Kazuo despertó lentamente, sintiendo el calor del sol en su rostro y el suave murmullo del viento acariciando su piel. Abrió los ojos y se encontró en un vasto campo abierto que se extendía hasta donde alcanzaba la vista. La hierba alta bailaba al ritmo de la brisa, y el cielo azul profundo estaba adornado con nubes blancas que parecían pinceladas suaves en un lienzo infinito. En el horizonte, el borde de un bosque se elevaba como una sombra verde oscuro, y más allá, las siluetas de las montañas nevadas coronaban el paisaje.
Se puso en pie lentamente, examinando su entorno con una mirada fría y analítica. No había señales de caminos, edificios u otros jugadores a su alrededor. La naturaleza en su forma más pura lo rodeaba, todo era demasiado vívido, demasiado real. El aire olía a tierra húmeda y el viento acariciaba su piel como si estuviera en un mundo físico.
– ¿Dónde estoy...? -murmuró, apenas audible.
Los fragmentos de memoria regresaron lentamente. Recordó haber conectado el casco de realidad virtual para probar Aether's Realm, el MMORPG que prometía una experiencia inmersiva como ninguna otra. Sin embargo, lo que estaba viviendo superó todas las expectativas. Si se trataba de un juego, no parecía seguir las reglas convencionales.
Se puso de pie y comenzó a caminar con pasos firmes, evaluando cada detalle de su entorno. Movió la mano en el aire, un gesto automático aprendido en otros juegos, con la esperanza de abrir el mapa. Para su sorpresa, apareció una ventana translúcida que mostraba estadísticas vacías marcadas con signos de interrogación:
Nombre: Kazuo Nivel: ? ¿Clase:? ¿Fuerza:? ¿Agilidad:? ¿Resistencia:? ¿Habilidades:?
Kazuo miró fijamente a la ventana por un momento, pero la cerró con un rápido gesto. No había opciones para cerrar sesión ni tutoriales que explicaran qué hacer. Cualquier sensación de familiaridad se desvaneció; Este mundo parecía diseñado para desafiarlo de maneras que aún no entendía.
El sonido de un gruñido bajo rompió la calma. Sin cambiar su expresión, Kazuo volvió la cabeza hacia el bosque cercano, donde una figura oscura emergía lentamente de entre los árboles. La criatura se movía con pasos pesados pero calculados, como un depredador que supiera exactamente dónde estaba su presa. Kazuo se quedó quieto en la hierba alta, camuflado por su entorno. Sin embargo, la bestia giró la cabeza directamente hacia él, con los ojos ardiendo como brasas, fijos en su ubicación.
Kazuo mantuvo su postura tranquila, pero el hecho de que lo hubiera localizado sin esfuerzo lo intrigaba. Observó de cerca los movimientos del monstruo, tratando de entender cómo lo había detectado.
La criatura cargó contra él con una velocidad sorprendente, pero Kazuo no se inmutó. Moviéndose con calculada precisión, esquivó el ataque en el último segundo, dejando que las garras rozaran su brazo. El dolor era real, punzante, pero Kazuo lo ignoró. Sus movimientos eran fluidos y metódicos. Agarró una piedra del suelo y la arrojó con fuerza a la cabeza del monstruo. El impacto hizo que la criatura se tambaleara, dándole unos segundos para actuar.
The energy he had felt before began to flow through his body. It was like a raging torrent, a force he couldn't explain but knew how to use. Concentrating it in his fist, he launched a direct punch at the creature, guided instinctively by something new and unknown.
The impact echoed through the air. The creature disintegrated into a cloud of black dust, leaving behind absolute silence. A pop-up window appeared in front of Kazuo:
'Congratulations. You have defeated your first enemy. Skill acquired: "Eye of the Soul."'
As soon as he closed the window, something changed in his perception. Instantly, he noticed a faint translucent glow nearby, something he would not have been able to see before. He turned his head towards the source of the light and made out a small burrow between some nearby rocks. Inside, a rabbit moved cautiously, its aura dancing faintly as if emitting a faint energy.
Kazuo narrowed his eyes, processing the revelation. It was no coincidence. The creature he had just defeated had used that same ability to locate him, sensing his presence even through his camouflage. Now, that power was his.
'Ability acquired by defeating the enemy...' he muttered to himself.
The logic was clear, but there was still much to explore. If that creature possessed such useful power, what other abilities could he gain by facing stronger enemies?
With this thought in mind, Kazuo turned on his heels and resumed his journey. In the distance, a village surrounded by a rudimentary palisade rose up, its lights flickering faintly in the distance. As he drew nearer, he began to notice the activity: players chatting in groups, others selling items at makeshift wooden stalls, and some simply sitting, their faces marked by confusion and uncertainty.
In the central square, Kazuo passed by a group of organised players. A young woman with red hair and a determined look on her face was leading the conversation.
'We need to specialise now,' she said, pointing to the statistics floating in front of them. 'If we don't have defined roles, we won't survive in the long run.'
'Aiko, do you really think we have time for this?' replied another player, a burly man who seemed hesitant.
'If we don't start now, we won't have time later,' she replied firmly.
Kazuo walked by, listening without intending to stop. Aiko's words didn't interest him, but they reminded him of his own statistics. He moved his hand again to open them, only to find the same questions in every category.
'Nothing has changed...' he thought, his expression cold and distant. There was no more time to reflect; something was about to happen.
Suddenly, a message appeared in the air, visible to all players:
'Welcome to Aether's Realm. The following rules govern your survival in this world:'
Disconnection Conditions:Disconnection from the outside world will result in immediate death.
If you attempt to force disconnection from within the game, the system will execute the same termination protocol.Rules of Mortality:If you die here, you will also die in the real world.There are no second chances.Game Objective:Escape by defeating the Final Boss, whose location will be revealed upon defeating all Intermediate Bosses.The 9 Kingdoms are ruled by their own Kings, whose territories contain intermediate bosses. Defeating them will be key to advancing.Power System:Your power is defined by your physique, skills, and decisions. Some special skills can be acquired by defeating unique enemies.World Evolution:
The environment and monsters will evolve over time, adapting to the players' actions.
As chaos unfolded in the village, images began to appear on large floating screens showing what was happening inside the game. At the same time, in the real world, news reports began to reveal the shocking reality: hundreds of players were trapped in a deadly game from which they could not escape.
On the news, anchors spoke with tense expressions as live footage from inside the game was projected, showing the desperation, battles, and interactions between players. Social media exploded with hashtags like #AetherCrisis and #VirtualTrapped, amplifying global fear.
Meanwhile, players in the village tried to come to terms with the gravity of the situation. Some huddled together in desperate attempts to plan, while others stood motionless, staring blankly. Among them, whispers grew louder:
'This can't be happening!' shouted a man as he covered his face with his hands, trembling. 'My brother disappeared an hour ago... that monster killed him and just vanished!' added another, sobbing loudly as his companions tried to calm him down.
The tension in the place was palpable. No one knew what to do, and fear seemed to paralyse them all. Then Aiko, her red hair tied back messily and her eyes full of determination, stepped forward towards the men. Her voice was soft but firm, cutting through the chaos with unexpected calm.
'Your brother... we may not be able to bring him back,' she said, kneeling in front of the crying man, looking directly into his eyes. 'But you can't let this consume you. He fought... and you can fight for all those who remain here.'
The man looked up at Aiko, his tears still falling as his body shook. She reached out a hand to hold his shoulder, a light touch but full of warmth.
'You are not alone,' she added, her voice softer now.
The man nodded slowly, as if Aiko's words had found a place in his despair. The other players who had been watching silently began to straighten up, inspired by the courage and compassion radiating from Aiko.
Kazuo watched the scene in silence, moving through the crowd with his characteristic calm. While panic consumed the players, he remained focused, assessing the situation. There was something about this chaos that was strangely familiar to him. He knew that the key to survival was not to get carried away by emotions, but to adapt quickly.
Then, a blood-curdling roar interrupted the moment. From a nearby alleyway, a creature unlike any seen before emerged. Its body was covered in black scales, its size surpassing that of any wolf, and instead of normal hind legs, it had limbs resembling bird claws. Its eyes, glowing like embers, exuded an intent to hunt and destroy.
The creature did not stop. It charged directly at a group of players trying to retreat, striking them with its scaly tail and throwing them to the ground like rag dolls. Screams filled the square as some tried to flee, and others were paralysed in place.
Kazuo remained motionless, watching the monster's every move with precision. His body seemed to act on reflex: he analysed its position, attack patterns and possible openings for counterattack.
When the monster noticed him, its fiery eyes focused on him, and Kazuo took a step forward, keeping his cool.
The creature roared and charged at him with its tail raised, seeking to sweep him away in a single movement. With quick, calculated movements, Kazuo dodged the attack. His feet slid with precision, and his body moved fluidly, as if every muscle knew exactly what to do.
In an instant, he felt that latent energy inside him again. It was a feeling of pure power, like a torrent waiting to be unleashed. As the creature lunged at him once more, Kazuo concentrated that energy in his fist and delivered a devastating blow to the monster's chest.
The impact reverberated throughout the square, and nearby players froze, watching in disbelief as the creature disintegrated into a cloud of ash. Kazuo slowly lowered his fist, watching the remains of the monster dissipate into the air.
Silence filled the place for a moment before murmurs began to grow. Some players whispered among themselves, astonished by the scene.
'Who is that guy? How could he defeat it so easily?'
Kazuo ignored the whispers. He looked around, assessing the square. Although he had defeated the creature, he knew this was only the beginning. Beyond the village's borders, much greater challenges awaited him.
As he walked away from the square, the floating screens showing the game broadcast began to focus on him. Unbeknownst to him, Kazuo had become the centre of attention, both within the game and in the real world.