Eternal Realm Online

Kaito adjusted the straps of the capsule around him, making sure it was snug. This was the moment. He'd been looking forward to it for weeks—trying out Eternal Realm Online, the most popular VR game in the world.

The game promised an incredibly real experience. Kaito had always been calm and patient, and now, his excitement was under control. He was ready.

With a deep breath, he tapped the touchpad in front of him, and the screen flickered to life.

"Please enter your username."

Kaito

The system immediately recognized his username.

"Username accepted. Please select your race."

Kaito didn't hesitate. He selected Human. It was a safe choice—balanced and simple, just the way he liked it.

"Race selected: Human. Please choose your class."

Kaito thought for a moment and selected Swordsman. A class that required skill and precision—perfect for his calm, focused style.

"Class selected: Swordsman. Initializing game world."

The capsule hummed as everything around him started to disappear. A few moments later, everything was bright and clear again.

Kaito blinked, adjusting to the new world. He was standing on a grassy plain, and the air felt fresh. The sounds of nature were all around him—birds chirping, leaves rustling in the breeze. It was so real, it almost felt like he was actually there.

"Welcome to Eternal Realm Online, Kaito."

The voice wasn't loud or intrusive. It was just there, like a whisper in his mind. Kaito wasn't surprised. He had read about the game's immersive features.

He glanced down at his body. He was wearing simple leather armor, and a sword hung at his side. The weight of the sword felt real. The slight pressure of the armor against his skin was unmistakable.

A map appeared in front of him, showing several different locations in the game world.

"Please select your starting location."

Kaito chose Lumis City, a beginner-friendly place with a lot of quests and shops.

"Starting location: Lumis City. Teleporting you now…"

For a brief moment, he felt a light, weightless sensation. Then, in the blink of an eye, he found himself in a busy city square.

The streets of Lumis City were crowded with players and NPCs. The buildings were made of stone, and shops lined the streets. Kaito walked through the square, observing everything around him. He didn't rush. He preferred to take things slow and steady.

As he passed an armor shop, a strange message appeared in front of him.

ERROR: Race selection failure. System override initiated.

Kaito's calm expression didn't change. He had chosen Human, but something had gone wrong. The game seemed to have assigned him a different race.

"ERROR: Dragon race chosen."

Kaito raised an eyebrow. That wasn't supposed to happen. He reached up and felt his head, noticing two small black horns that had suddenly appeared.

He opened his character menu and checked his status.

Race: Dragon

• Form: Human (Base Form)

• Horns: Black

• Wings: Unavailable

There was a message saying that his Dragon race had been activated by mistake, but it also unlocked a special skill tree for him.

Race Skill Tree: Dragon

• Elemental Mastery

• Draconic Strength

• Wings of the Dragon (Unavailable)

Kaito saw the option for Elemental Mastery. He could choose one element to focus on, and it would grow stronger over time. After thinking for a moment, he selected Lightning.

The system confirmed his choice, and Kaito felt a strange pulse of energy. It wasn't strong yet, but he could feel it inside him, waiting to grow as he leveled up.

Just as Kaito was processing what had happened, another message appeared.

ERROR: You cannot log out.

Kaito didn't panic. He tapped the logout button, but nothing happened. The system was telling him that he couldn't leave the game.

He took a deep breath. He was trapped in the game. But Kaito wasn't the type to get upset. He had always faced challenges calmly, and this was no different.

Kaito stood in the middle of Lumis City, taking in the sights and sounds around him. He couldn't log out. But instead of feeling lost, he felt focused. The game had just become more than just a test. It had become his reality.