"Haah…"
A long sigh escaped the lips of a young man as he walked along the quiet stone road leading away from his academy.
The late afternoon sun painted the sky in warm shades of orange and gold. Students had already gone home, leaving the streets unusually peaceful.
The boy's name was Artorius Everglow, a sixteen-year-old student living in the world known as Trest.
Artorius was not someone people could easily ignore. His fiery red hair caught the sunlight like burning embers, while his golden eyes seemed to glow faintly with curiosity and intelligence. Combined with his tall, slender build and composed demeanor, he naturally stood out in a crowd.
He was also a top student at Rosaria Primordian Academy, the most prestigious educational institution in the entire world. Nobles, scholars, and prodigies all attended the academy, yet even among them, Artorius ranked near the top.
Still, being a top student didn't make homework any less exhausting.
"Three essays, two spell theory assignments, and a history report…" he muttered to himself. "Sometimes I wonder if the teachers secretly enjoy tormenting us."
He adjusted the strap of his bag and continued down the road toward home.
The Everglow family owned a large mansion on the outskirts of the capital, and Artorius lived there with several servants who managed the estate while his parents traveled frequently for business.
As he walked, something glimmered faintly near the edge of the road.
"Hm?"
Artorius stopped.
Lying in the grass beside the stone pavement was a necklace.
"A necklace?"
He crouched down and picked it up carefully.
At first glance, it looked old—almost ancient. The chain was made from a shimmering blue metal that resembled mithril, a rare material known for its strength and magical conductivity. At the center of the necklace rested a golden gem surrounded by intricate engravings that looked slightly rusted with age.
Despite that, the gem itself sparkled with an unnatural brilliance.
"This looks pretty expensive…"
Artorius glanced around.
The road was empty.
"Did someone lose it?" he wondered aloud.
He turned the necklace in his hand, studying the craftsmanship. Whoever made this had clearly been skilled.
"Well… it's not like I can just leave it here," he said thoughtfully. "If I bring it home, maybe someone will report it missing."
He hesitated.
Then another thought crossed his mind.
"…Maybe I'll just try it on for a moment."
Artorius shrugged and placed the necklace around his neck.
For a brief second, nothing happened.
Then—
A mechanical voice suddenly echoed in the air.
"New user identified. Beginning identification process."
"Wha—?!"
Before Artorius could react, a translucent cylindrical hologram appeared around him, scanning his body from head to toe with a soft humming sound.
Artorius froze.
"…The necklace just talked."
The voice spoke again, calm and emotionless.
"Please state your name."
Artorius blinked several times before answering.
"Uh… Artorius Everglow."
"Identity confirmed. User recognized as Artorius Everglow."
The holographic cylinder faded slightly.
"Downloading required systems."
"Systems…?"
Artorius rubbed his chin.
Surprisingly, he didn't panic.
His naturally calm personality helped him analyze the situation instead of freaking out.
This must be some kind of magical artifact, he thought. Possibly ancient.
Then the voice spoke again.
"Installing skill: [Appraisal]."
Suddenly—
"Gah!"
A sharp pain pierced Artorius's left eye.
It felt as if someone had forcibly replaced it with a new one. The sensation was so intense that he staggered backward and nearly fell.
"Agh—!"
The pain lasted only a few seconds, but it felt much longer.
When it finally faded, Artorius was left breathing heavily.
"Okay… that definitely wasn't normal."
The voice returned.
This time, it sounded… slightly friendlier.
"System installation complete."
A brief pause followed.
Then—
"Welcome, Artorius. I am the Travel Guide. You may call me Travy for short."
Artorius blinked.
"…Travy?"
"Correct," the voice replied cheerfully. "I will be assisting you during your travels. Would you like to begin the tutorial?"
Artorius tilted his head.
"Travel Guide…? What kind of traveling are we talking about here?"
"Travel between worlds."
Silence filled the road.
Artorius stared forward.
"…Between worlds?"
"Yes."
"…You mean like… other countries?"
"No."
Another pause.
"Other. Worlds."
Artorius's eyes widened.
"Wait—what?!"
"For further explanation, please begin the tutorial."
Artorius crossed his arms and thought for a moment.
Between worlds…
That sounded absolutely ridiculous.
But then again, the necklace had just scanned him and installed something in his eye.
So maybe ridiculous things were possible.
"Well… I'd rather not experiment in the middle of the street."
He glanced toward the direction of his home.
"Let's do the tutorial once I get back."
A few minutes later, Artorius arrived at the Everglow Mansion.
The large estate stood proudly behind tall iron gates. Several servants greeted him politely as he entered.
"Welcome home, young master."
"Good evening, Master Artorius."
"Evening," he replied casually.
He headed straight to his room.
Once inside, he closed the door and sat on the edge of his bed.
"Alright, Travy."
The golden gem on the necklace glowed faintly.
"I'm ready."
"Tutorial beginning," Travy announced.
"First, please say or think the word [Menu]."
Artorius silently thought the word.
Instantly—
A translucent screen appeared in front of him.
"…Whoa."
It floated in midair like a hologram.
Travy began explaining.
"This is the Menu. On the upper left side, you can see your name, Adventure Level, and experience points."
Artorius leaned forward, studying the display.
"On the upper right side is the [Travel] button. This allows you to travel between worlds."
"Worlds… plural."
"Yes."
"However," Travy continued, "your current Adventure Level is 1, so you may only access one world at the moment."
"And that world is called…?"
"Eiras."
Artorius nodded slowly.
"Sounds fantasy-like."
"On the bottom left side," Travy continued, "is the [Status] tab. This displays your HP, Mana, Strength, Intelligence, Agility, Vitality, and Skills."
Artorius rested his chin in his hand.
"This really is like a game system…"
"You may ask questions if you wish."
"Oh, I definitely have questions."
Artorius raised a finger.
"First one—how do I increase my Adventure Level?"
"Adventure Level increases by completing Quests and Side Quests while traveling between worlds."
"I see."
Travy continued.
"Note that Adventure Level and Status Level are different."
"Hm?"
Artorius leaned back slightly.
"What's the difference?"
"Leveling your Status Level increases your personal stats."
"Strength, agility, and things like that?"
"Correct."
"And Adventure Level?"
"Adventure Level unlocks new worlds you may travel to."
Artorius smiled slightly.
"That's actually pretty cool."
Then he asked another question.
"Is my basic Status randomly generated?"
"No."
"It reflects the abilities you have accumulated throughout your life."
Artorius opened the Status tab.
His eyes scanned the numbers.
"…Huh."
"They actually match my real abilities."
"Correct," Travy confirmed.
"You may increase your Status through training or leveling."
Artorius nodded thoughtfully.
"Next question."
"Go ahead."
"Can other people see the Menu?"
"No. Only the user can see it."
"Good."
Artorius exhaled in relief.
"If people saw floating windows around me, that would get awkward very quickly."
He imagined being dragged into a laboratory for experiments.
"Yeah… let's avoid that."
Travy continued the tutorial.
"On the bottom right side of the Menu is the [Inventory]."
"This stores your equipment, materials, and currency."
Artorius opened it.
The window was completely empty.
"Looks lonely."
"That will change soon."
"Can I exchange money between worlds?" Artorius asked.
"Yes. Currency conversion is supported."
"Nice."
He asked one final question.
"What about time?"
"Time in your home world will remain frozen while you are traveling in another world."
Artorius blinked.
"…Seriously?"
"Yes."
"So if I spend three weeks somewhere else…"
"When you return, only a moment will have passed here."
Artorius leaned back against his chair.
"That's incredibly convenient."
Travy spoke again.
"The tutorial is now complete."
A notification appeared.
Rewards Obtained:
-Leather Plate Armor
-Leather Leggings
-Leather Gloves
-Leather Boots
-Copper Sword
Artorius opened his Inventory.
The equipment was neatly listed.
"…Okay, that's actually impressive."
Travy asked one final question.
"Would you like to begin traveling to Eiras now?"
Artorius thought for a moment.
Then he shook his head.
"Tomorrow."
"Understood."
He stood up and stretched his arms.
"It's the weekend anyway. I'd rather start my interdimensional adventures when I'm fully rested."
The golden gem on the necklace glowed faintly.
"Wise decision," Travy said.
Artorius looked out the window at the darkening sky.
A small smile appeared on his face.
"Another world, huh…"
Tomorrow, his life would change forever.
And so—
Artorius began preparing for his first journey between worlds.