Julius opened his eyes.
Morning light filtered through the wooden slats above him. He slowly sat up, feeling the slight ache in his muscles. He was completely naked.
Without wasting time, he grabbed his clothes from the side, quickly got dressed, and walked to the door of the cabin.
The moment he stepped outside, a cool breeze greeted him, carrying the fresh scent of forest air. Sunlight streamed gently through the trees, warming his skin. It felt… good. Alive.
But then his stomach grumbled, and he felt a deep thirst in his throat.
"Open Menu."
"Open Map."
A glowing cyan screen opened before him, revealing his surroundings.
To the west, he saw a waterfall marked on the map. Everything else around him was forest—endless green and ancient trees.
"Well, I've got water taken care of. Now I need food."
He thought for a moment, and then an idea sparked.
"Summon Saya."
A burst of golden light lit up in front of him, and within seconds, Saya appeared—kneeling gracefully, her head bowed in respect.
"Good morning, Master."
"Good morning, Saya."
She looked up, her tone gentle and ready.
"How may I assist you, Master?"
Julius scratched the back of his neck.
"Um… could you check the nearby area for any edible fruits or huntable animals? And… if you do hunt something, can you also gather what you need to cook it?"
"Sure, Master."
"Oh, thanks! Uh—look, here. See this waterfall on the map? I'm heading there. Just meet me there once you're done."
He pointed to the location on the screen.
Saya stepped closer to get a better look. As she did, her chest bounced lightly, the soft fabric of her kimono doing little to contain it.
Julius noticed—and immediately turned a bit red, but tried his best not to let it show.
"Understood, Master. I'll join you there shortly. Now, please excuse me."
With a soft nod, Saya turned and walked off into the forest to the north—graceful as always.
Now alone, Julius prepared to leave.
"Summon advance bike."
With a smooth ripple in the air, his bike appeared, as if forming from mist and metal.
Julius climbed onto it, scanned his right hand, and accelerated toward the waterfall. The bike hovered nearly 15 meters above the ground, slicing cleanly through the forest air.
The ride was refreshing.
As he cruised above the treetops, his eyes caught something—a bird perched on a thick branch.
"Wait… is that a Solvarin?"
The bird shimmered in the morning light—golden-yellow feathers, piercing red eyes, and three antenna-like appendages on its head. It looked alert, elegant, and rare.
Solvarin.
A mythical bird known for its beauty and potential. When fully grown, its size rivaled that of a helicopter, and it gained fire attributes, making it usable as a mount or battle companion. Its eggs were said to be as large as a gaming PC—and delicious.
But the one Julius saw was barely a month old.
That meant… its parents were nearby. And so was their nest.
Solvarin were neutral by nature, but when it came to their young, they became ferociously aggressive.
"Yeah, nope."
Julius didn't even hesitate—he hit the throttle and sped away, knowing in his current state, he couldn't even take on one adult Solvarin, let alone two. Even Saya would barely manage it.
He flew fast, weaving between tall trees, until the sound of rushing water reached his ears.
At last, he reached the waterfall.
The sun had just risen, casting warm crimson rays over the cascading water. Mist floated like soft clouds around the base, and the whole scene looked like something out of a dream.
It was beautiful. Peaceful. Alive.
And Julius, for the first time since being trapped in this world, let himself just breathe.
The waterfall stood like a silver ribbon cascading down a wall of dark stone, its thunderous roar echoing through the forest. Mist rose from where the water crashed into the pool below, creating a soft, dreamlike haze that danced in the morning light. The pool itself was crystal clear, reflecting the surrounding trees like a mirror touched by magic.
Lush green moss covered the rocks near the water's edge, and wildflowers in shades of violet, blue, and white bloomed between them. Tall trees formed a natural canopy around the clearing, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. The air smelled fresh—like wet stone, pine, and wild earth.
Birds chirped in the distance, but near the waterfall, their songs faded into silence, as if nature itself was in awe of its beauty. A flat patch of soft grass lay just beyond the pool—perfect for resting or setting up a temporary camp.
It was the kind of place that felt untouched by civilization, sacred and pure. Julius could feel it the moment he arrived—this was a place of peace in a world of chaos.
The water was perfectly clear and transparent. Julius could see straight through to the bottom—and thankfully, there was nothing living in it that could pose a threat to him.
Saya hadn't arrived yet—after all, she wasn't riding an advanced bike like he was.
Julius walked over to the pond-like basin formed by the waterfall's descent and knelt beside it. The first thing he did was cup his hands and drink the water.
As he quenched his thirst, he felt an immediate sense of relief, and then splashed some of the cool water on his face to wash away the sweat and exhaustion.
One of the best things about this game world was its purity. Resources like fruits, water, and air—they could never be polluted. Even if Julius bathed in this water and dirt entered it, it would be annihilated within a second—automatically wiped from existence by the game's system.
He was drenched in sweat from last night, especially after his narrow escape from that group of tribal men. His body now carried a musty smell, and his once-white shirt had turned red with blood.
This was the perfect time to bathe—and wash his clothes.
Julius stripped off his clothes and stepped into the water.
It was refreshingly cool, sending waves of calm through his body. For the first time in what felt like years, he could truly relax—no pressure, no chaos, just peace.
And the surrounding nature only deepened that sense of comfort.
It felt like a moment stolen from paradise.
"Open Inbox."
Julius gave the command, hoping—just maybe—he'd finally received a message from the experts in the control room.
The inbox opened, and four messages popped up. But… they weren't from the experts.
They were all from the game system:
[You have successfully slain 50 Aunguru Men.]
[You have gained 1,024 EXP and leveled up 12 times. Your current level: 13.]
[Saya has gained 512 EXP and leveled up 7 times. Saya's current level: 8.]
[You have obtained: Aunguru Mask x1 | Rarity: R]
[You have earned 2,134 Fame for hunting 50 Aunguru Men]
[You have gained 200 Roses]
Fame was basically the currency system of Eclipse Conquest: Omega.
He had completely forgotten to check these earlier. For some reason, it seemed like all data from before the "log out error" hadn't been stored properly. Even the tribal men he'd fought before the main group—none of their data was logged.
"Open Stats."
A cyan screen opened, showing his current stats and the additional points he'd earned:
Health: 36 pts
Defense: 36 pts
Sp. Defense: 36 pts
Attack: 36 pts
Sp. Attack: 36 pts
Speed: 36 pts
Magic: 36 pts
Accuracy: 36 pts
Intelligence: 36 pts
Additional Points: 24 pts
Estimated Class: None
The stat system in Eclipse Conquest: Omega was unlike any other game.
There were nine core stats, and the player could shape their build based on the class they pursued. Upon leveling up, each stat increased by 3 points automatically, and players were granted 2 extra stat points per level to distribute freely.
Sp. Defense helped resist or reduce the impact of ultimate moves, while Sp. Attack amplified the power of such skills.
Now, it was entirely up to Julius—how would he shape himself?
He looked over the screen with a quiet smile and said to himself:
"Hmm… yeah. I know exactly where I should put these."