Argos awoke to the sound of distant water dripping against cold stone. His first conscious thought was that the transition had been smoother than he’d expected. No disorientation, no lag. The Veritas Link was everything the commercials had promised.

  He glanced down, flexing his hands. They felt... real. Too real. The texture of calluses and the slight give of his palms against each other sent a shiver down his spine. He caught his reflection in a shallow pool nearby—a lean figure in simple, ragged clothing, as though he had been dropped straight into the middle of a prison escape. Above his head, faintly glowing text displayed his username: Argos. The text shimmered subtly, as if it were etched into the very air, shifting whenever he moved his head.

  "Well," he muttered, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Guess I’m skipping the character creation process. Figures, considering the Veritas Link scanned every inch of me to craft this body. Looks like they nailed it, for better or worse."

  The cavern stretched endlessly before him, a labyrinth of jagged stone walls that seemed to twist unnaturally, as if shaped by something other than time. The scent of damp earth mingled with a faint metallic tang, tickling his nose. Dim light seeped through cracks in the ceiling, illuminating pools of stagnant water and uneven, moss-covered stones. Broken iron chains hung loosely from the walls, their rusted links clinking faintly as the air shifted. The sound of distant water dripping against stone echoed eerily, creating a rhythm that only emphasized the oppressive stillness of the place. Time felt heavy here, like a forgotten corner of the world where even movement had grown weary.

  A tutorial prompt hovered in his peripheral vision, faintly glowing and translucent, with crisp, serifed text that pulsed slightly to draw his attention:

  Argos smirked, shaking his head. "A prison break? Really? I guess originality took a day off. At least it’s better than waking up on a wagon and being told, ‘Hey you, you’re finally awake,’ as the screen fades in." The words faded with a faint chime as he dismissed them with a flick of his hand, the gesture intuitive and smooth. He stepped forward, the cool stone slick beneath his bare feet. Each step sent ripples through the nearby pools, the sound reverberating through the cavern. His movements felt natural, the Veritas Link translating his thoughts into action with uncanny precision—like stepping into his own skin.

  As he moved, Argos caught sight of a skeleton slumped against the far wall, its bony hand clutching something faintly glinting in the dim light. Carefully, he approached, the stillness of the cavern amplifying each step. Kneeling, he inspected the remains, a faint chill crawling up his spine as he noticed the jagged marks on the bones, as though they had been gnawed.

  "Alright, buddy, let’s see if you’ve been hoarding anything good," he muttered, prying the object loose with care. The system responded immediately, the interface blooming into view like an augmented reality overlay:

  Argos hefted the weapon, giving it a testing twirl. "A rusted spear? I guess this will have to do for now," he said, his voice tinged with reluctant acceptance rather than excitement.

  Argos spun the spear experimentally, testing its weight and balance. "Alright, it’s not much, but let’s see if I can make this work."

  Turning a corner, he encountered the first enemy—a skeletal figure wielding a rusted sword. It moved clumsily, dragging its feet in deliberate, eerie motions, but its glowing red eyes betrayed a malevolence that sent a chill down Argos’s spine.

  The skeleton advanced, its movements sluggish but deliberate. Argos sidestepped the first swing, bringing the spear up in a quick jab that glanced off the creature’s ribs, chipping bone but leaving it unfazed. The skeleton countered with an overhead slash, forcing Argos to stumble back, the rusted blade narrowly missing his arm.

  "Okay," Argos muttered, adjusting his grip on the spear. "You’ve got some fight in you. Let’s see if I can match it."

  He feinted a thrust, causing the skeleton to shift its guard, then quickly swept the spear low, knocking its legs out from under it. The creature hit the ground with a hollow clatter but immediately began to rise again, red eyes burning with eerie determination.

  Argos tightened his grip, driving the spear forward in a calculated strike that punctured the skeleton’s sternum. The brittle bones cracked under the force, and the skeletal figure collapsed into a heap of motionless remains, its red eyes dimming to black.

  As the last fragments of the skeleton faded into light, a system prompt appeared:

  Argos tilted his head, a smirk forming on his lips. "A skill point already?. Let’s see what this game’s got in store for me." With a flick of his hand, a menu materialized before him, showcasing a list of available skills. His eyes scanned the options:

  "Hmm," Argos muttered, scratching his chin. "Sweeping Strike sounds good for dealing with groups, but I only have one bony friend to worry about right now." He tapped on Piercing Thrust, the description lighting up as the system confirmed:

  The menu dissolved as Argos gripped the spear tighter. "Alright, that’s one step forward. Let’s see what’s next."

  As Argos stepped over the pile of bones, the faint sound of grinding stone echoed through the cavern. He froze, gripping the rusted spear tightly, his eyes scanning the dimly lit corridor ahead. The noise grew louder, rhythmic and deliberate. Then, a new system prompt flickered into view:

  "Collapsing path, huh?" Argos muttered, rolling his eyes. "This game really wants to test my reflexes."

  Ahead, the corridor opened into a vast chasm, dimly illuminated by an eerie blue glow emanating from crystalline structures embedded in the cavern walls. A series of narrow, stone platforms stretched across the abyss, each one unique in its movement. Some slid horizontally in slow, deliberate patterns, while others tilted or rotated unpredictably as if testing the courage of anyone daring to cross. Below, faint wisps of light swirled in the void, giving no hint of what awaited those who fell.

  Argos approached the edge, examining the first platform. It looked stable enough but shifted slightly under its own weight. A sharp crack echoed as a piece of stone crumbled into the abyss. "Yup, definitely not OSHA-approved," he quipped, stepping back to gauge the distance.

  Taking a deep breath, he sprinted forward and leapt onto the platform, feeling it wobble precariously beneath him. He crouched low to steady himself, his heart pounding. The platform groaned under his weight before settling, giving him just enough time to glance at the next jump.

  "Alright," he said, scanning the pattern of shifting platforms. "Looks like I’ll have to time this perfectly."

  The next platform shifted unexpectedly as he prepared to jump, forcing him to recalculate mid-air. He landed awkwardly, his foot slipping as the stone tilted sharply. Scrambling for balance, he muttered, "Okay, game, I see what you’re doing. You’re not gonna win."

  Each leap became more challenging as the platforms moved faster, with some shifting unexpectedly as he prepared to jump. The gaps widened, forcing Argos to time his movements with increasing precision. At one point, a platform shifted just as his foot landed, causing him to stumble and nearly lose his balance. He crouched low, steadying himself as he muttered, "Yeah, definitely not my favorite tutorial."

  Halfway through, the chasm seemed to sense his progress. A sudden gust of wind howled through the cavern, sending dust and loose debris scattering across the platforms. One tilted violently under the pressure, forcing Argos to grip the edge with both hands as his spear dangled precariously into the void. Teeth gritted, he pulled himself up and muttered, "Alright, game, I get it. You’re trying to kill me."

  "Seriously?" Argos shouted, gripping the edge of the platform as it tipped. "Who designed this tutorial, a sadist?"

  Pulling himself up, he adjusted his grip on the spear and prepared for the final stretch. The final stretch tested his endurance. The jumps grew longer, requiring him to sprint before leaping to reach the increasingly distant platforms. His muscles ached from the strain, and sweat trickled down his brow. Just as his determination began to waver, a faint glimmer on the far side caught his attention—a glowing rune etched into the wall, pulsating softly. It seemed to beckon him forward, as though promising an end to the ordeal.

  Reaching the final platform, Argos leapt with all his strength, landing hard against the ledge and scrambling to pull himself up. Panting, he stared at the glowing rune, which now hovered just within reach.

  As he reached out to touch it, the rune pulsed brightly, and a system prompt appeared:

  Argos raised an eyebrow, chuckling softly. "Gold coins, huh? At least I won’t be broke in this game. Could’ve used a health potion, though."

  The rune's glow faded, and a stone door at the far end of the room began to creak open. Argos narrowed his eyes at the dimly lit passage beyond. "More surprises, huh?"

  Argos stepped cautiously into the chamber, his bare feet brushing against the cold, smooth stone. The air was thick with a sense of anticipation, and the faint hum of magic seemed to echo through the cavernous space. Four towering pillars stood in a perfect square, each adorned with glowing symbols representing fire, water, earth, and air. Above him, a faintly glowing system message materialized, casting its words in a shimmering light:

  "Great," Argos muttered, running a hand through his messy hair. "Nothing screams 'welcome to the game' like a logic puzzle."

  He moved toward the nearest pillar—fire—tracing the runes etched along its surface. His fingers brushed against a glowing red sigil, which flared brighter at his touch. A faint rumble beneath the ground made him freeze, but it quickly subsided.

  "Okay, so touching things makes them light up," he mused. "Classic mechanics. At least it’s not asking for a blood sacrifice. Yet."

  Argos’s eyes scanned the room for any additional clues. The walls bore faintly glowing inscriptions, some too worn to read, but a prominent line near the base of the pillars caught his attention:

  "Balance is the key; chaos will lead to ruin."

  "Balance, huh? Sounds like someone’s been reading fortune cookies," Argos said, smirking.

  He started experimenting, pressing the sigil for water. The blue glow lit up the pillar, a soft hum confirming the interaction. Emboldened, he moved to the air symbol next, watching the pillar glow white. But when he pressed the fire rune, a sharp crack echoed through the chamber, and a plume of flame shot across the floor. Argos jumped back with a yelp.

  "Guess that was wrong. Good thing this game doesn’t have a death counter. Yet."

  As he studied the carvings, a realization dawned. "Water extinguishes fire, earth blocks water, and air... stokes fire? Oh, I get it now. Elemental interactions."

  Argos carefully repeated the sequence, this time selecting water, earth, air, then fire. Each choice brought a satisfying click and a growing hum of magic. With the final press, the entire chamber began to tremble.

  The pillars’ symbols blazed brightly before dimming in unison. The chamber floor split down the center with a low grinding sound, revealing a hidden staircase spiraling downward into darkness. A new system message flickered into view, the text glowing with triumphant satisfaction:

  Argos exhaled, clutching the rusted spear tighter. "Alright," he muttered, peering into the staircase. "Let’s see what fresh horrors are waiting for me down there."

  With one last glance at the now-quiet chamber, he stepped forward. The glow from the staircase lit his path as he descended into the unknown, the faint echoes of his footsteps swallowed by the darkness below.