"She's a nurse. She has seen enough people chase unrealistic dreams." Max paused. "What about you? Does your family know you're gaming this much?"
"Oh, they know," Yuki said with a dry laugh. "You won't believe it—my father plays as well. Yeah, the finance minister himself. He spends hours on this game after work, raiding dungeons like he's still in college or something. Sometimes I even catch him sneaking in a session before meetings."
She shook her head, amused. "He's totally fine with me playing. Says it helps him 'understand the new generation of tech-savvy citizens,' or whatever nonsense excuse he uses to justify it."
Her tone softened, then soured again. "But my mother? She's the real problem. Always nagging about 'building real relationships' and 'maintaining appearances.' Every time she sees me online, it's another lecture about how I'm wasting my time instead of networking with the 'right people.'"
"Sounds stressful."
"You have no idea." Yuki's expression softened. "That's why Aetheria is important to me. It's the one place where I'm just Velara—a player who's good at what she does. No expectations, no political calculations, just skill and strategy."
Max understood that feeling more than he wanted to admit. "Yeah. I get it."
They talked for another hour—about the game, about strategies, about the insane global response to Aetheria's launch. Yuki was easy to talk to once the initial shock of her identity wore off. She was smart, funny, and genuinely passionate about gaming.
But Max couldn't shake the awareness of her physical presence. She was the kind of beautiful that made it hard to think straight, with a body that was both elegant and undeniably sexy.
Eventually, Yuki checked her phone. "I need to head out. Have a family dinner thing I can't skip."
"Thanks for meeting up," Max said. "And for not broadcasting my build to the forums."
"Your secret's safe with me. Besides..." She smiled mischievously. "If you join Phoenix, your secrets become our competitive advantage."
They stood, and Yuki surprised him by stepping close and hugging him. Max froze for a second—she was taller than he had realized, and the hug pressed her soft curves against him in a way that was very distracting. He could feel the softness of her breasts against his chest, smell her perfume up close and the warmth of her body.
"See you in-game, Max," she said, pulling back with a knowing smile that suggested she was fully aware of the effect she had on him.
"Yeah. See you, Vel—Yuki."
She laughed. "Either name works. I answer to both."
Max watched her leave, his mind a mess of thoughts. The finance minister's daughter, one of the most eligible bachelorettes in Japan according to gossip magazines, had just hugged him and offered him a spot in a top-tier guild.
His phone buzzed with a Discord message:
Velara: for the record, the phantom strike thing is bullshit. i know youre hiding something bigger. but i respect the hustle. when youre ready to tell the truth, ill be here.
Max stared at the message.
She knew. Of course she knew. She was too smart not to see through his half-truths.
But she was giving him space, letting him keep his secrets until he was ready to share them.
Max typed back:
MaxThorne: appreciate it. and ill think about the guild offer. seriously.
Velara: good. now go grind to level 10. youre falling behind 😏
Max smiled. He finished his coffee, paid, and headed back toward Shibuya Station.
As he walked through the crowded streets, his phone buzzed again—this time, his mother:
Mom: How's your day going? Remember to eat real food.
Max: Met up with a friend from the game. About to head home and log back in. Don't worry, I ate.
Mom: Good. Be safe. Love you.
Max: Love you too.
Max pocketed his phone and boarded the train home. His mind was already shifting back to the game—he needed to hit level 10, finish the hidden questline, explore new zones.
But now he had something else to think about: Yuki Takahashi, daughter of the Finance Minister, who was sharper than she let on and definitely knew he was hiding something significant.
The question was whether that made her an ally, a threat, or something in between.
Max would have to figure it out.
But first, he had levels to gain and secrets to protect.
**
AETHERIA ONLINE – The Fractured Abyss
Player: Max Thorne – Level 9 Soulbinder
Time: 3:47 PM (Real World)
Max materialized back in the Fractured Abyss, the familiar purple landscape greeting him. The conversation with Yuki still echoed in his mind, but right now, he needed to focus.
He pulled up his quest log:
[CHAINS OF ETERNITY – PART 2: BONDS BEYOND MORTALITY]
Status: ACTIVE
Objective: Defeat 100 enemies alongside your contracted spirit without allowing it to be dispelled or destroyed.
Progress: 67/100
Reward: ???
Thirty-three more kills. Max could knock that out in an hour, maybe less if he found a good spawn point.
He headed back to his familiar farming spot—the cluster of crystal towers where Void Watchers spawned regularly. A few other players were in the area now, but the zone was large enough that they weren't competing for spawns.
Max summoned the Shadow Echo.
[Summon Contract: Shadow Echo]
[-20 MP]
The shadow peeled from the ground, rising into its humanoid form. Level 9 now, with abilities that made it a formidable combat partner.
Let's finish this, Max thought.
They fell into their familiar rhythm—the Shadow Echo phasing through attacks, striking with spectral claws, its Umbral Presence aura weakening enemies. Max coordinated perfectly with it, their movements synchronized like a practiced dance.
The first group of Void Watchers fell quickly.
[Progress: 70/100]
Then another group.
[Progress: 73/100]
Max pushed hard, moving from spawn point to spawn point. His experience bar crept upward as well—he was close to level 10, the first major milestone. Most players were still in the 6-8 range according to the forums, which meant he was maintaining his lead.
The Shadow Echo fought with increasing efficiency. Max noticed subtle improvements in its combat patterns—it was learning, adapting, becoming smarter with each encounter.
[You are now Level 10!]
The notification came with a surge of power. Max's stats jumped significantly, and new skill points appeared in his interface. But more importantly—
[Shadow Echo has reached Level 10!]
[Progress: 89/100]
Eleven more kills. Max was so close.