[IN THE REAL WORLD] [TIME: 09:23 PM]
Inside the sleek interior of a luxury hotel suite, a VR capsule hissed open, steam swirling as its occupant stepped out with a scowl. The sleek pod, designed for immersive gameplay in Realm of Ascendance, looked almost out of place against the velvet drapes and marble flooring.
Grabbing an energy drink from the table, the person downed it in one long gulp before crushing the can in irritation.
A/N: Just a heads-up—too many energy drinks can mess you up. Use them smartly, yeah?
"Stupid NPCs! Whoever coded those damn things must've been brain-dead. I swear, if I ever meet the devs, I'll make them eat their own trash." He hurled the can across the room, letting it clatter into the wall.
"I don't get why my old man insisted on us playing this game. Yeah, sure, it's cool—stunning, even. But the grind? Brutal. I've only made it to level two so far." He collapsed into the couch with a frustrated groan, running a hand through his hair.
"I should call Felic. He might help, but... he's definitely gonna demand I hook him up with her." He rolled his eyes. "God, the thought of him fawning over my sister is revolting. She's a pain, yeah, but still... ugh."
He sat up abruptly. "Forget it. Let him do what he wants. If he drags her down in-game, that's her problem. She's already at level four anyway. It'd be nice if she slowed down a little. No way I'm letting her outshine me here too."
Snatching his phone, he dialed a number.
"Hello, Jedy?"
"Yes, young master Kain. What can I do for you?"
"Tell Mark to ready the jet. I'm heading home."
"As you wish, sir."
Tood... The call ended.
"Ta-ta, vacation. I'm coming back."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[IN THE VIRTUAL WORLD – ALEX'S POV]
"Greetings, miss. I'm new here and I'd like to register," I said, flashing a polite smile.
The receptionist blinked, clearly startled. "Wow! Are you... for real!?"
"What?!" I said, genuinely confused.
Every head in the hall turned toward us. It was as if time slowed down, and I immediately began wondering what I did wrong. Was it something I said? Or maybe my appearance? I mean... I don't think I look that weird.
"Oops! Sorry," she quickly said, realizing the attention we were drawing.
"Adventurers, please continue with your tasks," another receptionist announced, trying to redirect the room's attention.
"My name is Lara. Please, come with me," she said, gesturing me away from the crowd.
I followed, a bit hesitant. "Uh, sorry, miss. If I broke some rule, I really didn't mean to. I'm still learning my way around here..."
She gave a small laugh and shook her head. "No, no, sir. You've misunderstood. You've done nothing wrong."
She reached out gently and took my hand, her expression suddenly softer... almost apologetic. Her eyes looked sad for some reason, like she was carrying something unspoken.
"I just... wanted to speak with you in private, that's all."
Something in her expression made it impossible to refuse.
"Sure. Please, lead the way."
She smiled with relief. "Thank you for understanding, Sir. By the way, may I ask your name?"
"I'm Alex. Alex Walker."
"Alright, Sir Alex. Please wait here," she said, ushering me into a small cabin-like room with a sofa. I sat down, trying to stay calm while my mind buzzed with a million possibilities.
Moments later, the door opened.
A tall, dignified man entered, his silver beard and sharp eyes giving off the kind of authority you didn't question.
"Greetings, young adventurer. I am Master Roland, the Hall Master here," he said with a warm, respectful nod.
"The pleasure is mine, Master Roland," I replied, trying to keep my composure.
He sat down across from me, folding his hands as he studied me for a moment. We talked about my short time in the game—what I liked, my preferred playstyle, the kind of adventurer I wanted to become. It felt casual at first, until his tone shifted.
Then, he leaned forward slightly, his gaze intent. "Alex," he said slowly, "there's something important I need to share. During our assessments, we noticed something... quite unusual."
My heart skipped.
"You have a significantly higher mana pool than any other level one player we've registered. In fact, you're only the third person we've seen with this kind of anomaly."
I sat up straighter. Wait... what?
"That amount of mana? It's not normal," he continued. "Your reserves exceed what even trained mages start with at higher levels. It's rare—extremely rare. You've been gifted with immense magical potential, Alex."
Hearing that sent a rush through my chest. My palms started sweating. Was this real? I mean... I knew something felt different. But this?
"You have a chance to do something great here," he added. "We'd like to support your growth—offer specialized training, mentors, resources. You could become one of the most powerful magic users in the realm."
As exciting as it all sounded, something still nagged at me. I had to ask.
"Sir... if I may... how did you even know all this about me? I just got here. I haven't told anyone anything."
He let out a small chuckle.
"Ah, that. Well—"