The room was quiet except for the soft hum of my computer. Lines of code scrolled endlessly across the screen, and the map of Aetherion glowed faintly in the dim light. I rubbed my eyes and leaned back in my chair. Another late night fixing bugs, improving mechanics, polishing details… I was obsessed, but it was worth it. This was my world, the game I had built from scratch.
A notification blinked in the corner: "Server check complete. No critical errors detected." I sighed in relief. Then my eyelids betrayed me. One moment I was staring at the screen, the next… darkness.
When I opened my eyes, it wasn't my room anymore.
The smell of damp earth and fresh grass hit me first. The floor beneath me was soft, uneven — a forest floor, not carpet. Rays of sunlight pierced the canopy above, illuminating tiny motes of dust floating in the air. Birds chirped, insects buzzed. This was… Aetherion. My heart raced. The world I had spent countless hours designing wasn't just on my screen. I was inside it.
I sat up, trembling. My hands felt different — stronger, lighter somehow. I looked at my own reflection in a nearby stream. My avatar… my special character… it was me. I had designed him to be unique, powerful, the hero of this world. And now I was him.
Before I could process it further, movement caught my eye. Two figures ran toward me at full speed. My companions. The NPCs I had created long ago to assist this character.
"Boss! We've been waiting for you!" they shouted in unison.
Before I could even respond, they were on either side of me, hugging me tightly. One pressed a kiss to my cheek, the other to the opposite. Loyalty radiated from them, their expressions fierce yet gentle. These were the companions I had imagined as support and combat specialists, but seeing them alive, aware… it was overwhelming.
I stumbled back, trying to catch my breath. They recognize me? But how? No, it didn't matter. They were here. And I was here.
I glanced down at my hands again. My stats hovered in front of me — simple, clear:
Name: Ashen
Title: (Sealed)
Race: Primordial Flame (Dormant)
Level: 1
EXP: 0 / 100
HP: 120 / 120
MP: 200 / 200
Strength: 8
Agility: 7
Vitality: 9
Intelligence: 15
Perception: 10
Luck: 12
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Unique Traits:
• Infinite Growth (No Level Cap)
• Core Absorption
• Primordial Authority (Locked)
Skills:
• Flame Spark Lv 1
• Ember Sense Lv 1
• Fire Resistance Lv 1
Ultimate Skills:
[LOCKED]
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Flame Soldier Command:
Capacity: 0 / 3
Fire Essence: 0
Nothing. I was at the very beginning. Even as the hero of my own creation, I had started from scratch.
A strange thrill ran through me. Monsters, dungeons, treasure, Flame Soldiers waiting to be summoned… all the systems I had built… now real. The power was there, just out of reach. And I would reach it.
I clenched my fists, determination flooding my veins. I was the special character I had designed, yes, but I was also Kael. And no matter how low my level, no matter how strong the world around me, I would grow stronger. I would fight. I would command. I would rise beyond anything even I could imagine.
The two brothers stood by my side, waiting, their eyes filled with trust and expectation. I took a deep breath and smiled.
"Let's get stronger," I said. And for the first time, Aetherion felt real in a way it never had on a screen.