The neon lights of the city buzzed against the rain-soaked streets, their reflections dancing like digital ghosts on the slick pavement. Reed Carter sat slouched in his cramped one-room apartment, the glow of his monitor casting a cold blue hue across his unshaven face. A half-empty energy drink rested beside his keyboard, long since gone warm.
He stared blankly at the email on his screen.
Congratulations! You've been invited to the closed beta of ASCENSION ONLINE.
Only a select few have been chosen. The future of the game depends on your participation.
Click below to confirm your acceptance.
Reed's fingers hesitated over the mouse.
Ascension Online.
The name carried weight in gaming circles. No one knew who developed it, and no one had seen gameplay footage—just cryptic teasers and whispered rumors. Some called it the next evolution of VR, others dismissed it as vaporware.
But something about this email felt different. It hadn't come from a corporate publisher or a faceless marketing campaign. There was no sign-up form, no NDA contract. Just an invitation. Direct. Personal.
His lips pressed into a thin line. Why him?
He wasn't the player he used to be.
Once, he had been among the best—Nemesis, the name feared in every leaderboard, a pro gamer at the peak of his career. Until one bad decision, one mistake, shattered everything. His team turned their backs. The sponsorships vanished. And now, he was just another washed-up player drowning in mediocrity.
Maybe this was his chance.
With a deep breath, he clicked ACCEPT.
Two days later, the package arrived.
A sleek, obsidian-black neural immersion pod sat in the middle of his apartment, its surface reflecting the dim glow of his monitors. It was unlike anything he had ever seen—sleek, seamless, alien in design.
No manual, no setup instructions—just a single note taped to the side:
Welcome to Ascension.
Reed's pulse quickened as he ran his hands over the pod. This wasn't standard gaming tech. This was something else.
He climbed in.
The moment he activated the system, his world turned to darkness.
Then—
A surge of sensation.
It was unlike any VR experience he'd ever had. No loading screen, no simulated boot-up process—just a sudden drop into the unknown. He felt his body dissolve, stretched thin like a wire across an endless void.
Then, light exploded in his vision, and he found himself falling.
The sky above was endless, a swirling vortex of golden light. Below, a vast world stretched into infinity—mountains, oceans, cities gleaming like jewels. More real than reality itself.
A voice echoed through the heavens.
Welcome, Player.
You have entered ASCENSION ONLINE.
The system interface materialized before him, sleek and minimalist.
Please create your character.
Reed inhaled sharply. No preset avatars, no customization sliders. Just a simple prompt.
State your name.
He smirked. There was only one choice.
"Nemesis."
The golden vortex collapsed, and Reed's vision blurred.
He landed—hard. The impact sent a sharp jolt through his limbs, and for a brief moment, he struggled to breathe. The scent of damp earth filled his nostrils, the sensation too real to be artificial.
Groaning, he pushed himself up.
He was in the middle of a dense, mist-shrouded forest. No starting village, no tutorial, no beginner's NPC waiting with a scripted welcome. Just silence, the distant rustling of unseen creatures.
The ground beneath him was damp and uneven. He could feel the cold seeping into his hands as he pushed himself up, the scent of moss and dirt sharp in the air. This wasn't like any VR game he had played before. There was no floating UI cluttering his vision, no health bar in the corner. It felt… real.
Too real.
He glanced down at himself. His attire was simple—a worn leather vest, rough pants, and a dull iron dagger strapped to his side. No overpowered beginner package, no flashy cosmetics. Just survival gear.
A chime echoed in his ears.
System Notice: You have entered the Unbound Zone.
Survival is your only objective.
Reed frowned. No objective marker. No quest log.
This wasn't normal.
Every MMO had structure—a progression system, a clear starting point. But this… this was throwing him straight into the deep end.
Then—
A sound. Branches snapping.
His grip tightened on the dagger as movement flickered in the fog. Glowing red eyes, low growls, the sound of claws scraping against bark.
Something was hunting him.
His breath slowed.
He wasn't equipped for combat. He didn't even know what level he was, or if there were levels at all.
Another growl. This time, closer.
Run.
His body reacted before his mind caught up. He sprinted through the undergrowth, dodging between twisted roots and gnarled branches. The creatures pursued, their heavy footsteps thudding against the damp earth.
A sharp pain lanced through his leg as something lashed out—claws ripping through fabric and into flesh. He gritted his teeth, refusing to stumble.
The mist thickened ahead. Shadows twisted through the fog, shapes moving in the distance. The ground sloped downward, and before he could react—
He fell.
The world flipped. He tumbled through the air before hitting icy water.
The shock stole his breath. The current dragged him under, darkness closing around him.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then—
System Alert: Hidden Event Triggered.
"Path of the Forsaken" Activated.
His vision blurred. Something pulled him deeper.
And just before everything faded to black, he realized one terrifying truth—
This was no ordinary game.