A whole year passed without any peace. Each day, there were some who tried to take what was his. Many coveted it and attempted to steal it—even Hydra and other organizations wanted it for themselves. But eventually, they all ended up in graves. After what seemed like an endless cycle, Max finally earned some peace in the last few months. Now, the day of the game's launch is here.
Max took a deep breath as he stared at the countdown timer on his screen. 00:00:10—just ten more seconds before the game that had consumed his thoughts for the past year would finally begin. His fingers tapped against his desk, anticipation coursing through him like a slow-burning fire.
00:00:05
The world outside was quiet. Rather, they were anticipating it too. The trial run was a success, proving that this world-changing event was about to unfold. Even though every country was initially given 100 VR capsules as part of the trial, now the full-scale release was finally launching.
Many units were sold worldwide. The trial run, played by a select few, gave players a glimpse of what they could expect. It was truly a second world, one so immersive that players were reluctant to log off. This led to VR capsules selling out the moment they hit the shops.
Everyone who had waited for this moment had already logged in, eagerly anticipating the start of the new era.
"Boss, we've got over a billion players already! Damn, I didn't think it would be this much. A success like this has never been seen before!" Vale said in excitement as Max nodded.
"The trial run was enough to show that we're really talking about changing the world," Max said, his tone calm but confident.
Vale nodded in agreement. "So, are you going to log in too?" he asked.
Max smirked as he nodded. "Of course."
"I would like to be there when it starts," Max said as Vale nodded.
"I'm going in too, then," Vale replied. "Also, your sisters and the others are logging in as well."
Max nodded in acknowledgment before stepping into the sleek, white oval capsule. As he lay down inside, the system activated, and he logged in.
The timer hit zero. The servers were online.
A flash of light consumed Max's vision as the system booted up. His consciousness drifted, weightless, as the game's neural link fully synchronized with his mind.
[Welcome to Eternal Ascent]
The familiar yet thrilling voice echoed in his head. Lines of golden text materialized before him as he felt his body reform in a vast, empty space. The sensation was surreal—like waking up in another reality.
[Initializing Full-Dive Connection… Synchronization Complete.]
A moment later, the void shattered, replaced by an awe-inspiring sight. Max found himself standing in a colossal floating city—a breathtaking realm where towering structures of crystalline metal reflected the light of an eternal sun. Airships soared above, carrying players to their starting zones, while bridges of translucent energy connected the skyborne platforms.
"Welcome, Pioneer," a melodic voice greeted him. A graceful NPC clad in elegant robes floated before him, her golden eyes shimmering. "You stand at the gateway to ascension. Please create your avatar."
Max exhaled, a smile forming. It begins.
He pulled up the customization menu, already knowing exactly how he wanted to shape his identity in this new world.
Max's fingers moved swiftly, navigating through the character creation menu with practiced ease. Unlike traditional games, Eternal Ascent allowed for an unprecedented level of customization—every detail, from facial structure to muscle definition, could be adjusted with near-realistic precision.
He paused for a moment, staring at the default reflection of himself. He could go for something completely different, but he decided against it.
Name: Zenith
Race: Human (Locked for first-time players)
Class Selection:??? (Hidden Classes Available)
A grin formed on his lips as he noticed the hidden class option. As the creator of Eternal Ascent, he had, of course, ensured he had access to things no ordinary player could even dream of.
"But what's the fun in that?" Max mumbled as he instructed Heart to reduce his authority to match that of any other player.
[Are you sure?]
"Yes, do it," he said, and Heart nodded.
The customization screen then loaded normally.
Max set his appearance—white hair and golden eyes in the shape of a dragon's.
"Is this all you want? To look like this in the new world of Eternal Ascent?" the Guider NPC asked.
Max nodded. "That will be all."
The Guider NPC then smiled and waved her hand, bringing up the Stats Selection window.
"You have 100 stat points, and there are four main stats—Intelligence, Agility, Strength, and Stamina. Please distribute them accordingly," she explained.
"These are the standard stats, except for specific classes that might require a different distribution," she added. A guide appeared beside the interface, explaining the recommended stats for various playstyles—for tanks, the focus was on Stamina and Strength, while for mages, it was Intelligence and Agility.
Max soon distributed his stat points according to a mage's build. Even though he was the game's creator, it was Vale who handled the development while Max focused on the world itself, making everything feel new to him as well.
"Is this all?" the NPC asked.
Max nodded, and she confirmed his selection. The screen changed, and he found himself in a vast armory filled with weapons—swords, spears, bows, and even staves of various sizes and designs.
"Please select your free starting item," she instructed. "They are all Normal Rank, so it won't matter what you choose. Just pick whatever you feel most comfortable with."
A list of class rankings appeared before him: Normal, Elite, Rare, Epic, Unique, Legendary, Mythical, and Transcendent.
"We also have a tutorial where you can test each weapon and decide what suits you best," she added.
Max nodded, his eyes scanning the selection.
"There are even pistols?" he muttered in surprise as he spotted them.
"Pistols fall under Magic Equipment," the NPC explained. "They are a good choice for those with a mage build, as your starting stats will complement them well."
Max nodded thoughtfully, considering his options.
***
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