Ethan stepped out of the Adventurer's Guild, the quest slip clenched tightly in his hand. The sun overhead wasn't like Earth's—it cast a soft copper glow over the cobbled streets of Ember Town, bathing the world in warm, dusky light.
He took a deep breath and grinned.
"I flirted with an actual woman."
Not just that—he had an adventurer's pass, a quest, and for the first time in four years, he wasn't stuck in his room rotting behind a screen. For once, he didn't feel like a loser.
With newfound confidence, he headed to the nearest gear merchant. The shop was more like a roadside stall. A crooked wooden stand with faded cloth overhead. The owner was a toothless old man who barely looked up from his lap when Ethan approached.
"Sir, I need a sword," Ethan said politely.
'The more polite I am, the higher the discount,' he thought.
The old man yawned and tossed a rusty blade onto the counter. It looked like it had been chewed up by wolves.
"Rookie special. Take it or leave it, young man."
"And what about armor?"
The man lazily pointed his chin toward a patchy leather vest hanging from a bent nail.
"Also, one health potion, please."
"Sure, sure. That'll be two silver."
Ethan paid the money, trying to ignore the faint look of pity in the vendor's eyes.
Still, he smiled. "Don't worry. I'll come back when I'm rich."
The vendor scoffed. "I've heard that from plenty... hundreds of people. Never saw any of 'em again."
Ethan strapped his sad excuse for a starter kit to his back, gave a small respectful bow, and walked away.
He left the town gates behind, following a faintly glowing map in his system window.
The world outside Emberlight wasn't anything like the tutorial zones he remembered from the game.
The Ember Forest stretched out in every direction like a haunted painting—mist coiled low along the earth, tree branches reached upward like skeletal fingers, and distant howls echoed between them.
"I'm not gonna lie... this is so awesome," Ethan whispered, goosebumps crawling up his arms.
Each step forward made his heart pound—not from fear, but from thrill. From excitement. No respawns. No safety measures. Just do or die.
"Alright," he whispered. "Time to do my first quest. Let's start this journey to become the Overlord... and build the greatest harem in the world." His expression turned a little lewd.
His mind began drifting—visions of gorgeous women, silk sheets, and sultry smiles filled his imagination.
But then he shook his head.
"Focus, man. Let's level up first. Then dream about naked women later."
He pressed on. After trekking a mile through the forest, the system map suddenly popped open in front of his eyes.
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[Quest Area: Shadow Fang Den]
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Ahead, a dark cave yawned open. Thick, black mist spilled out of its mouth, like the breath of something ancient and angry. The air turned cold, prickling against Ethan's skin.
He exhaled slowly, gripping the hilt of his sword.
And then—
"Hey, rookie. Where are you going?"
A voice sliced through the air behind him like a blade.
"You're heading in there alone? You'll be dead in five minutes. You do know that, right?"
Ethan spun around, sword halfway out of its sheath.
It was a girl.
She wore light armor and had an athletic frame. Her dark hair was tied in a high ponytail, and a massive greatsword was strapped across her back like it belonged there. Her sharp eyes gave a calm and unreadable vibe. The kind of look someone has after surviving too many battles.
She looked strong.
Way too strong to be in a Tier-0 zone.
Ethan's mind began to race. Is she an NPC? A player? A boss in disguise?
She tilted her head, unimpressed. Then, flatly:
"You're gonna die in five minutes if you go in there without backup."