Kaiden felt gravity’s pull fade, and his consciousness swirled into a vortex of light. He was weightless, tumbling through an expanse of brilliant colors that shimmered and pulsed like a living aurora.
A distant hum vibrated through the air, a symphony of chimes that grew louder with each passing moment.
His senses were overwhelmed by colors blending, ambient sounds echoing, and the faint warmth as he transitioned from reality to virtual immersion.
Then, everything pulled into focus. Below, sprawling landscapes came into view: dense forests, towering cliffs, shimmering rivers, and the glint of distant towns. Kaiden stretched his arms outward, and exhilaration surged through him.
A voice chimed in his ears, breaking the moment.
“Yo, Kaiden, you in yet?” Alex’s voice sounded casual but eager, laced with a grin Kaiden could almost hear.
Kaiden smiled. “Yeah, I’m in the character creation screen now.”
“Good,” Alex said. “Please tell me you skipped the opening cinematic. I mean, it’s amazing, but I already know you’ve watched it ten times online.”
“Of course I did,” Kaiden replied, his fingers moving through the options on his virtual interface. “I’ve been hyped for this game since you first told me about it. No way I’m wasting time when I could be jumping right in.”
“Good man.” Alex chuckled. “Alright, so what role are you considering? You’ve got a Supporter, Guardener, Reaper, and Arboreaper. Each one has two starting jobs. Want me to break it down for you?”
“Sure, while I’m customizing this guy.” Kaiden toggled through hairstyle options, settling on a messy black cut with sharp, jagged side bangs. His avatar’s eyes gleamed with an intense green, strikingly contrasting his pale complexion.
He adjusted the height to match his real-world self, slim but athletic, messy black hair and amber eyes, before fine-tuning the details of his outfit: a dark coat lined with silver trim, sturdy leather boots, and fingerless gloves.
“Alright, listen up,” Alex began. “Supporters are your healer and debuff types. You can start as a Chemist or Botanist. Chemists mix potions to heal and debuff enemies, while Botanists analyze plant monsters and use strategy to find their weak spots. Then there’s Guardeners, a fancy way of saying tank. You start as Bramble Knight or Wraithbriar. Bramble Knights are defensive juggernauts, and Wraithbriars mix tanking with offensive thorn attacks.”
Kaiden nodded as he adjusted his avatar’s jawline, scrutinizing every detail. He cycled through skin tones, settling on a bronze complexion that contrasted with the vibrant green eyes.
The sharp, angular lines of his face gave his avatar a determined look. After adding a scar that ran diagonally across his cheek for a touch of roguish charm.
“What about the damage dealers? You know that’s where I’m heading.”
“Reapers,” Alex continued, “Are your melee specialists. You’ve got Thornblade for stealth and mobility, or Soul Harvester if you want to sustain and lifesteal. Then there are Arboreapers. Magic DPS casters with Burners who wield fire magic and Cryogylist for freezing stuff. Pretty straightforward.”
Kaiden finalized his avatar and admired his handiwork: lean and agile, with a dark, flowing cloak that seemed to ripple on the menu screen.
The moment Alex mentioned Reaper, he had already chosen his job and class. A default scythe strapped to his back gleamed ominously, its design intricate with dark metal etched in silver vines.
“I’m going with Reaper. Starting with Thornblade.”
“Classic.” Alex laughed. “You’re lucky I main a tank job. Anyway, what’s your name going to be?”
Kaiden paused, then grinned. “Nyte.”
“Good luck with that,” Alex said skeptically. “A name like that? Definitely taken–”
Kaiden had already pressed confirm before Alex even finished speaking.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
The screen flashed green, accompanied by a soft chime.
Name Available: Nyte
“No way,” Alex said, startled. “Seriously? Nyte was free? Alright, I’ll admit, you’ve got some luck on your side.”
Kaiden smirked. “Let’s hope it lasts.”
With a final confirmation, his avatar’s body shimmered as the character solidified. The screen faded, plunging him into a new visualization, a dramatic descent through golden sunlight, landing gracefully in a grassy field just outside a bustling town, marveling at the vivid realism of the world around him.
His scythe materialized in his grip, its dark blade gleaming under the sun. A soft ping notified him of his starting stats:
Nyte
Role: Reaper
Class: Thornblade
Level: 1
LP: 100/100
AP: 50
Atk: 15
Def: 10
Dex:12
Agl: 20
Int: 8
Wis: 7
“Looks good,” he uttered. Alex’s voice returned. “Hey, I’ll meet you in a bit. I’ve got to grab something from another player first, so go ahead and explore. You’ll probably be fighting Dandi-Lions and Rootlings. Easy stuff.”
“Got it,” Kaiden said. The chat disconnected, leaving him alone. The area was a sprawling meadow bordered by tall grass that swayed gently in the simulated breeze. Wildflowers of vivid colors dotted the landscape, but their beauty was deceptive, masking the hidden dangers.
The hum of insects and the rustle of unseen creatures added a layer of tension, while distant hills framed the horizon, hinting at the larger world beyond. The sunlight cast dappled shadows on the ground, making it both inviting and ominous. Kaiden felt his pulse quicken as he ventured deeper, his eyes scanning the environment for movement that could signal an enemy spawn. As he walked through the tall grass, he noticed it was shaking. His presence had triggered spawns.
A group of small creatures with dandelion heads and lion bodies emerged. These have to be the dandi-lions. Kaiden thought to himself. Their snarling faces and paw swipes belied their low-level threat. Kaiden smirked, gripping his scythe.
“Time to test this out.”
The combat was fluid and dynamic. Kaiden used Thorned Strike, feeling the satisfying weight of his scythe as it carved through the Dandi-Lion’s shimmering form. The blade’s arc was fluid, leaving behind a faint light trail before the creature burst into digital particles with a soft chime. Each strike felt responsive, as though the weapon held intent. The Dandi-Lion’s LP bar quickly dropped [-15 LP] before it dissolved into pixels. The weightless sensation of the scythe’s swing and the slight vibration upon impact made the combat feel visceral.
As loot dropped to the ground, he caught his breath, already scanning for the next enemy. The adrenaline of the fight left him hungry for more. The remaining enemies lunged, but a quick press of Petal Cloak allowed him to slip behind them and strike again, dealing significant damage [-20 LP] to each foe.
“Man, Petal Cloak even works while aggroed,” Kaiden voiced. “Awesome.”
The scythe’s reach and power made short work of the group, and with a triumphant chime, a notification appeared:
Level Up! You are now Level 2.
[Loot Dropped]
Minor Healing Potion: Restores 50 LP.
Dull Dandelion Blade: A weak weapon that can be sold or scrapped for crafting materials
5 Verdant Coins
“Not bad,” he whispered, catching his breath. He recalled what Alex had told him before starting the game: the sun is the source of all monsters in this world, and it’s up to the players known as Dayslayers to defend the planet.
“Let’s see what I can find out,” he whispered to the sun. His thoughts were interrupted by another spawn. A crawling plant-like creature with jagged leaves. Rootling. Unlike the Dandi-Lions, this one launched a toxic spit that hit Kaiden square in the chest. A red icon flashed in the corner of his interface.
Status: Poisoned
“Great,” he muttered, watching his health tick down slowly. He dispatched the Rootling with a few quick strikes, but the poison continued to sap his LP. Without an antidote, he was stuck with the lingering effect.
Breathing heavily, Kaiden leaned on his scythe and gazed back at the sun. He couldn’t help but wonder: how could Dayslayers ever hope to stop something as unstoppable as the sun?
Kaiden’s Current Stats:
Role: Reaper
Class: Thornblade
Level: 2
LP: 90/110 [Poisoned]
AP: 60
Atk: 20
Def: 12
Dex:14
Agl: 25
Int: 10
Wis: 8
