The scene fades to black, with only Smith's figure standing in a void of endless space. Then, he becomes aware of a woman's voice speaking to him.
[Loading language data into temporary memory…]
[Welcome to Aden, humanity's second world, the New Eden. A sandbox realm for your adventures.]
[Create a username for your account.]
[Note: The account username is not your character's name. The game does not display character names.]
"Smith."
[Next, please select your character.]
[Note: The character you create has only three lives. If your character loses all lives, the system will permanently delete it, and you will need to create a new one.]
There were many options for character creation, including scanning a character based on real-life appearance. Smith chose to craft his character manually. He realized that Aden's Nodes Simulation Engine could replicate particles at an atomic level, which means physical appearance might affect muscle mass. Given Aden's medieval fantasy setting, he might create a female character, as he often preferred, but Aden's NPCs had human-like psychology and their own cultures. To align with the context and ensure survival, Smith designed a male character with the average build of a Marine, featuring Viking-style braided blonde hair and a neatly curled blonde mustache. A man of his age would likely command respect from NPCs.
[Please select your voice.]
Various preset voices were available, including customizable options.
"Use my voice."
Smith prefers his natural voice—a deep, raspy tone that sounded like a Western cowboy.
[Please select a perk from the four available paths.]
The next step displays a lengthy text, forcing Smith to pause and rest his eyes momentarily.
Smith gathered his focus, carefully reading each word.
[
Adventurer—Superior strength, enhancing combat and survival skills, resource gathering, and disease resistance.
Trader—Master in social understanding, boosting negotiation, trading, and networking skills.
Craftsman—Master in specialized skills suited for specific trades, such as farming, medicine, or various forms of craftsmanship.
Scholar—Dedicate to mastering knowledge, with incomparable intellect. ]
Perks, Aden's assist system, didn't lock players into a single role like class systems in other games. The four perk paths define a player's initial talents. Players could learn any skill regardless of their perk, but perks aligned with specific skills enhanced their effectiveness. Some players still viewed perks as akin to classes, but three months ago, it was discovered that perks could be changed through rituals, trials, or unlocking specific conditions.
Smith pondered, standing in the dark void where a floating book displayed the options. The man gazed silently, the stillness unbroken even by the sound of his heartbeat.
'Only three lives. For newbies without allies, this game is tough. Adventurer is too risky. But with this much freedom—damn it, from the guides I read, magic is monopolized by priests. I'm not here to play a missionary simulator.'
Smith ruled out two options, leaving only Trader and Craftsman. He recalled the game's community. When Aden launched, most players chose Adventurer—not a bad choice, but they didn't yet understand Aden's depth.
Early on, players armed themselves with basic weapons for adventure, then they faced the harsh reality. Each player started with 20 pence, enough for a basic machete, a wooden shield, and a night for rest in the tavern, with a little left over. They hunted, fought bandits, but soon players learned that combat required real-world fighting skills. The Adventurer perk's assist system made acrobatics and flips feel just a routine, but enemies weren't mindless. Controlled by advanced AI, they moved fluidly and used tactics. Within a week, the game's official website reported millions of player deaths.
This was why guides urged players to explore diverse playstyles.
"I choose Craftsman."
[Are you certain you wish to select the Craftsman perk?]
Smith was confident. In real life, he'd been handy with mechanical work since childhood, growing up around his family's auto repair shop. As a teenager, he'd gone for various technical jobs. He considered a talent that would be valuable in a realistic sandbox game.
Repair work could generate income among players. Even with the meta favoring Adventurers, mercenaries, bounty hunters, and magic-wielding priests, a Craftsman role might offer engaging roleplay, didn't it?
"Absolutely."
[There are four continents in Aden. Players may only select a starting point on the continent of Serera.]
[Final step: Please select your starting point from one of five thousand churches.]
Corner's voice echoed in Smith's mind. He remembered the village name clearly.
"Drechuis Village."
[Drechuis Village, a medium-sized settlement at the foot of the Caupasian Mountains Range, under the vassalage of Kiebrav, Skorra Kingdom. It has a low-to-moderate player population and serves as a waypoint for travelers, located at the northern-southern border of Serera.]
"Start game."
[Notice: Time in Project Aden runs six times faster than in the real world. You will spawn at a church in your chosen location. We wish you a joyful experience in Project Aden.]
…
Yawn…
Smith came to, lying on a straw bed covered with a rectangular canvas sheet. The buffed man ran his fingers over the fabric, feeling its texture vividly.
'No way.'
Still skeptical, Smith pinched his arm hard.
"Urgh!"
A sensation like an electric shock—numb and tingling, but not painful. Smith flinched instinctively.
'Got it. To avoid excessive pain, they simulate it as numbness, like a mild shock.'
The man seemed to grasp something, but another curiosity stimulated him.
Smith lowered his head, reaching to check the balls between his legs.
"Hey, you finally awa—"
A voice interrupted, but it stopped mid-sentence.
Smith turned to see a figure, see a young woman in priestly robes standing rigidly. She was stunned for over five seconds before she hurried out the door.
'Oh, crap…'
Barely a minute into the game, and he'd already caused an embarrassing moment, as if the NPC was programmed to catch him off-guard. Smith sat at the edge of the bed, clutching his head, feeling a level of shame he'd never experienced.
Creak!
"Wait, it's not what you think! I was just—"
A woman, the same priest, opened the door, smiling and raising a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture. Smith mirrored her, sliding a finger across his lips and winking with a thumbs-up, signaling their mutual understanding to keep it quiet.
"So… this is Drechuis Village?"
"Uh… erm, yes!"
Smith asked the priestess, She nodded quickly.
"Here is your bundle. They were with you when you were unconscious."
"Thanks."
The priestess handed him a drawstring leather bundle. Smith opened it to find a blank notebook with a worn leather cover and 20 pence in copper coins, each stamped with a solar emblem. Inscribed around the coins in Latin-like script was:
"Sainte Sollaire Lux - En Scora Mieren."
Smith instantly understood the fictional language, despite never studying it—a standard Sereran phrase meaning "Holy Sun Shines - Minted in Skora."
Before leaving the church's sleeping quarters, Smith remembered his cousin, "Corner Amir." Corner had started playing two months before Smith, but lost his character after illegally selling magic scrolls, a crime in Serera where only priests could use magic. He was executed in-game and created a new character named Shylock.
"One thing I'd like to ask—do you know someone named Shylock around here?"
"Shylock?"
"Shylock. He's been waiting in the church since early this morning. I don't know if he's waiting for someone."
"Thank you so much."
Smith left the sleeping quarters and opened the door, expecting a hallway leading to the church. Instead, he saw a man sitting, fidgeting with his hands, looking anxiously toward the doorway.
"Corner?"
Smith accidentally called Shylock by his real name, guessing the figure's reaction would confirm his identity.
"Smith?"
The man stood, his face lighting up with joy, a wide grin spreading across it. He knew only Smith, who'd spoken with him minutes ago, who only in Aden knew his real name.
"My man, you finally made it! Welcome to Aden. I've got a ton of cool stuff to show you!"
Shylock rushed forward, enveloping the burly man in a hug. Though their in-game appearances were unfamiliar, the bond from the real world couldn't be hidden in this virtual realm.
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