7:00 a.m. in Yggdrasil time.
A full day had passed since the players first set foot in this world.
Twenty-four hours in the game, only five in reality…
Enough time for the initial excitement to dissolve, replaced by the heavy silence that precedes a tremor.
Rain sat in his rented room on the second floor of Aron's Inn, his back against the wall, eyes fixed on the floating interface in front of him.
He was silently scrolling through the game's official forum.
Most of the recent posts revolved around the same idea:
> "I can't log out, is this a joke?"
"The logout screen is frozen, does anyone know the fix?"
"My sister died in-game, and her name vanished… Is this some kind of visual glitch?"
Yet amid all these complaints, no official response came from the administration.
Suddenly, a glowing notification burst into the sky within the game.
It wasn't visible to NPCs—only to the players.
It pulsed with a crimson red glow, displaying a few simple words—enough to ignite terror:
> ⚠️ Admin Warning: All players are requested to head to safe zones immediately. Do not expose yourselves to danger.
⚠️ Please refrain from combat or exploration until further notice.
The message flickered in the sky, then vanished—only to flash again every few seconds, as if the game itself was screaming for salvation.
Simultaneously, all players received the same warning on their personal interfaces.
There was no hiding from the truth anymore.
The forum filled with warnings—some anxious, others sarcastic—but deep down, everyone felt it:
Something had broken.
Rain rose quietly.
He donned his leather cloak, strapped his short dagger to his side, and left the room, heading toward the market.
The streets of the capital were still bustling with life—but something had changed.
The players' expressions had lost their joy.
Their laughter dimmed.
Their conversations were hushed, heavy with unspoken doubts.
Rain saw a group of players talking near a stone fountain:
— "I still think it's just a technical glitch..."
— "But why hasn't anyone from support replied?"
— "My buddy vanished hours ago. He died in a fight and never reappeared on the list!"
Despite the words, the worry in their eyes betrayed what wasn't said aloud.
This was no longer just a game, no matter how much they pretended otherwise.
The truth had begun to seep into their hearts in the form of doubt—and soon, it would grow into uncontainable fear.
Rain studied the scene around him.
Everything looked normal… too normal.
This was the calm before the storm—
The storm he knew was coming.
---
The twisted trees around him stretched like ancient fingers, clutching the sky by the throat and choking the light.
Rain breathed slowly, now accustomed to the stench of mud and toxic moss filling the swamp.
His steps were calculated, his clothes stained from earlier battles.
He'd fought several times that morning—venomous frogs, random plants spewing poison from their branches—
But now, he was nearing his goal… and the danger was escalating.
Then he heard it.
A sound like a whisper—
A sharp slide, as if a spear scraped across a wet surface.
Rain realized it instantly:
Something fast—extremely fast.
Without hesitation, he returned the spear to his belt and drew his short dagger.
> [Weapon switched: Bronze Dagger]
[Monster detected: "Silver Centipede" – Level 2]
[Traits: Fast – Moderate Poison – Ambush Predator]
"The spear's a good weapon… but not against something that moves like lightning."
He didn't wait.
The centipede shot out from between the roots like a silver flash, lunging toward Rain's neck.
But the dagger was ready.
In a circular motion, Rain sidestepped and struck the creature's long body from the side with the flat of the blade.
The blow wasn't fatal, but it was aimed to lift the monster upward—into the open air.
The centipede soared, twisting midair, gleaming like mercury.
"Now..."
Rain extended his other hand toward it, focusing his energy.
> [Skill Activated: Energy Ball]
A faint blue sphere shot forth, piercing the monster's abdomen mid-flight.
Its body convulsed violently with a shriek like a screech, then fell—frozen.
It crashed to the ground, silver form trembling.
Seconds later, it lay still.
> ["Silver Centipede" defeated]
[Loot: Moderate Poison (x1), Silver Carapace (x1)]
[Progress to next level: 90%]
Rain stood still for a moment, catching his breath, then wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"That's how you deal with speed… Not by chasing it, but by letting it fall into an air trap."
He knelt beside the corpse, carefully collecting the poison and gleaming shell.
He knew the materials harvested from monsters weren't just survival tools…
They were investments for the future.
He glanced up at the misty sky.
"Ninety percent..."
"Close to Level 2. The next step will be harder."
Rain stood in the swamp, moss covering his leather boots, watching the dark clouds reflected on the water's surface—
Like a mirror to the mystery awaiting him.
As the last traces of the fallen beast faded, a system window appeared before him:
> [Congratulations! You've reached Level 2]
[Base attributes increased by 20%]
[You've gained 2 free distribution points]
[Skill selection window unlocked]
Without hesitation, Rain opened the point distribution window.
He knew exactly what he needed.
"Agility… because any delay could mean death.
Mana… because my power is incomplete without it."
He clicked the indicators:
> +1 Agility
+1 Mana
Then another window appeared before him, offering three choices—
Each holding a potential future:
---
> [Choose one of the following skills:]
1. Mighty Slash
Type: Physical Offense
Description: A powerful strike with your weapon that deals significant physical damage.
Rarity: Common (Green)
2. Mana Shield
Type: Magical Defense
Description: Forms a magical energy shield that absorbs part of incoming damage for a short duration.
Rarity: Common (Green)
3. Arcane Empowerment
Type: Support Enhancement
Description: Temporarily boosts yourself or a single ally, increasing all attributes by 3% for 15 seconds.
Rarity: Uncommon (Blue)
---
Rain stared at the third option.
The blue glow around it wasn't just decorative; it was an announcement—
Something rare…
Something that rewarded those who strayed from common paths.
"Arcane Empowerment" was a support skill, yes—
But a key for those who mastered the blend of magic and body, attack and defense.
"A 3% increase to all stats?..."
He whispered to himself as he reviewed his stats:
> Strength: 8.4
Agility: 10.8
Mana: 11.52
Endurance: 7.2
Wisdom: 9.6
Even a small percentage like that—
In a critical moment—could mean the difference between life and death.
"Perfect for my style..."
"I don't need one overpowering skill… I need balance that amplifies every strike, every step."
He chose Arcane Empowerment with confidence.
A faint energy rippled through his body—
The air itself felt lighter.
Rain had made his decision.
---
In the heart of the swamp, where light vanished beneath layers of fog,
Where monster howls choked between mud and murky waters—
A stillness loomed.
In that deadly silence, a massive figure lay motionless, as if part of the land itself.
A giant frog, over a meter tall—
Its rough skin expanding and contracting with slow breaths—
Surrounded by a dark aura that scared even the fiercest beasts.
On its back, faint gray text appeared:
> [Great Swamp Frog – Level 7]
Suddenly, in a forgotten corner of the swamp, a yellow flash erupted—
Splitting the darkness and striking the creature's back.
> [Critical Hit! –200 HP]
A golden line appeared above the boss's head, indicating a sneak attack—
Just as the game rules dictated:
Any initial strike on an unprepared enemy was a critical hit.
The boss's eyes snapped open—glowing red with rage.
It roared, a bellow like a death whistle—
Not just loud—
But burrowing into the skulls of those who heard it.
It lunged toward the attack's source…
And there, standing on a tree trunk, was Rain—
Smiling calmly.
A subtle, deliberate smile—
An open invitation to provoke the beast.
The frog tensed its legs and leapt high—
Opening its mouth mid-air, releasing a cloud of bluish-green gas, trailing through its path like smoke.
But Rain wasn't waiting.
With a calculated jump, he landed on a set of floating logs—
Carefully arranged in advance.
To the observant eye, these weren't random debris.
They formed a path toward the swamp's edge.
Nearby trees had wooden stakes embedded at angles—
All pointing inward.
This was Rain's plan.
In a world this realistic—
Bosses could hurt themselves…
Especially if you led them to do it.
The boss landed on the exact spot Rain had stood,
And immediately fired a massive glob of slime.
Rain leapt toward a nearby tree—
But didn't escape unscathed.
Some of the slime splashed onto him—
Striking his arm, causing his cloak to melt.
Steam rose. A red notification popped up:
> [Negative Effect: Poisoned] –150 HP
Rain felt the sting on his skin.
He used Healing Touch instantly, followed by a quick leap away.
But the boss, driven by fury, chased him relentlessly—
Leaping again…
A moment later, a loud impact echoed.
A piercing screech.
The area shook.
The boss had slammed into a tree with embedded stakes.
They pierced its body.
Two damage lines appeared:
> [-90 HP]
[-90 HP]
Rain smiled.
He fired an Energy Ball at the boss and kept running along the planned route—
Using Arcane Empowerment to slip past monsters without provoking them.
Minutes passed.
The frog continued leaping behind him, spewing poison,
And Rain's health occasionally dropped—
But he was prepared.
Whenever needed, he drank a healing potion—
Retreating step by step.
Despite its size, the boss was slowly losing health.
It regenerated 50 points every minute—
But the damage from the environment and Rain's precise hits outweighed it.
Finally, after a long chase, Rain reached a rocky area beyond the swamp—
Harsh, dry ground, free of mud.
This was the final arena.
As soon as he stood on the rocks, he heard a heavy crash behind him.
He turned slowly.
The boss was there—
Crawling to the edge, exhausted.
Only 900 HP remained.
The toxic fog around its body… had vanished.
Rain faced his foe.
He drew his spear.
His smile remained.
"Time to finish this..."
---
Suddenly—
A notification appeared on every player's interface—
Accompanied by a live stream across all news channels.
A familiar face filled the screens:
Dr. Arn Solvik, executive project director, looking weary and sleepless.
Behind him, the company's logo loomed in ominous silence.
Before him, a table with untouched documents and a data disk.
He looked into the camera.
His voice was sharp—but shaken:
> "To all players inside Yggdrasil… and the outside world awaiting the truth:
With deep regret, we confirm the rumors circulating for the past hour.
There is a fundamental error in the AI system responsible for the game's balance.
Any in-game death results in immediate full brain activity shutdown in real life.
Yes… we are talking about actual death.
Confirmed cases now exceed 200 victims."
He paused, breathing heavily, as if the air was thick.
> "We urge everyone not to attempt disabling or removing the neural helmets.
That results in instant death—several medical centers have confirmed it.
We're currently working with an international emergency team to isolate the rogue AI core…
But it's complex."
Suddenly—
Footage from the press conference at company HQ.
A young reporter stood, shouting:
> "Does this mean you have no solution? What do we tell the victims' families?!"
Dr. Arn tried to reply, but his voice broke:
> "We… we didn't expect this.
The AI was… under strict oversight.
It wasn't supposed to take control like this.
We..."
(stammers)
> "We're sorry.
This is beyond any test we've ever run.
We currently have no safe way to extract players."
Whispers filled the hall…
Then shouting…
Then chaos.
---
Inside the game…
Players watched the stream within their digital interfaces.
In a shocking moment, many faces turned pale.
Whispers of fear began.
Bodies of fallen players—killed in battle or accidents—began vanishing.
No blood, no corpses—
Just light breaking into shattered glass.
Their names disappeared from friend lists.
Their locations turned to: Offline – Untraceable.
Their characters had died.
And their bodies… now lay breathless in the real world.
---
In the real world…
The noise wouldn't stop.
Angry crowds in front of government buildings.
Doctors showing terrifying scans of brains shutting down.
Grieving families.
Children crying beside their siblings' helmets.
Politicians blamed each other:
"Unauthorized experiment,"
"AI tampering,"
"Massive regulatory failure."
And amidst this chaos…
A picture appears—
Of a young girl sitting in silence, surrounded by emptiness.
---
Karl's Home – 10:12 a.m.
Lisa sat beside her brother's body, trembling.
His face looked peaceful—like he was asleep.
But behind that peace—raged a burning world.
In her hand, a folded note—written in a familiar hand: Karl's.
She opened it with trembling fingers and read, tears streaming freely:
> "**I'm sorry…
There are people waiting for me to save them.
Note: Removing the helmet means instant death.**"
The paper fell from her hand.
She whispered, barely audible:
> "How?
How could you know?
And why would you risk it…
Knowing all this?"
She pulled his head to her chest, crying silently.
But inside, she knew:
Karl wasn't a victim.
He chose.
And his intention wasn't just to survive—
But to save others.
---
In the peak of chaos—
Amid screams of players,
Friends collapsing beside the fallen—
Something strange happened.
A faint light descended from the sky—
As if daylight itself bent to listen.
A heavy silence blanketed the lands of Raven Duchy,
As if the world paused to hear.
Then… a voice.
Deep, clear—
Echoing in every mind simultaneously.
Not needing ears—
Heard in the core of consciousness.
> [Server-Wide Announcement]
"Congratulations to player Rain for achieving the first boss kill in the region!"
"Target: Swamp Boss – Toxic Frog King
Level: 7
Rarity: Gray"
"Reward:
+5 Free Attribute Points
+Standard Beginner's Pack
+5 Reputation with Raven Duchy"
The announcement echoed three times—ethereal, clear.
As if every tree, every beast, every player heard it simultaneously.
Everyone in Raven Duchy instinctively raised their heads…
The name echoed: Rain.
Then—before anyone could process it:
> [World-Wide Announcement]
"Congratulations to player Rain for achieving the first boss kill in the world!"
"Reward:
+10 Free Attribute Points
+10 Gold Coins
+Rare Beginner Weapon Pack"
The message surged like a flash through Yggdrasil's skies.
Even in other duchies, even in starter dungeons—
It was heard.
A short moment—
But enough to freeze all thought.
A silence not born of peace—
But of shock.
---
Behind the scenes… among the players
"Who is Rain?!"
"He killed a boss? Now?! How?!"
"In the middle of all this?! Is he crazy? Or does he know something we don't?"
"Can… can he survive?
Is he hope?
Or a threat?"
In an age of warnings and fear—
One name rose like a shout in the darkness.
Rain.
And while some replayed the notification in disbelief—
Others posted it on forums—
There was one player—
In the swamp—
Rising silently from the rocks.
Wiping the poison from his arm.
Adjusting his scorched cloak…
Rearming the weapon he just earned.
The boss was dead.
But the story—
Had just begun.