Alone, at the top of the Illusion Tree - Chapter 1 - The First Dive

The young man sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at the massive, pearlescent VR Capsule that now dominated his tiny, cluttered apartment. It hummed with a soft, promising energy, a stark contrast to the dusty silence of his NEET existence.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfu19YZVAA
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“Alright… this is it. The great escape,” he muttered to the empty room, running a hand through his unkempt hair. “Two billion people can’t be wrong. Or maybe they can. Who cares? It’s gotta be better than this.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeKSZnZBar
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He’d blown the last of his savings on this thing. The game itself, *Illusion Tree*, was a one-time purchase. The real cost was the capsule—the only hardware advanced enough to deliver the promised “second reality.” No subscriptions, no microtransactions. Just… a new life.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGhR5AEilt
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With a deep breath, he climbed inside. The gel-filled contours molded to his body with a sigh. A holographic interface flickered to life before his eyes.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr54aXpcaaF
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[Welcome to Illusion Tree. Please state your player name.]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIN3bW2itf
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He’d practiced this. “Eon. Eon Moonlicht.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMn9wqAgWFg
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[Confirm character name: Eon Moonlicht?]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZds1r2fDd
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“Confirm.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLr787Ij3vX
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[Initialization complete. Connecting to the World Tree. Enjoy your new life.]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHiZYJnv9Td
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The hum of the capsule faded, replaced by an absolute, silent white.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIauviPjaTf
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A voice, ancient and resonant, filled the void. It wasn't heard; it was *felt*, vibrating in his very soul.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7kmK2srff
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From the chaos of the primordial code, twelve deities emerged. They forged the World Tree, Illusion Tree, from dreams and logic. Each god poured their essence into an Orb, a fragment of ultimate power. But ambition shattered their unity. A divine war raged, scattering the Orbs and their divine weapons to the farthest roots and highest branches of the Tree. Now, only echoes of the gods remain, and mortals tread the paths they forged. Your journey begins at the end of their story. Your choices will write the next.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWjc6erAN6
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The white dissolved into a breathtaking, golden space. Before him stood a being of impossible beauty, her wings not of feather, but of crystallized light. Her voice was like a symphony. “Welcome, soul. I am your guide to genesis. To step upon the path, you must first choose your first identity. Who will you be in this world?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQyH6oDHMu
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A colossal, shimmering menu materialized, listing thousands of classes: Dragon Knight, Arcane Weaver, Shadow Dancer, Rune Smith, Celestial Bard… the list seemed infinite.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJx3dg5IwmP
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“The timer begins now,” the angelic guide said gently. “Choose wisely, for your beginning shapes your journey.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsv9aMgpOp
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A clock appeared above her head. [00:59]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXr9CyD5FO
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Eon’s heart hammered against his ribs. The pressure was immense. Every class glowed with potential, a promise of power and purpose. But he remembered the video, buried deep in the algorithm,352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1O2Ar7fz5y
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titled “Three Things I’d Do if I Started Over Again | Illusion Tree.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdscCx04T8K
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The third point, delivered by a calm, masked avatar, was seared into his memory.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo0O8vZc6I
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“Do not choose a class. Let the timer run out.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVIY37A97l
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The comments were a torrent of rage.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ14N3tjGD1P
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SCAM!352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlErqbnJuR0
I tried this and it ruined my account!352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemuTI50zeF
Waste of time, you spawn with NOTHING!352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIKlQ3vDBT
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Yet, the uploader never responded, never defended themselves. The mystery of it, the sheer contrarian absurdity, called to Eon. His entire life had been about having nothing and making nothing of it. Why should a game be different?352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDrwxMF80l
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“I… choose nothing,” Eon said, his voice firmer than he felt.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbSC8Lfqix
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The angel’s serene smile didn’t falter, but the light around her flickered almost imperceptibly. “Nothing? That is not a path available on the menu, traveler.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmirxbQJjLF
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“I know. I’m not picking anything. I’ll wait.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF4YBAgmTlR
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The timer ticked down. [00:45]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡclRX03rOPM
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“This is most unwise,” she urged, her melodic voice gaining a sharp edge. “To refuse a class is to refuse the very foundation of this world. You will be granted no starting weapon, no armor, not even the most basic skill like <Appraise> or <Sprint>. You will be less than a newborn. You will be… a void.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgBN84aDhD
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“I’m used to it,” Eon retorted, a defensive smirk on his face. “Isn’t this supposed to be a real second life? In real life, you don’t get to pick ‘Dragon Tamer’ as a starting class. You figure it out.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡghfve8oX1B
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“This is not your world!” she insisted, her composure cracking for the first time. A divine frustration leaked into her tone. “It has rules! You are not ‘figuring it out,’ you are wilfully crippling yourself! Why would you do this? What possible logic drives you?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMT6ln2DhyR
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“Let’s call it an experiment.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDteP8klvQS
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“It is folly!” The space around them shuddered. “You tread a road of pure anguish. The wilds will devour you. Other players will scorn you. The world itself will not acknowledge you! This is not a brave challenge; it is a surrender before you have even begun!”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPNVWe0b56
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“Then I surrender,” Eon said, meeting her glowing gaze. “But I’ll do it on my terms.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSvTxfop5v
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[00:03… 00:02… 00:01…]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsLkRSjEFE
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The magnificent menu shattered into motes of light. The angel’s form seemed to dim. The disappointment on her face was profoundly, unsettlingly real.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWu6jcla5h
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“So be it, Eon Moonlicht. You enter the world as a paradox. A blank page. May your story be worth the pain of its writing.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC6IpR4NwQE
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The golden chamber imploded into a vortex of color and sound.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdb4aTMSH6U
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Sensation returned all at once. The smell of damp earth and baking bread. The feel of a warm breeze on his skin. The sound of a bustling crowd and chirping birds. Eon blinked, his eyes adjusting to the vivid sunlight of a perfect fantasy village square. He looked down at himself. Rough-spun tunic, soft linen pants, bare feet. Absolutely, utterly ordinary.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5SAjfs2Va
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A notification hung in his vision, transparent and mocking:352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUlVzSgNrW
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[ Class: None ]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDQx0NCdOP
[ Equipped: None ]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe28QSmV78h
[ Skills: None ]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKHE76dVmP
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“Well,” he whispered to himself, wiggling his toes in the grass. “Here goes nothing.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeaHJOeYZl
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The starting village, Haven’s Reach, was flooded with new players, all clad in their starting gear. Leather armor, simple robes, Initiiate’s staves. Eon, in his peasant clothes, stood out like a sore thumb.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNmzzXwmhc
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“Hey, you there!” a boisterous young man in chainmail called out, clanking over. “You just pop in? What’d you roll? I went Guardian. Gonna be an unkillable tank!” He thumped his chest plate.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9mfJbiSK5o
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“Uh, I didn’t… roll anything,” Eon said.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfxozaR8e4
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The Guardian’s smile faded. “What do you mean? Everyone picks a class.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWc9BMUVsuz
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“I didn’t. I waited out the timer.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFXnUDM7QwS
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A nearby Archer, stringing her bow, burst out laughing. “You did what? Oh, man, I heard about that! There’s some stupid rumor on the forums. You actually fell for it?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zL6cQeZLd
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The Guardian stared in pure disbelief. “But… why? You have no gear. No skills. You’re literally a level-zero NPC.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4OglKD7NT
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Their conversation attracted a small crowd. A Mage in blue robes sneered. “Look at this! A true noob! I didn’t think they actually existed.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJa0xF5luH
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“Hey, buddy,” the Archer said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. “You know you’re basically just XP for the tutorial slimes, right? They’re gonna have to respawn you so many times your brain will get dizzy.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHpio184t9
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The crowd erupted in laughter. Eon tried to push past them, his face heating up.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkIbZbQPzE
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“Wait, wait, don’t go!” the Guardian said, stepping in front of him. “I’m feeling charitable. I’ll mentor you. First lesson! How to punch air!” He demonstrated with a slow, exaggerated punch. More laughter.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdDqVtHbVg
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“Second lesson!” the Archer chimed in. “How to run away crying! It’s gonna be your most-used skill!”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ujri83874
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Eon shoved past them, their jeers following him. “Thanks for the offer! I’ll manage!”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7AmUgVBcN
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He made his way to a small equipment stall run by a grizzled NPC smith. “Excuse me,” Eon said. “I’d like to buy a knife. The cheapest one you have.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqduTOA4vE
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The smith looked him up and down, his brow furrowed. “You’re new. What’s your class, lad? Gatherer? Skinner? I’ve got good starter knives for both.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIjfHhx3JI
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“I… don’t have a class.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqZiivj2nc
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The NPC’s friendly demeanor vanished instantly. He scowled. “No class? Then I’ve got nothing for you. Can’t have untrained fools waving sharp metal around. You’ll poke your eye out, or worse, someone else’s. Move along. You’re scaring off proper customers.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkM3mabW0xt
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From behind him, a player buying a sword chuckled. “Even the AI knows you’re a lost cause, man. Give it up.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUWy6Obivu
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Defeated, Eon moved to a potion vendor, an elderly woman with a kind face. Maybe she’d take pity.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnrPgDIVlLD
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“Hello, dearie. A healing potion for the road? Only a few copper.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1lOLLRoYA
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“I’d like one, but I don’t have any money. Or a class.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWB9XodwlyO
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The woman’s kind eyes narrowed. “No class? Then I cannot, in good conscience, sell you a potion. Without the <Potion Lore> skill granted by a class, you might misdose. You could poison yourself! The liability! Shoo, now. Come back when you’ve found your purpose.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTrcAauKhn
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The final humiliation came at the village inn. The common room was packed with players celebrating their new beginnings. Eon slipped in, hoping to just listen and learn.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvbR9uIYyj
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A hush fell over part of the room. Then a loud, mocking voice rang out. “Well, well, look what the cat dragged in! Or should I say, what *didn’t* drag anything in! It’s Mr. No-Class himself!”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQziqVjSVe9
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A barrel-chested Warrior stood up, raising a tankard. “A toast! To the biggest idiot in Haven’s Reach! May your respawns be quick and your failures be entertaining!”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46VM9iWidp
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The room roared with approval. Another player yelled, “What’s your build, man? Is it ‘Optimist’ or ‘Masochist’?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydUG2GIsxB
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“Maybe he’s roleplaying a village idiot! Hey, do a trick! Can you eat mud?”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsfswkiBn6
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Eon turned on his heel and marched out, the sound of their laughter feeling like physical blows against his back. He didn’t stop until he passed through the village’s main gate, the guard NPC simply shaking his head in pity.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxauxH4yMKe
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The sun was warmer outside the walls. The grass was greener. The air was free of their mockery. Before him, a wide, peaceful meadow stretched out. And there, bouncing aimlessly, was a small, gelatinous, green Slime. The most basic of basic monsters.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhRKvJMzzt
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It was the only thing in this world that wasn’t laughing at him.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4iqeRWruhd
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“Okay,” Eon breathed, his heart starting to pound not with embarrassment, but with anticipation. “Just you and me.”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGla6VxDLo
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He approached cautiously. The slime noticed him, gave a cheerful little wobble, and hopped forward. Eon lunged, swinging a wild punch. His fist sank into its cool, jelly-like body with a soft *squelch*. It didn’t hurt it much, but the impact stung his knuckles.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuJOcttfMx
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The slime retaliated, launching itself and smacking into his leg. It felt like being hit with a wet bag of sand—not deadly, but surprisingly solid and painful.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxr07btezv
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“Yowch! Okay, you little jerk!”352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgaSd59IWeD
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This wasn’t a quick game fight. This was a clumsy, gritty, undignified scrap. He couldn’t just press a button for a skill. He had to actually move, dodge, and swing. He kicked at it, his bare foot connecting with the same squelching sensation. He overbalanced and fell onto his backside in the grass.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0gFMryRE6
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The slime hopped onto his chest. He grabbed it with both hands, the substance oozing between his fingers, and with a grunt of effort, he ripped it in two. The two halves quivered for a moment before dissolving into a faint, shimmering mist.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24Ouj03RTj
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A warmth flowed into him. A transparent, grey text appeared in his vision, simple and profound.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIBTjPiHRj
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[Strength +1]352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwot6UwVEk
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Eon lay there in the grass, chest heaving, covered in faintly glowing slime residue. He started to laugh, a real, breathless, incredulous laugh that echoed in the quiet field.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2SyVOzaGo
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He had nothing. No class, no skills, no gear, no respect.352Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgVIIzJA2ke
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But he had one single point of Strength that he had earned all by himself. And for the first time in a long time, that felt like everything.

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