The line of people stretched around the block, a teeming mass of people buzzing with excitement.
Lucas Drayton stood in the cold morning air, clutching his threadbare jacket tightly against the wind. The Ethereal Nexus launch was already underway, and despite the game having gone live hours ago, thousands of hopefuls had flocked to the official office to purchase their copies.
Lucas had barely scraped together enough cash to be here, but he refused to let that stop him. Sure he had taken a loan but what could go wrong? This was his chance — his only chance… to repay all of his debts,
Ahead of him, people were chatting animatedly as they shuffled forward in line.
"Did you see the streams last night?" one man asked, practically bouncing on his heels. "People are already making thousands of dollars selling their first quest rewards. Someone found a rare sword and auctioned it for $25,000!"
"No way," a woman scoffed. "That has to be fake."
"I swear it's true! This game's gonna change everything. Forget nine-to-five jobs. This is the future."
Lucas shifted uncomfortably. His stomach churned with a mixture of hope and unease. He didn't care about rare items or auction prices — not yet, at least.
All he wanted was a way out of the endless pit his life had become.
"Next group, step forward!"
The line inched forward, and Lucas found himself face-to-face with the sleek glass entrance to the official Ethereal Nexus building.
The logo above the doors shimmered with faint blue light, exuding an almost otherworldly energy.
When he finally stepped inside, the temperature change hit him immediately, the warmth making him realize just how cold he'd been while standing outside.
The interior of the building was futuristic, all gleaming surfaces and holographic displays.
Rows of counters were manned by staff, each one efficiently processing eager customers. After a while...
"Number 87,451?" a staff member called, glancing at the LED wristband Lucas had been handed earlier.
"That's me," Lucas said, stepping forward.
The staff member gave a polite smile. "Great! You're purchasing the full bundle: Ethereal Nexus game license and the NexusLink VR headset. Total comes to $999.99."
"Cash or Card fam,"
Lucas hesitated for just a moment before pulling out the envelope of cash he'd just borrowed from the bank… he hadn't wanted to resort to it but he had to.
He slid it across the counter, his heart sinking slightly as the staff member counted it with practiced precision.
"Perfect. Here's your bundle," the staff member said, sliding a sleek black box across the counter. "Congratulations on joining the Nexus community. Enjoy the game!"
Lucas mumbled a quick thanks, clutching the box tightly as he turned and walked toward the exit. The weight of the purchase settled on him like a stone, but there was no turning back now.
The subway ride home was a blur. Lucas sat in the corner of the train car, the box on his lap, ignoring the curious glances of other passengers.
He couldn't stop staring at the bold white letters on the box: Ethereal Nexus: Enter the Infinite.
When he finally got back to his apartment, the first thing he saw was Mia sitting on the couch, her knees pulled up to her chest. She looked up as he walked in, her expression curious.
"What's that?" she asked, tilting her head toward the box.
Lucas hesitated, then set it down on the kitchen table. "It's... an investment."
Mia frowned slightly but didn't say anything. She was used to Lucas's vague answers, especially when it came to money. Instead, she unfolded herself from the couch and walked over to get a closer look.
"Ethereal Nexus," she read aloud, her tone skeptical. "You really bought that… are you taking-"
"Yeah," Lucas said, already pulling the box open. "You can make real money in it. It's not just a game — it's a chance to actually make something of myself."
Mia crossed her arms, watching as he carefully unpacked the sleek headset and accompanying console. "And what happens if it doesn't work out? What if you don't make any money?"
Lucas froze for a moment, his hands hovering over the setup guide. He didn't look at her when he spoke. "Then at least I tried."
That seemed to silence her for the moment. She sighed and went back to the couch, muttering something under her breath that Lucas chose to ignore.
Setting up the NexusLink headset took longer than Lucas expected. The console required a direct connection to the apartment's aging router, and the old wiring gave him trouble.
By the time he finally got everything working, the small room was strewn with cables and discarded packaging.
He stood back and surveyed his work, the headset resting on the coffee table, its matte black surface gleaming faintly under the dim light.
This was it.
He glanced at Mia, who was now half-asleep on the couch. Her face looked peaceful in the soft glow of the screen, and for a moment, Lucas felt a pang of guilt.
He was supposed to be taking care of her, not chasing after pipe dreams.
But he couldn't let that stop him.
Taking a deep breath, he picked up the headset and sat down on the edge of the couch.
The moment he placed the device over his head, a soft voice spoke.
"Welcome to Ethereal Nexus. Initializing neural sync. Please remain still."
Lucas felt a faint tingling at the base of his skull, spreading outward until his entire body felt weightless.
The world around him dissolved, replaced by a blinding white light.
When his vision cleared, he found himself standing in an expansive, shimmering hall. The walls seemed to pulse with energy, and the air buzzed with an almost electric charge.
"Player recognized," the same soothing voice said. "Please confirm your account details and customize your avatar."
A menu appeared in front of him, displaying a blank silhouette surrounded by dozens of sliders and options. Lucas stared at it, momentarily overwhelmed.
He decided to keep things simple, making the avatar look like a slightly idealized version of himself — taller, leaner, with sharper features and less tired eyes.
When he confirmed the changes, the silhouette shifted, taking on the form he'd created.
"Avatar confirmed. Now selecting starting class."
A new menu appeared, listing the standard classes: Warrior, Mage, Ranger, and Healer. Lucas hesitated, unsure which path to choose.
Before he could make a selection, the screen flickered. A new option appeared at the bottom of the list, faintly glowing: Hidden Class Detected. Would you like to proceed?
Lucas's breath caught in his throat. Hidden class? He glanced around, half-expecting someone to tell him it was a mistake.
But he was alone.
With trembling fingers, he selected the hidden option.
The screen dissolved, replaced by a single line of text:
"You have chosen the Monarch Class. May your reign be absolute."