[Status Window – Nyxaris]
Level: 10
Race: ??? (Due to fusion with Zeraldris, classification remains uncertain.)
Skills:
[Abyssal Adaptation] (Passive) – Allows Nyxaris' body to evolve and adjust based on combat experience and environmental exposure.
[Draconic Insight] (Passive) – Grants deeper understanding of ancient languages and magic.
[Evolving Core] (??? - Incomplete, requiring unknown conditions to fully activate.)
[Soulbound Pact: Zeraldris] – Enables mental communication with Zeraldris and provides latent boosts to physical and magical endurance.
[Flameforged Resilience] – A defensive skill inherited from Zeraldris, granting partial resistance to fire-based attacks.
After closing the status window, Nyxaris decided it was time to offload some of the materials he had gathered during his previous quests. His inventory was starting to fill up, and he needed space for new loot.
He made his way to Ironhorn Market, a bustling trading hub in one of the nearby cities. This was where players and NPC merchants gathered to buy, sell, and trade goods. Since Evolvera Online had a real-money trading system, Nyxaris knew he could make decent earnings if he played his cards right.
Approaching a general merchant NPC, he opened his inventory and began selling:
Wolf Pelts (x7) → 140 gold
Lesser Mana Crystals (x3) → 450 gold
Drake Scales (x4) → 800 gold (premium material)
Damaged Ancient Relic (Looted from ruins) → 1,200 gold
His total earnings from this trade? 2,590 gold, bringing his balance up to 7,250 gold.
Not bad.
"If I keep this up, I might be able to make a stable income."
However, while selling, he also noticed something unusual. The Damaged Ancient Relic had sold for much more than expected. Curious, he asked the NPC merchant about it.
"This piece... It holds traces of old magic. If you find more, the Scholars' Guild in Astrid would pay handsomely for them."
That caught Nyxaris' attention.
"So there's another way to earn besides monster hunting and completing quests..."
Before leaving the market, he used some of his gold to purchase essentials:
Basic Health Potions (x5) → 500 gold
Stamina Recovery Elixirs (x2) → 700 gold
Map of the Western Region → 300 gold
With everything set, he checked his next quest.
[New Quest: The Veil of Shadows]
Objective: Investigate reports of disappearing travelers near the ruins of Veyrith.
Difficulty: ★★★★☆
Rewards: Gold, potential skill or rare item.
Zeraldris' voice echoed in his mind.
"Be careful, little one. The shadows often conceal things far worse than mere monsters."
Nyxaris smirked. "Sounds like fun."
With that, he set off toward the ruins, unaware that his actions were still causing chaos among the game's developers.
Nyxaris opened the game's Economy Interface, navigating to the Gold Exchange option. In Evolvera Online, players could convert in-game gold into real-world currency, but a bank account was required.
A prompt appeared:
[Would you like to create a linked bank account?]
Warning: Once linked, all real-world transactions will be recorded under your name. Proceed?
Nyxaris didn't hesitate. He confirmed, filling in the required information. The system then informed him:
[Your Evolvera Bank account has been created.]
[A debit card will be mailed to your registered address within 3-5 business days.]
Now, it was time to cash out.
He input 5,000 gold, which, according to the exchange rate, converted to $500 USD. The system deducted a 5% tax, leaving him with $475.
[Transaction Complete. Funds will be available in your account within 24 hours.]
Leo—no, Nyxaris—felt his heart race. This was real money. He could help his family. They had been struggling for years, barely making ends meet. His mom worked long shifts, and his younger sister often had to skip out on things other kids took for granted.
"If I keep this up, maybe… just maybe, I can change our lives."
With that thought, he decided he had played enough for the night. The sun would be rising soon, and he had school.
[Log Out?]
[Yes] [No]
As soon as he selected Yes, the immersive world of Evolvera Online faded away, and his vision turned black. Moments later, he found himself back in his dimly lit bedroom, sitting in his worn-out gaming chair.
He removed the sleek VR headset, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the real world. The room was small, barely enough space for his bed and a desk. His laptop—old but still functional—sat beside his schoolbooks.
Leo stretched, groaning. His body felt sore. Even though the game didn't physically strain him, his mind had been active for hours.
He glanced at his phone—5:42 AM.
"Damn… I have school in two hours."
Despite his exhaustion, he couldn't help but grin.
He had money coming in. And this was only the beginning.
The piercing sound of his alarm clock jolted Leo awake. His body ached—not from any physical exertion, but from the mental strain of spending hours inside Evolvera Online. It felt so real. Every fight, every step, every conversation… it was like he truly lived in that world.
He groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes as reality settled in. The dim morning light seeped through the cracks in the window blinds, casting faint shadows on his small, cluttered room. His VR headset rested on his desk, a silent reminder of the other life he now had—one far more thrilling than the dull routine of his real-world existence.
For a moment, he just sat there, processing everything.
He had done the impossible.
He had been named by an NPC. He had absorbed a dragon. And now, he was making real money from the game.
But right now, he had to deal with something far more terrifying.
High school.
Dragging himself out of bed, Leo shuffled to the bathroom, turning on the faucet with a tired sigh. The cold water on his face snapped him out of his haze, but only slightly.
By the time he made his way to the kitchen, his mom was already up, sipping a cup of coffee at the tiny dining table. The stress of long shifts was evident in her tired eyes, yet she still managed to offer him a small smile.
"Morning, Leo," she greeted.
"Mornin'," he mumbled, grabbing a slice of toast.
His younger sister, sat across from their mom, her legs swinging under the table as she scrolled through her tablet. Unlike him, she had endless energy in the mornings.
"Leo, did you see the news? Some guy in Evolvera Online got named by an NPC! That's never happened before!"
Leo nearly choked on his toast. "Oh yeah? Sounds cool."
"Cool? It's insane! Everyone online is talking about it! His name is Nyxaris—wait, isn't that kinda like your character's name?" She squinted at him.
Leo forced a casual shrug. "Coincidence."
Mia pouted but didn't push further, too distracted by the hype online.
Their mom sighed, shaking her head. "Honestly, I don't get why everyone is so obsessed with that game."
Leo kept quiet. He wanted to tell her—tell both of them—that he was that player. That soon, they wouldn't have to struggle anymore because he could make real money through the game.
But for now, he kept it to himself.
By the time he reached school, the buzz about Evolvera Online had only gotten louder.
Walking through the hallways, he heard students talking excitedly in hushed tones.
"Did you hear? That guy, Nyxaris, unlocked new missions!"
"No way! How do you even make money in Evolvera?"
"He probably found some secret method. He got named, man. That's like, broken."
Leo kept his head down, trying not to react.
It was strange—his name was becoming famous, but no one knew it was him.
When he reached his homeroom, his best friend, Ethan, waved him over with a wide grin.
"Dude, you won't believe this," Ethan said excitedly.
"Lemme guess—Nyxaris?" Leo replied dryly.
"Hell yeah! He's all over the gaming forums. Some people think he's a beta tester, others think he's a dev playing in disguise."
Leo barely held back a laugh. "Maybe he's just a lucky guy."
Ethan scoffed. "Lucky? Bro, he absorbed a legendary dragon. That's not luck, that's game-breaking."
Leo smirked slightly, but didn't say anything.
The day dragged on, but his mind was elsewhere. He couldn't wait to get home and log back in.
The second Leo got home, he went straight to his room, shutting the door behind him.
His heart pounded as he placed the VR headset over his head, adjusting it comfortably.
Time to get back to work.
The moment he logged in, his vision blurred, and a familiar sensation washed over him—the feeling of being transported into another world.
The interface materialized before him.
[Welcome back, Nyxaris.]
[Current Location: Western Outskirts]
[Active Quest: The Veil of Shadows – Investigate the Disappearances]
As soon as his surroundings became clear, he felt a deep, ancient voice resonate in his mind.
"Ah, back again so soon, little one?"
Nyxaris smirked. Zeraldris—the dragon he had absorbed—still lingered within him, watching, waiting, and occasionally commenting on his journey.
"Yeah, yeah, don't sound so surprised," Nyxaris replied.
"Hmph. I had thought you might have abandoned this world for your own. But I see the call of adventure is too strong."
Nyxaris chuckled. "Something like that."
With his new goal in mind, Nyxaris pulled up his map, scanning the vast landscape of Evolvera Online.
His next major quest was to travel to Astrid, a city rumored to be a hub of advanced magic and technology. But the road there wouldn't be a simple walk in the park. It stretched across treacherous terrain, ancient ruins, and lawless lands where danger lurked in every shadow.
And as expected, his journey was lined with side quests, each promising valuable rewards:
[Echoes of the Lost] – Investigate a ruined temple where villagers claim to hear whispers from the past. (Skill Reward + Reputation Boost)
[Shrouded in Mist] – Escort a noble scholar through the treacherous Mistveil Woods, where strange creatures prey on travelers. (Gold + Rare Equipment)
[Buried Secrets] – A small town is being haunted by something hidden beneath the earth. (Gold + Mystery Box)
Nyxaris exhaled, running a hand through his dark, semi-liquid form. So many choices.
"The smart choice would be to take the quests along my route to Astrid," he thought. "Maximize rewards while progressing the main objective."
He tapped on [Echoes of the Lost] first, intrigued by the mention of whispers from the past. He had gained powerful abilities after absorbing Zeraldris, but he still didn't fully understand the potential hidden within him. Perhaps this quest would shed some light on that.
As soon as he selected the quest, the system responded:
[Quest Accepted: Echoes of the Lost]
Objective: Uncover the source of the whispers haunting the Ruins of Elaris.]
Nyxaris stretched, feeling the energy flow through his new humanoid body. His previous form, a slime-like entity, was still his core, but after absorbing Zeraldris, he had gained the ability to shift into a more human-like appearance. It made navigating social interactions far easier, though he still hadn't fully mastered the transformation.
"Alright," he muttered, stepping forward. "Time to get moving."
"Interesting choice," Zeraldris' voice echoed in his mind, a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "The Ruins of Elaris… That name is familiar."
Nyxaris frowned. "You recognize it?"
"Perhaps. It was long ago, before my imprisonment." There was a pause, almost as if the dragon were sifting through fragmented memories. "I recall... power. Something ancient slumbers there."
That was all the confirmation Nyxaris needed. This was no ordinary side quest.
With renewed determination, he set out toward the ruins, unaware that his actions were once again catching the attention of the game developers—who were scrambling to understand how a mere player had deviated so far from their intended path.
And so, his journey continued, with mystery, danger, and untold rewards waiting ahead.