Glimpse Of Soul World

The clock struck 10 at night.

"Mom, you haven’t cooked food yet?" Karan complained to his mother. "I told you I have to sleep early today!"

His mother scoffed. "Oh really? And what did you do for me today? You’ve been glued to that mobile all day, playing games! Not once did you step out of your room to help me. But no, you need food first, right? Just wait a little, it's almost ready. In the meantime, go set the table."

Grumbling, Karan complied. It took him half an hour to finish dinner, and by 10:30, he was in bed. As he lay there, thoughts of the game filled his mind until sleep finally overtook him.

The moment his consciousness faded, the Soul Watch activated.

---

Inside the Dream

Karan found himself engulfed in pitch-black darkness. There was nothing—no sky, no ground, just an endless void. Suddenly, a voice echoed around him.

"Welcome to SoulMonz. Please hold on while we fetch your data."

Startled, Karan looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice. But there was no one in sight.

A moment later, the voice spoke again, this time in a cheerful tone.

"Languages are merging... All done! Hi, I’m Soul Girl. And if I’m not mistaken, you must be the God Slayer. If that's correct, please confirm by saying yes."

Karan hesitated but then answered, "Yes, but—"

"Great! Identity confirmed," Soul Girl interrupted. "Now, a camera icon will appear in front of you. Please click on it."

Right on cue, a screen appeared before Karan with a camera button. He hesitantly pressed it. A flash of light illuminated his surroundings, though he still couldn't see anything. A countdown began.

3… 2… 1… Click.

"Congratulations!" Soul Girl chirped. "Your avatar has been selected! Now, let me explain some important rules of this game:

Rule 0: You are a beta tester. You can only experience this world for one in-game week, but in reality, it will last only 7 hours while you sleep.

Rule 1: Since this is a beta version, major game events are locked. They will only be accessible once the full game is released.

Rule 2: Your communication is restricted to prevent triggering major events ahead of time.

Rule 3: While the game’s ultimate objective is still hidden, as an Ace player, we believe you will figure out its purpose during your time here.

That's it! Now, let me introduce you to your map."

A holographic map appeared before Karan. In the center was a large circle, surrounded by multiple smaller circles. Just as he was about to touch the screen, Soul Girl stopped him.

"You might want to hear me out before doing that," she said playfully.

Karan sighed. "Fine. What do I need to know?"

"This map isn’t just a guide—it’s also a teleportation device. However, teleportation isn't free. Here’s how it works:

If you've visited a location before, its marker will automatically unlock, allowing you to teleport there.

If you want unlimited teleportation, you’ll need to upgrade the map using Soul Coins. The upgrade happens in three stages:

1. Level 1: Teleport up to 50 km from your current location.

2. Level 2: Teleport up to 500 km.

3. Level 3: Teleport anywhere in the game.

But since you’re a beta tester, you get one free teleport now. Just select a location wisely because you can’t change it later!"

Karan studied the map, then hesitated. "Wait, what about storage?"

"Good question! To access your storage, just place your finger on the Soul Watch sensor. Go ahead, try it!"

He did as instructed, and a loading screen appeared on the Soul Watch.

"Your fingerprint is being scanned," Soul Girl explained. "Once complete, you’ll see several options, including storage. Remember, you must use the same finger every time to activate the watch."

Karan nodded. "Got it."

"Great! I hope you’re not getting bored with all this information," she giggled. "Now, go ahead and select your starting location!"

Karan studied the map carefully before clicking on a small circle next to the central one. The screen zoomed in to reveal the name:

Uthol Kingdom.

Soul Girl’s voice rang out, "You’ve chosen Uthol Kingdom as your starting point. I hope you enjoy this adventure!"

Suddenly, a blinding white light filled the space. Everything around Karan vanished.

---

Arrival in the Soul World

Karan slowly opened his eyes and found himself standing near a village. Lush greenery stretched in every direction. To his left, vast farmlands swayed gently in the breeze. Birds chirped melodically, and the air smelled fresh—unlike anything in the 21st century.

Then it hit him.

This is a game.

He looked down at himself. His clothes had changed. He was now dressed like a villager—sturdy boots, simple pants, and a long-sleeved tunic. But something was missing…

His Soul Watch.

Panic flared for a moment until he noticed a small black pearl embedded on the back of his right hand. Curious, he tapped it with his left index finger. Immediately, the Soul Watch interface flickered to life.

So it has transformed into a part of my body… interesting.

He turned his gaze toward the village. As he walked forward, a group of armed men emerged, heading in the opposite direction. Each carried a weapon, their expressions grim. They glanced at Karan but said nothing as they passed.

Before he could dwell on it, a voice called out from behind.

"You don’t look like you’re from around here," said a soft, feminine voice.

Karan turned to see a young girl standing a few feet away. She had a curious look on her face.

"Are you from a distant village?" she asked.

Karan hesitated. "Uh… yeah. I don’t know much about this place. I just know it’s called Uthol Kingdom."

The girl smiled. "So, you're an outsider. That’s fine! You must be thirsty after traveling so far. Come with me, I’ll get you some water."

Karan's instincts screamed "trap."

Beautiful girls don’t just randomly offer help. It’s a classic setup—lead the target somewhere secluded, and then—ambush.

Despite his suspicions, he followed her into the village.

He had no choice.

This was just the beginning.