April 9th.
The morning sun spilled golden light through the high windows of the Ren estate, casting soft shadows across polished wood floors. A peaceful breeze drifted in from the gardens. Everything looked quiet—ordinary, even.
But today wasn't ordinary.
Kaito Ren rose early. No alarms. No noise. Just a silent awareness in his chest, like a clock ticking into alignment. Today was the beginning.
He dressed simply, tying a black sash over his training tunic. Before stepping out, he stood near the window and ran a full breathing cycle from the Skyshatter Eternity Manual. Slow inhale. Compressed spiral. Grounded release. His body felt clean and ready.
Downstairs, the family was already at the breakfast table.
Aika was mid-story, waving her spoon like a sword, while the cousins sat with half-drowsy, half-expectant faces.
Kaito took his seat and reached for a bowl of rice. He hadn't even lifted his chopsticks before Aika leaned in.
"So… where are they?"
"Where are what?" he asked, pretending not to know.
"The helmets!" she said. "You promised we'd get them today!"
The others perked up immediately.
Kaede leaned forward. "We cleared our desks for them."
"Daichi has already made a strategy sheet for the starting classes," Aika added.
Hiroto gave Kaito a look. "You said we'd all start together."
Suzune, quiet as ever, glanced at him with hopeful eyes.
Kaito placed his chopsticks down. "I haven't forgotten."
"I'll buy them for you," Kaito said. "Tomorrow."
A collective groan erupted around the table.
"But today's the launch!" Daichi argued.
"You're not missing much," Kaito replied. "The first day is chaos. Everyone rushes in without a plan. We'll do it right."
Aika pouted. "Then what do we do?"
"Basic training at the studio," Kaito said. "Hand-eye drills, coordination syncs. You'll thank me tomorrow."
Kaede shrugged. "I'm fine with that."
"I can train," Suzune added softly.
Aika grumbled, "If I have to run laps, I'm stealing your pudding tonight."
Kaito chuckled. "Deal."
Once breakfast was done, the others headed to the studio. Kaito returned to his room.
On the desk lay the helmet—basic C-grade, but serviceable. Synced, polished, and ready.
He picked it up, hesitated, then smiled faintly.
Time to begin again.
As soon as the helmet sealed over his head, the world around him faded.
"Glory Neural Interface detected."
"Launching Glory System Core..."
Everything dissolved into white.
Kaito stood weightless in a featureless void, alone.
A blue panel appeared in front of him.
[CHARACTER CREATION INITIATED]
Choose Avatar Name
Default: Kaito
Warning: Real name usage is discouraged.
He paused. Last time, he used his real name. And that brought attention he didn't need.
This time, he entered a different name:
Raen.
[Name Confirmed: Raen]
Select Class
Six class icons rotated before him: Warrior, Rogue, Mage, Cleric, Archer…
And Swordsman.
He stepped forward. "Swordsman."
[Class Confirmed: Swordsman]
Assigning Starting Village...
A soft hum followed.
Verdant Hollow.
His eyes narrowed.
The same village he was assigned in his past life.
The void shattered.
And the world began.
Sunlight filtered through leafy trees as Kaito spawned into the central square of a forest village. Cobblestone paths, moss-covered roofs, and clear air. Everything exactly as he remembered.
[Welcome to Verdant Hollow]
New players appeared around him, adjusting menus, blinking at prompts.
A broad-shouldered NPC raised his voice.
"New souls! Come forward! I am Chief Elgar, guardian of Verdant Hollow!"
Most players headed toward him immediately.
Kaito didn't.
In his previous life, a forum post described a one-time hidden quest, only available to the first player to find it in each novice village. The player had found it by accident because Elgar was too crowded.
Kaito followed that exact route—past the herbalist's hut, behind a crumbling stone wall.
An old woman sat alone on a bench, no name above her head.
She looked up.
"They say the roots remember more than the leaves do. Do you?"
[Hidden Quest Triggered: Whispers Beneath the Roots]
He accepted.
A faint silver path shimmered toward a tangled root behind a storage shed. Kaito brushed away the moss, leaned close, and whispered:
"Hollowbirth."
The roots pulsed, revealing a vision of a younger Elgar burying something below the ground.
Then it vanished.
He returned to the old woman.
"Most don't listen," she murmured. "But you did."
[Quest Complete]
+10 Honor Value
+200 EXP
+10 Silver
[Reputation with Verdant Hollow: Neutral → Friendly]
[Level Up: Raen has reached Level 2]
Kaito blinked.
The forum post hadn't mentioned Honor.
He tapped it.
Honor Value: A reputation score influencing NPC trust and noble recognition.
Titles unlocked: Commoner → Knight → Baron → Viscount → ...
His smile was faint.
This was unexpected—and very useful.
He didn't return to the square just yet.
Instead, he went straight toward the outer clearing—past the orchard path, where low-level mobs gathered.
Trillbeaks.
Small, darting bird-type monsters with iridescent feathers. Level 1–2. A beginner's task—but brutal to farm once players swarmed in.
He arrived just as the first crowd did. Players were swinging wildly, shouting at targets, failing to land blows.
Kaito didn't wait.
He darted into the mob, feet light, sword drawn low. He moved between panicked players with practiced grace.
One Trillbeak lifted off—Kaito struck beneath the wing.
[Critical Hit – 22]
[Trillbeak Defeated]
[Feather Acquired: 1/5]
He repeated it.
Feather two.
Three.
Four.
A final slash caught the last bird before anyone else reached it.
[Feather Acquired: 5/5]
Behind him, some players grumbled.
"That guy again?"
"Unfair…"
But no one stepped forward.
They didn't dare.
Kaito didn't return immediately to Elgar.
Instead, he headed deeper into the wilderness—toward the spots he remembered.
Herbs near the stream for the herbalistBoar tusks from dens behind the forge hillTraining dummy cores along the broken fence line
He collected everything. Every item for every quest that would be given later.
Only when his inventory was full did he turn back.
He stepped into the square just as most players were still trying to complete their first kill.
Chief Elgar noticed him at once.
"Already done? Well then, let's get to it."
[Quest Complete: Featherlight Supply]
[Quest Received: Sharpened Tools]
He submitted the item instantly.
[Quest Complete]
[Quest Received: Boar Troubles]
Again, completed.
Elgar blinked. "Huh… efficient."
Kaito offered a faint smile, then turned to Camira the Herbalist.
"Perfect timing. You just saved me half a day."
[Quest Complete]
Then Guard Captain Juno.
"Fast. Good instincts."
[Quest Complete]
[Level Up: Raen has reached Level 3]
He opened his panel.
[Character Panel – Raen]
Level: 3
Class: Swordsman
EXP: 340/400
Honor Value: 10
Reputation (Verdant Hollow): Friendly
Silver: 18
Title: Commoner
Attributes:
– Strength: 6
– Agility: 7
– Vitality: 6
– Endurance: 5
– Intelligence: 4
– Health: 100
Unassigned: 6
Quests Unlocked:
– Settler's Path (Complete)
– Camira's Supply Chain (Complete)
– Juno's Patrol Route (Complete)
He didn't assign any points yet.
There would be time for that later.
Kaito closed the panel and turned toward the deeper forest.
He moved quickly, staying light on his feet as the terrain sloped upward and the shadows deepened. Every few minutes, he paused—listening, gauging the rhythm of the map. Not everything in Verdant Hollow's surrounding wilderness was meant for low-level players.
But Kaito wasn't moving blindly.
He remembered the path. A winding route that had taken him days to stumble through in his past life, back when he didn't know what lay beyond each ridge.
This time, he avoided the pitfalls before they emerged.
A howl rang out to the east—sharp, throaty, and close.
Frostmane Wolves. Level 5. They hunted in packs and liked to chase. Kaito crouched low and took the dry streambed instead, his boots barely touching the stones.
Further along, a cliff jutted into the path. Perched above were two massive, gorilla-sized shapes with thick arms and lichen-covered hides.
Cliffbeasts. Level 7. Territorial, but slow to react.
Kaito pressed flat to the wall and slipped under the outcrop. He didn't run. He didn't stop. Just moved with the same calm, efficient rhythm he used when dodging aggro zones in the game's later maps.
But then the trail opened into a wide basin—and he froze.
At the far end, grazing lazily between two toppled trees, was a Bullhorn Beast. Level 8.
A tank of a monster with curling horns, hooved feet, and a temper as volatile as a boss.
Kaito didn't hesitate. He climbed the ridge instead, using a side path that looped behind the beast. It took longer, but when he finally descended into the next stretch of forest, the trees parted around a familiar landmark:
A stone pillar. Carved with claw marks.
He'd made it.
The lair of the Stonehide Ravager.
A mountain of gray muscle and bone shifted just ahead. The Ravager moved with slow, deliberate weight, its tail dragging a thick groove behind it.
Kaito exhaled once, then got to work.
He spent the next ten minutes baiting the creature—nudging it closer to the trap site he had prepared: a gap between two trees with exposed roots twisted into a natural snare, flanked by stone on both sides.
The Ravager charged.
Its front legs slipped forward.
Its shoulders hit the trees.
It was stuck.
Kaito attacked without pause.
[Damage – 3]
[Damage – 1]
[Damage – 5]
The strikes were shallow. Even critical hits barely pierced the Ravager's hide. He adjusted angles, used high-speed lunges and rip-throughs, careful not to wear himself out.
His sword whined with every swing.
[Durability: 7/100]
[Durability: 3/100]
And finally—
[Fatal Strike – 5]
[Stonehide Ravager Defeated]
[EXP Gained: +630 (Bonus Applied: +250%)]
[Level Up: Raen has reached Level 4]
[Level Up: Raen has reached Level 5]
[Loot Acquired]
– Obsidian Fang Blade(Weapon – Level 5 Required)
– Refined Ravager Hide ×1(Crafting Material)
– Ancient Core Fragment(Rare Enchantment Material)
– +3 Gold, +26 Silver
The blade in his hand snapped.
[Durability: 0/100 – Item Broken]
Kaito tossed the splintered sword to the side and knelt to inspect the loot.
The Obsidian Fang Blade gleamed with a dull, black finish. It was heavier than his old weapon, but sharper—designed to pierce hide, not just cut it.
He equipped it instantly.
[Weapon Equipped: Obsidian Fang Blade]
Weapon Panel – Obsidian Fang Blade
Name: Obsidian Fang Blade
Type: One-Handed Sword
Level Requirement: 5
Attack Bonus: +18
Durability: 100/100
Rarity: Bronze
Description:
Forged from volcanic blacksteel, the Obsidian Fang Blade features serrated edges near the tip designed for piercing dense hide. Lightweight, but deadly sharp. Glows faintly when near high-magic zones.
Passive Trait:Piercing Thrust – Slight bonus damage against armored or beast-type enemies.
But before he could enjoy the moment, a system warning appeared.
[Helmet Session: 7hr 42min Elapsed]
[Recommended to log out before 8 hours of continuous use]
Right.
The C-Series helmets had strict login caps to prevent neural fatigue.
Logging off in the wilderness was possible — but extremely risky. Because once he came online again and if his character is surrounded by monsters, he'd die without defense.
Kaito made the return journey just as carefully, but faster this time. His route had been precise. Efficient.
By the time he reached Verdant Hollow, the village was quiet. Most players had logged out.
He sat beneath the same broadleaf tree as before, calm and composed.
And opened his updated panel.
[Character Panel – Raen]
Level: 5
Class: Swordsman
EXP: 30/600 (User will update to correct EXP)
Honor Value: 10
Reputation (Verdant Hollow): Friendly
Gold: 3
Silver: 44
Title: Commoner
Attributes:
– Strength: 8
– Agility: 9
– Vitality: 7
– Endurance: 6
– Intelligence: 4
– Health: 120
– Attack: 26 (Base + Obsidian Fang Blade)
– Defense: 8 (Base)
Unassigned: 10
Equipment:
– Weapon: Obsidian Fang Blade (Lv. 5)
– Inventory: Refined Ravager Hide ×1, Ancient Core Fragment ×1
He didn't assign the stat points yet. That could wait until tomorrow.
Then LOG OUT…
Kaito removed the helmet with a slow exhale, stretching his shoulders as the real world faded back into view.