I had just started exploring deeper into the ruins when a flicker caught my eye.
Not an animal, not a shadow—someone was standing there.
A boy. Hair messy, clothes dust-stained, looking around like he'd just been dropped into a new level.
I froze. He froze.
[ System Notice ]
Nearby Pioneer Player Detected: BloodWarrior
My heart skipped a beat. Other players? Already?
He didn't notice me at first. He was crouching near a cracked wall, apparently inspecting some broken tiles. Then he muttered something under his breath.
What kind of joke is this? Rotten rice? Seriously?"
I blinked.
Rotten rice? Wait… he sounded… familiar?
I cleared my throat. "Uh… hi?"
He jerked upright, spinning around so fast I almost expected him to topple over. His eyes widened when they landed on me.
[ System Notice ]
First Player Interaction Detected
I waved awkwardly. "MoonFeather."
He hesitated a moment, then gave a quick nod. "BloodWarrior. And uh… don't eat that rice."
I snorted. "Noted. So… you've been here long?"
He shrugged. "Ten minutes? Maybe twenty. I've been testing the system. Honestly, this place is insane. Did you… feel the breeze? The soil? I swear it's real."
"Yeah," I said, stepping closer. "Everywhere I touch feels like… actual life. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up in my chair."
BloodWarrior grinned, brushing dust off his hands. "Same here. This is… insane. I already squatted a few times and leveled up my stats."
I raised an eyebrow. "Squatted?"
He pointed at his legs. "Strength +0.1. Vitality +0.1. Don't ask why I started doing squats in ruins. Survival instincts?"
laughed. "Survival instincts, sure. I was about to taste some berries and check hunger stats."
[ System Tip ]
Player Collaboration Available
The HUD blinked. Collaboration? I tilted my head. Could players team up? Could we explore together?
"Wait," I said, curiosity rising. "You mean… we can team up? Share stats, maybe help each other?"
BloodWarrior rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. "Might be fun… or risky. Last thing I want is some random stranger stealing my precious inventory."
I chuckled. "I promise not to touch your legendary… stone?"
He smirked. "Deal. But only if you help me find more loot. Deal?"
I grinned. "Deal."
We started walking together, carefully picking steps through the cracked stone paths.
"Don't you think it's weird?" I asked, glancing at him. "That we're the first two players here? The system must be seeding us gradually."
He shrugged. "Yeah, probably. Phase one, pioneer players. Guess we get to be the testers. Lucky us."
I laughed again. "Lucky, huh? Right. That's one way to put it."
We passed toppled pillars, broken statues, and a faint shimmer in the dust. Every step felt more alive with another person beside me.
[ Tutorial Tip ]
Player interaction improves experience. Collaboration may unlock hidden benefits.
I raised an eyebrow at the HUD. "Hidden benefits? Sounds like the system is teasing us."
BloodWarrior shrugged again, clearly amused. "I'm in. Let's see what this world hides."
For the first time, I felt less like a lone explorer and more like a pioneer in something bigger.
We laughed at the weird shapes of ruined statues, compared the weird loot we'd found (rotten rice vs. a bent bronze dagger), and tried mimicking the first basic climbing maneuvers.
[ Collaboration Bonus: Minor Experience Gain ]
I blinked at the HUD. "It's rewarding us just for walking together?"
BloodWarrior smirked. "Yeah, the game's trolling us already."
I shook my head, grinning. "Well, whatever. I'll take it."
By the time we reached the next courtyard, I realized that this was what made the world exciting. Not just the ruins, not just the stats—it was other players. Someone to compare notes with, someone to laugh with, someone to… maybe survive with.
[ System Notice ]
Additional Pioneer Players Connecting Soon
I looked at BloodWarrior. He saw it too, his grin widening.
"Looks like the party's about to start," he said.
I nodded.
"Yeah. Let's see what phase one really has in store for us."