Ryn lowered his hand and stepped toward the light. He didn't look back at the stars or the empty throne he had left behind in the data stream.
He stepped through the glass.
"Tap."
As his foot landed on the hard floor, sensations rushed in all at once.
The chirping of birds filled his ears. The warmth of a morning sun pressed against his skin. The smell of baking bread and damp earth flooded his nose.
Ryn stumbled slightly as gravity took hold of him again. He planted his feet firmly on uneven cobblestones, steadying himself against a wooden post.
He blinked, waiting for the white spots in his vision to clear.
When they finally faded, he found himself standing in the center of a medieval plaza. Timber-framed houses lined the square. Their windows overflowed with colorful flowers. NPCs in rustic tunics walked purposefully between stalls selling apples and iron tools. The distant sound of a blacksmith's hammer rang out like a heartbeat.
He looked around, expecting the flash of blue light that signaled other players spawning.
However, nothing happened.
The plaza remained peaceful. Only the NPCs moved, going about their scripted lives with uncanny realism.
Ryn checked his system clock.
[ Global Launch Countdown: 49:58 ]
A faint smile touched his lips. It seems like he still had time.
'Let's see...'
He looked down at his clothes. He wore a simple linen tunic and rough trousers, the standard gear of a Level 1 player.
He then checked his status.
──────?????──────
[ Name: Zero ]
[ Level: 1 ]
[ Core: Transparent (Unawakened) ]
[ Vein: None (Unawakened) ]
──────?????──────
He clenched his fist. He felt the weakness of his stats. He sat at the bottom of the food chain.
And he felt absolutely free.
Ping.
A distinct, golden notification window appeared in the center of his vision. It pulsed with a regal energy, separating itself from the standard blue system messages.
──────?????──────
[ Legacy Protocol Complete. ]
[ Analyzing User History... ]
──────?????──────
A summary of his past journey scrolled down the screen.
──────?????──────
[ Total Playtime: 26,280 Hours (3 Years) ]
[ Floors Cleared: 101 / 101 ]
[ Bosses Slain: 1,452 ]
[ Hidden Objectives Found: 100% ]
[ Death Count: 0 ]
[ Final Rating: SSS+ (The Perfect Run) ]
[ The Universe remembers your sacrifice. Rewards have been delivered. ]
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
──────?????──────
Ryn tapped the notification.
Three separate sections materialized on the screen.
──────?????──────
[ 1. Title Acquired: The Progenitor ] (Description: You are the Ash from which this world was born.)
- [ Recognition of the Old ] Ancient Entities and Guardians will recognize your soul signature. You may receive unique dialogue options or hidden quests from them.
- [ Universal Respect ] Reputation with all Neutral Factions starts at 'Respected'. Shops may offer you hidden catalogs.
- [ Architect's Insight ] You can see the "Structural Flaws" in skills and items. (Increases the success rate of Crafting, Enchanting, and creating new Skills by 20%).
- [ Authority of the First ] You may ignore level restrictions for entering specific 'High-Tier Zones'.
- [ ??? ] (Condition not met)
──────?????──────
[ 2. Unique Trait Acquired: [ Echo of Genesis ] (Native Soul) ]
- You exist between the System and the World. You can seamlessly toggle between Player Mode and Native (NPC) Mode.
──────?????──────
[ 3. Legacy Item: [ The Regressor's Mask ] ]
- A fragment of the face you wore when you destroyed the world. Grants Absolute Anonymity. Cannot be inspected.
──────?????──────
Ryn stared at the screen.
The [???] effect intrigued him.
However, everything else was brilliant as well. Mirage developers didn't let him down at all!
"Perfect," he murmured. "I can skip the tutorial phase entirely."
He reached out to close the window.
BZZZT.
A sharp, static noise exploded in his head.
Ryn flinched. He clutched his chest. A sudden, burning heat surged from his solar plexus. The sensation transcended pain. It evolved into raw, uncontainable power.
──────?????──────
[ Alert. Anomaly Detected. ]
[ Subject Soul Density exceeds 'Initiate' parameters. ]
[ The Vessel is too small for the Soul. ]
──────?????──────
Ryn gritted his teeth. He forced himself to remain standing against the wooden post as the world around him warped.
──────?????──────
[ Incubation Phase: SKIPPED. ]
[ Force Awakening Initiated. ]
──────?????──────
While other players ran around the plaza oblivious, Ryn stood in the center of an invisible cyclone.
──────?????──────
[ Attempting to bind 'Force Vein'... FAILED. (Incompatible) ]
[ Attempting to bind 'Flux Vein'... FAILED. (Incompatible) ]
[ Attempting to bind 'Rune Vein'... FAILED. (Incompatible) ]
[...]
──────?????──────
The system messages flashed red.
The standard paths of the new world were too narrow for him.
His soul rejected them all.
──────?????──────
[ Critical Error. No matching archetype found. ]
[ Accessing Legacy Data... ]
[ Source Code: SOVEREIGN. ]
──────?????──────
The burning in his chest cooled instantly.
The heat condensed into a singular, dense point of darkness within his spiritual core.
──────?????──────
[ Unique Vein Created. ]
[ Congratulations. You have awakened: [ The Origin Vein ] ]
──────?????──────
──────?????──────
[ Origin Vein ]
Description: A Vein connected to the source of all Arcanum. You possess no specific affinity. Instead, you possess Potential. You can learn Skills from ANY Vein type. However, all Skill Experience costs are doubled.
──────?????──────
'...Origin Vein?'
Ryn muttered inwardly as the burning in his chest cooled, glancing at the description.
'...Heh, you guys are being way too obvious now.'
But he still chose to play along.
He plastered a satisfied smile onto his face. He nodded slowly, looking like a player who had just rolled a lucky stat.
"Good," he muttered aloud. He ensured his voice carried a tone of simple, ignorant satisfaction. "This will work perfectly."
He adjusted the collar of his rough linen tunic. He prepared to start his journey in the new world.
However, he barely took a single step.
Ping.
Another window popped up, blocking his path. It pulsed with the same ancient, golden light as the previous notifications.
──────?????──────
[ Legacy Fragment Detected. ]
[ The destruction of the Tower left behind debris. One fragment of your past power remains salvageable. ]
[ Choose ONE: ]
──────?????──────
Three holographic cards spun in the air before him, waiting for his command.
──────?????──────
[ A. The Shattered Eye (Passive Skill) ]
- Retains the combat experience of the Sovereign. Allows you to see 'Attack Trajectories' and 'Weak Points' in real-time.
[ B. The End Blade (Growth Weapon) ]
- The rusted remains of the Blade of the End. It is heavy and blunt. It feeds on the blood of powerful enemies to restore its true form.
[ C. The Gluttonous Shadow (Companion) ]
A living fragment of the Abyss. It is small, weak, and perpetually hungry. However, it is the only living soul that stood by your side until the very end.
──────?????──────
"Hmm..."
Ryn looked at the choices.
He dismissed Option A immediately. He possessed thousands of hours of combat data in his own brain. He did not need a system assist to tell him where to strike. That skill lived in his muscle memory, engraved into his very reflexes.
He glanced at Option B. The rusted blade held memories. It was the weapon that ended the old age. However, it was merely an object. Steel could be forged. Weapons could be replaced.
Then, his gaze landed on Option C.
His facade of a clueless beginner faltered for a fraction of a second.
The image on the card did not show a tool or a weapon. It depicted a small, round silhouette with large, glowing white eyes.
He remembered the freezing nights on the Glacial Floors. He remembered the suffocating silence of the Throne Room. In a world where everything tried to kill him, this little glutton was the only thing that simply wanted to sit on his shoulder and share his food.
"You made it through too, huh?" Ryn whispered. His voice softened, losing the act entirely for a moment.
He reached out and pressed his finger against the third card without any hesitation.
──────?????──────
[ Selection Confirmed. ]
[ Legacy Companion Summoned. ]
──────?????──────
