Light swallowed Eric's vision.
When it faded, he felt something strange beneath his feet.
Solid ground.
Eric froze.
Then—slowly, almost fearfully—he shifted his weight.
He was standing.
No pain. No numbness. No weakness. His legs moved naturally, responding exactly as they once had. For a few long moments, Eric did nothing but breathe and feel the wind brushing against his skin.
Alive.
He laughed softly, a sound he hadn't made in years.
After relishing the sensation, Eric looked around.
He was on an island surrounded by towering bamboo, sunlight filtering through the green canopy above, casting shifting shadows across the forest floor.
This was the First God Sanctuary—the starting point for all players.
There was no character optimization screen. No sliders. No exaggerated features.
The body he inhabited was his own, except here, he could walk.
Streams of information flowed naturally into his mind, almost as if he had always known them. Status, abilities, basic attributes—all were instantly accessible.
He focused.
Status.
Name: Eric Johnson
Level: 1
Race: Human
Bloodline: Locked
Strength: 6
Agility: 5
Vitality: 7
Intelligence: 9
Dexterity: 13
Perception: 8
Luck: 6
Endurance: 7
Charm: 7
Titles: None
Skills: None
⸻
A translucent message appeared in his vision:
Welcome to the First God Sanctuary.
• This is a free-to-play immersive world.
• Players are randomly placed in the Sanctuary.
• NPCs treat players as part of the world.
• There are no fixed rules governing behavior.
• Players can level up by hunting enemies.
• Players may log out at will.
Warning:
If you log out during combat, you will be considered dead and will respawn at the nearest safe location.
⸻
Eric's lips curved into a small, almost imperceptible smile.
Enemies… players… NPCs… anything alive. Interesting.
The reduced pain synchronization meant danger, but it also meant he could test the boundaries. Combat could be escaped. Survival depended as much on wit as on strength.
He looked down at his equipment.
Simple clothes. Light fabric. Nothing special.
At his side lay:
⸻
Item: Regular Knife
Rank: Common
A knife provided to all players at the start of the game.
⸻
Eric picked it up, weighing it in his hand. Perfect balance.
He smiled, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"This really is a second world."
The bamboo forest rustled softly around him.
And somewhere beyond it…
Danger waited.