The atmosphere inside Beginner's Village #1023 was electric. Thousands of players gathered in the town square, their faces filled with excitement, anticipation, and a hint of anxiety.
Today was the day.
After one month of grinding, exploring, and learning the basics of Devia, the barrier restricting the Beginner's Village would finally be lifted.
For many, this was just a game. But for the veterans of virtual reality MMORPGs, they knew better—Devia was about to become a second life.
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A New Generation of Players
Among the crowd, a player named Ethan adjusted the grip on his iron sword. His character, RogueShadow, was a Level 22 Human Swordsman—one of the top-ranking players in the village.
> "Man, I can't wait to finally get out of this place."
His party members—Aria (Level 20 Mage), Kain (Level 21 Archer), and Marcus (Level 19 Shield Warrior)—stood beside him, equally eager.
> Aria: "We've barely scratched the surface of this game. The real adventure begins once we enter the continents."
Kain: "Yeah, but that also means competition. The real pros will be out there, and we won't be the strongest anymore."
Marcus: "Which is why we need a plan."
Ethan smirked.
> "Simple. We head west to the Human Continent and secure our first city before the other guilds do. We get an early advantage before the chaos starts."
Their guild, Titan's Vanguard, had already recruited over 500 players, all waiting for the Beginner's Village restrictions to drop.
But they weren't the only ones.
Looking around, Ethan could see representatives from several other top guilds, each strategizing for their grand entrance into the real world.
> The race was about to begin.
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System Announcement
Suddenly, the sky darkened, and a golden notification flashed above every player's head.
> [Global Announcement]
Attention, players! The Beginner's Village barrier will be lifted in 5 minutes.
Prepare for your journey into the world of Devia.
A loud cheer erupted from the crowd. Some players checked their inventories one last time, while others flexed their weapons and armor.
Ethan grinned.
> "It's time."
Five minutes left.
Five minutes before they stepped into the real world of Devia—a world where only the strongest survived.
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