Carried.

Rael glanced at the heart in his hands. "How did creating a new account lead me here?" he muttered, shaking his head. Taking a breath, he focused and gave the system command. "Accept skill."

The world around him blurred as the heart began to disintegrate, dissolving into countless shimmering particles. They swirled like a miniature galaxy before flowing into his chest, sending a faint warmth through his body.

[Skill Learned: Dragonrite]

[New Ability Gained: Abyssal Maw]

Rael blinked at the notifications. "Wait…?" He quickly opened his status menu, eyes scanning the new entries:

[Skill: Dragonrite]

Allows the user to gain a random ability upon consuming a dragon's heart. Each ability is unique and cannot be replaced.

[Ability: Abyssal Maw]

Summons a spectral dragon head wreathed in purplish flames to bite enemies. Scales with character level.

Rael read through both descriptions twice. "So that's what he meant by choice," he muttered under his breath. Testing the ability was tempting, but the sharp gaze he felt from behind reminded him of Weyrn's presence.

Turning back, he found the elf watching him with his usual unreadable expression. Rael closed the menu with a flick of his hand. "…Now what?"

Weyrn's gaze lingered on him, something resembling approval flickering in his eyes. "You've joined the few capable of wielding a Dragonrite. Don't squander it."

Rael shifted, still feeling the lingering warmth of the heart's absorption. "Why me?" he asked. "Why choose me back at the caves?"

Weyrn adjusted his cloak. "For the Dragonrite to take root, the user must have never walked another path. No conflicting powers." His eyes flicked to Rael. "You met the prerequisite."

Rael frowned, considering the implication. So I wouldn't be here if I'd been level 20 or higher?

"Dragonrite is simple in principle," Weyrn continued. "When a user consumes a dragon's heart, they gain a fragment of its strength. Each heart bestows a different ability, determined by the dragon's nature. But…" His gaze shifted toward the distant peaks. "Dragons are noble creatures. Their might is not freely given, and their hearts are not easily claimed."

He tapped the side of his greatbow with a faint clink of metal. "For hunters like us, growing stronger without challenging dragons is… difficult. Our path is one of trial and blood." His voice grew quieter, though his fingers traced the bowstring with unmistakable reverence.

Then, as if remembering something, Weyrn glanced back at Rael. "But you… You're the first Blessed to inherit a Dragonrite."

Rael's brow furrowed. "First? Out of all the blessed?"

"Blessed grow stronger far faster than mortals," Weyrn replied, unconcerned by the question's nuance. "Your kind's growth is… accelerated. What takes us years can be achieved by you in mere weeks. With a Dragonrite, that advantage becomes even greater. Use it wisely."

Rael exhaled slowly, processing the information. So even the NPCs notice the difference in progression. Makes sense, I guess. Aloud, he said, "Thanks for the opportunity… and the lesson."

Weyrn offered a single nod before turning toward the thunderbird. Without another word, he mounted Foren, and the thunderbird spread its wings. Rael climbed up as well, bracing against the surge of wind as they ascended into the skies once more.

The journey back to the fishing village was shorter than Rael expected, likely due to Foren's incredible speed. A while later, the faint outline of the coast appeared below—rocky shores and wooden docks stretching into calm blue waters. Foren circled once, then descended near the village outskirts, landing with a graceful sweep of its wings.

Rael dismounted first, boots crunching against the gravel road. "See you around, I guess," he said, looking up at Weyrn.

The elf nodded, his golden eyes gleaming faintly. "Survive long enough, and perhaps we'll meet again." With that, he tapped Foren's neck. The thunderbird launched into the sky, leaving behind a gust of wind and a scattering of leaves in its wake.

Rael stood there for a moment, watching the fading silhouette until it vanished beyond the clouds. Then he let out a long breath and rubbed the back of his neck. "First Blessed Dragonrite user, huh…" His gaze drifted toward the distant sea, waves reflecting the midday sun.

What are the odds? First, I get this weird sealed class that probably takes forever to unlock. Now, I've got some rare dragon ability that sounds cool but will probably amount to jack all in the long run. He huffed out a quiet laugh. Is there some entity out there enjoying my misery?

Shaking his head, Rael adjusted his bow and turned toward the village. It was time to figure out what to do next.

* * *

Turns out I didn't have to wait long to figure out what to do next.

First on the list: a certain weapon vendor.

Rael's footsteps echoed against the cobblestone as he approached the small shop near the village square, where racks of basic swords and spears stood on display. The wooden sign above the entrance swayed slightly in the breeze, as if taunting him.

Five minutes later, he stepped back outside, shaking his head as the door swung shut behind him. At least I gave him a piece of my mind about those fish alcohol bottles… Whether the vendor actually cared was debatable, but Rael considered the matter settled.

Next, Sabrina.

He opened his interface and scrolled to his pending friend requests. Sabrina's name hovered at the top of the list, marked by a small silver icon next to her username: Artemis. With a quick tap, he accepted.

Ding!

Before he could even close the interface, three messages popped up in rapid succession.

[Artemis]: Finally?

[Artemis]: It's been three days. What were you even doing?

[Artemis]: Thought you got lost or something.

Rael rubbed the back of his neck, already regretting the decision. He typed out a quick response.

[EzPz4040]: I was in some marsh zone in the south. Got pulled into a quest or something.

The reply came almost instantly.

[Artemis]: Oh, nice. I'm in the south too. Want to meet somewhere?

Rael hesitated, then opened the player-run wiki for the southern region. Since the game had been out for over a month, players had already documented most of the known towns. After a quick scroll, he found one that wasn't too far from his current location: Hulan.

[EzPz4040]: There's a town called Hulan. Meet there?

[Artemis]: Alright. Also, you're like level eleven huh.

Rael blinked. What? Before he could reply, another wave of messages arrived, this time filled with random stickers—everything from a dancing slime to a pixelated chicken holding a knife.

[Artemis]: You should probably change your name soon. People are gonna hunt you down just to troll you.

Rael exhaled through his nose, half amused, half exasperated. Yeah… probably a good idea.

With a shake of his head, he closed the interface and turned south. Time to head to Hulan.

* * *

The journey to Hulan took Rael the better part of half a day. By the time he reached the outskirts, the sun was already dipping toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the golden plains. As he crossed the stone bridge leading into town, the distant hum of chatter and clinking tools drifted on the breeze, mingling with the faint creak of wooden carts rolling over cobblestone.

Despite the scenic ride, Rael found himself missing Foren's speed. Compared to the thunderbird's exhilarating flight, even the fastest land mounts felt painfully slow.

Hulan itself was modest—cobbled streets winding between timber-framed buildings, their windows glowing faintly with lantern light. Stalls lined the marketplace near the entrance, vendors calling out last-minute offers before packing up for the evening. Farther in, a tall clock tower loomed above the rooftops, its bells faintly echoing the hour.

As Rael approached the main square, a familiar figure caught his eye near a fountain. Sabrina leaned against the stone ledge with casual ease, arms crossed over her chest. Her silver hair, tied back in a loose ponytail, caught the fading sunlight like strands of moonlight. She wore a dark leather jacket over a fitted tunic, her black boots tapping idly against the ground as she scanned the crowd.

Spotting Rael, she pushed off the fountain and approached with a slight smirk. "Took you long enough."

"I wasn't exactly next door," Rael replied flatly.

"Excuses, excuses," she teased, stopping a few steps away. Her gaze flicked over him, as if appraising his equipment. "Still rocking the default look, huh?"

Rael shrugged, unfazed. "Haven't had time to care about fashion."

"Still, Lunaris is a solid choice." Sabrina stepped around him in a slow circle, as if inspecting a rare specimen. "Good racial bonuses, decent appearance... You do your homework or just get lucky?"

"Didn't like the idea of playing human," Rael replied. "Seemed boring."

The words slipped out without much thought, but in the back of his mind, he recalled how quickly he'd chosen human on his main account—no hesitation, no second-guessing.

"Fair enough." Sabrina stopped in front of him again, her gaze briefly flicking to his equipment before swiping her interface open. "Anyway, I owe you one, remember? So I'm here to return the favor. Let's go level you up, Mr. Newbie!"

Rael raised an eyebrow. "Power leveling, huh?"

"Of course. Can't have you wandering around as a lowbie forever." She tilted her head with a smirk. "Besides, it's literally why I'm here. I'm level twenty-seven—it won't take long."

Rael's gaze flicked over her equipment. Sleek leather armor designed for mobility, with reinforced plating around the shoulders and bracers. The bow slung across her back gleamed with faint silver etchings, and the quiver at her hip carried arrows tipped with obsidian fletching. Definitely not beginner gear. Her level tag confirmed it: Level 27—impressive for the game's current stage. A ranger, too, from the look of it.

"Alright," Rael sighed, accepting her party invite without further questions.

"Good. Let's head out before it gets crowded." She turned and walked briskly down the street, her steps confident and unhurried.

Rael adjusted his bow and fell into step beside her. By the time they passed through Hulan's southern gate and into the wilds beyond, night had fully settled over the landscape. The faint glow of moonlight filtered through the dense thickets of pine, casting silver patterns across frost-tipped shrubs. The air carried a crisp chill, each breath visible in the cool darkness.

The first targets were ice trolls—hulking creatures with pale blue skin and jagged limbs that looked more like frozen boulders. They loomed twice as tall as Rael, their breath misting in the air as they lumbered forward with bone clubs raised high.

"Focus their legs," Sabrina called, loosing an arrow that whistled through the air and embedded itself into a troll's knee with a dull thunk. The beast roared, its balance faltering as frost splintered from the wound.

Rael moved quickly, nocking an arrow and aiming for the same joint. His shot struck true, causing the creature to stagger. Sabrina finished it off with a rapid volley, her arrows blurring through the air.

They fell into a rhythm—Rael crippling their targets while Sabrina delivered precise, lethal shots. Each kill sent faint golden motes drifting toward him as experience notifications flickered at the edge of his vision.

By the time they moved on from the frost-covered hills, Rael had gained a couple of levels. His breathing was steady, but his stamina bar hovered dangerously low after hours of constant movement. Yet Sabrina showed no signs of slowing.

"Hope you're not tired yet," she said with a grin.

Rael exhaled through his nose. "I can keep going."

They descended into a dripping cavern next, its walls slick with condensation. The air smelled faintly of salt and algae, and shallow pools of water covered the uneven stone floor. Shadows shifted within the pools—slithering shapes that rose into humanoid forms with translucent bodies and glowing sapphire eyes. Water elementals.

"Great…" Rael muttered.

The elementals moved faster than the trolls, their bodies flowing effortlessly through the waterlogged terrain. Arrows slowed as they struck liquid flesh, reducing their impact. Rael quickly found himself dodging more than attacking, splashes soaking his boots as he darted around cascading jets of pressurized water.

A burst of liquid shot past his shoulder, narrowly missing his head. Another elemental lunged forward, its form shifting into a serpentine coil as it whipped toward him. Rael twisted aside, barely avoiding the strike as he drew another arrow. His stamina dipped further.

The temptation to use Abyssal Maw flared in the back of his mind. One strike, and he could finish the creature instantly. But the thought of Sabrina witnessing a low-level ranger casually summoning a dragon's head to chomp his enemies in half was… less than ideal.

Yeah, that'd be a little hard to explain.

He gritted his teeth and kept running, focusing on landing quick shots while Sabrina took down the elementals with practiced efficiency. Each kill brought a surge of experience, pushing him steadily toward his goal.

"Hey, try not to run so much!" Sabrina called between shots. "You're making them chase you all over the cave."

"Not all of us are built like machines," Rael shot back, loosing an arrow that clipped an elemental's shoulder.

"Always with the excuses," she replied with a laugh, seamlessly switching targets as another elemental emerged from the depths.

Rael only grunted in response, weaving through shallow pools as jets of pressurized water splashed against the cavern walls. Another elemental surged forward, forcing him to dive aside to avoid a watery tendril aimed at his chest. His boots skidded on the slick stone, nearly sending him sprawling.

So this is what Elias feels like everytime, he thought dryly, narrowly dodging another blast of water. The constant pressure of being chased, knowing a single mistake could get you flattened… Yeah, he owed the guy some food after this.

By the time the last elemental collapsed into a puddle of shimmering water, Rael stood panting near the cave wall, his bow still half-raised. His interface blinked with a familiar blue notification:

[Level Up!]

Rael exhaled slowly, relaxing his grip on the bowstring. Not bad for a few hours of work. A quick glance at his interface showed Level 17 glowing beside his name. He closed it and looked toward Sabrina, who was already hopping around.

"You don't fight like a newbie," she called with a faint grin.

"Yeah... thanks for the help, but—" He paused, rubbing the back of his neck. "I should probably log out. My friends are waiting for me to grab food."

"Ah, real-world obligations, huh?" Sabrina raised a brow.

"Something like that." He opened his interface to log out, then hesitated. "And, uh... You've already helped me a lot. It's fine if we don't go all the way to twenty."

"Doesn't matter." She shrugged, turning toward the cave exit. "I'm in Hulan anyway. I'll find something to do until you're back. Just don't take too long, or I might hit twenty-eight without you."

Rael snorted. "Right. Be back later."

With that, he confirmed the log-out option, and the world of Solmora dissolved into white.

* * *

Rael stepped out of the pod, rubbing his neck as he adjusted to the real world again. The faint hum of Elias's VR setup still echoed in the air, but his roommate was nowhere near his pod. Instead, Elias stood in the middle of the room, one leg stretched behind him, arms raised overhead in a wobbly yoga pose.

"Flexibility is key," Elias muttered to himself. "If the mind is flexible, nothing is impossible—"

Rael cleared his throat.

"Gah—!" Elias flailed, lost his balance, and crashed face-first onto the carpet with an unceremonious thump. He rolled onto his back, rubbing his nose as he blinked up at Rael.

"Hello, stranger," Elias greeted as if nothing had happened. "Come here often?"

Rael stared down at him, unimpressed.

"I—uh, It's a joke, joke," Elias quickly amended, scrambling to his feet. "Anyway, how'd the date with Sabrina go?"

Rael's expression remained perfectly blank.

"…Haha. Kidding. Definitely kidding," Elias added with a nervous chuckle, holding his hands up in surrender. "So, what happened?"

Rael crossed his arms and crashed onto the couch, sinking into the cushions with a sigh. "Ran into an NPC named Weyrn while AFK farming. Somehow ended up slaying a dragon and becoming a Dragonrite user or something. Then I spent a few hours mob-hunting with Sabrina and hit level 17."

He said it with the same casual tone someone might use to mention buying groceries.

Elias just stood there, staring. "…Wait—what?"