Introduction

A man stepped in, his face completely hidden behind a smooth black mask. He walked carefully, and his presence caused the hall to quiet down completely.

When he finally stopped at the front, his voice echoed through the room-low, commanding, and unmistakably rehearse.  

“Welcome, everyone... to the trial of our new game. The game you'll experience today is called Aextoria.

First.. I introduced everyone gathered here today. On the left, we have students from Kanzaki High School. On the right, students from Hoshigawa Academy.

And these four... are no ordinary participants. They are professional gamers – invited here to play trail alongside you.”

The weight of their reputation pressed into the air as the four sat in silence, their expressions composed but alert.

Ren gave them a quick look. Compared to the other students who were silently waiting in the same cage like predators, something about their presence felt different.

The man in the mask made a sharp, imposing clap of his hands together. The dispersed commotion abruptly stopped, and all eyes turned to him. The huge screen at the front of the hall flickered brightly with a wave of his hand, casting a pale glow over the room. Bold letters started to appear, resembling a game's menu.

[SYSTEM INFORMATION]

Level : Everyone begins at Level 1. The maximum achievable level is 100. Growth depends on experience earned through missions and fights.

The masked man's voice spread clearly through the hall. “Once a participant reaches Level 100, they will unlock the God Level. This is a special tier beyond normal progression, unique to each character.”

The masked man pointed at the glowing screen, which displayed new details.

[GOD LEVEL SYSTEM]

• Each character has a minimum of 3 God levels and a maximum of 9, depending on their species and types of characters.

• God Levels grant God level skills, forms, and items that cannot be obtained at lower levels.

• Powers and abilities are unique for every character.

[ ITEMS SYSTEM – RARITY CATEGORIES]

• All items are categorized into five tiers: Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic, and God.

• Items can be created using materials and knowledge.

• Knowledge is acquired by exploring the world, discovering hidden areas, or completing objectives.

[CHARACTER TYPES]

• Human – Ordinary humans with supernatural traits.

• Non- human – Beings possessing special abilities or other extraordinary species.

• Unknown – Participants whose origin, abilities, or traits are mysterious and cannot be categorized initially.

[CREATION SYSTEM]

• Each character creates individual subordinates or builds an army, depending on their strategy. ( Terms : Reached 100 level )

The number of units ranges from 3 to 5, based on the character's.

The man in the mask lowered his voice, his tone unusually heavy. “There is much more to this world than you can see on the screen,” he said, pausing as he looked across the hall. “If you play, you will understand... the depth, the dangers, and the power that awaits. Only experience will teach you the rest.”

The students began whispering to one another. Their imaginations were blown away by the possibilities, and excitement and uneasiness clashed.

Ren's normally composed expression flickered with interest as his eyes widened slightly. He felt a chill of anticipation as the masked man spoke with a subtle intensity.

The complexity and depth of the system shocked and clearly impressed even the four professional gamers. 

The masked man's voice, composed yet imposing, echoed loudly throughout the hall.

“ Attention please,” he said, looking at both student groups. “There are twenty-four students in each class. Additionally, two teachers accompany each class.”

Before continuing, he took a moment to process the numbers. “Naturally, four professional gamers have also been invited to participate in this test. That brings the total number of participants to fifty-six.

The students started whispering right away.  "Fifty-six individuals? "That's a lot," someone whispered.

The masked man clapped once, silencing them all .

“ Calm down everyone… 

We've created a psychological test to find out your roles.It will examine your thoughts to identify the character that best fits you. Each task will be unique, and no two people will be given the same role.”

A sharp murmur broke out again.

"W-wait, no repeats?" someone gasped

The four pro gamers looked at each other, their self-assured smiles turning to real surprise.

Ren narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. “...So they're not just testing skills. They're testing who we really are.”

The voice of the masked man spread throughout the quiet hallway.

"All the best with your test. Show us who you truly are.”

With that, the side doors opened, and three staff members entered, carrying stacks of papers and tablets. They moved quickly, placing them on the desks row by row. 

Soon, there was only the soft sound of chairs shifting, screens tapping, and pens scratching in the room. Every teacher, student, and even the four professional gamers bent over their exams, their faces serious.

After a few minutes, When the timer on the screens reached zero, the quiet tension in the hallway finally ended.

“Time's up. Please submit your answers.”

The students submitted their results by touching their screens one by one. Every person's submissions were confirmed. Employees collected the tablets one after another in a fast movement.

The masked man silently stands thinking about something, then he speaks in a calm tone.

“Thank you, everyone .

The results of your test have been noticed and examined. The system has already selected your character based on your psychological characteristics. 

You'll finally enter the game tomorrow, please claim your gift.”

Three staff members came forward with stacks of stylish black boxes in their carts. Each teacher, professional gamer, and student received a box as they made their way down the rows.

The masked man's voice repeated again.

“Inside, you'll find your VR set, 

Specially designed for this trial. Handle it with care. Tomorrow, when the game begins, these will become your keys to another world.”

A rising tide of chatter filled the hall as each student received their stylish black VR set box.

“Whoa... it looks cool.” 

“Do you think it's heavy?”

“What kind of character will I get?”

Then, the masked man gave a small bow.

“Once again, thank you for your cooperation… Our staff members will guide you safely out of the building and to the bus area.”

Several of the staff members came forward. They guided the groups to the exit.

“Please follow in a line, everyone.”

“"Be careful with your VR boxes.”

The teachers attempted to calm them down, the students moved together, still excited with nervousness. Both classes and the professional gamers were taken out of the hall and toward the bus area that was waiting outside, under the care of the staff.

Since the buses had not yet arrived, everyone arrived at the bus area and waited with their backpacks.

Haruto was not paying much attention because he was still excited about playing the game tomorrow. He accidentally bumped shoulders with a student from the other school group.

“Hey, what are you doing, you want to fight with me, hamster brain human!” His friends glared as they moved forward, obviously prepared to start a fight.

Flustered, Haruto raised his hands. “S- Sorry; that was a mis- mistake”

Ren stepped in quickly before the tension could rise. “Let's avoid arguing over something so small. We're all here for the same reason, right?”

Tension was going to increase when—

 ВЕЕP! ВЕЕP!

The bus arrived at a stop. Ren quickly took hold of Haruto's arm.

“Runnn… Haruto!”

The other school group was left behind as they both ran into the bus.

“Ahh, they ran away…”One of the different school students said angrily. “We'll meet in the game tomorrow-and I'll crush you!” said another after them.

Scene changes, the masked man walks into his office. He entered his office, closed the door behind him. His eyes fell on the radio resting on the desk. He switched on the radio respectfully and said. 

“Master everything is done…

I have no doubt your judgement, my master. But…why did you not send them directly?

A deep, influenced voice answered. 

“Before the game starts…

I like my chess pieces arranged properly on the board. 

Always remember …

Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”

The masked man bowed her head. "Thank you, master, for clearing my doubts.”

The next morning, through Ren's room's curtains, sunlight came in. His phone buzzed loudly on the desk all of a sudden.

Ring... Ring…

Ren reached over and picked it up silently.

“Hello! Who?

Haruto's energetic voice almost exploded through the speaker on the other side. “Oh, Ren! Come on, the game is starting! Hurry up and log in!”

A smile pulled at Ren's lips as his eyes opened a little. “ Alright, I'm coming.”

The black box on his desk was slowly opened by Ren. A sleek, futuristic virtual reality headset was inside. With heart rate increases, he carefully picked it up, laid it down, and covered his head with it.

There was a gentle sound as the device turned on. He heard a unique, robotic voice.

[Please enter your access code.]

Recalling the code he had entered during yesterday's psychological test, Ren closed his eyes. Immediately, his fingers moved to input the numbers Feb0402.

[Access confirmed.]

[ Please enter your in-game name.]

“ Hmm, name. I think this name is perfect.”

[ Welcome, player. Login successful.]