Part 1: The Coffin
Elian opened his eyes.
The vibrant, high-definition world of Aetheria vanished, replaced by the suffocating grey of his reality.
[System Disconnect.]
[Welcome back to Earth, Citizen 8940.]
He gasped, his lungs struggling to adjust to the stale, recycled air of his "coffin apartment."
His body felt heavy. Not the pleasant heaviness of exhaustion after a dungeon raid, but the sickly weakness of atrophy.
He tried to lift his arm. It trembled.
"Thirteen days," Elian whispered, his voice cracking.
According to the time dilation—3 days in Aetheria equals 1 day on Earth—his month-long crusade in the game had only cost him about two weeks of real time.
But for a body surviving on cheap government nutrient paste and a drip-feed, two weeks was an eternity.
Elian reached for the holographic interface built into the wall of his pod.
[Bank Balance: 50 Credits.]
He opened the Aetheria Exchange app.
He linked his game account.
[Processing...]
[Account 'Elian' Balance:]
874 Gold
335 Silver
Elian initiated the transfer.
[Conversion Rate: 1 Gold = 100 Credits | 1 Silver = 1 Credit]
[Converting...]
[Transfer Complete.]
[New Balance: 87,785 Credits.]
Elian stared at the number.
In his previous life, before the regression, he had earned millions. But right now, staring at a number that was ten times his annual salary as a sanitation worker, the shock was fresh.
87,000 Credits.
A headset cost 5,000. A month of rent in the slums was 200.
He was rich.
But he didn't smile. In 2145, wealth without protection was just a target on your back.
Part 2: The Upgrade
He didn't scream. He didn't order a feast.
His first purchase was Nutrient Solution (Grade A).
He drank the delivery the moment the drone dropped it at his slot. The rich, metallic liquid flooded his system, clearing the fog in his brain.
"Step one: Secure the body," Elian muttered, forcing his weak legs to stand.
He browsed the housing network.
He skipped the luxury penthouses in the Sky-Sector. Too visible.
He skipped the slums. Too dangerous.
He chose Sector 7. It was a residential block for mid-level corpo workers. Clean, secure, anonymous.
[Rent: 1,500 Credits/Month.]
[Payment: Accepted.]
Next, the hardware.
His current headset was a scratched, second-hand Gen-2 model. It had latency issues. It hurt his neck.
He ordered the Omni-Link Mark V.
[Price: 15,000 Credits.]
[Features: 99.9% Synchronization, Auto-Nutrient Injection Port, Biometric Lock.]
[Payment: Accepted.]
Finally, clothes.
He threw his ragged sanitation uniform into the incinerator. He ordered a simple set of grey synthetic streetwear. Functional. Nondescript.
An hour later, a transport drone moved him and his single box of belongings to Sector 7.
His new apartment was a studio. It had a window that showed actual sunlight (filtered through smog, but still sunlight). It had a real bed.
Most importantly, it had a reinforced door.
Elian set up the Mark V system next to the bed. He hooked up the auto-nutrition injector to his arm.
"No more waking up for food," Elian whispered.
He looked at the sleek black visor.
The real world was grey. It was slow. It was weak.
He laid down.
"Log in."
Part 3: The Return
ZAP.
The smell of ozone and sulfur hit him instantly.
Elian opened his eyes.
He wasn't weak anymore. Strength—superhuman, stat-boosted strength—flooded his veins. The pain in his back was gone.
He stood in the center of the Eclipse Guild Hall. Specifically, on the Recall Altar Kael and Luna had built using the Minotaur's Magma Core.
The warehouse looked different. In the short time he was gone (only a few hours in-game), Kael had reinforced the walls with steel plating. Luna had set up mana-lamps that gave the room a warm, amber glow.
"Welcome back, Boss!"
Elian looked down.
Sitting on the steps of the altar was Caelum.
The blind elf was beaming, his face turned toward the light of the teleportation circle.
He looked happier than Elian had ever seen him.
"You feel... heavier," Caelum noted, his voice filled with awe. "Your soul. It feels anchored."
Elian stepped off the platform, checking his gear.
"I just took a nap, Caelum."
"No," Caelum shook his head, standing up and handing Elian a fresh potion. "You went to the Other Side. The Grey World. And you came back."
Caelum smiled, a knowing, serene expression on his face.
"Most players fade when they go there. You... you just got sharper."
Elian accepted the potion. He looked at his guild—his messy, chaotic, powerful family.
"The Grey World is just a waiting room," Elian said, equipping The Reaper's Edge.
"This is where I live."
"Is everyone ready?" Elian asked.
Caelum nodded, pointing to the reinforced doors where Valen, Titan, and the others were gathering, geared up for the migration.
"They are waiting for the signal."
Elian walked toward them.
"Then let's go," Elian said. "Floor 24 is waiting."