Yor slowly swam through the sea of people, the uproar around him shifting into whistles and cheers. The crowd pushed in tighter—bodies pressed against bodies like sardines in a can, all trying to get a better view.
It was falling toward the town, and as it descended, cracks began to form across its surface. Rays of light peeked through the fractures, brighter and brighter with each second.
Just before the star hit the ground, it cracked open—
Revealing a very charming girl, mounted gracefully on a floating broom.
She appeared massive, a glowing hologram hovering high above the plaza, easily visible to every player below.
She had pin-straight cyan hair and starry eyes that shimmered like constellations. Her whole look sparkled, like she was glowing with fireflies. She wore a flowy black witch outfit with gold star earrings and bracelets.
"I'm actually star-struck," Ludwig said under his breath, eyes wide as he hurried forward for a closer look.
Yor scoffed and shook his head.
Suddenly, a booming voice echoed across the town, silencing the crowd.
"Fwaa! Good day, ladies and gentlemen! I am Winter—your humble guide!"
She raised a hand with flair. "I'm here to break down some bad news: we're shutting down the game..."
She paused for dramatic effect.
"Just kidding! We're still on the initialization phase—well, technically. Oh, and by the way, I'm just one of many versions of me floating around to assist millions of players. Multitasking magic, baby!"
Winter continued, "The real reason I'm here is to tell you all that the system will assign your starting region—at random.
Gasps and murmurs spread across the area.
"The region you get influences the difficulty of your quests. Each region is ranked from one to seven stars."
"Being sent to seven stars means the difficulty will be very high—expect tough challenges and hard quests. However, if you succeed, your growth and rewards will be abundant.
"On the other hand, one star means easier quests with less challenge, leading to slower but steadier progress over time."
"Shortly after players are sent to their assigned regions, a major World Event will occur—often a war, invasion, or realm-wide crisis."
"This isn't just chaos—it's a test. The gods are watching, and those who stand out might earn their favor through blessings or divine quests."
She snapped her fingers.
A flying slot machine appeared in front of every player, humming and blinking.
The crowd fell into silence. Tension thickened the air.
Winter, leaned forward with a teasing smile. "By the way—your lives don't depend on this. Why do you guys look so troubled?"
A guy in the crowd raised his hand, catching Winter's attention.
"Why don't we get to choose the region? Why does it have to be random?"
Winter tilted her head slightly, smile still intact.
"Before I answer... what did you feel about it?"
The ginger-bearded player held up his trembling hands, palms soaked with sweat.
"Nervous. My palms are sweating right now. I really want something easy to medium... So, can I please be an exception?" His voice wavered. His expression pleaded.
Winter's smile faded. Her glittering eyes dimmed slightly.
"Fuu... The unknown keeps us awake—thrilling, exciting, nerve-wracking. It's what most players wanted, according to the survey."
She crossed her legs.
Think about it—if everyone picked the seven-star region, some areas would have no income. NPCs might migrate or even turn to crime. Poor NPCs...
"T-That's reasonable, but I—"
"Ahh! Bro, she already answered your question! Can we just get on with this? I want to start already, man!" Ludwig snapped, scratching his head in frustration.
Yor lowered his head and sighed.
"No! It's my right—" the ginger guy protested, but everyone around him grew angry. No one wanted to wait—their hands itched for the adventure ahead.
"Dude, shut up!"
Ignoring the noise, Winter hummed to herself while calmly digging through her pocket.
She pulled out a pendant watch.
Twenty seconds left before she'd turn to ash.
"Alright, everybody! Eyes this way!"
Winter snapped her fingers, and upbeat music filled the air.
In the blink of an eye, the quiet town transformed into a dazzling casino. Neon lights flashed in sync with the beat, while flying slot machines twinkled and chimed in perfect harmony.
"Ayee! The moment you've been waiting for is here, ladies and gentlemen! You only have 10 seconds to pull the lever. Everybody! PULL!"
Her last word—"Pull"—echoed loudly, evoking a sense of urgency among the players.
Yor stroked his chin, deep in thought.
So, the stars represent the difficulty of a region. If that's the case, I'd prefer 2–3 stars. I don't mind if my progress is slow—after all, I'm here to have fun.
He stared blankly at the slot machine in front of him as its reels spun wildly.
"Hah!" Ludwig grinned like he was ready to take on the world.
He slowly pulled the lever, and the machine clicked and whirred. After a few seconds, the reels slowed one by one.
He held his breath as each reel clattered into place.
The first two stars appeared with a ka-ching.
Then three more... and finally, the last two glowing stars clicked in.
The slot machine lit up and blasted out a victory tune.
"Jackpot!" Ludwig shouted, fists clenched at his sides.
He laughed and mimed raising a trophy—up, down, up, down—then grinned at Yor.
"Yor look!"
His expression shifted.
His brows crashed together in a shocked frown.
Jaw dropped.
Yor also got seven stars!
They looked at each other with the same expression—so did everyone nearby.
Winter spoke her final words, a phrase that would hang in the air long after she was gone:
"Remember… the gods will be watching."
And with that, everyone disappeared into thin air.