Nyxaris—no, Leo—sighed as he opened his status screen for the last time that night. He had been playing for hours, fully immersed in the world of Evolvera Online, but reality was calling him back.
[Log Out?]
→ Yes
The world around him flickered. The dense fog of the Shrouded Expanse, the lingering presence of the Veilborn creatures, and the strange energy in the air—all of it vanished in an instant.
Leo's vision blurred before he found himself back in his small, dimly lit room. The old, secondhand VR headset sat snugly around his head, the cooling system humming quietly as it powered down. He pulled it off and rubbed his eyes, adjusting to the real world again.
His body ached from staying in the same position for too long. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since earlier in the evening. He checked the time—2:43 AM.
"Crap…"
He had school in just a few hours.
Leo walked through the crowded hallways of Cresthaven High, his head low as he made his way to his locker. The school was nothing special, just an average place filled with students going about their daily routines. But today, there was a buzz in the air, something different from usual.
Everyone was talking about it.
"Did you hear? Some player actually got named!"
"No way. That's impossible. He is the only one named so far in Evolvera Online."
"I swear, it was in the system announcement! A player called Nyxaris—whoever they are—got named by an NPC and gained a title."
"That's insane! I bet they got some broken ability. They're probably rich already."
Leo paused for a split second before continuing on, pretending he wasn't listening.
They were talking about him.
His fingers tightened around the straps of his worn-out backpack. The entire server had been notified when he was named, and now everyone was desperate to figure out who Nyxaris really was.
But he wasn't about to tell them.
He had never been popular, never been someone who stood out. That was fine. Attention wasn't what he wanted. What he needed was to earn money, to help his mom and little sister get out of the financial mess they were in.
Leo sat alone at his usual spot, eating a simple meal—just rice and some leftover vegetables from home. He had gotten used to keeping a low profile, so nobody really noticed him.
But the conversations around him continued.
"If I could just figure out how Nyxaris got named, I could try it too."
"They probably got some insane skill. Maybe even a Legendary Class."
"Man, I'd kill to know what kind of rewards they got."
Leo quietly chewed his food, keeping his expression neutral.
They weren't wrong. Getting named had come with huge benefits—his stats had increased, his skills had evolved, and he had even received Veilwoven Relic, an unidentified item that he hadn't checked yet.
And then there was the gold.
He had around 1,500 gold now, and from what he had seen, the exchange rate for in-game currency to real money was $1 per 10 gold.
That meant he could cash out $150 right now.
For some of the rich kids at school, that was nothing. But for Leo? That was a week's worth of groceries for his family.
And if he kept playing, if he kept getting stronger, he could earn even more.
The rest of the school day felt like an eternity for Leo.
He sat at his desk, staring at the whiteboard as the teacher droned on about something—math, history, science? He wasn't even sure. His mind was somewhere else.
Evolvera Online.
His fingers tapped against his desk, restless. His body was in the classroom, but his mind was still in the ruins, still feeling the weight of the Ancient Shard of Remembrance in his hands. He kept thinking about the Veilborn Arbiter, about the power he had gained when he was named Nyxaris.
What new quests would he find?
What new places could he explore?
What new enemies were waiting for him?
He had barely scratched the surface of Evolvera Online's world, and now that he had been named, he had a massive advantage over other players. He had to keep going, to get stronger before anyone else could catch up.
A sharp voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Mr. Hayes, are you paying attention?"
Leo's head snapped up. His teacher, Mr. Roland, was staring at him with narrowed eyes.
The entire class turned to look at him.
"...Yes?" Leo answered, though he had no idea what the question was.
Mr. Roland sighed and shook his head. "Then answer the question."
Leo had no idea what was being asked, so he just muttered, "Uh… 42?"
Some of the students chuckled, but the teacher just sighed again. "Stay focused, Leo."
Leo nodded, but his thoughts were already back in the game.
The rest of the day dragged on painfully.
In English, he barely registered the reading assignment.
In History, he couldn't stop thinking about the game's lore and how much there was to uncover.
In Science, all he could think about was testing his new skills when he logged in.
Even during gym, his movements felt sluggish—he wasn't in the real world right now. His real body was the one inside the game, the one made of slime-like essence, the one called Nyxaris.
Every time he checked the clock, only a few agonizing minutes had passed.
The only thing that kept him sane was knowing that as soon as school was over, he could go home, put on his headset, and return to Evolvera.
As soon as the final bell rang, Leo grabbed his backpack and rushed out of the building.
He didn't stop to talk to anyone. He ignored the conversations about Nyxaris and how some players were trying to track down where he had been named. He just kept moving, focused on one thing.
By the time he got home, the small apartment was quiet. His mom was still at work, and his little sister, wouldn't be home from her friend's house for a few more hours.
Perfect.
He tossed his bag onto the couch, grabbed a quick snack, and then headed straight for his room.
The moment he saw the VR headset, his heart pounded with excitement.
Finally.
He sat on his bed, placed the headset over his head, and took a deep breath.
Time to return to Nyxaris.
[Logging into Evolvera Online…]