Kai landed on Kilmarnock G7 player landing planet and quickly moved toward the nearest green zone, where newbies often arrived and were required to watch a 40-second tutorial on the VR headgear. There were over 40 such locations in the area, and he had told his mom to choose this region, so she should be in one of them.
Kai quickly texted her holo. He had already connected her headgear and holo beforehand to ensure quick communication. She described her surroundings and the brand shops near her zone, allowing Kai to find her within a minute.
Her avatar had changed from what he had originally set up—she must have made some adjustments. But.. she was no longer 'her'.
Her face remained the same, but she had made her hair into a short, boyish blue style. Her physique had shifted as well, now resembling a feminine man rather than a woman, though certain features still hinted at her original assets.
NOAH's headgear, designed to ensure full cognitive and physiological synchronization, did not allow users to change their gender entirely. There had been issues in the past when players attempted drastic alterations to their body structure—problems that had mostly been resolved, but the restriction remained as a precaution.
Still, users were free to modify their avatars extensively within certain limits, adjusting proportions as they wished—just not beyond what the system deemed safe.
She was clearly setting herself up to be a trap. The crazy smile she wore as she spun in place, showing off her "work," revealed all her mischievous thoughts.
Kai knew she had a weird taste in aesthetics, music, and even the clothes she dressed him in as a kid. She even had a bizarre sense of humor. He had already expected something like this from her.
Kai opened the chat window in front of him and typed, 'You aiming to snatch a girlfriend for yourself?'
She chuckled. "What? Can't a woman have fun? This way, I can be one of your friends! You can finally tell others you have one handsome fella as a friend.."
She struck a dashing pose. Kai just rolled his eyes and took her hand. While the landing planet wasn't critical to learn about, it was still better for her to know what to do in emergencies.
After showing her all the necessary official locations, shops, and key points, Kai made her perform some basic exercises to familiarize her with how movement and body functions worked in a VR game. Once everything was done, they logged out together before logging back in, ensuring they would always be in the same location whenever they re-entered the game.
Kai had already instructed her on what to do inside the game, and now he just showed her how to activate the portal and enter it. He told her to add his ID as a friend once she passed the opening scene. He also instructed her to record everything, both as footage for later use and so he could monitor her gameplay and correct any mistakes.
Once she stepped into the portal, waving him a small "bye-bye," Kai also launched his game.
He was finally at Somnium town today. But he couldn't stay for long—he had to find a ride and travel to Mimi's location quickly.
Kai jumped down from the tree and sprinted toward the settlement in the distance. He had already spotted players with blue tags on their heads moving in all directions. The open green field stretched ahead, bordered by a forest on the side leading to the town of Somnium. Of course, he had already gathered some information about this place from the forums and even knew a few quests that offered good rewards.
Somnium had four dungeons of varying difficulties, all were for beginner level players though. The harder the dungeon, the better the loot—it was an iron rule in all games. But Kai had no intention of going near them right now.
There was no official guild system yet, but players had already begun forming groups and conducting "experiments." Player-killing (PK) was a big deal in Nyxfall—with a 100% drop rate. It was both the best thing for some people and also the worst thing of the game for some people. Every task became a challenge due to the fear of dying and losing everything from their inventories. But at the same time, many players became too disheartened after suffering major losses and quit playing the game altogether.
The NPC guards charged him two silvers before allowing him to enter. It was a one-time fee, but he would have to pay it again every month unless he bought property or opened a shop here. It functioned as a form of taxation, given that Somnium was still a village with a chief and lacked any official ruling authority.
The Nexus Kin were a free people, independent of any civilization's laws—or so the gathered player information suggested. It was more accurate to say they had been cast out of societies, with only a few individuals occasionally accepted back into civilizations to perform labor work and menial jobs. Most Nexus Kin people however formed small communities and lived in the vast unclaimed forest regions.
Kai shot an arrow at the highest building in town and activated Godstep. Standing atop the structure, he took in the full view of the village and noted how average it was compared to the real Stonebinder cities he had seen in gameplay footage from other players.
Somnium had two main streets where most of the shops and crowds were concentrated. Beyond that, there was a residential area, a small academy-like structure with a training range, a stable, several warehouse-style buildings, and a large town square dominated by a towering statue of a woman.
She was made entirely of wood and leaves, her form embracing maximum greenery.
Kai wasn't entirely sure, but… she was Maeka. Or at least, someone related to her.
[Rank E Mission: Escape - Completed.]
[1 Level Gained.]
[Received Rewards: 10,000 Exp, Bloodline Skill - Infernal Scion.]