The café stayed loud with overlapping voices and clattering cups. Maurice stood, pushed his chair in, and walked straight toward his reserved gaming pod.
At the pod entrance, he pressed his palm against the embedded scanner. A soft pulse of light ran across the surface.
His gamer ID flashed in bold text.
[WELCOME, ARISU]
The pod opened like a cocoon, its panels folding outward before retracting inward to reveal a narrow seat. Maurice stepped in and sat. The shell closed around him, rotated, and lowered into a horizontal position. Internal systems connected with muted mechanical clicks. The interior lights dimmed, signaling readiness.
Maurice whispered, "Login."
The moment the word left his mouth, his eyes widened. His consciousness tore free, propelled into a vast virtual void. He hovered in open space, staring as his body assembled itself piece by piece. The avatar took shape—elven features identical to his previous character, but with his natural skin tone intact.
When the process finished, a grin spread across his face.
"Finally. Here we go."
Gravity snapped back into existence. His body shot downward through space, streaking past planets at extreme speed. Each planet bore a glowing logo—games he had purchased, suspended like celestial markers. Farther ahead, a massive orbital platform came into view. Advertisements wrapped its structure, rotating displays for games, expansions, and services. The in-game store and central hub.
Maurice didn't slow down. He wasn't here to browse.
Ahead, a single planet dominated his view. The ArenaX logo pulsed across its surface.
A translucent panel appeared in front of him.
[Would you like to enter ArenaX?]
He selected Yes.
His descent steepened. The planet swallowed him like a meteor entering atmosphere. His vision went black.
Voices filled his head.
At first, they were whispers—layered, indistinct. Then they sharpened into words.
"Not long ago, the one who ruled the timelines of countless worlds vanished. The one who kept existence aligned, who made the future possible. We called him the God of Time. After his disappearance, his seat of power spiraled out of control. Timelines fractured, tearing open fissures in the present. Worlds of past and future now collide in a single era."
The voice paused, then hardened.
"Oh warrior. Help us uncover the truth behind his disappearance. Find him before it is too late—before the future collapses into a single, dying now. Corruption will slowly destroy the time lines as it is. The streams of life across all timelines are failing."
Maurice opened his eyes.
He hovered high above a vast continent. Clouds drifted below him. A small drone approached—X-shaped, compact, hovering smoothly. An older man's voice crackled from it, rough and smoke-worn.
"Welcome back, Arisu. I hope you enjoyed the pre-launch. I apologize to players who preferred the earlier concept—but the game has changed for the better. I am Mister… or Miss… X. I will be your guide."
A menu appeared, prompting voice selection.
Maurice didn't hesitate. He chose a female voice.
The drone's white casing shifted to pink.
The voice recalibrated instantly—clear, composed, professional, the tone of a business-class assistant in her mid-thirties.
"Preference confirmed. Would you like to restore your previous character customization? Equipment will not be included due to system changes. However, you will have immediate access to the shop. All beta and pre-launch participants receive one hundred dollars in free customization currency."
Maurice accepted without hesitation.
His avatar updated. His dark elf form returned—scruffy white-gray hair, purple skin, sharp features intact. When the process finished, he glanced down at himself.
Underwear with a plain white shirt.
The pink drone drifted closer and tilted slightly in midair.
"Sir Arisu, I recommend opening your menu and selecting the shop option. Once you purchase clothing—or choose not to—the option will disappear from your menu. Future outfit changes must be made at a clothing store on the continent of your choosing. I'll explain that shortly. For now, please select the shop if you wish to change your appearance."
Maurice exhaled through his nose.
Man." I feel like I'm being treated like royalty. Let's see what kind of spicy stuff they're hiding."
He opened the menu.
The first thing that stood out wasn't the sheer number of items—it was the prices. Rows of outfits scrolled past, each tagged with sharp, clean numbers that made his jaw tighten. In the corner of the interface, a timer counted down.
72:00:00 — Refresh
"Jeez," Maurice muttered. "Talk about cash-grab potential. Not like I won't fall for it anyway…"
Miss X hovered behind him, with her smooth tone.
"Every weekend, the shop opens a seventy-two-hour window for limited items. The remaining inventory refreshes monthly. All gear available here is cosmetic only. It provides no gameplay advantage. However, visual effects tied to your skills will adapt to your equipped appearance, regardless of class."
She continued without pause.
"For example, a mage robe with an obsidian-and-gold colorway will alter spell visuals. A fire mage wearing it may produce darkened flames or variant effects consistent with the outfit's theme. These changes are aesthetic only. Unfortunately, I cannot preview all visual variations, as that would remove the intended sense of discovery."
Maurice slowly scrolled.
There are so many things wrong with this. And I don't even know where to start complaining.
His eyes locked onto a samurai armor set—navy blue plates, clean lines, heavy presence.
"Wow… that goes hard."
He checked the price.
Two hundred dollars.
"Yeah. Hard for people with money," he muttered. "This is ridiculous."
He kept scrolling.
Okay. Budget's a hundred. Never thought I'd say that about cosmetics. Pre-launch skins were twenty bucks… but if abilities change how they look, I guess flair comes with a tax.
After another minute, something finally made him stop.
Urban streetwear category.
A mannequin rotated slowly in place. Baggy gray pants. Loose black shirt. Subtle silver accessories—rings, chain, wrist detail.
Gray and black.
Maurice nodded.
"To be honest, this wouldn't have been my first choice but it does look great."
"Okay, what's the price on this…" Maurice paused, then nodded. "Alright. Forty bucks. Nice... i think?"
The drone hovered closer.
"Indeed. It would suit you well. However, regarding the urban outfit—your abilities will not receive special visual effects. If you look closely, each outfit displays a rarity classification beneath it. The urban set is Rare, indicated by the blue marker. The samurai armor you viewed earlier was Legendary, shown in orange. All Legendary items alter ability visuals. Certain Epic items have exceptions, which accounts for the price differences."
Maurice glanced at the rarity indicator again.
Yeah… I don't really care about flair if the tax is that high.
He looked back at the drone. "It's fine. I'll take this one. And" his eyes shifted to the top of the interface, "I can customize weapon appearances too?"
"Yes," Miss X replied. "Normally, weapons are explained during the tutorial, but I can summarize now. Regardless of your build, you will always be assigned a weapon. If you choose none, gauntlets are assigned by default. You will always have one weapon slot, and it plays a role in optimizing your build."
She continued calmly.
"The system ensures all players retain a viable melee option. Even pure magical classes can effectively wield their assigned weapon, whether a staff or a heavy hammer, allowing broader combat options. This prevents scenarios where, for example, a mage cannot defend themselves against a warrior in close combat."
Miss X shifted slightly in the air.
"As with outfits, weapons can be visually customized. Higher-tier designs may include cosmetic effects. Typically, players wait until after build selection, as weapon choice does influence build behavior."
Maurice nodded. "Got it."
He smiled anyway.
"I still want to look."
He tapped the weapon tab.
Rows of weapon models filled the screen: swords, axes, bows, staves—everything pulled straight from fantasy and medieval arsenals. Maurice scrolled slowly.
Doesn't matter what I pick, he thought. Then I'm going with one of my favorites.
Spears.
Before he reached the section, something else caught his eye.
Sickles.
Dual sickles, sleek and curved. The name hovered beside them.
Moon Blades
Epic — $60
The blades shimmered softly, reflecting moonlight even in the neutral shop lighting.
His thoughts jumped instantly to an old build. The sickel brawler.
"Damn… these are beautiful."
He checked the details.
Visual effects Yes.
"Quick question," Maurice said. "Do these things actually glow in the dark? Because that would be annoying."
Miss X answered immediately.
"Only during idle and spectating states. For example, before a match begins. Once combat starts, any light-emitting effects are disabled to prevent disadvantages. Negative visual cues can always be toggled off."
She added, almost casually:
"Legendary weapons operate differently. For instance, fire greatswords apply persistent blazing effects to weapon skills. These can also combine with outfit-based visuals, producing composite effects depending on your primary cosmetic settings."
Maurice let out a slow breath.
You're all money-hungry… he thought. But this would print billions.
His mind flickered to the image anyway—black robes, black flames, a greatsword burning with the same dark fire, layered effects stacking into something excessive.
He shook his head slightly.
As the purchases finalized, Maurice's avatar completed its transition. The system ran one last visual pass, then went still.
He glanced at the drone. "Mirror function."
A translucent panel unfolded in front of him, resolving into a full-body reflection.
He studied himself for a second, then smirked.
Purple skin. Sharp elven features. The urban outfit sat clean on his frame, loose but practical enough, even liked the multiple pockets. The Moon Blades rested at his back in a weapon sheath.
"…Yeah," he muttered. "I look good."
He laughed quietly to himself.
Handsome theme confirmed.
The drone hovered in place. There was a fractional pause in its movement—almost awkward. Not that it could feel anything, of course.
Maurice waved it off. "Alright. Take me to the tutorial."
Miss X responded immediately.
"Before the tutorial, you must select your continent."
The space around them shifted. A massive holographic interface unfolded, each selection hovering like a living diorama.
"Your chosen continent will serve as your home location," Miss X continued. "Each continent represents a collection of maps, hubs, and arenas tied to a specific era and theme. Once selected, you will receive a personal residence there. Travel to other continents is possible by invitation or mutual location."
The first projection expanded.
Hallow Bastion
Floating islands drifted over a vast sea. Some hovered just above the water, others hung high in the sky. At the far edge, the largest island rose from the ocean, crowned by an enormous stone fortress.
"Thousands of years ago," Miss X said, "the Holy Trinity of magical beasts lived in harmony here, under the rule of Lord Bastion. Each island contains travel portals for rapid movement. Local hubs allow social interaction, trade, and leisure. Arena access varies by island. Six-versus-six combat is hosted exclusively at the Bastion itself."
The image shifted.
Azure Dome
A futuristic city enclosed within a massive glass sphere beneath the ocean. Blue light filtered through the water. Fishman NPCs moved through sleek corridors and open plazas.
"An underwater metropolis," Miss X explained. "Advanced technology integrated with aquatic lifeforms."
Next.
Olympus
Golden structures rose into the clouds. Marble pathways floated between towers. Angelic beings walked openly among players.
Maurice eyes squinted. "Wait. Is that..."
"Yes," Miss X said calmly. "Hercules coordinates the one-versus-one arena. Hermes does the three versus three and Athena oversees six-versus-six operations. Each continent features figures representative of its mythos."
Maurice shook his head. "That's insane. Okay. Next."
Lunar Cradle
A city floated above the surface of the moon. Gravity jump pads sent players soaring between platforms. Beneath the surface, a vast hollow opened into a glowing internal world.
Fantasy blended with science fiction.
A seahorse drifted through space, hauling chunks of stone behind it.
Maurice stared.
"…Why is that a thing?"
"We are rich in creative solutions," Miss X replied, already moving on.
Iron Vow
An industrial harbor styled like the 1960s. Steel structures, neon signage, hovering vehicles gliding above the streets. NPCs in tailored suits moved with quiet purpose.
And last but not least.
Veil of Roots
A colossal tree dominated the landscape, its trunk wide enough to house entire districts. The city was woven through branches and roots, platforms and walkways spiraling upward. Dense forest surrounded everything, alive and breathing.
"Yggdrasil vibes," Maurice muttered.
The interface dimmed slightly.
"Please make your selection," Miss X said.
Maurice took his time. Then he smiled.
"Hallow Bastion."
He shrugged. "Flying islands, open sea, ancient monsters and not easily crowded spaces. That's what i call cherry on top."
The world snapped.
Light folded inward, then burst outward again.
Maurice stood inside a small house perched on a hill atop one of the floating islands. Stone walls, wooden beams, soft lighting. Everything he needed was already there—bed, storage, work surfaces. Simple, but detailed.
He stepped closer to the window.
The view stopped him cold.
His island floated just one chain away from the Bastion itself. Wyverns drifted through the air like birds. Massive fish leapt from the ocean below, crashing back into the water in slow, thunderous arcs.
"…This place is ridiculous," he whispered.
Then the sea behind the Bastion rumbled.
The water split.
A colossal serpent surged upward, coiling into the sky. It snapped its jaws around several wyverns mid-flight before crashing back into the ocean, vanishing beneath the waves as if nothing had happened.
Maurice didn't blink.
His mouth hung open.
"…This isn't just a fighting game," he said quietly.
And for the first time since logging in, he wasn't sure he wanted it to be.