Darkness engulfed Carl.

“Please wait for all the assets to load. This will only take a moment. As the voice of Cybercore, let me also urge you to interact with me exclusively in your thoughts for the sake of public immersion. If you still struggle with this ability–”

“No problem. I'm good.”

Suddenly deprived of the vivid audio-visuals of the staging area, Carl took notice of his real body, which disappeared into the background for the past several hours. He moved about slightly on his cozy bed, sensing that everything was in order.

Although it was possible to multitask between both realities, and even walk and talk in real life while playing the game, this was strictly not recommended, and legally prohibited in public spaces.

It would be fine if the tasks performed on both sides were rudimentary and repetitive, but the more complexity one introduced, the more chaos would result from that. At some point, the required focus would immerse the mind to the point, where it would forget the other world, possibly ending in a tragic accident.

And even if one possessed tremendous concentration, the nuance involved might cause the software to fail to differentiate the signals going to the real body from those meant for the avatar, messing up the motor movements. It would take an inhumanly sharp mind and years of conditioning to multitask safely, and no one came even close to succeeding in tests.

Bright lights in blue hues erupted, and the boisterous buzz of a bustling city filled Carl's ears, as he stepped forward and realized he just came out of a large teleportation terminal located on a circular stone pedestal a few meters above the street level.

“Wooooow …”

From his vantage point, he could see both of the perpendicular boulevards, that were now jam-packed with lively mob. It was possibly the most vivid scene Carl had ever witnessed.

Instead of opting for a quiet municipality, or even a reasonably peaceful county, he went for a provincial capital city of Geneva. As it was only a tutorial meant for superficial familiarization and system checks, all the towns and cities were generic, and the lore of Immortal Frontier remained mostly hidden, only revealing some modest scraps of information. The real deal was yet to come.

There were stalls and booths on both sides of the wide alleys, as well as in the middle, separated by two lanes paved with cobblestone so fine, that stagecoaches, carts and wagons rolled by effortlessly, pulled by a myriad of authentic and fantastical animals, and a few even on some form of internal power, likely magical.

One of the boulevards connected the huge city gates far in the distance on either side, while the other led to a bedazzling temple in the classical style, with ivory white columns the size of mammoth trees dwarfing the tiny subjects scaling the lengthy stairs of pure, glistening marble, and a golden rooftop reflecting the moon and the countless magical lights illuminating the night. A whole complex of grand buildings surrounded this prime real estate, and the same went for the other end – there, Carl saw an enormous plaza with what was bound to be the city hall in the middle of it, likewise bathed in the glow of streetlamps.

The lateness of the hour didn't seem to matter, as everyone appeared to be in a frantic rush. People were coming and going, running to and fro. The teleportation terminal was operated non-stop, as hasty travelers brushed past Carl.

Of all those busying about, the most eye-catching were definitely the giants, easily 3 meters tall. Though maybe quite fast when standing next to them, from Carl's perspective they looked terribly slow and clumsy. Predictably, the vast majority of denizens was human, followed by the various elves, but in this large crowd, Carl could spot dozens of different races. They were probably all represented here.

“Wait a second … System, how do I tell players and NPCs apart?”

“Just issue the command to highlight people, or whatever it is you wish to inspect. Please note, that this will only work in safe and common areas. Otherwise, you will have to learn the appropriate skills and proficiencies.”

“How intriguing! Very well, highlight all the people.”

Immediately, Carl's vision was flooded with green player and yellow NPC markers, exposing all the locals created by the AI. They outnumbered the players 4 to 1, which was a big surprise.

“Is this the NPC reaction to the sudden arrival of players? Scrambling at the opportunity to do business?”

“Young immortal, move along please!”

That's right, Carl had forgotten. The players were perceived by the natives as immortals, who could be defeated, but not killed. Logically, such creatures should instill fear, dread even, but the players were so weak, that it was completely normal they would instead be treated like golden geese generating an endless stream of revenue.

Stepping down the stairs into the sea of vibrant folk, Carl was in awe, and yet slightly disappointed at heart.

“Heh, I guess I got spoiled by Bellator Labs.”

The sensations delivered by the helmet were nowhere near as striking as those he experienced before in implant-based VR. The mere fact of fully isolating the user from the reality was enough to fool the senses into an eerie perception bias. Though the mind recognized the computer generated graphics for what they were, the senses still acknowledged it all as real at the subconscious level. And on top of that, the helmet had one computing unit, while the lab had a whole server room – it was basically a small supercomputer.

That's why Cybercore stated mere 85% realism for their helmets, and it got as low as 80%, or even 75% for other brands. Nevertheless, that was nothing to scoff at, nothing at all – it was a gargantuan leap from the measly single digits of state-of-the-art, non-intrusive VR. And the most one could get out of the implant-based cabins Cybercore was selling was only about 95% realism, and only if one purchased an additional, wardrobe-sized computing unit. Still a far cry from the 98% Carl was used to, because the lab was running its own physics, while everyone in the Immortal Frontier received the same quality data from the game servers, which despite being vast, had to carry the burden of an entire planet.

Luckily, the human mind worked in miraculous ways. Once it immersed itself into an important activity, it would filter out everything else to the point where it wouldn't notice a difference. Only someone who looked at things calmly could observe the whole picture with collected thoughts and be constantly aware of the imperfections around them – but that would be a robot that never succumbed to emotions.

Walking casually from one stall to another, Carl took the sights in wholeheartedly. This game truly was everything it promised to be, and more. It was otherworldly, in the full sense of the word. He observed the players and the NPCs, now grasping the discrepancies between them. While the latter seemed more mature and shrewd, the former looked like a bunch of children let loose on a school break.

“System, what do you recommend for newcomers?”

“It depends on what you're interested in. There's–”

“Combat. Tell me whatever you can about it.” Carl resolutely interjected.

“For experiencing combat as a beginner, you should head towards the Temple of Immortals to the north. Next to it you will find the Colosseum and its arena, where you can spar against other players, attack practice targets, hire instructors to teach you, or even fight for fame and fortune. Opposite from it is the Expedition Association, which gives out simple quests and houses entrances to instanced dungeons – this feature exists solely for the purpose of tutorial.

The temple itself serves as a connection between Heaven and Earth, turning the planet into Celestia – Heaven on Earth. Through it, immortals – that is players – descend to fight for supremacy and to make a name for themselves, gaining a new corporeal body each time they revive.

Please note, that there are severe penalties for death in Immortal Frontier. Not only will your new body lose some of your hard gained experience, but all the gear and items you carried as well, save for those bound to you. You will also be temporarily weakened, reducing all your attributes by 10% for a day of ingame time, and this effect can stack. Some perilous areas and certain circumstances will further augment this punishment, while others can lower it.

You may bind your belongings to you in the temple, for a fee that depends on their value and nature. Please note that this effect is permanent, and you will not be able to sell those items, only destroy them. For any valuables that you would like to protect or be able to sell in the future, including all currencies, you should open a bank account with a safe-deposit box in the bank of your choosing.

The temple also offers a variety of healing services, curing illnesses and curses, and restoring injuries, blood loss, lost limbs, or the whole body at once. These services, however, are costly. You might want to consider dying if you can't afford them, since it might turn out to be more efficient.

The marketplace around the temple evolved to accommodate the business of war and hunting. There, you may conveniently sell your loot, buy equipment and consumables, repair your gear, and find endless opportunities.

Since you have no money, I strongly advise you go to the arena to learn some techniques and get accustomed to your new body. In there you will not suffer death, but merely be reconstituted on the spot, free of charge, and your equipment will not deteriorate – this feature exists solely for the purpose of tutorial as well. Only once you feel comfortable do I recommend visiting the Expedition Association, unless you have friends who can protect you in the field.

Please note, that the Expedition Association is merely a place of convenience. Far greater riches await you out in the open world, but also far greater dangers.”

Arriving by the market area of which the system spoke, Carl stopped to admire some of the quality products the NPC merchants had for sale, knowing full well they were beyond his reach. Moving from the booths to the more luxurious storefronts, he eventually reached the last shop on the right side of the boulevard, a free-standing, magnificent building, five stories tall, resembling a gallery with its splendor – although it was rather thin to save on real estate, it extended deeply into the distance.

What caught Carl's eye was the jet black leather armor fitting an average-sized mannequin in the window. Simple yet intricate, light yet strangely robust. Elegance embodied.

“Are they for real … ?”

Carl's spirit dropped to the ground. The price tag had clearly shown 1 000 Gold Crowns.

“Isn't it something like a million bucks for the locals? What does it say? “Masterwork of Master Gerhart Draven, this exquisite set of armor was tailored from the skin of a fabled ghost walker. In addition to excellent protection, it bestows the user with unparalleled stealth.” Oh man … it's so cool …”

The helmet was especially neat, resembling a mask, very skin-tight, covering everything but the eyes – exactly what Carl was looking for. And although this kind of armor suited assassins more, and wasn't becoming of a knight, it would be so incredibly useful to complementing his intended combat style.

Alas, it wasn't even of supreme quality, and already cost a thousand gold. Carl felt like a hopeless pauper. He sighed deeply, letting out his sorrow.

“Oh well, on to the arena.”

As Carl was about to cross the street, he stole a peek at the Expedition Association, by which he was now standing. Inside the massive, long hall formed from a portico, throngs of players were preparing to embark or returning from their runs. It was especially lively and loud in there, which drew him in to see what was all the hubbub about.

“Must be so easy with a team …”

Leaving the grand building almost as soon as he scaled the opulent steps, Carl once again took note of a small group of players by the southern corner. They were glancing around quietly, but impatiently, as if waiting or searching for someone, so different from the typical rambunctious assemblies in this place. But just as he was about to descend …

“A healer and a battle cleric looking for a strong damage dealer! Must be of high integrity!”

Carl balked.

He raced back and stood before the four players, who now stared at him curiously.

“Two healers looking for support …”

Carl's gaze swept over the busy surroundings,

“… and no queue? Am I dreaming?”

“Haha, friend, it seems you're in luck today!”