"Huh?"
Falling. That's what greeted me after the teleport.
In pitch-black darkness, I plummeted, subject to gravity's unyielding pull. Yeah, makes sense. Even in a virtual world, gravity's a cornerstone. No matter how insane that madman is, forgetting that would be a problem.
So, my freefall is proof this virtual world's gravity works. Something to celebrate, right?
"…Like hell it is! Why!? How!? I made a cool, silent farewell to my comrades only to die in a fall? That's not funny!"
I glance down at my landing spot. Pure darkness.
I chew some phosphorescent grass for a slight HP boost, but given this fall's duration, won't the impact kill me?
Before I can dwell further, I don't hit ground—I slam into water. The shock chokes me, and I sink, only to be forced back to the surface, floating face-down, bobbing like driftwood.
"My HP… didn't drop? Is this an event?"
What a misleading setup. It's got to be him. This pointless freefall event reeks of the successor to Kayaba's twisted sense of humor.
Kayaba's heir, you're unforgivable! Ignoring the fact I can stand on water, I scan my surroundings—still total darkness. Yet, I can discern the water's edge, and the ripples glow white. I can see my hands and feet, so this must be a staged darkness, purely for effect.
Now what? First, I fully restore my HP. My only weapon is my claws. I sold off all dropped weapons to free up inventory space, leaving me with nothing else.
Even trash mobs would be a hassle in this state. A boss? I'd be…
"No way there's a Dark Rider here… right? Right!? Right!?"
Thankfully—or maybe depressingly—I'm alone in this void.
Darkness doesn't scare me. Maybe it's my hunter's blood, but my clan's always thrived in dark places. Gotta love genetic evolution.
Walking on water feels bizarre. I'd love to try it barefoot, but breaking this stalemate comes first.
"O bearer of the blood of darkness."
Finally, the event starts. A woman's voice, echoing as if reverberating, fills the void.
"Proceed to the light. And save the world."
A white light pierces the darkness, warm like a hearth's glow. Drawn to it, I approach.
It's a rift—an escape from the dark. Beyond it, the warmth vanishes, replaced by a chill.
I catch my breath, awestruck by the majestic sight before me.
A temple of deep, fantastical blue stone, etched with countless faint golden magic circles and unfamiliar runes, all slowly shifting. Lamps with glowing butterflies trapped inside dangle everywhere, casting a soft light. The structure is labyrinthine, with at least ten visible stairways and passages weaving through it.
Breathtaking. My jaw drops, and I notice other players, equally stunned. Surprisingly, thousands seem to have already arrived.
The Nostalgic Pocket Watch must've been distributed to all players. That explains it.
Life in the dying town was harsh. If there's a new world to cling to, it's only natural players would flock here. Most around me are in starter gear—likely destitute players from the town, waiting hopelessly for real-world rescue.
"Welcome, bearers of the blood of darkness."
The event's not over. Pushing through the crowd, I move toward the voice, desperate for information.
I'm in full solo mode now, a lonely bachelor without allies. Gotta gather intel.
At what seems to be the temple's heart—a translucent floor that looks like it could trigger a trap—a girl stands. Clad in a black robe, her hood obscures all but her mouth. No NPC marker, no player cursor. What is she?
"This is the Temple of Recollection, the final sanctuary where all memories and records converge."
Light orbs swirl around her, and golden magic circles bloom on the glassy floor.
"Once, the world was whole. But a great corruption gnawed at it, spreading as a mist that devoured all."
Finally. A sigh of relief escapes me.
For the past month and a half, I've focused solely on conquering the northern and southern dungeons, with no clear endgame in sight.
The boss fights might've been an overlong tutorial. This is where the real game begins. Though, if that was a tutorial, those bosses were absurdly tough.
But now, DBO's goal is clear. All that's left is to charge toward it.
"The world lost its form, leaving only a single town and its surroundings. Now, only one path remains to save it. Those with the blood of darkness, bearing the same power as the great corruption, must vanquish its source."
So, the Great Corruption is the final boss. Pretty standard. No need for overly complex lore.
"There is but one way to defeat the Great Corruption: travel to the era and moment of its birth and destroy its origin. To do so, you must strengthen the temple's power by collecting the myriad memories and records gathered here—the roots of each world's strength."
In other words, clear stages. The dying town was the "original" world, and future stages are past eras.
It's clicking. The apocalyptic aesthetic of the town makes sense now.
A world on the brink of collapse—that's the town and its surroundings. We'll travel to past eras—like ones with swords and sorcery or thriving mechanical civilizations—and defeat their bosses.
"Each world holds the record of an event or a person's memory. Investigate them to find clues to the roots of their power. Please, I beg you—save this world."
With that, the girl falls silent, sitting on the pedestal of a half-ruined goddess statue. The event seems over.
Pushing through the buzzing crowd, I approach her. No top-tier players like those who fought the Kobold King seem to have arrived yet.
With so many players teleported at once, they likely staggered the transfers. I might be in the second or third wave.
"Uh, sorry… can I ask something?"
She's just a game character—no need to be nervous. I take a deep breath.
She looks up, slightly weary, giving me a glimpse of her face. A young girl, younger than me, with a beauty mark near her eye. She seems timid, at odds with her grandiose speech.
"What is it, bearer of the blood of darkness?"
"Uh, those memory worlds—how do we get there?"
"The temple holds many constructs of memories and records. Simply touch them. However, traveling requires great power, such as a Memory Ember. Once used, a world binds to you, allowing travel without further cost."
That hits hard.
The Nostalgic Pocket Watch starts with one Ember, which I used to reach the temple. The Kobold King's throne gave me another, leaving me with one. Most players here likely have zero.
To move to other areas, you need to reach the Kobold King's throne—meaning you need the strength to clear the northern dungeon. Without it, even safe zones in other stages are out of reach.
"Anything else?" she asks.
"Uh, yeah… who's in this temple?"
"There are guardians like me, as well as blacksmiths and merchants. Many travelers like you, with the blood of darkness, also roam here. I've heard heavy sinners are imprisoned in the underground cells."
Blacksmiths and merchants confirmed. Maybe NPCs with info too.
The temple's vast—big enough for thousands to move freely. Finding NPCs will take effort, but I can investigate slowly.
"Thanks. Oh, what's your name? You've got one, right?"
"Me? My name?" She pauses, then gives a self-deprecating smile. "I'm Sachi. Sachi of the Black Cat Maiden. Blessings upon you, bearer of the blood of darkness. Please… save this world. And save me."