The rain drizzled lightly over the school courtyard, but John barely noticed. His mind was focused on one thing—the notification blinking on his phone.
"New VR Game Release: Eternia Online! Limited beta access available now!"
His heart raced. VR games weren't unusual, but something about this one felt… different. He hesitated only a second before tapping "Join Beta."
The world went white.
When his vision cleared, John was standing in a vast, glowing landscape. Floating islands stretched as far as the eye could see. A status window popped up before his eyes:
[Player: John | Level: 1 | Class: Novice | Skills: None]
"Okay… this is it," he muttered, voice trembling.
A small figure appeared nearby—a boy with spiky hair and a confident smirk.
"Hey! You're new here, right?" the boy said. "I'm Kai. Wanna team up?"
Before John could answer, another figure joined—Bailey, laughing nervously.
"Looks like you're stuck with us," Bailey teased.
John nodded. "Sure… I guess."
A low growl echoed through the air. From the fog emerged a goblin-like creature, its red eyes glowing.
[Goblin | Level 2 | HP: 50 | Skills: Slash]
Kai charged forward with a sword, swinging at the creature. John froze for a second… then remembered the skill copy ability.
Focusing, he reached out mentally and felt a spark. Suddenly, he could see Kai's Slash skill in his own hands. Without thinking, he mimicked the motion, and a perfect slash cut through the goblin.
"Whoa… what just happened?" John whispered.
"You… copied my skill?" Kai asked, eyes wide.
John nodded, realization dawning. This was no ordinary game.
As the three of them caught their breath, a voice echoed from above:
"Welcome, players. The world of Eternia Online is yours to conquer… if you have what it takes."
John looked at his hands, feeling the power thrumming in him. This was only the beginning.