As Adrian made his way out of the forest, the trees parted, and the clearing opened up to the path leading back to the village. His footsteps echoed in the quiet as he took a deep breath, the fresh air filling his lungs. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a soft orange hue over the world. He had been focused on the fight, the progression, and the new changes within his body, but now it was time to check his progress in detail.
He reached into his inventory and opened the menu, his eyes scanning his current stats.
Adrian smiled to himself. Everything felt in balance, just as he had hoped. His stats were finally at a place where he was no longer a liability, but a force capable of holding his own, even if the numbers were still growing.
Physique had proven itself to be a crucial stat, one that not only boosted his physical attributes but also made him more efficient in battle. The way he could feel the improvements—his agility, his stamina, and his endurance all working together in harmony—was something he had never experienced before in any game. It was real. It felt...right. Adrian knew he was just at the beginning, and the path ahead was full of possibilities.
But for now, he needed to focus on getting rid of some of the items he had accumulated. They wouldn't do him much good if he didn't have the proper space in his inventory, and he needed the money.
Opening the inventory again, he took a quick mental note of the things he had gathered from his time in the forest. He'd fought off several wolves, so he had a decent amount of pelts, claws, and meat. A few low-tier healing potions were tucked away, and there was a small collection of weapons, all dropped by the wolves during their attacks.
But his eyes lingered on something that made him pause: the chest plate. It was a plain, simple piece of armor. Nothing special, but it was solid—definitely better than the basic armor he had started with. He could sell it, of course, but instead, Adrian had a different idea.
He had noticed Alice's absence earlier, and he hadn't been able to shake the feeling that she might need something more substantial for her own protection. She was probably still focused on her path as a tank, so this chest plate would suit her well. Plus, it would feel good to give her something useful.
Adrian wasn't sure why the idea felt important, but it did. It wasn't just about practicality; it was a gesture, a small step toward showing that he cared about them both, even in this strange new world.
After a moment's hesitation, Adrian decided to leave the chest plate in his inventory for now, determined to give it to Alice when he saw her again. For everything she'd done to help him, it felt like the right thing to do.
The rest of the items, though, were fair game.
With a quick flick of his wrist, Adrian selected the remaining items in his inventory. He was ready to offload them, hoping the merchant in the village would offer a fair price.
A few clicks later, he was standing at the village's marketplace, where a trader—one of the few NPCs who now roamed the streets—waited by his stall. The man was middle-aged, with a salt-and-pepper beard and a thick leather apron. His cart was filled with various wares, from simple armor to scrolls and odd trinkets.
"Ah, a customer!" the merchant called out, his eyes twinkling as he scanned Adrian's gear. "What can I do for you, traveler?"
Adrian didn't waste any time. He laid out his items: several wolf pelts, a handful of wolf claws, some meat, and the broken weapons he had looted during the fights. The merchant picked up each item, inspecting it with expert eyes before nodding in approval.
"These'll fetch a decent amount," the merchant said, moving to his counter and scribbling something on a piece of parchment. "Let's see… these pelts will get you around 5 copper each, the claws are worth a bit more. I'll give you 2 silver for the lot."
Adrian nodded. The price was fair enough, and while he wasn't rolling in coin, he had enough to cover some basics for now. He accepted the trade and tucked the silver into his inventory.
Items Sold:
3 Wolf Pelts (5 Copper each)
2 Wolf Claws (7 Copper each)
1 Wolf Meat (3 Copper)
Various Broken Weapons (5 Copper)
Total: 2 Silver, 13 Copper
Now that the trade was complete, Adrian felt lighter. His pockets had a little more weight, and his inventory was much less cluttered. Still, the thought of his next steps hung in the air. He didn't want to waste time just wandering.
With that in mind, he made his way back toward the center of the village, where the two sisters might be waiting.
The world around him melted away.
Adrian blinked as the world slowly came back into focus, the bright lights of his room filling his vision. His chair creaked under him as he adjusted himself, stretching his arms above his head. The fatigue of hours in the game suddenly felt heavier as the real world settled in.
He stood up, a bit groggy, and walked to the kitchen. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. While the game had felt so real, his body in the real world still had its needs.
As he prepared something to eat, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen. There was a message from Alice.
Alice: "Had to leave. Dad needs me for something. We'll meet up tomorrow?"
Adrian sighed, reading the message twice before locking his phone. She was gone. He hadn't expected to see her again today, but it was still a little disappointing.
Walking back into the living room, he noticed Sarah sitting on the couch, her focus on her phone screen. Her legs were tucked underneath her, and she was texting someone, her fingers moving quickly.
"Still here?" Adrian asked, raising an eyebrow as he sat down on the chair across from her.
Sarah glanced up and gave him a half-smile. "Yeah, I got caught up talking to someone. Time kinda flew by." She paused, setting her phone down. "But I guess it's a good thing, huh? You and Alice didn't get lost in the game, did you?"
Adrian chuckled softly. "Not lost, but... it definitely felt real. I was ready to take a break."
"Uh-huh," Sarah said, raising an eyebrow. "The kind of break where you realize you've been sitting in a game for hours without even noticing? Sounds about right."
He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, something like that."
As they both relaxed into the moment, the reality of the situation hit Adrian again. Alice was gone for now, but the game world and what it offered were still there..
But for now, he'd rest.
Adrian sat down on the couch beside Sarah, the familiar hum of city life beyond the windows barely registering in his ears. He leaned back, still adjusting to the sudden quiet after the intensity of the forest hunt. His fingers twitched slightly, muscle memory still syncing from hours of combat and movement in Aetheris.
Sarah was lounging like she owned the couch, one leg tucked under the other, her phone up as her thumbs scrolled with casual flicks. She'd been there for hours, waiting while Alice went off to handle whatever her father had called her for. Despite that, she didn't seem the least bit bored. A smirk pulled at her lips.
"She's gonna flip when she sees what we got," Sarah said, eyes still glued to her screen.
"Who?" Adrian asked, pulling out his own phone but not unlocking it yet. His mind was still half in the game, half in the warmth of real-world silence.
"My bestie," she said, then grinned as she turned the phone to show him a photo.
It was a selfie—Sarah with another girl pressed close beside her. Adrian blinked.
Big, soft brown hair. Warm, expressive green eyes. Her face looked younger than twenty but carried this strange confidence in the curve of her smile. She was wearing a loose hoodie that didn't quite hide the fact that, well… she had some generous genetics.
Kara.
Adrian blinked again, memory slipping back like fog parting. He had seen her before. Briefly, at the edge of some cafe conversation with Sarah months ago. At the time, he barely registered her beyond polite nods. Now, something clicked.
"She's joining next week," Sarah continued, pulling the phone back. "Took her a while to convince her dad, but she got the gear. Gonna be chaos."
Adrian nodded slowly.
Now he remembered.
Quiet girl, but Sarah always spoke of her like a secret weapon. And looking at her picture again, Adrian realized something subtle—Kara had that kind of presence that didn't scream for attention. But when you actually looked… she had her own presence.
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Cool," he muttered, then grabbed the nearby bottle of water and took a sip.
Sarah eyed him over the edge of her phone. "Don't start crushing already. She's a menace when she knows someone likes her."
"I wasn't," Adrian said, flat and immediate.
"Mhm," Sarah smirked and turned back to scrolling.
Adrian glanced once more at the now-dark phone screen.
She going to play with them, and it might become a problem.
He didn't say anything else,