A week had passed since World Drivers was released. The game hadn't made a massive impact yet, but subtle changes were already noticeable in everyday life.
Conversations about it echoed everywhere—people shared their experiences, the monsters they'd encountered, and how far they'd progressed. Everyone listened intently, knowing that even the smallest detail might help them improve their own characters.
...
Sigh.
Arsen Ravel, a man in his mid-twenties, sighed again. The bright sun dazzled his eyes, and the heat pressed down on him like a weight. He wore a red cap, but his long, silky black hair still peeked out, along with his deep brown eyes. His physique was ordinary—nothing that stood out at first glance.
Sweat trickled down his temple. He wiped it away, then moved to a spot sheltered from the sun and sat down.
"My day just started, and I'm already wiped out by this heat," he muttered, using his cap as a makeshift fan.
Arsen glanced at his surroundings. The town, Timber Town, wasn't large, but its technology-heavy atmosphere made it feel far more advanced than the average small town. He worked as a messman at one of the local restaurants, where he spent eight hours every day cleaning, washing dishes, and handling all kinds of chores.
By 5 PM, exhaustion hung heavy in the air. His tired expression made it clear how drained he felt. After changing out of his uniform, he waved goodbye to his colleagues and stepped outside.
The sky glowed in hues of yellow and orange as the evening settled in. Arsen took a moment to breathe in the quiet comfort before he started his walk home.
"I need to get home," he murmured, setting off down the street.
His house was just a fifteen-minute walk away. He chose to walk instead of taking the bus—mostly to save credits.
As he moved down the street, sleek, expensive cars sped by. Arsen couldn't help but watch them, his gaze lingering on the luxury vehicles that filled the roads. Owning a car like that was still a distant dream for him.
When will I ever own a car like that?
The thought was neither self-pitying nor hopeless—it was simply the reality of his situation. Arsen had dropped out of college, never earning a degree like most of his peers. On top of that, he carried the weight of supporting his family. The odds weren't in his favor, and he knew it.
His family lived modestly. Three meals a day, loan payments, bills to cover—things could be worse, but they also weren't good. Still, he did what he could. Supporting them was important. He couldn't imagine a life without them.
But sometimes, a darker thought crept in:
Am I just destined to fail?
His promise to his parents, "I'll give you a life of luxury one day," now felt like a distant echo. A dream that grew fainter with every passing day.
Here he was—just a messman earning ten credits an hour, bringing in barely four hundred credits a week. Far from the life he once imagined.
But he hadn't given up. Not yet.
He was still holding on. Still pushing forward. Even if it hurt every time he thought about how far he still had to go.
As he walked, Arsen overheard a conversation between two men nearby.
"I can't wait to log in again and hunt monsters for their cores," one of them said.
"Can you solo a monster now? Looks like you've got some solid gear and skills," the other responded.
"Of course! I carefully selected my skills and maxed out their stats to be more effective in battle."
"Amazing! I tried that too, but I ended up dying. Now I have to wait for my suspension to be lifted."
"How long is it?"
"Twelve hours."
"Come on! Why not just buy some coins and revive your character? You're gonna fall behind—this early stage is crucial!"
The conversation buzzed in Arsen's ears, and he quickly pieced together what they were talking about. World Drivers.
Arsen had heard about the game. Everyone had. He'd even started saving up for a console, though it would take him months at this rate. Still, the idea of playing that game—of escaping into a world where he could be someone else, do something different—had always intrigued him.
I wonder what it feels like to play that game…
The words slipped out before he could stop them. Online games had always been his escape. They brought him a kind of joy that his real life rarely did.
Should I take out a loan for the console? The thought crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Spending 5,000 credits just for the console seemed foolish. And who knew what other costs the game would have? An NFT-based system—it probably came with its own set of hidden expenses.
Arsen pulled out his phone and unlocked it.
[2838 Credits]
He was a little over halfway to affording the console. If he was lucky, he could scrape together the rest in three or four months, assuming no unexpected expenses came up. But Arsen wasn't just interested in the game for fun. He'd heard that people could earn money from it—and that was what interested him the most. A chance to make a real change.
Twenty minutes later, Arsen stood in front of his house's wooden door. He placed his hand on the handle, pushing it open.
Pop!
A sharp, unexpected burst of yellow-orange light filled his vision. Arsen froze, his eyes wide with shock.
"Happy Birthday, Arsen!"
The voices of his family rang out, and before he could even process what was happening, his younger sister, Lory, rushed forward, grinning.
"Happy Birthday, brother Arshwen!"
Arsen's mind scrambled. He had completely forgotten it was his 26th birthday today. His chest tightened, and tears welled up in his eyes, but he quickly blinked them away. A smile spread across his face as he patted Lory's head.
"Thank you so much, Lory."
Despite everything, his family had managed to make his favorite meal. The small apartment, with its two bedrooms, felt warm and homey. It wasn't much, but it was theirs. And it was enough.
"Happy Birthday, Arsen. How could you forget your own birthday?" his mother, Elina, teased as she set the food on the table.
Arsen scratched the back of his head, giving an awkward smile. "I guess I wasn't thinking about it."
He blew out the birthday candles, and the family began eating together. The table was small, but the atmosphere was rich with love and comfort. This was his treasure. No matter how tough things got, this—his family—was what mattered most.
As they ate, his father, Rima, looked over at him with a warm, knowing smile. "So, what did you wish for, Arsen?"
Arsen met his father's gaze. "I wished that you and Mom would live long enough to see us reach the life we've always dreamed of."
Rima chuckled and patted his shoulder. "I know you can do it. But don't worry about us, Arsen. Your mother and I will be happy if you just take care of your little sister when we're gone."
A pang of unease struck Arsen's chest at those words. He didn't want to think about losing his parents—he wasn't ready for that.
"Don't talk like that, Dad. You're not going anywhere," Arsen said quietly.
Rima shrugged, standing up. "It's inevitable, son. You can't escape what's coming for all of us. Just remember to prepare for it."
Arsen stayed silent, watching his father leave the room. He understood, but it didn't make the words any easier to hear.
When Rima returned, he was holding a large box wrapped in red gift paper. It was so big it nearly covered his face.
"Here, Arsen. This is a gift from me, your mother, and Lory." He placed the box on the table.
Curiosity piqued, Arsen raised an eyebrow. "Thank you, everyone. But you didn't have to—I'm already 24." He leaned in, inspecting the box. "What's inside? It's huge."
"How would you know if you don't open it?" Rima teased.
Arsen stood up and carefully unwrapped the gift. As the paper fell away, a title on the box caught his eye, and his heart skipped a beat.
[World Drivers]
He immediately recognized what it was, but instead of voicing his thoughts, he turned to his father, who was avoiding eye contact.
"Where did you get the money for this?"
"I used my savings," Rima replied, quickly sensing Arsen's hesitation. "Stop, Arsen. I'm your father, and I know how much you love games. This is our first time getting you something you truly like, so don't say anything more."
Rima wasn't naive; he knew the game had the potential to allow players to earn money. He'd heard about it from one of his passengers. But that wasn't why he bought it. It was a gift, not a means for Arsen to make money. The possibility of earning was just a bonus.
"But—"
Arsen stopped himself, his gaze lingering on the box, which featured landscapes, seas, and dragons.
He hugged it.
Their evening continued, filled with laughter and warmth, as they spent time together as a family.
10:30 PM
Later that night, Arsen had retired to his room after bidding his family goodbye and expressing his gratitude.
He placed the box on his desk and opened it. Inside, he found a pair of gloves and a black helmet.
"I never thought I'd get my hands on this console."
Before him was Console 1, Version 1. The different versions stemmed from variations in synchronization rates and features.
"Let's try the game in an hour, then sleep. I still have work tomorrow."
Without a second thought, he donned the gloves and helmet, pressing the green button on the right side of the helmet.
Zing!
A flash of white light filled his vision, and his mind felt as though it was being transported to another world. When his eyes reopened, he found himself in a white room. A woman with pink hair, floating gracefully in front of him, spoke.
[Welcome to World Drivers! My name is Amelia, and I will assist you in creating your character and provide minimal information about this world.]
Arsen nodded at Amelia. "Thanks."
[Let's begin with your name. Once you're done, just click 'Register' in front of you.]
A blue screen appeared with the word "Register" and a blank space for his name.
[Velnar]
[Great! Your in-game name has been registered. Now, Velnar, would you like to customize your appearance?]
"Yes."
A mirror appeared before him, showing his real-world reflection. He changed his hair to black and made subtle adjustments to his body, ensuring that no one would recognize him.
[Lastly, please choose your class.]
Suddenly, a variety of weapons appeared around him—grimoire, swords, bows, knives, and more—each representing a different class.
1. Warrior / Fighter
Role: Frontline melee combatant
Strengths: High HP, strong defense, decent damage
Weapons: Swords, axes, shields
Armor: Heavy armor
2. Mage / Wizard
Role: Magic damage dealer
Strengths: High magic damage, AoE attacks, utility spells
Weaknesses: Low HP and defense
Weapons: Staves, wands
Armor: Robes
3. Rogue / Assassin / Thief
Role: Stealth and burst damage
Strengths: High critical hits, agility, stealth, traps
Weapons: Daggers, throwing knives
Armor: Light armor
4. Archer / Ranger
Role: Ranged physical attacker
Strengths: Long-range damage, mobility, traps
Weapons: Bows, crossbows
Armor: Light to medium armor
5. Cleric / Priest / Healer
Role: Healing and support
Strengths: Restores HP, buffs allies, removes debuffs
Weaknesses: Low damage
Weapons: Staves, maces
Armor: Robes or light armor
6. Paladin
Role: Tank with healing or holy magic
Strengths: High defense, self-sustain, protection skills
Weapons: Swords, shields
Armor: Heavy armor.
7. Berserker / Barbarian
Role: High-damage melee brawler
Strengths: Massive damage, rage/frenzy modes
Weaknesses: Low defense
Weapons: Axes, greatswords
Armor: Medium to heavy armor
8. Summoner
Role: Uses creatures to fight
Strengths: Control over powerful summons
Weaknesses: Low personal power without summons
Weapons: Tomes, staves
Armor: Robes
9. Necromancer
Role: Dark magic and undead summoning
Strengths: Damage over time, curses, summon undead
Weapons: Staves, grimoires
Armor: Robes
10. MONK / MARTIAL ARTIST
Role: Melee DPS or support
Strengths: Fast attacks, self-healing, buffs
Weapons: Fists, knuckles, staves
Armor: Light armor
Arsen considered all the options, but ultimately, he didn't want to fight upfront. He selected the third option.
[Job: Assassin]
"Shall we play the game?"