Chapter 7: The Eclipse Begins

A blinding light erupted from the sky.

It wasn't just bright—it was all-consuming, swallowing everything in its path. The war-torn battlefield vanished in an instant, the ruins, the corpses, even the blood evaporating into pure white.

[Orion, screaming]: "What the hell is happening?!"

[Lilian, clutching her head]: "My interface—! It's gone!"

The game interface crashed.

Health bars. Skill cooldowns. Chat windows.

Everything.

Players scrambled to move, but their bodies felt sluggish, their limbs like weights pulling them down. Some tried to log out, their fingers swiping at invisible menus that no longer existed.

And then—

The pain began.

It started as a dull ache in their heads.

Then—

Fire.

[Orion, on his knees]: "This… isn't a game anymore—!"

The pain was real.

Every nerve burned. Every heartbeat felt like an explosion in their chests.

And then, one by one—

Their consciousness was ripped away.

Darkness.

No, not darkness—emptiness.

Raine floated.

There was no ground, no sky, no gravity—only an endless abyss, stretching beyond infinity.

[Raine, voice shaking]: "Where… am I?"

He reached out, but his fingers met nothing. His body felt weightless, but at the same time, it felt like he was falling forever.

Then, a voice.

???, ethereal and cold: "Welcome to the real world of Final Eclipse. The second Eclipse begins now."

[Raine, whispering]: "…The second Eclipse?"

Suddenly—

Memories flooded his mind.

The war. The betrayal. The final battle.

Amon's death.

And then—

A flash of something new.

Something that hadn't happened.

[Raine, confused]: "No… this is wrong…"

The memory played out, but this time, he saw something different—

A figure standing in the shadows during the final battle. A watcher.

They had been there the whole time.

Watching.

Waiting.

[Raine, realizing]: "Who are you?"

The memory shattered.

Raine's eyes snapped open.

A rush of air hit his lungs, as if he had been holding his breath for hours. His vision was blurry, his body cold and unfamiliar.

He was lying on the ground.

Grass.

The scent of fresh soil. The warmth of a sun above him. The chirping of birds.

[Raine, groggy]: "Where… is this…?"

He tried to move—

His body felt weak.

Then—

A notification sound.

[System Message]: "Welcome, Player. Your journey begins anew."

A status screen flickered into existence.

But—

Something was wrong.

[Raine, eyes narrowing]: "No… this can't be right."

His level.

It was—

Level 1.

[Raine, gripping his fists]: "…What the hell just happened?"