Invernia:Reality's edge

The faint hum of his PC monitor flickered in the early morning silence, beckoning Nasuke from his restless slumber. Dragging himself out of bed, he sank heavily into the chair, his body still aching from the previous day.

He stared at the search bar, fingers hesitating above the keyboard. His thoughts wandered back to Ryo's cryptic words.

"When you change your mind, I'll be waiting for you… in Invernia."

Nasuke sighed. I know I called it a scam, but… I've got to know. Was that guy just messing with me, or is this game legit?

He typed: Invernia: Reality's Edge Chip.

The results loaded almost instantly, and there it was: a sleek black and silver box with the title glowing ominously in bold letters. Its design was so polished it felt surreal.

"So this is real, huh?" Nasuke muttered under his breath. His finger hovered over the Order Now button for only a moment before clicking.

---

Six Hours Later

The sharp, insistent ring of the doorbell startled Nasuke awake. Rubbing his eyes and groaning, he stumbled toward the door. Standing there were two delivery people: one holding a bag of groceries and the other clutching a slim, sleek black package marked with the Invernia logo.

"Are you Mr. Nasuke?" the grocery delivery woman asked.

"Yeah, that's me," he replied groggily.

Both workers handed him clipboards to sign. After quickly scribbling his name, he took the deliveries—a bag of necessities in one hand and the Invernia box in the other.

He stood in the doorway for a moment, staring at the gleaming logo on the package.

Finally, he thought. Food… and the game.

---

The smell of fried food filled the small kitchen as Nasuke stood at the stove, cooking with a rare energy. Despite his usual exhaustion, the excitement of what lay ahead kept his movements light.

Sitting at the table, he ate quickly, one hand turning the Reality's Edge box over and over like a prized artifact. Its sleek design was almost hypnotic.

"This better be good," he muttered to himself between bites. "Mythos Rebirth wasn't bad, but let's be real—it was just quests and oversized bosses. No real challenge… no real meaning."

When the meal was done, he washed his dishes in record time and headed straight to his room.

---

Standing at his desk, Nasuke ran his fingers along the smooth edges of the box before carefully opening it. Inside was a tiny, translucent chip, its edges glowing faintly with an almost organic light.

"Alright," he murmured. "Let's see what you've got."

He slotted the chip into his gaming PC, and the screen flickered to life with a strange logo that pulsed before everything went dark. Sliding into his VR chair, Nasuke secured the straps and closed his eyes.

The void enveloped him. A loading bar appeared, crawling agonizingly from 1% to 100%.

"Loading Complete."

Nasuke opened his eyes.

---

A vast, dimly lit library stretched endlessly before him. Towering shelves filled with ancient books climbed into a sky obscured by shadow. The air was thick, humming with an indescribable energy.

In the center of the room stood a young man. His pristine white hair fell neatly over sharp, angular features, and his piercing silver eyes seemed to see through everything. Despite his youthful appearance, his presence was daunting, commanding.

"Welcome to Invernia: Reality's Edge, Nasuke," the man said.

Nasuke blinked, his breath catching. "Wait… How do you know my name? Is this part of the intro sequence?"

The man smirked, his eyes narrowing slightly. "This is not part of the story."

Nasuke froze, a chill running down his spine. "You… can read my mind?"

The man didn't answer directly. Instead, he tilted his head, his smirk deepening.

"Let's keep things simple," the figure continued. "My name is Arcanis, Lord of Creation. And as of now, you are a fragment of my world."

Nasuke swallowed hard. "What's the plot of this game, then?"

"There is no plot," Arcanis replied. "Or rather, there is… but it will only reveal itself to those who survive."

"Survive?" Nasuke's voice wavered. "What do you mean—"

Arcanis cut him off with a raised hand. "Understand this: once you enter this game, you must live by its rules. There are no shortcuts. No second chances."

Nasuke's stomach churned, but the flicker of curiosity refused to die. "Alright," he said cautiously. "I get it."

Arcanis's expression softened slightly, though his aura remained overpowering. "Good. Now, it's time to begin."

With a snap of his fingers, a glowing figure appeared beside Nasuke—a faceless, demi-human form suspended in the air. Golden symbols shimmered around it, forming an interactive interface that resembled a character creation screen.

"Create your Avatar," Arcanis instructed. "This will be your only identity in Invernia. Choose wisely."

Nasuke stared at the figure in awe, his pulse quickening as he reached for the shimmering symbols.

"Wow…"

The system pulsed softly in response, waiting for his first command.

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