[WELCOME TO AETHERIA ONLINE]
AETHERIA ONLINE – Veridian Gate
Player: Max Thorne – Level 11 Soulbinder
Time: 9:34 AM (Real World)
Max materialized in his inn room, and immediately something felt different.
The sunlight streaming through the window looked more vibrant. The texture of the wooden floorboards beneath his feet felt more real. The sounds of the city outside—merchants calling, players talking, birds singing—were crisper, more layered.
It wasn't that the game had changed.
He had changed.
Before, this had been a game. A space separate from reality.
Now, after meeting the Prime Minister, after registering with the IAOO, after seeing ¥750,000 appear in his bank account, Aetheria felt less like a game and more like... another country. Another world with its own economy, its own social structures, its own opportunities and dangers.
This wasn't a game he was playing.
This was a place he worked.
Max stepped out of the inn and into Veridian Gate's streets. Players moved around him, some clearly tourists enjoying the sights, others moving dungeons and hunting grounds.
I need to improve, Max thought. Level 13 by tonight. And not just level 13—I need to be stronger, faster, more efficient.
He opened his map and studied the surrounding zones. Most areas near Veridian Gate were level 8-12 content—good but not good enough. He needed something harder. Something that would push him.
His eyes landed on a zone to the northeast: The Crimson Wastes – Level 12-16.
That would work.
Max checked his equipment, verified his skills, and felt Night's presence in his shadow—stronger now after the evolution, eager to hunt.
He left Veridian Gate and headed northeast.
THE CRIMSON WASTES
The landscape shifted dramatically as Max crossed into the Crimson Wastes. The lush grasslands gave way to red desert, uneven rock formations, and a sky that burned with red sunset. The air shimmered with heat, and in the distance, he could see massive creatures moving.
[Entering Zone: The Crimson Wastes]
[Recommended Level: 12-16]
[WARNING: This zone features aggressive enemies and harsh environmental conditions]
Max summoned Night immediately.
[Summon Contract: Night]
[-20 MP]
The shadow warrior materialized beside him, its black armor gleaming in the red light. The Shadowforged Blade was gripped confidently in its gauntleted hand.
Through their bond, Max felt Night's anticipation. It had tasted combat in the Crimson Spire dungeon and wanted more.
Let's hunt, Max thought.
They moved deeper into the wastes. The first enemies appeared quickly—Crimson Scorpions, massive creatures the size of cars, their tail burning with fire.
[Crimson Scorpion – Level 13]
HP: 2,500/2,500
Max and Night attacked as one.
The scorpion never stood a chance.
Hours blurred together.
Max fell into a trance-like state—the kind of flow state that hardcore gamers knew well. His mind went quiet, instincts taking over, body and skill merging into pure war.
Fight, loot, move. Fight, loot, move.
Night fought beside him like an extension of his own will. They moved in perfect synchronization—when Max dodged left, Night struck right. When Night phased through an attack, Max capitalized on the opening.
[Crimson Scorpion defeated!]
[+450 EXP]
[Crimson Vulture defeated!]
[+380 EXP]
[Sandstone Golem defeated!]
[+520 EXP]
The experience bar crept upward steadily. Max barely noticed the loot drops—his focus was singular. Level up. Get stronger. Improve.
[You are now Level 12!]
[Night has reached Level 12!]
He didn't pause. Kept moving, kept fighting.
The Crimson Wastes were harsh but rewarding. Enemies spawned regularly, provided good experience, and his improved gear and Night's evolved form made battles efficient rather than dangerous.
Max discovered he could handle multiple enemies now—three or four at once. Night's Umbral Presence aura debuffed them, Max's Shadow Step kept him mobile, and their combined damage output was devastating.
Other players occasionally crossed his path. Some tried to party up, but Max declined. He was in the zone, didn't want to break rhythm.
[You are now Level 13!]
[Night has reached Level 13!]
The notification came at 5:47 PM real-world time.
Max finally stopped, his stamina bar nearly depleted, his inventory full of crafting materials and vendor trash.
He checked his stats:
MAX THORNE – Level 13 Soulbinder
HP: 390/390
MP: 450/450
Stamina: 67/310
Stats:
STR: 23 | AGI: 31 | INT: 38 | VIT: 28 | LUK: 13
NIGHT – Level 13 Shadowbound Warrior
HP: 580/580
Attack Power: 142
Agility: 44
Eight hours. He had been grinding for eight straight hours.
His real-world body felt stiff, his head slightly fuzzy from the extended immersion. But he had done it.
Level 13, with time to spare before the raid.
Max logged out to stretch, eat, and prepare for the evening.
When he pulled off the headset, his room was dark. He checked his phone: 6:03 PM.
Two hours until the raid.
His mother had left another note: Dinner in the fridge. Proud of you. Don't forget to breathe real air occasionally.
Max smiled, heated up the food, and ate while reading Phoenix Guild's raid strategies on Discord.
Tonight would be his first major guild raid. Not a trial run with a small party, but a full coordinated operation with Phoenix's elite players.
**
Max stood in the Phoenix Guild's assembly hall, surrounded by twenty other players—the raid team for tonight's dungeon. Unlike the smaller five-person party from the Crimson Spire, this was a full-scale operation.
The atmosphere was tense. No casual banter, no joking around. These were elite players preparing for elite content.
Kaito and Ayame stood at the front, both in full raid gear that shimmered with multiple layers of enchantments. Beside them was a massive holographic display showing the dungeon layout.
[DUNGEON: THE OBSIDIAN DEPTHS]
Difficulty: Rank A
Recommended Level: 13-45
Party Size: 15-25
Scaling: Difficulty adjusts based on party composition
Estimated Clear Time: 3-5 hours
Death Penalty: Full equipment durability loss, 30 min lockout
"Listen up," Kaito commanded, his voice cutting through the murmur of conversation. "The Obsidian Depths is adaptive content—it scales to party level, which means it'll be challenging for everyone, whether you're level 13 or level 43. This is A-rank content—the hardest publicly available dungeon currently in the game. Only three guilds worldwide have successfully cleared it."
Ayame continued, "We're attempting this tonight because sponsors want footage of Phoenix tackling hard content. We have camera operators in the raid—their feeds will be sent to sponsors and potentially used in promotional material. Performance matters."
Max felt the pressure settle on his shoulders.