"It's time," the vice-grandmaster announced, her voice steady yet charged with authority. "All remaining participants, please take your designated capsules."
Rows of transparent pods extended across the arena like a field of crystalline coffins. As each capsule sealed, faint hums filled the air—the sound of thousands of neural links synchronizing to the System's simulation grid.
Capsules were one of humanity's greatest inventions after the Towers—granted by the System three years after the Great Emergence. They served countless functions: entertainment, remote labor, military training. But in Spire Nexus, they became something more—a gateway to simulated Tower environments, where death was reversible, but failure still carried real consequences.
Shen Liang stepped into his pod without hesitation. No equipment, no weapon. The capsule recognized him instantly, scanning his body with a soft pulse of light before lowering the glass lid. His consciousness blurred—and then, seamlessly, he was somewhere else.
A neon-blue System window materialized before his eyes.
[Welcome, Participant #1098: Shen Liang][Synchronization Rate: 50%][Select 3 out of 6 Combat Aspects to Begin Evaluation:]
- Swordsmanship
- Firearms
- Hand-to-Hand
- Daggers
- Magic
- Alchemy
Across the simulated space, the vice-grandmaster's voice echoed through the System link, calm but laced with warning.
"Students, keep your synchronization rate under fifty-five percent. Exceeding that level puts immense strain on the mind. The simulation will feel too real—pain, exhaustion, and even death. Push too far, and your psyche may not return intact."
A wave of unease spread through the participants. Some adjusted their rates down. Others whispered nervously.
Shen Liang's expression didn't change. His crimson eyes reflected the blue interface, calm and calculating.
[Adjust Synchronization Rate?][Yes / No]
"Fifty-five percent…?" he muttered with a faint smile. "If that's the limit, then the top isn't for the fainthearted."
His finger tapped Yes.The slider shifted upward—60%, 70%, 85%—until it hit the very top.
[Synchronization Rate: 100%][Warning: Full Immersion Detected. Mental Strain Risk: Critical.]
The System's warnings flared red, but Shen Liang's voice was steady."Let's see how far the mind can really go."
The world dissolved. His vision blurred, consciousness folding into light. When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't in the capsule anymore.
He stood at the heart of a vast battlefield—his senses alive, his pulse echoing like thunder in his veins. Every gust of wind, every grain of dust, every heartbeat felt real.
And somewhere in the distance, the voice of the vice-grandmaster faltered."...Student #1098's sync rate—impossible. He's at one hundred percent!"
But Shen Liang only smiled faintly."For once," he whispered, "I'll take it seriously."