Night in the "distracted" Jakarta brought no natural darkness. The static violet sky above the golden dome emitted a cold, pulsating radiance, illuminating the rows of shophouses that had mutated into eerie, medieval structures. Arlan sat on the edge of a hard wooden bed inside a Bronze-class temporary rental room he had just secured with the last of his tutorial Gold.
He kept his status window open, a glowing blue rectangle in the flickering light of the wall torches. In the old world, Darkness Tale Online (DTO) had been an escape for millions from the grind of daily life. But now, that escape had swallowed reality whole. This distracted world was no longer just lines of code; it possessed an ecosystem known as "The Great Canvas," where every breath drawn and every swing of a blade would carve a permanent destiny into the system.
Arlan touched the [Class: Sword Magician] icon on his panel. This was the base class he had chosen—a hybrid path that combined the sharpness of steel with the destructive flow of mana. Within the system menu that was now integrated with his central nervous system, he saw a branching map of fate far broader and more terrifying than he had ever imagined. This knowledge was a secret weapon, one not possessed by the ordinary people who had simply resigned themselves to becoming NPCs.
He closed his eyes, dissecting the power structure of the DTO world that had now become the natural law of Jakarta:
1. Sword Magician (Arlan's Path): The versatile combatant. Upon reaching Level 30, he could choose to become a Sword Dancer, agile with dual blades, or a Sword Sage, coating his blades in devastating elemental destruction.
2. Swordsman: The foundation of defense. Its evolution led to the Knight Phantasm with massive greatswords, or the Guardian, standing firm with a towering shield.
3. Assassin: Death from the shadows. They could become Night Stalkers with twin daggers, or the unique Light Bringers wielding razor-sharp chakrams.
4. Healer & Mage: The heart and the mass-destroyer from the backlines, using staves or ancient grimoires to manipulate the world's energy.
"Everyone who is still 'awake' in Jakarta must be fighting for these paths," Arlan muttered coldly.
He knew that somewhere in Grand Indonesia, Shadow_Slayer and the members of the Eclipse Guild had likely begun massive grinding to secure Advanced Job positions early. Competition in DTO was no longer about digital leaderboards; it was about dominance over the remaining reality. Arlan glanced toward his mother, who was fast asleep in an NPC standby state in the corner of the room. The sight burned in his chest. He had to become strong, or he would lose her forever to the system.
Arlan stood up, taking a deep breath to stabilize his Mana, which had begun to pulse at his wrists. He stared at the Gold balance in his field of vision, which showed a big, hollow zero. In this world, nostalgia and tears could not buy safety. He had to move, and he had to move now.
He stepped outside, approaching a pale-skinned middle-aged man standing rigidly in front of a shop that was once a mobile phone store but had now transformed into the [Inn & Housing Agency]. Floating above the man's head was the label: [ Property Manager – NPC Level 5 ].
"Welcome, Traveler," the man said in a flat voice, devoid of even a shred of human emotion. "Do you seek shelter for a weary soul?"
Arlan skipped the system's pleasantries. "I need a proper room. For one non-combatant. How much is the rent?"
A transaction window appeared before Arlan's eyes:
[ Bronze Class Apartment Rent: 100 Gold/Week or 1x Pure Mana Crystal ]
"Damn, that's expensive," Arlan whispered.
He glanced at his mother, who was now sitting on a wooden garden bench that had magically manifested on the asphalt sidewalk. She looked incredibly fragile, as if a gust of mana-wind that was too strong might erase her from existence. Arlan didn't have time to head out of the city gates and hunt Treants right now—night was falling, and the night monsters in Darkness Tale Online were far more aggressive, granted darkness buffs that doubled their stats.
He returned to the [Quest Board], scanning the sheets of parchment fluttering in the mana-wind until he found one colored a dull grey, indicating a high danger level for beginners.
[ Side Mission: Contaminated Basement Clearing ]
- Location: Grand Indonesia Underground Warehouse (Infected Safe Zone).
- Objective: Exterminate 20x Shadow Rats damaging the city's logistics.
- Reward: 300 Gold, 2x Small Health Potions, 50 XP.
"This is it," Arlan whispered. This was a classic mission for a solo player looking to hoard coins quickly. With a racing heart, Arlan touched the parchment, accepting the system's burden into his mission log.
Before leaving, Arlan approached his mother. He handed her a thin silver necklace he had found in his starter inventory—a low-level item called the [Guardian's Charm].
"Mom, wear this. Don't take it off, no matter what happens," Arlan said as he fastened the necklace. "If anything approaches with ill intent, this necklace will create a small shield. I have to work for a while to rent us a permanent place to stay."
His mother remained silent, her vacant eyes fixed on the Mana Water fountain. However, her fingers briefly gripped the edge of Arlan's cloak for a split second, as if a remnant of her humanity was trying to offer support.
Arlan turned away, stepping through the increasingly alien streets of Jakarta toward the designated basement area. The atmosphere there was a stark contrast to the surface illuminated by the golden dome. As he descended the cracked concrete stairs toward the Grand Indonesia mall, the air suddenly became cold and damp. The flickering neon lights mingled with a black mist crawling along the floor—Contamination Mist.
Arlan unsheathed his shortsword. The steel metal vibrated violently in his hand, responding to the presence of approaching negative enemy energy. Shadow Rats weren't powerful monsters if faced one by one, but they were incredibly fast and always attacked in large swarms. Arlan closed his eyes for a moment, summoning the combat instincts he had honed over thousands of hours in front of a computer monitor in his old life.
"Come on, show yourselves," he murmured.
One by one, pairs of glowing red eyes emerged from behind the darkness of collapsed warehouse shelves. Rats the size of pit bulls, with mangy black fur, lunged forward. Arlan moved with the precision of a veteran. He didn't waste energy; every swing was the result of a perfectly calculated hitbox.
SLASH!
A side-swipe cleaved one rat in mid-air, followed by a straight thrust that pierced the heart of another. Every time his blade split an opponent, the monster exploded into black pixels, leaving behind a small gold coin that automatically flew into Arlan's virtual pouch.
[ Level Up! 3 -> 4 ]
[ Level Up! 4 -> 5 ]
A golden light enveloped Arlan's body, instantly restoring his stamina. He opened a brief status menu while continuing to fend off the attacks.
[ STATUS WINDOW - AZUREBOUND ]
- Level: 5 (Exp: 12%)
- Health Points (HP): 2,150 / 2,150
- Mana Points (MP): 1,020 / 1,020
- Available Stat Points: 9
"Nine points..." Arlan immediately allocated his points to increase Agility and Intelligence, speeding up his movements and strengthening his mana reserves. This was the mandatory foundation for a Sword Magician.
Two hours later, Arlan emerged from the basement, panting heavily and his armor covered in black stains, but his pouch was now clinking with Gold. He immediately returned to the Property NPC, paying for two weeks of apartment rent without hesitation. He brought his mother into a small housing unit on the third floor of a clean shophouse building—though the furniture looked like decorations from the middle ages, with oil lamps flickering on the walls.
After ensuring the door was locked with a simple Magic Lock, Arlan stood in the quiet corridor, staring at the Jakarta sky from behind a glass window.
"The Gold is enough. The Level is five," Arlan muttered as he checked his sword, which was beginning to dull. "Tomorrow, I have to meet Shadow_Slayer at Grand Indonesia. I won't come as a refugee begging for help, but as a player who knows how to shatter their dominance."
He knew that encounters between players in a world turned real rarely ended with a friendly handshake. And Arlan was prepared for the worst.
[ STATUS WINDOW - AZUREBOUND ]
- Level: 5 (Exp: 12%)
- Job Class: Sword Magician (1st Class)
- Attributes: STR 33 | AGI 36 | INT 23 | DEX 26 | VIT 29
- Skill: Elemental Infusion - Fire (Lv. 1)
- Gold: 145 (After rent & loot)
- Current Objective: Meet Shadow_Slayer at Grand Indonesia.