Elemental Online

"So this is the game... Elemental Online?" the young man said, while looking down at it. The cover was just as vibrant as the advertisements had promoted—the first ever Real Game. "I used the last bit of my money on this. It better be worth it."

As he walked out of the shop, rain was slightly falling down. Kumagawa lived a relatively normal life—ordinary in some sense. But what set Kumagawa apart from ordinary 18-year-olds was a dream, something he had been obsessed over for as long as he remembered...

Magic. Otherworldly abilities. But sadly, the world he had been born into didn't have any of that. And because of that, Kumagawa had nearly given up before now.

Looking down, Kumagawa glanced at the game in his hand. "It might not be the real deal, but it's as close as I'm ever gonna get... if the advertisements didn't lie." He sighed and kept walking home.

***

It only took a few seconds after he layed down and clicked play. Slowly, his vision went blurry, and he fell into something called Half-Sleep. One moment, he was in his room—the next, he was soaring through black matter, surrounded by tiny white particles.

And then, in front of him, a timer appeared.

30:00

29:59

29:58

According to what little public information there was about the game, the main premise was simple: players were transported into a massive fantasy world and assigned a random Element. From there, they could do whatever they wanted—it was like having a second chance at life. Whether it was seeking power, becoming a farmer, a businessman—anything was possible.

18:42

18:41

Your appearance was also copied directly from real life. But the most distinct and eye-catching feature of Elemental Online was its death system. If you died in the game, all your progress would be reset. You would have to wait until the end of the month before you could even play again—and you would only keep what you originally started with.

In other words, death was basically permanent.

This also meant that new players who bought the game wouldn't be able to log in before the month ended. If they missed the initial login phase, they would have to wait until the next month to register their account. However, if you had already registered and were still alive, you could play whenever you wanted.

07:23

Just to put into perspective how enormous and famous this game is—around 5 million people worldwide have already bought it, ready for its release. And it doesn't matter if you have a job or other responsibilities, because while you play, you enter the Sleep-State.

Your body experiences the same effects as regular sleep while you're in the game.

The game is restricted to 18+ due to its real-life simulation mechanics. That means you will feel pain, hunger—whatever it might be, just like in real life. You can lose limbs in the game and feel like you've really lost them. If you freeze to death or burn alive, you will experience every bit of it.

It's a 100% simulation of how things would be in the real world.

This is why it's called the world's first Real Game.

00:03

"Here we go, finally! I've waited so long for this."

00:02

00:01

00:00

[System Notification]

— Welcome to Elemental Online —

— You have successfully been granted entry. Would you like to proceed? —

"Yes, I would."

[Confirmed Entry]— Please enter a name —

"A name… using my real name wouldn't be sufficient. Well, the game is still new."He rubbed his neck, pondering his choice.

"Wait, I know! I'll pick 0." He spoke with determination.

— Numbers are invalid —

"Huh…? Then, how about Zero? Does that work?"

— Your name has been registered as Zero —

[System Notification]

Name: Zero

Element: Water (Common)

Potential: None

— Processing data...

[Data Confirmed]

— Would you like the tutorial information before proceeding? —

"Free information… I should probably hear it if I want to understand the game's premise," he thought.

"Yes."

[System Notification]

— Names are unique to each player. Only you have your name. Players will not be able to distinguish each other just by looking. NPCs have lives of their own, meaning even they can grow stronger and gain power.

— Elements are assigned randomly upon registration. You have received the Water element. This does not mean you cannot learn other elements, but the System you own is solely tied to your element. If you wish to master other elements, you must do so through traditional means.

— Potential is also assigned randomly upon joining. It ranges from None, Low, Moderate, and High. You have received Potential: None. You cannot evolve your element, no matter what you do.

— After this message, you will be teleported into the world at a predetermined random location. You may arrive in a dangerous, unexplored region—or in a thriving kingdom. Elemental Online is limitless. You can become anything—a knight, a mage, a farmer. Now, carve your path.

"Wait! I have a questi—"

[Teleportation Initiated]

"NO WAITT" before he knew it he was once again flying through the black matter. he blinked for a fraction of a secound and then he felt something underneath him, Moss he looked around Tall trees so high it could be compared to skyscrabers, the tree trunks were enormous "What is this, this is nothing like ive ever seen before"

He looked down at himself, noticing he was wearing some old wornout clothes. "It feels like im really here, i can feel the small breeze i hear birds chipping" He had a small smirk on his face... "Finally i can optain Power".... "Magic"

"How do i check that again?" He fumbled around, then he focused on the words System and a panel appeared in his mind.

Name: Zero

Element: Water (Common)

Potential: None

"Water, is my element... Hmmm"

His thoughts stuck to the panel as he thought, "Im not certain but the words (Common) doesnt sound promising, And not to mentioned my Potential is None" He bit on his nails a bit while deep in thought

"Oh right, habits die hard"

Around him, the big trees made it impossible to know what direction to take, he had seemingly been teleported into a deep forest, with unusual big trees. it was earily quiet, Zero wandered around a bit, with no idea where to go

⟨ System Accouncement 1 Million Players has died⟩

A few secounds followed with silence

⟨ System has been activated⟩

[System Notification]

Name: Zero

Race: Human

Rank: Unawakend

Element: Water (Common)

Potential: None

Gifts: None

Another annoucement quickly followed up

⟨ Elemental Online begins⟩

ROARRR—!

Zero's body trembled as a roar echoed through the trees. His head snapped toward the source of the sound—his breath hitched. A massive bear was heading toward him.

"Did it see me?"

He pressed himself against the trunk of a towering tree, holding his breath. The bear stopped abruptly, sniffing the air. It was then that he noticed—its eyes were nonexistent. Empty sockets stared blankly, yet the beast moved with eerie precision, drawing closer.

A bead of sweat rolled down his neck. "Wait a second... No eyes… IT CAN SMELL ME?"

Panic shot through him, he began to run.

The sudden movement triggered the creature's instincts—it lunged forward, hot on his trail. Zero could feel its bloodlust, its heavy steps shaking the ground behind him.

"Wow, I'm getting tired—THIS FEELS LIKE REAL LIFE!"

His legs burned as he pushed forward, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Then—hope. A dirt path emerged ahead. A way out.

"Yes! If I can just—"

But the bear was right behind him. Only a few meters separated them now.

"Is this it?" he thought, his vision blurring as exhaustion crept in. The path became clearer, but so did a harsh realization.

"Am I going to die…?"

The game's earlier announcement echoed in his mind he knew

"This game doesn't care. In the first hour alone, a million players have already died… and I could be next."

The bear lunged, its massive claws slicing through the air toward Zero. He barely managed to roll aside, the attack missing him by mere inches. Before he could catch his breath, the beast recovered, already launching another strike.

"Am I gonna die?"

A strange, eerie smile crept onto his face at the thought.

Thrum!

The bear halted mid-attack, letting out a deep, agonized groan.

Thrum! Thrum! Thrum!

Four arrows pierced its back. The creature roared in pain, spinning wildly, desperate to locate the attackers.

Thrum! Thrum!

A flurry of arrows rained down, striking its massive frame. With one final, deafening cry, the beast collapsed.

Five figures leaped down from the trees, swiftly stabbing the fallen creature with daggers to ensure its death. One of them immediately approached Zero.

"You look oddly okay for someone who was about to die."

Zero exhaled sharply, still processing what had just happened. "Oh… thank you for saving me."

Now that the figure was up close, he noticed she looked human—except for the long, pointed ears.

"An elf?" he thought. But before he could ask, she spoke.

"Are you a Player?"

Zero blinked. The directness of the question caught him off guard.

"Wait… is this elf-looking girl a Player too?"

A brief, tense silence lingered before he answered.

"I am a Player."

The elf sighed in relief. "Thank god. We were starting to worry the Kingdom was tricking us."

"Tricked?" 

"Yes. A few days ago, news spread that beings called Players would suddenly appear in our world—summoned out of nowhere."

Zero narrowed his eyes slightly. "Why do these so-called NPCs know about us Players?"

The elf continued, as if sensing his unspoken question.

"The Kingdom is offering a reward for every Player we find and safely escort to the cities. That's the main reason we're out here looking."

It finally clicked in Zero's mind.

"I get it. So that's why they said the NPCs also evolve… It's basically real life. We should view this entire world as a living, breathing thing. They all have their own lives."

His gaze shifted toward the elf and her companions.

"And for them, we Players aren't some unknown beings they see us as reincarnated souls… or maybe summoned people. So to them, we are simply humans with a affinity for certain elements"

On the road, a small wagon, drawn by two horses, bounced unevenly along the dirt path. The bumpy motion made Zero feel worse than he had in ages—almost as if he were seasick. For the past two hours, they had encountered five other Players, each promptly added to the wagon's growing load. Together, they all headed toward Ancalen, a city on the outskirts of the Eldich Kingdom.

As they drew closer to the city, the dense forest began to fade. The towering trees that had once surrounded them seemed to recede, leaving behind an open plain of endless grass and the further they traveled, the more massive the walls surrounding Ancalen appeared. The city loomed ahead, its stone walls growing taller by the secound.

They finally reached the gates of Ancalen, where two guards clad in knightly armor stood watch.

"State your business."

The female elf who had spoken with Zero earlier jumped off the wagon and approached the guards confidently.

"We are here to be compensated for six Players we found in the Great Eldich Forest."

"Six, you say?" The guard's eyebrows arched, clearly surprised.

"Yes," she replied. "We scouted the forest for hours. We're certain there's nobody else in there."

The guards exchanged glances before quickly retreating into a small hut. Moments later, they returned with a small bag containing 5 Silver coins.

"Here you go. Be sure to come back if you find more."

After the exchange, the guards led the six Players into what could only be described as a guild hall of sorts. A large, bulky man emerged from a door and welcomed the new arrivals.

"Hello, Players. I welcome you to Ancalen." His voice carried weight,suggesting he was likely the guildmaster, as everyone around him remained silent.

"You must be confused," he continued, noticing the curious looks on their faces. "I will explain. The Kingdom of Eldich is offering you Players a chance to refine your abilities, especially if you have an affinity for certain Elements."

He paused, allowing the words to sink in.

"All you have to do is place your hands on this crystal ball."

One by one, the Players stepped forward to the crystal ball.

"Water with Moderate Potential."

"Air with Low Potential."

"Air with Moderate Potential."

"Earth with Low Potential."

Finally, it was Zero's turn. He stepped up to the crystal ball, knowing exactly what the result would be.

"Water with None Potential."

The guildmaster let out a quiet sigh, his gaze lingering on Zero before he turned to the final Player.

She approached, her presence immediately noticeable—her black, silky hair cascaded gracefully, drawing attention to her beauty. She was undoubtedly the most striking of the group.

As her hand touched the crystal ball, it glowed a deep, ominous green. The guildmaster's expression shifted, his eyes narrowing in surprise.

"Nature with High Potential."

The guildmaster continued, his gaze sweeping across the group.

"All of you, except for the black-haired male over there with None Potential—would you be willing to travel to the capital and refine your skills under the banner of the Eldich Kingdom? We promise to treat you well."

The Players didn't hesitate.

Who would refuse? The earlier announcement had made it clear—one million Players had died in the first hour. If you wanted to survive in this game, you had to take every opportunity to grow stronger.

With their decision made, the five of them were escorted out of the guild by the guildmaster, leaving Zero alone at the table.

He let out a quiet chuckle. "Just my luck. Oh well… it doesn't matter. I finally have something to work with."

His eyes drifted down to the small pouch strapped to his waist. In all the chaos—the bear attack, the wagon ride—he hadn't even checked its contents.

Pouring it onto the table, he counted ten bronze coins.

Suddenly—

⟨ Player Mirituo is the first to awaken his element! ⟩

The announcement flashed before him, causing Zero to pause. "There it is—the first Player to awaken their Element."

"I need to actually start getting stronger… can't keep getting distracted."

Zero scanned the guildhall, observing the various adventurers inside. Near the guild board, where quests and missions were posted, a group of three stood closely together, eyeing a particular request.

"Slaying ten wolves… I'm not sure. Can we even carry that many cores between just the three of us?" one of them murmured.

Zero overheard the conversation and decided to take a chance.

"I heard you guys need a carrier? Lucky for you, I'm here." He spoke with false confidence, stepping forward.

The three adventurers turned to face him, sizing him up.

"You want to join our party… as a carrier?" the male leader asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes."

The man glanced at his two teammates, silently seeking their approval.

"Can we see your guild card?"

Zero hesitated before replying. "I don't have a guild card. I'm a Player, after all."

Their expressions shifted instantly.

"A Player, you say?"

The girl standing beside the leader spoke next. "I've heard about Players… Apparently, they're summoned people from other worlds with high Elemental affinity."

The leader lowered his voice, glancing around cautiously. "We can take you in, but since you don't have a guild card, we'll have to be careful not to get caught."

"That's fine," Zero responded. "As for payment… how about five bronze coins?"

The offer lingered in the air before the male leader questioned him. "Five bronze coins? Why that number?"

Zero gestured toward the guild board. "Well, the paper over there says the mission is worth 130 bronze coins upon completion. Since I won't be doing much aside from carrying, I figured five bronzes would suffice."

The leader let out a faint laugh before extending his hand.

"Alright, that's a deal."

The leader pulled the quest notice off the board and approached the guild's receptionist.

"We're taking the wolf-slaying quest this time around."

The receptionist nodded but quickly added a warning. "Be careful. There have been reports of a Greater Wolf spotted near the city over the past month."

John waved off the concern. "Don't worry, we won't be traveling too far into wolf territory."

As they walked through the streets of Ancalen, Zero couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. The sheer size of the city was enough to captivate him, even if it wasn't the grandest in the world. Magic. Unnatural abilities. He grinned at the thought.

Breaking the silence, the leader spoke up. "My name's John. I'm what you'd call a sword specialist." He glanced down at the blade on his waist before nodding toward the others. "To my right is Zelphar—an elf, and an expert with the bow. To your left is our mage Marine. She specializes in healing magic and is quite capable."

Zero gave a slight nod. "You can just call me Zero. I'm glad to be in your care for this quest."

John raised an eyebrow. "Zero? Is that a nickname or something?"

Zero scratched the back of his neck, giving a casual shrug. "Yeah… it's the name I mainly go by."

John gave Zero a brief glance before picking up an old sword resting against a barrel. He held it out toward him. "Here, take this. It's my old sword—pretty dented and worn out, but if you get attacked, you need to be able to defend yourself." He smirked. "Consider it a small gift since you're only getting five bronzes for this mission."

[System Notification]

— Crude Sword [Common] Acquired —

— Swordsmanship has been added to your System —

Name: Zero

Race: Human

Rank: Unawakened

Element: Water (Common)

Swordsmanship: None

Potential: None

Gifts: None

Zero examined the weapon in his hands, its chipped edge and worn grip evident. "Better than nothing," he muttered.

***

John's eyes sharpened. "Over there—I see a wolf. Cover me, Zelphar."

Without hesitation, he dashed forward, swinging his sword at the creature. His blade barely grazed its side, leaving a shallow cut. The wolf snarled and lunged in retaliation—only for an arrow to pierce its left eye.

John rolled to the side, dodging the sluggish attack, then drove his sword straight into the wolf's skull. The beast collapsed instantly. Reaching down, John carved something out of the wolf's back—a round, core. He tossed it toward Zero.

The next few wolves fell in a similar fashion until, Three wolves emerged from the underbrush behind them

John intercepted the first wolf's attack, his sword barely managing to deflect the lunging beast. But in doing so, he left his left side wide open. "Gah!" He grunted in pain as sharp fangs clamped down on his arm. The wolf's powerful jaws crushed into his flesh, only releasing when an arrow struck its side.

John staggered back, clutching his wounded arm as blood seeped through his fingers. "Damn it...!" Marine immediately raised her hands, soft golden light swirling around them as she chanted a healing spell. Within moments, the wound on John's arm began closing, the torn flesh rapidly healing.

While the others remained locked in battle with the two remaining wolves, the third beast turned its eyes toward Zero. His grip tightened around the crude sword. "Here we go… my first fight." He exhaled lowering his stance. The wolf snarled before launching itself at him. Zero took two quick steps back, barely dodging as the beast landed where he had stood. Its sudden shift in weight threw it slightly off balance.

Now!

Zero swung his sword in a wide arc, the blade slicing into the wolf's neck. Blood splattered onto the ground. The creature yelped but didn't falter. Before Zero could react, it lunged again—this time knocking against the hilt of his sword, sending the weapon flying from his grasp. "Tch—!" He stumbled, defenseless. The wolf prepared to strike, but before it could arrows made contact.

Thrum! Thrum!

A pair of arrows embedded themselves into its back, and in the blink of an eye, John appeared, his sword flashing downward.

Shhk!

The blade plunged deep into the wolf's skull, and with one last whimper, the creature collapsed. Zero exhaled his heart pounding in his chest. He stared at the fallen wolf before looking up at John, who smirked and offered him a hand.

"Not bad for your first fight," John said. "But next time, try holding onto your sword."

Zero, stood still his smirk had grown on his face, "So this is a battle for your life" He thought

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No im alright, just lost grip of the sword"

Marine looked at him perplexed "your quite calm for somebody who nearly died"

"I guess so"

They kept walking and as of now they had collected 8 out of 10 cores, at this rate they would finish within an hour.

"There are two more ahead," John whispered

He moved forward, crouched low, his steps careful and measured. Zelphar stood ready.

"Now"

A flurry of arrows cut through the air.

The wolves didn't even have time to react. Their bodies hit the ground before they could register the attack.

John let out a chuckle as he approached the fallen beasts, pulling out his knife. "Well, well, would you look at our luck today?" He carved out the monster cores,

"Normally, it takes a hell of a lot longer to get this many cores." His grin widened.

For once, things were going their way but then...

A sickening aura swallowed the air.

A heavy, unnatural stillness settled over them, suffocating, pressing against their chests like an invisible weight.

Nobody moved.

KNACK! KNACK!

Something rattled in the trees. The dry snap of branches echoed through the silent clearing.

John's expression shifted first—his face twisting with sheer horror. Even Zelphar, who had remained composed throughout their fights, looked pale and rigid.

Then, it emerged.

Towering over them, its shadow stretching unnaturally across the ground, an Elder Wolf stepped into the clearing. Its massive frame loomed ten times the size of a normal wolf, if not more. its piercing eyes looking at them.

Zero barely heard John's sharp intake of breath before his voice cracked with panic.

"WHY IS AN ELDER WOLF HERE?!"

A crazed grin spread across Zero's face. His pulse pounded like a war drum. Excitement. It surged through him, overriding the terror. "Why? Why do I feel like this?"

The sheer existence of the Elder Wolf was suffocating. The weight of its aura made it feel as though time itself had stopped.

Then—

"RUN! SPLIT UP! DON'T STOP RUNNING!" John's desperate scream shattered the paralysis.

That was all it took.

Zelphar and Marine bolted, throwing aside any hesitation, any belongings that would slow them down.

Zero turned to run too—

SNAP!

The Elder Wolf moved.

A blur of silver and shadow crashed into Marine. A sickening CRUNCH echoed through the clearing as her right arm was torn clean off. She didn't even have time to scream before the blood sprayed across the dirt.

"I gotta move, I GOTTA MOVE"

Zero's breath came in ragged gasps. His mind screamed at him to run, but his body was frozen, watching in horror as the scene unfolded.

Marine collapsed, unmoving.

She had been alive seconds ago. Now, she was just a lifeless corpse.

Zelphar!

The Elder Wolf's head snapped toward him, it locked onto the Elf's scent.

Zelphar, desperate, his hands trembling, strung an arrow and fired.

Thrum! Thrum!

Two arrows buried themselves in the beast's thick hide. It didn't even flinch.

Then, it lunged.

Zelphar barely had time to react before it was upon him. Claws raked across his chest, and in the blink of an eye—his body was torn apart. Zero stumbled back, heart pounding against his ribs. His breath was short, erratic. Dropping everything except his crude sword, he ran. The last thing he saw before disappearing into the thick trees was the Elder Wolf turning its head towards his direction.