Moon wrestled with his keys before finally finding the right one and unlocking the door to his home.
It was a small, ageing house on the outskirts of the city. Far from luxurious, but it was free—the only thing left in their family's name, passed down through generations. A fading relic of better times.
"I'm home," Moon muttered as he stepped inside, kicking off his shoes.
"You're home late!" a female voice called out.
His sister appeared from around the corner, arms crossed and face serious.
Moon blinked, confused—until she burst into laughter.
"I'm kidding!" she said, grinning. "I can't believe you actually went out for once."
"Does it surprise you that much?" he asked, not sure what was so shocking.
"Absolutely," she said with a smirk, then her eyes fell on the box in his hands. "Wait... what's that?"
"Oh," he looked down, almost forgetting he was holding it. "Lucas gave it to me."
She leaned forward, eyeing the box like a cat stalking prey. But her curiosity faded as a new thought struck her.
"How was the appointment?" Her tone turned serious, and her smile faded.
Moon hesitated. He considered telling her the truth—that the treatment was risky, uncertain, and expensive. But he couldn't do that. Not tonight.
"It was fine," he said, forcing a faint smile. "There's a treatment option. Experimental, but... it might work."
"Really?" she said, her face lighting up with hope.
Moon nodded. Her smile returned, brighter than before.
"That's great!" she beamed. Then, turning toward her room, she paused. "There's some food in the fridge if you're hungry."
With that, she slipped into her room and closed the door.
Moon stood in the hallway for a while, the lie weighing heavy on his chest. But what else could he do? He didn't want her to worry. Not when she still had dreams to chase and a future ahead of her.
He sighed and walked into his room.
It was a small, cramped space—barely enough for a single bed, a desk, and a tiny wardrobe. He had given his sister the bigger room without hesitation. She needed it more than him.
After changing into his home clothes, he lay on the bed and tried to sleep. But two hours of tossing and turning later, sleep still wouldn't come.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and looked around—searching for something to distract him.
His gaze landed on the box Lucas had given him.
Moon stood, walked over, and opened it.
Inside was a sleek VR headset—the kind he had only heard about in passing.
This particular model was designed for one purpose: Leveling Online.
The world's most popular VRMMORPG. A game so massive it had become more than entertainment—it was an industry, a lifestyle, even a career path. Just like Lucas said, the top players were basically celebrities. Every kid dreamed of becoming a top player. For Moon, though, it had always just been background noise. Something far removed from his daily grind of two jobs and hospital visits.
But now… now he had a headset of his own.
Without overthinking it, he put it on.
Darkness enveloped him.
[ Welcome to Leveling Online! ]
[ Would you like to register? ]
[ Yes ][ No ]
A calm, synthetic voice echoed through the void, and lines of text shimmered into view.
Moon paused, surprised by how vivid and surreal it felt. The sensation of the headset—the immersion—it was unlike anything he'd imagined.
He focused on Yes.
[ Identity Found… Moon Nightwalker ]
[ Please enter your username: ]
Moon blinked. "Wait, what?"
Lucas had mentioned the headset scanned your retina and linked your ID, but it still felt strange seeing his real name pop up without warning.
He stared at the username field for a while, unable to think of anything clever.
Eventually, he glanced at the Randomise button.
The letters spun like a slot machine before settling:
[ Welcome, Player447 ]
[ You will be teleported to the Beginner Zone in 3… 2… 1… ]
The world around him shimmered, then shifted.
Moon found himself standing in a vast forest. Towering trees stretched skyward in every direction. The wind whispered through the leaves. Birds chirped. Sunlight filtered gently through the canopy above.
He stood there, stunned at the scenery.
It all felt real—the scent of pine, the softness of the soil beneath his feet, even the distant rustling of wildlife.
He lingered, awestruck, until the voice returned.
[ You have received a Starter Pack ]
[ Would you like to open your inventory? ]
"Starter Pack?" Moon repeated, then responded aloud, "Yes."
A grid of empty squares materialised before him—his inventory. Only one square was occupied: a small icon shaped like a leather bag.
He focused on it.
[ Open Starter Pack? ]
[ Yes ][ No ]
"Yes."
[ You received: ]
- 100 Goldcoins
- Common Sword
- 1x Small Health Potion
- 1x Small Mana Potion
Moon's eyes widened.
"100 Goldcoins?"
That wasn't just some in-game currency.
Goldcoins were the global digital currency—real-world money. A hundred coins was a week's worth of groceries, maybe more.
He let out a low whistle.
"If I'd known that, I would've logged in ages ago…"
He shook his head in disbelief, then turned his attention to the Common Sword icon in his inventory.
[ Would you like to equip: Common Sword? ]
[ Yes ] [ No ]
"Yes."
In an instant, a sword appeared at his side—sheathed, secured neatly to a belt that hadn't been there moments ago.
Moon blinked in surprise and instinctively reached for it. His fingers wrapped around the hilt as he unsheathed it with a soft metallic whisper. He swung the blade a few times. It cut through the air with ease, far lighter than he expected.
"Not bad," he murmured, running his thumb along the flat of the blade before sheathing it again.
He stood still for a moment, unsure of what to do next. The forest around him was calm, but he felt like something should be happening—a prompt, a guide, a quest… anything.
Then he remembered his conversation with Lucas.
"How do I check my class?"