The second time Kieran stepped into Eclipse of the Arcanist, he felt more prepared—or so he thought. The vivid world unfolded around him again, the forest’s earthy smell grounding him as he adjusted to his avatar. This time, something was different.

  The starter staff he’d earned from Lyria felt more balanced in his grip, and when he opened his stats, his Arcane Affinity had already risen, far beyond what the system should’ve allowed after a single quest. He frowned.

  “Wasn’t this supposed to be a slow grind?” he muttered.

  Other players were scattered around the starting area, chatting with NPCs or grouping up for early missions. A few glanced his way, eyes lingering on the faint shimmer around his character—a subtle glow that hadn’t been there before.

  Kieran shifted uneasily and decided to check out the next quest marker. The sooner he leveled up and figured out what was going on, the better.

  The quest led him to a bustling village perched at the edge of the Veilwood. Blacksmiths hammered at glowing forges, merchants hawked wares, and NPC villagers moved about with startling realism. It was easy to forget this was all just code.

  Kieran approached a tall, weathered man named Elder Ryn, whose silver beard and piercing eyes radiated authority.

  “Ah, another eager adventurer,” Ryn said, his deep voice carrying over the noise of the village. “The Veilwood stirs again. Shadows creep closer to our walls.”

  The quest details appeared:

  Protect the village from corrupted wolves.

  It was a standard defense mission—simple enough, but when Kieran accepted, a familiar shimmer crossed his vision. Red code, flashing erratically, just like in the clearing yesterday.

  “What the hell…” he whispered, rubbing his temple.

  “You’ll find the wolves by the northern ridge,” Ryn continued, oblivious to Kieran’s confusion. “Be careful. They’ve grown… unnatural.”

  By the time Kieran reached the ridge, the sun was low, casting long shadows over the forest. His footsteps crunched on fallen leaves, the sounds unnervingly sharp in the silence.

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  The wolves attacked fast, their forms twisted with jagged, shadowy spikes. Kieran’s spells came quicker this time, his Arcane Bolt chaining between multiple enemies with no cooldown—a feature that wasn’t supposed to unlock until much later in the game.

  “What is happening?” he said, blasting a final wolf into a cloud of ash. He stood there, breathing hard, as his HUD flickered again.

  This time, a new option appeared under his abilities menu: Arcane Genetic Slot (Locked).

  The name made no sense. It wasn’t listed in any of the beta player guides he’d read.

  Before he could investigate further, a slow clap echoed through the forest. Kieran spun around, his staff raised. A figure emerged from the shadows, their face obscured by a hood. Their nameplate read ???, a placeholder that marked them as either an NPC or a hidden player.

  “Impressive,” the stranger said, their voice smooth and unnervingly calm. “You’re evolving faster than expected.”

  Kieran tightened his grip on his staff. “Who are you?”

  The stranger chuckled. “Just someone keeping an eye on things. You’re not like the others, are you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kieran said, though the edge in his voice betrayed him.

  The figure stepped closer, their presence unnervingly solid. Unlike NPCs, whose movements followed a predictable rhythm, this one moved with unsettling fluidity, as though they weren’t bound by the game’s usual rules.

  “You’ve already seen the code, haven’t you?” they said, tilting their head. “The anomalies? They’re not glitches. They’re warnings.”

  “Warnings about what?” Kieran demanded.

  The stranger’s gaze lingered on him for a moment before they sighed. “This game isn’t what you think it is. It’s a cage, a construct, and you’ve stumbled into its cracks.”

  The words sent a chill down Kieran’s spine. He opened his mouth to press for answers, but the stranger cut him off.

  “Don’t trust it, Kieran. Don’t trust the game.”

  Before Kieran could respond, the figure raised their hand, and their form dissolved into light. A moment later, the forest was empty again, the only sound his own breathing.

  Back in the village, Kieran turned in his quest to Elder Ryn, though his mind was elsewhere. The wolf cores earned him a new piece of gear—an enchanted robe that boosted his mana—but it didn’t feel like much of a victory.

  As soon as the NPC dismissed him, Kieran opened his menu and stared at the Arcane Genetic Slot again. It was still locked, but now it glowed faintly, as though it were reacting to his presence.

  He thought of the stranger’s warning. If they were right, then Eclipse of the Arcanist was hiding far more than it let on.

  For now, though, he had no choice but to keep playing.

  As Kieran logged out, a new message awaited him in the real world: “Stop searching, or you’ll regret it.”