Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

"Seriously, I'm telling you this is literally the hottest upcoming game of the summer, everyone and their mother wants to play it."

"Yeah, well, I'm telling you I've seen it all before. How much am I betting it dies in like... three weeks?" I say, looking up at my childhood best friend as we pass the nearby park on route to my house. We've been talking since we left University about the new VRMMORPG game coming out in the next couple of days Thornspire.
"Cmon, don't be such a downer. It's a new game." She says while hooking her arms around my shoulder and pulling me into her, causing my head to land directly on her huge tits. "Besides, what else would you be doing over summer break? Reading?"
"Fair enough, besides someone's gotta help you out, can't send a mage to the front lines after all." I said, while looking away, blushing. I've gotten used to her being so touchy with me over the years, but that doesn't mean it doesn't affect me. Besides, it's perfectly normal for a healthy male to blush when being hugged by such beauty.

Mya, she's my childhood friend because both our Dad's were friends since middle school. She's a year older than me and goes to the same University as I do. She's a tall girl with straight, chestnut coloured hair styled in a ponytail. She has tanned skin from her morning jogs that also contribute to her impressive figure. She has double D cup breasts and thick thighs, both of which have gotten her plenty of admirers, but she's never been in a relationship before.
"Tsk tsk, that's where you're wrong. I plan to be on the front lines this time. I'm gonna be up close and personal with the action." She says, finally releasing her hold on me as I breathe a sigh of relief. God must be on my side today. "But... I could still really use your help, Billy~" As soon as I hear that name exit her mouth, my face heats up with a blush almost as strong as when she was hugging me.

Billy... I can't stand that nickname. My real name is William, yet she insists on calling me that nickname she found online. "S-SERIOUSLY?! I thought you stopped using that nickname..."
"Never gonna happen~" She says while giving me a playful wink that definitely doesn't make me blush even more... I SAID IT DIDN'T! "Besides, we both know you secretly like it." I chose to ignore that. Not because she's right, just because we have other things to talk about.
"A-Anyway, you're gonna actually fight instead of magic spamming this time? You don't usually fight up close. Why the sudden change?" She gives me another teasing smile that says she knows I'm trying to change the topic, but she decides not to say anything on it.
"Well, I only really go Mage class because most RPGs don't give the option for strong magic casting while also using weapons. But Thornspire has a subclass system with lots of customization, so I can just be both. It does come with its downsides, but so does every class."

"A subclass system, huh. I'll admit I was already interested in playing it despite my complaining, but that makes me even more interested." I say with wide eyes betraying my shock, it's not every day you see subclasses in RPGs like this. Granted, I haven't heard a lot about this game. I never pay attention to big releases.
"Right- Wait a minute... SO YOU WERE BEING AN ASS FOR NO REASON EARLIER?!" A look of betrayal flashes across her face that makes me smile ear to ear.
"Guilty as charged~" God, I love ragebaiting her.
"Asshole..." She says, now pouting. I can't help but think she looks cute like that.
"You too." I quip back, my smile widening to the point it even starts hurting my face, before suddenly pausing. In seconds, that cute pout that was on Mya's face turns into confusion before settling on a concerned expression as she halts to look back at me.
"Uhhh... Are you alright? William?"

"I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE CONSOLE!" My face becomes the dictionary definition of despair. How the HELL was I supposed play without even having the blasted thing?
"Oh, that's it? Don't worry me so much. I bought two."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I did kinda just spring this on you last week. I figured you wouldn't buy it in time, so I bought two." Who is this angel, and where did Mya go? How did she even remember to buy it???
"You are a lifesaver Mya- wait... You already knew I'd say yes, didn't you?"
"Guilty as charged~" Well played... not that I'd admit it out loud.

The rest of our walk was filled with talks about different builds and what we'd do once we first joined the game. But we both knew we wouldn't follow any of our plans when we actually entered the game. And all of a sudden, I was home.
"Damn, home already? I didn't even realise we walked that far." I say as we come to a stop in front of my house
“Yeah, we really zoomed here huh? Oh well, I basically talked about everything I wanted to. I’ll text you when I reach home, and YOU,” she emphasizes, pointing at me, “are going to tell me what build you chose after doing your research. Okay?” She says while pulling her hand away from my face, placing it back on her hip with a cheaky smile, that I return with a mock salute
"Yes, Ma'am!"
"AT EASE, SOLDIER!" She quips back, the two of us bursting out in laughter to ourselves. We probably look insane "Alright, I'm gonna go now. See ya in two days!" She says as she waves goodbye while walking away, still giggling to herself. I give her a wave of my own until I see her stop continuing on the path to her home. At the same time, I finally enter the front door of my home.

"I'm home!" I shout, hearing two distinct voices from the kitchen respond at an almost equal volume.
"Welcome back!" Mom and Sis must be making lunch. I put my bag down in the chair before waltzing into the kitchen to confirm my thoughts.
"Making lunch?"

"Yeah, I would have started sooner, but I decided to wait for Lizzy to come back since her job let her off early today." Mom says while casually stirring a pan filled with a kind of red sause "How was your test?" She continues, looking up before her eyes settle on me. Mom is a Wasian woman of average build. She has dark, straight black hair tied in a loose bun and dark eyes. She's maybe two or three inches shorter than me.
"Eh, this one was easy too. I'm pretty sure I aced it." I was always good at tests. It was just a matter of memorising what we learnt, and I've always had a great memory, one of the things I inherited from my father. Speaking of...
"Is Dad coming home late today?" I ask mom, but it gets answered by my older sister, who walks up to me with a plate in hand.

"Yeah, he's working overtime today, so he'll be back in time for dinner. Good job on the test, by the way. Still doesn't make you any less of an idiot though~" She says as she smacks the back of my head for good measure. My sister, Lizzy, we're twins, but because she was born a few minutes earlier than me she keeps insisting she's my Older Sister. It doesn't help that she's almost a full head taller than me. She has long, straight jet-black hair that falls loosely down her back and dark eyes. She's relatively average in build, if not for her huge ass, something that got her a lot of love letters back in school. She never went to University, instead she got a job as an accountant and has been doing that ever since our high school finals.
"I am going to throw ice-cold water on you in your sleep."
"Try it."

"Don't make me come over there. You're both adults, and I would hate to have to beat you with a pot spoon." There is one thing we mutually agree on...
""Yes Ma'am!"" Don't tempt Mom.
"Lovely."
I quickly move over to the dish rack to grab a plate before remembering what I came here for, "Oh yeah, Mom." I hear a small hum to let me know she's listening "Mya has a new console that she wants to play a game on. Will you be fine with me going?" I ask, grabbing a plate and fork before walking over to Mom and handing her the plate that she spoons rice onto before answering me.
"You don't need to ask me permission anymore. You're eighteen now. And even if you did, I don't see the problem with it. You two have been inseparable since childhood. I couldn't keep you away even if I wanted to." She says, handing me back my plate now topped with rice and the sauce I now recognise as tomato, along with a fried chicken leg cooked in it.
"Yeah, still not quite used to not telling you where I'm headed though."

"Baby."
"Shut up Liz." After getting scolded by my mom yet again, we had a wonderful lunch. And because Lizzy kept being an ass, she's the one who had to wash the dishes afterwards. 'Serves her right.'

After annoying Lizzy while she tackled the tiny task of washing three dirty plates, I went into the bathroom for a shower, planning to spend some time researching Thornspire afterwards. When I stepped out, a towel wrapped around my waist, I picked up my toothbrush, and caught my reflection in the mirror as I squeezed toothpaste onto it. I'm a pretty average-looking guy, short, straight, jet-black hair and an average build. I’m not fat, but I’m not skin and bones either. The most distinctive thing about me is my eyes. Light ocean-blue eyes. They’re what people use to pick me out in a crowd. Apparently, they come from my mother’s side, though neither she nor my sister inherited them. She says my grandmother’s eyes were even brighter than my own. I wish I could have seen them.

I stared at my reflection a moment longer before brushing my teeth, the quiet scratch of the bristles filling the small bathroom. When I was done, I rinsed my mouth, took one last look in the mirror, and stepped out, flicking the light off behind me. The hallway felt cooler as I walked toward my room, shivering slightly as the air hit my still-damp skin.
My room was small but comfortable, a bed pushed against the wall, a cluttered desk with figures of my favourite anime characters, my PC, and a few textbooks I’d left there after my final exam. I dried off with the towel around my waist, opened the dresser, and grabbed some underwear, an oversized black shirt that I still have yet to grow into and black shorts before putting them on and booted up my PC, ready to research the game Mya was so convinced was the second coming of Christ.

There wasn’t much real information about the game. It was filled to the brim with speculation and rumours to the point that I couldn't tell real news from theories. But I did find out one thing. A thread from a tester who’d ignored the NDA and leaked a few details. Thornspire didn’t just have a leveling system; it had a milestone system layered on top of it, plus things like character traits and other mechanics I’d never even heard of. I've clearly been missing out, and it shows.
I'm not too certain how the traits work, and none of the RPG games I've played has ever had whatever a milestone system is... But hey, at least it sounds cool. But what class and race would I want... The more I read, the more excited I became. Gosh, now I see why Mya couldn't get off my ass about this game. Maybe I'll apologise for acting like an ass earlier... 'Nah.'

I couldn't find any info on any of the game's races besides the few the devs have leaked, but the most talked about one had to have been the dragonblood subrace. The race itself gave you proficiency in either fire or lightning magic and a 20% boost to Strength and Fortitude, in exchange for you leveling 30% slower.
As far as I could tell, that was still broken as all hell, but it's not like I can complain. The game's not even out yet. However, it seems most people are thinking of going it on their second build after they figure out the best places to grind levels... smart. Maybe I'll do the same.

The other races I could find all had buffs and debuffs of similar calibre. Humans, for example, were adaptable, leveling 25% faster than any other race, but they had no other buffs to speak of. I think that's actually pretty good for such a basic race like Human. I'm sure lots of players will go it on their first builds because of the buff.
And the last race I could find info on was the Elf race, and a few of its subclasses. Elves were pretty cool. They started with a 25% increase to the Speed stat, and depending on what subrace or subspecies of Elf you picked, you'd get another buff and a suitable debuff to balance them out.

For instance, Dark Elves get a huge 35% charisma buff; that subrace was probably meant for cheesing builds where you'd charm your enemies. In exchange, they lose 20% of the speed buff they originally received. Wood Elves don't get a buff; however, in exchange, they gain a type of forest magic exclusive to them. They also get a 25% charisma nerf. 'Expected, in most media, Wood Elves isolate themselves from the other races.'

And of course, the High Elves, like Dark Elves, have a Charisma buff, this one being 15%. A lot weaker, but that's because they gain a 20% buff to their speed stat. This makes them the fastest Elf subspecies. As a nerf to combat this, they're slapped with an equal 20% Strength nerf. 'Yeah checks out. High Elves are typically Elf royalty in most RPGs, and royals don't like to get their hands dirty.'

Knock Knock Knock
Huh? "Y- Yeah? It's open." I say, clearing my throat that feels strangely dry as my door creeks open to see "Lizzy? What's up, and why do you have a plate with you? Didn't we just have lunch together?" I say, noticing the plate in her hand that houses what looks like two sliders and a glass of juice.
"Huh, it's been like six hours since lunch... You alright?"

"Eh? Seriously? I didn't even realise the time..." She gives me a playful eye roll before shoving the plate in my face.
"Here. I figured you'd need some energy for... whatever you're up to." Liz says while looking away in a grimace.
"Wha- HEY, I WASN'T-" "Don't care." She silences me before I can even explain what I was doing 'Asshole...' I can tell she's just teasing me, but she doesn't have to be a dick about it. Yes I'm aware of how hypocritical that sounds coming from me. No, I don't care.
"Hah... whatever. Tell mom I said thanks for the food." I say while taking the plate from her still outstretched hand and placing it on my desk next to my monitor.
"What? And your Dear Older Sis doesn't get a thank you~?"

"GET OUTA MY ROOM!" I shouted, shoving her into the hallway before slamming the door in her face. I could hear her giggles still behind my door
"Bye bye, Twink~!" she called as her footsteps faded down the hall. Gosh, I can't stand her.

After finishing my dinner, I went back downstairs to wash my dishes before taking out the trash. I'd already read everything I could find about the game, all I could do now was wait until Mya and I played it the day after tomorrow. I’d have to come up with a build on the fly, but it was my first playthrough, so I wasn’t expecting anything serious. Maybe I'd pick Human just to capitalise on the leveling buff, but that feels so boring...
Whatever. I’d rest tonight, enjoy doing nothing tomorrow, and figure it out once I was in the game.
Finishing up with the trash, I reentered my home, locking the door behind me and peeking into the kitchen. 'Dad must be back by now.' My guess was correct as I saw him opening our fridge. He must have just realised I was downstairs because the moment he noticed me, he flashed me a smile and gave me a friendly wave that I returned with a smile of my own before he continued scouring the fridge for God knows what.
Seeing this, I rolled my eyes and headed back to my room after brushing my teeth. I stripped off my shorts and threw them in my clothes basket, leaving me in just my Oversized shirt and my boxers.

Buzz Buzz
'Huh? It’s like nine o’clock… Who’d be calling me of all peop- OH SHIT, MYA!" While I was enjoying my sweet time reading post after post on Thornspire, I'd forgotten the promise I made to tell her what build I'd go when she got home... Crap... Ah well, hope she wasn’t too worried. I muttered a quick little prayer under my breath, steadied myself, and finally answered my still ringing phone "Hello-"
"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED I'VE BEEN ABOUT YOU?!" Called it.
"Sorry Mya, I completely lost track of time while I was looking at info on the game. I didn't even realise it was after eight until Lizzy came banging on my door." I hear a sigh of resignation on the line, followed by a giggle. I guess she isn't too upset at me "Hah, honestly... I should have seen this coming from you. Ah, well, as long as you're okay Billy~"

"F you and F that nickname."
"Yeah, yeah, anyway. Sounds like you've been busy. Did you figure out what build you're gonna go with?" She says her eager voice over the phone betrays her curiosity; she's always been easy to read. When we were younger, I often joked about her being like Pinocchio because I could always tell when she was lying.
"Honestly, I'm still not too certain. I think I might just wait until we're in the character selection, that way I can see all the options available." I hear a hum over my phone, her way of saying 'I see'
"Gotcha, I just wanted to know about that. Anything planned for tomorrow?"
"Nope, I'm just gonna take an easy day before spending the next day with you." She broke into a fit of giggles that left me confused, but I summed it up to Mya being Mya and let it slide.
"Well, alright then, glad you're alright Billy. Buh-bye~~~" She says, using that God forsaken nickname again that DOESN'T MAKE ME BLUSH before hanging up on me. Not even giving me a chance to quip back. 'Next time...'

I took off the alarms on my phone that were still on so I could wake up early for exams before shutting off my lights and lying in my bed scrolling on YouTube until I eventually fell asleep.

The next day passed by at snail's pace. Whether that be from the fact I had just finished exams, or since I was just wasting time until the main event tomorrow, I couldn't tell. I didn't exactly do much that day besides play a few games on my PC and watch some YouTube. I just had to power through until tomorrow. I figured I'd read all I could on Thorsnpire, so I didn't bother going through any other fan posts online. Instead, I tried to enjoy my day as best I could. I failed, obviously, but it was worth a shot. By the time night came, I couldn’t have been happier. I checked my phone one last time before retiring for the day and saw a message from Mya:
“Come by 11 p.m., K?”
Perfect. I texted back a lazy “K” before turning off my phone, placing it on my desk, flicking off my lights, and heading to bed, trying—and failing—to fall asleep for once when I actually wanted to.

Knock Knock Knock
"Hey! You're here! And like, an hour ahead of the time I told you to be. Were you that bored without me~?"Mya said, giving me a smug look as she leaned against the wooden door of her apartment.
I gave her a flat look. "Yeah, yeah. Now are you gonna let me in, or am I gonna be standing out here all day?" I did miss her, but there's no way I'm saying it outloud while she's acting like this. She playfully rolled her eyes before finally stepping aside and letting me in. Her apartment was actually pretty big, with a main living room, two bedrooms connected by a shared bathroom, and a small kitchen.
Times like these were when I had to remind myself that Mya’s family was loaded. Thank God she’d only inherited some of the wealth when she turned eighteen—who knows what she would have spent all that money on had it been when she was in high school... I could feel myself shudder at the thought.

"Plus, the game releases officially in like, ten minutes... Why'd you even want me to come so late?" I asked, taking a seat on her couch. She sat beside me, looking away as she scratched the back of her neck... body language I knew all too well.
“W-Well, you see... I, uh, had some relatives over, and I didn’t know when they’d leave... They, uh... left right before you got here though, so I guess everything worked out in the en—”
“You forgot to download the game earlier, didn’t you?”
She paused, then slowly turned back to face me, her expression the dictionary definition of disbelief, sputtering out an almost whisper-quiet,
“H-How’d you know..?” I let out a tired sigh. Mya, as reliable as she is, has always had terrible memory, though I never expected her to forget to download the game she's been hyping up to me practically all week.

I gave her another flat look "Did you at least start the download?"
"Yep! It's been downloading since I texted you last night, sooo.... It should almost be done!" She perked up, pulling me closer from where we were sitting. As usual, that landed me directly against her breasts, which, of course, turned me into a blushing mess. She either didn’t notice or didn’t care, but I was willing to bet it was the former. "Should I boot the N.H. up now?" She asked, releasing her hold on me. "As you said, the game's about to release. Might as well join in early."

The N.H., an acronym for Nexis Halo, was simple in design from what I’d seen—a VR helmet just slightly larger than the wearer’s head. It didn’t have a bulky visor, just a semi-transparent dark lens that slid down over the eyes. The main reason it was called the “Nexis Halo” was the hologram that appeared when you powered it on. True to its name, a halo-shaped projection materialized above your head.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." I responded, getting up from my spot on the couch. "Where are they?"
"Yours is in the guest room. You remember which room that is, right?" I gave a nod of confimation "Cool beans. I've got mine in my bedroom, so I'll see you in-game once we finish the tutorial. Where do you wanna meet up?"
"Hm. Middle of whatever starter town we land in." I said.
She got up from her seat with a quick, “Gotcha." and stretched her arms over her head, pushing her chest outward. Her breasts heaved with every breath. I quickly pried my eyes away when I noticed her staring right back at me with a smirk on her face.
“C’mon, weirdo. We’ve got a game to play,” she said, walking away toward her room.
“Oh.” She suddenly stopped, then sang over her shoulder with a teasing grin. “And next time, at least try to be subtle, ’kay Billy~?” This girl is gonna be the death of me...

The guest room was just as I remembered it, a plain space with a queen-sized bed and a desk beside it. On top of the desk sat the thing I’d been waiting for: the N.H., hooked directly to a nearby power outlet.
Not wasting any time, I gently picked up the helmet, lay back on the bed, and finally put it on.
I pressed the button on the left-hand side, bringing the lens over my eyes as a pleasant sensation washed over me before everything faded to black.

Once I woke up, I was hit with a strange sense of weightlessness. I was in some kind of black void. I couldn't see or feel anything; I couldn't even tell what was up or down. But right when I was just about to give up, a bright flash of light illuminated my vision.

The game must have just finished downloading. Seeing no other option, I quickly hit the confirm button before another bright light obscured my vision, and the weightless feeling disappeared, leaving me to land face-first on what felt like a smooth glass floor.
“Gah!”

“Ugh...” I groggily sat up, my vision slowly returning. At least I knew that they could simulate pain... Everything around me was white—not because my sight was fading,
“Oh great, just what I wanted, more void...” but because I’d landed in another void, the only difference being color.
Seeing nothing better to do, I shakily stood up, looking down at my body to try to regain some sense of normalcy, to no avail. I looked like a silhouette of my former self. The edges of my body were outlined in white, but I was pure black. I looked around, still in the white void.

'Was there supposed to be some kind of text that hadn't loaded or an NPC that I had to talk to-'

Almost like a response to my thoughts, a figure fell from what looked like a portal in front of me. "I apologise, child. There are just so many of you that I got a bit overwhelmed."
I wanted to say something, but I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the woman—no, the Goddess—in front of me. She had ethereal platinum-blonde hair that flowed down her back, with soft strands perfectly framing her face. Though I could barely focus on her face, her outfit left nothing to the imagination. It could barely hold in the giant mounds that were her breasts, and when I looked lower, it didn’t even cover her heavenly thighs. She wore what I could only describe as the skimpiest white-and-gold dual high split gown that I had ever seen. It had a built-in corset under what I think is supposed to be a breastplate. All I knew was whatever it was, it didn’t look made to protect her at all.

“I am the Goddess Aphrodite, and I’m here to guide your soul to a suitable vessel so that you may save our world from the evil that is Vantheon.” She finished, gently lifting my face to meet her eyes. I hadn’t even noticed her approaching me.
“I-I’m sorry!” I sputtered, my face burning hot. I expected her to be mad, but all I could find in her glowing ocean-blue eyes was amusement. They were a brighter blue than even my own. 'Maybe this is what Grandma’s would have looked like.'
“It’s quite alright, dear.” she said. “Did you catch all of that?” I could only give her a quick nod in confirmation, not trusting my voice. Was this really an NPC? She seemed so real.
“Lovely.” She leaned down to meet my eyes, then moved close to my ear. “And don’t worry about looking—I wouldn’t dress this way if I didn’t want people to stare~.”

She pulled back with a small smile. “Now.” She clapped her hands once. Light bloomed between her palms, spilling outward as she slowly opened them. Holograms appeared in front of me, each showing a different race.
“You must first choose a suitable race for your vessel.” she said softly. “Please, take your time.”
The number of races and subraces was jarring. The posts online had never prepared me for the real deal. Human alone had at least fifteen different subraces with different buffs and debuffs. I could get lost in the customization alone for a while, but I already had a fair idea of what I wanted.
The elf race was a decent pick. With the speed buff I’d get, I’d be able to outpace most enemies—especially if I paired it with a class that relied on speed. A DPS build would be fun, especially if I had Mya pulling enemy focus so I could sneak up on them.

"Ah, a high elf. A fine choice... it suits your soul." she said before swiping her hand through the air, leaving only the hologram of the high elf. “Now that we have your race, let us select your class.” The hologram shifted, my character now wearing armor like a knight’s. When I swiped left, it changed into a witch’s outfit.
“Uh, Aphrodite,” I started. She gave me a patient hum, her soft smile still adorning her pouty lips. “Is it possible for you to change my character to a speed-reliant class? Maybe one that also excels in stealth?”
“Well,” she said, “first, answer me this—shall your vessel be female?”

“N-No..? Why do you ask that?” I asked, not expecting such a question. Aphrodite looked at me, her soft smile widening slightly; it now looked more like a challenging smirk.
“I see...” she said, before mumbling something I couldn’t quite catch. “Very well. In that case, allow me to change your class to something you’d find suitable.”
She snapped her fingers, causing the hologram in front of me to glitch slightly before settling on my character wearing a sleeveless white wrap top, its neckline dipping low and showing off a generous amount of chest. It was tied at the waist with a black cloth that hung in loose folds at the hip. Matching loose trousers gathered at the calves, the hips left open. They were tucked neatly into dark shin-high boots. Beneath it all was a black skinsuit that reached about the base of the neck, separating from a matching black ninja mask that covered my character from nose to neck. It looked like your standard ninja outfit without the hood, though I couldn't help but think it was an odd choice for the pants to have hip windows.

As cool as the backstory sounded, I can't base my choice on just that. I quickly looked over the stats for the shinobi class.

I was pretty happy with the stat spread. Aphrodite knew exactly what I was looking for and delivered. I confirmed my choices and turned back to the goddess.
“Is there anything else, Miss Aphrodite?”

“Yes. Just one more thing.” She snapped her fingers again. This time, a wall of text filled the air before me.
“You must choose two traits for your vessel. Each trait comes with its own flaw, so choose wisely.”
I skimmed through the list, eyes darting over names like Prodigy, Iron Will, Skilled Hands, Saint’s Grace... but none of them showed any drawbacks.

“Uh... Aphrodite?” I scratched my cheek. “Is there a reason I can’t see the flaws?”
She smiled—a slow, knowing curve of her lips.
“The flaws of the traits you pick will reveal themselves when the time is right.” How reassuring... Still, a few stood out.

Those two seemed like perfect choices for my first build. Adapt would help me unlock Milestones faster than most players, making it easier to grow stronger, and Masochist would make up for my low Constitution stat. I was a little worried about whatever flaw Masochist came with—but hey, this wasn’t that kind of game, even if the outfits were a bit... questionable.
With my choices confirmed, I looked back at Aphrodite. She was smiling from ear to ear.

“Wonderful choices, child,” she said warmly. “Now all that remains is for you to descend into the world.” She tilted her head, as if remembering something.
“Oh—and don’t worry. I’ve already set your gender for you~.”

I took a long sigh as I looked over my Character details. Of course Mya made THAT my username. Why am I not surprised? Still, everything checked out. Besides the weird symbol next to my gender, but I could chalk that up to a day-one bug that'd get fixed eventually. It looked like a sort of fusion between the male and female sex symbols. I'd have to ask Mya if she had anything weird like this when I saw her in the starter town.
I hit the finish button, finalizing my character. The elf in the hologram was a decent enough character. Although he looked more feminine than masculine, with his shoulder-length black hair and that shinobi outfit. Then again, with the customization for Elf, this was the best I could do. At least with the mask on, maybe he could at least pass as androgynous.

My body suddenly burst into light. After a few seconds, it faded, leaving me in the same body I customised.
“There you go,” Aphrodite said gently. She stepped aside as a portal bloomed open beside her
“Now, child, I must guide the other champions who have appeared. Do stretch before you venture out. New limbs can be... surprising.” She smiled, before stepping into the portal that closed behind her.

I stood there for a moment, rolling my shoulders. I felt… lighter. Smaller, too—an inch or two shorter, maybe—but leaner. This body was definitely made for speed. I started with simple stretches—neck rolls and arm swings. It was easy, too easy, like my joints had been freshly oiled. Curious, I leaned into a standing forward fold. Even that felt a bit too effortless.

So I pushed a little harder. A forward roll, then a cartwheel—both came easily. On my third try at a backflip, I mistimed the jump and felt my balance slip—but my body twisted on instinct. My hands caught the ground before I could even panic. I sprang backwards into a handspring and landed in a low crouch, one knee bent, my fingers brushing the floor. I was in a proper ninja squat.
“...Okay,” I said shakily, my voice coming out thinner than I expected. “Seems this class starts with some kind of shinobi instinct…? I wonder what else I can do?”

Before I could continue experimenting, though, a textbox appeared in front of my vision. It looked nearly the same as the first one I’d seen before I came to this void. The same text stared back at me.
"I guess there's no point in waiting any longer." I moved my hand over to the button before confirming my choice.