The grasslands of Eloria stretched endlessly beneath a sky of painted gold. Wind rippled through the tall blades, carrying the scent of pine and the distant laughter of players grinding for early EXP.
A thousand digital lives bustled across the plains — swords flashing, spells bursting, players shouting battle cries over the hum of interface beeps.
But away from the crowds, Aris Kaien sat beneath a solitary oak tree, staring at his nearly empty inventory screen.
[Inventory: 3 Healing Herbs | 1 Cracked Short Sword | 2 Copper Coins]
He let out a dry laugh.
"Three herbs, one broken sword, and a dream. Perfect start to a new life."
The faint reflection of his face on the interface made him sigh.
Brown hair, sharp eyes dulled by exhaustion. Not the face of a hero — just another broke college dropout who had once thought he could make a living streaming games.
Then his gaze drifted to the name of the world glowing at the top of the screen:
[Martial World Online]
A VRMMO that had shattered every record in existence.
Hyper-real physics, living AI, an economy synced to real-world currency — it was more world than game.
And to Aris, it was a lifeline.
After losing his last source of income and watching his teammates move on without him, this was the last gamble he could afford.
But something was different this time. The moment he logged in, a storm of light had swallowed him — an impossible scene of divine beasts and demonic lords clashing beyond the sky.
And when he woke up, he found himself here.
No tutorial. No starter quest. Just… this.
He opened his quest log.
[Main Quest: Path of the Divine]
Reach Level 10 to unlock the First Divine Trial.
Progress: 0/10.
A system-generated mission — yet it looked handwritten, as if someone ancient had carved it into the interface.
"Fine," Aris muttered. "Let's start small."
Eloria Plains – Beginner Zone
The fields shimmered with faint mana light as Aris waded into the slime-infested marsh. A group of green blobs jiggled toward him, squeaking in unison.
He drew his Cracked Short Sword, its edge dull and chipped.
"Come on then, XP piñatas."
The first slime lunged. Aris swung — and the world blurred.
His sword sliced through the creature faster than he could track.
The slime burst like a soap bubble, glowing particles fading into the breeze.
[+10 EXP]
Aris froze. That shouldn't have been possible — not with a Level 1 sword and no skill buffs.
He tried again.
Another slime — another clean kill.
[+12 EXP]
His arms trembled slightly. The sensation of power was real — weight, speed, heat. Not a system boost.
Something was changing inside him.
And then, a flicker of golden light crawled beneath his skin, spreading up his veins like fire.
"What the—?"
A sudden voice echoed in his mind, cold and mechanical.
[Warning: Divine Energy Leak Detected.]
[Auto-Seal Protocol Engaged.]
A searing pain lanced through his body, and the glow vanished. He gasped for air.
"Okay," he muttered, sweat dripping down his neck. "So the whole 'divine power thing' wasn't just a hallucination."
Hours Later…
The moon hung high. Most players had logged out, but Aris kept hunting — his movements steady, precise.
Every slime, every wild wolf fell to his blade, and bit by bit, his instincts sharpened. The weight of his strikes, the rhythm of his dodges — it felt like muscle memory from another life.
At last, as the night deepened—
[Level Up: 9 → 10]
The plains froze.
Wind stopped mid-motion, birds mid-flight. Even the stars above seemed to hold their breath.
A new notification blinked across his vision:
[Divine Quest Triggered: The Flame Trial]
The First Divine Beast calls to its heir.
Objective: Prove your worth within the Fire Temple.
Location: Hidden Dungeon – Ember Valley.
Aris exhaled, his lips curling into a smirk.
"Level 10 and already a hidden dungeon? Yeah, that's definitely not normal."
He opened the map — a faint crimson dot pulsed far east.
And despite the warning flashing below it—
[Recommended Level: 100+]
—he started walking.
Hidden Dungeon: Ember Valley
The entrance gaped like the mouth of a volcano. Heat rolled out in waves, warping the air.
Aris stepped through, and the world changed.
The tunnel widened into a vast cavern lit by rivers of molten gold. Crystals the size of houses jutted from the walls, pulsing with heart-like rhythm.
Then he heard it — a cry that shook the ground.
A bird made of flame spiraled high above, wings stretching across the ceiling like the sun itself.
"Child of ashes… bearer of my spark…"
Aris's pulse spiked. The voice wasn't the System. It was alive.
"You're... the Phoenix."
"To wield my flame, you must first burn."
The lava surged. From it, a figure rose — molten armor dripping, eyes glowing like embers.
[Boss Spawned: Flame Sentinel – Lv. 100]
Aris barely had time to react before the creature lunged. Its fist slammed into the floor — BOOM! — a shockwave of molten debris erupting around him.
He dodged, heat searing his skin.
[HP: 100 → 64]
The second blow shattered his sword. The third knocked him into a wall of obsidian.
"Level 100... seriously?" he groaned, coughing.
Then — light glimmered in his bag.
He pulled out the small, feather-shaped item glowing gold.
[Item Detected: Divine Feather of Rebirth]
One-time use. Resonates with Phoenix essence.
He hesitated for half a second — then crushed it.
Flames exploded outward.
But they didn't burn — they embraced him. His skin turned golden, veins glowing like molten rivers.
The Phoenix screamed above, wings unfurling.
[Divine Resonance (Phoenix Form – 0.01%) Activated]
[All Stats +500%]
Time slowed. Aris moved — faster than thought, faster than sound.
He struck the Flame Sentinel's core with a single punch.
Crack.
A shockwave of gold fire erupted. The boss disintegrated into embers.
Silence fell.
Then the world spoke.
[Boss Defeated!]
[Level Up: 10 → 17]
[New Title: Emberborn Successor]
[Skill Unlocked: Phoenix's Spark (Passive)]
Aris fell to his knees, panting, eyes wide.
The cavern's light dimmed, leaving only the faint glow of ash falling like snow.
"You have tasted death and fire… and yet you rose."
"Remember, my heir — the flame you wield is but a spark. Only when you reach Level 500 shall you awaken as the Ruler of Beasts."
The voice faded. The dungeon collapsed into light, leaving him standing once more in the plains under a quiet dawn.
He looked at his trembling hand, still faintly glowing with gold.
And for the first time in years — he smiled.
"Guess the real game just started."