What a strange feeling…"
Leander closed the forum after a quick glance. He had no interest in joining the players' chatter. The game had already begun, and every second was precious for gaining an advantage. He wasn't about to waste time here.