Darkness faded, replaced by a soft white glow. Slowly, the world around him materialized.
A massive, futuristic interface stretched out before him, hovering in mid-air like a high-tech projection. It was sleek, semi-transparent, and pulsing faintly with neon-blue lines of energy. A faint, rhythmic beep played in the background.
At the very top of the screen, glowing letters formed words:
[WELCOME TO ELYSIUM]
[CHARACTER CREATION MENU]
A lone young man stood before the screen. His sharp, dark eyes narrowed slightly as he took it all in. His name was Kieran Vale, and unlike most first-timers, he wasn't new to this world.
In another life, he had already played Elysium.
And he had died in it.
But now… he was back.
A regressor.