Chapter 10: Reality and Illusions
Aeron ran a hand through his unkempt hair, staring at the cold sandwich. He wasn't hungry. Or rather, his mind was still stuck in the game. Even now, he could still hear the distant echoes of Solara—the clanking of armor, the whisper of the wind through the alleyways, Sylva's cryptic words about the hidden power.
It felt more real than the life he had outside.
He leaned back in his chair, exhaling. His VIR-Net pod loomed beside him, an expensive piece of tech he had saved for years to afford. In this world, he was just another person scraping by. No ancient mysteries, no secret class, no hidden destiny. Just Aeron Vasquez, a guy living paycheck to paycheck in a city that barely cared if he existed.
His phone vibrated again.
—Mom: "Don't forget to rest, okay?"
Aeron sighed, staring at the message. She always checked in, even though she knew he barely responded.
He turned to his laptop, skimming through emails. His rent was due soon. His part-time job as a game tester barely covered expenses, but it was enough to keep him afloat. His boss had sent him a reminder—a new update was rolling out for a different game, and they needed feedback.
But Aeron didn't care about other games anymore.
Not after experiencing Viperus Online.
His eyes drifted back to the pod. His heart raced just thinking about logging in again. He needed answers. The hidden power, the sealed world boss, Solara's forgotten history—it all felt too important.
One more hour in the game. Then he'd get some sleep.
That's what he told himself.
Back in the Game
As soon as Aeron logged in, the air around him changed.
Gone was the dull hum of city life. Instead, the faint scent of burning torches and aged parchment filled his senses. The stone walls of their hideout felt cool to the touch, and the flickering candlelight cast long shadows along the room's edges.
Sylva and Hobbles were already awake.
"You're finally up," Sylva said, arms crossed. "Took you long enough."
Aeron blinked, adjusting to the shift. The immersion was instant.
Hobbles stretched, groaning. "I told her you were probably off eating or something."
Aeron scoffed. If only.
Sylva rolled out the ancient parchment, the mysterious runes still glowing faintly. "We leave today. The first clue is in the Sunken Ruins beyond the border."
Aeron's eyes narrowed. He had spent days trying to understand his hidden class, and now, he was also tangled in a centuries-old secret tied to a world boss that had been sealed away.
Was it fate? Or just a crazy coincidence?
Either way, he was going to find out.
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