Clear Sky

Shelley's home was a detached two-story house.

The first floor had a small living room, a kitchen, and a storage room.

The second floor had three bedrooms.

Since Shelley was single, two of them were empty.

The place was extremely messy. It was obvious Shelley was a woman who did not know how to clean.

Yeah, she solved cases by shooting people dead. There was no reason to expect her to keep her home tidy.

Before long, Luke lay down on the bed in his room.

He let out a long breath.

Thinking back on everything that had happened today, it was fucking absurd!

The sound of showering came from the bathroom next door. Luke did not let his imagination run wild. Instead, he focused his mind inward.

He examined that phone.

Battery: 61%.

Every app on the screen was grayed out. Only the client icon for "Era" was in color.

It was even highlighted, as if urging him to tap it.

I'm in this game world. Can this game still be played?

Luke tapped the "Era" icon.

It really... opened!

The game interface loaded extremely quickly.

The character he had created stood on the login screen.

A female Elf.

Clear Sky: Level 120 (Maximum Level)

Race: Elf

Bloodline: Fierce War Song (A branch of grassland Elves that became warlike from living alongside orcs. Combat will increased by 10%. Can remain clear-headed while in a frenzied state.)

Enhanced Bloodline: Wings of Time and Space (A gift from the Elven Overgod, obtained at Level 80 by completing an enhanced bloodline quest. Can make limited changes to and interference with time and space.)

Alchemical Modification: Elemental Fusion Reactor (Heart) (Efficiently obtains and releases energy.)

Transcendent Implant: Angel's Right Arm (Light-elementalized. The right arm can unleash holy combat techniques. Damage against non-light-element creatures increased by 15%; damage against evil creatures increased by 50%.)

Constellation: Aquarius (One of the twelve golden constellations. Greatly enhances recovery abilities. Water- and ice-type combat techniques and spell effectiveness increased by 15%. Raises humidity within a certain range and can create localized rainfall.)

Affinity Element: Ice

Exclusive Combat Technique: Ice Dance Garden (Large-scale ice-element attack. Movement speed on ice increased by 50%.)

...

This was the character Luke had grinded in "Era" for nearly ten years. While it was not among the very best in the Player community, it was still high-level.

Especially over the past three years, he had spent quite a bit of money on it to make videos, carefully refining the character's attributes and skill setup.

Looking at the character he had raised through both grinding and spending under these circumstances filled him with endless emotion.

Since he had nothing to do now, and it seemed he could play the game through the phone in his mind, he might as well do some daily quests and run a dungeon before bed.

Luke chose to enter "Era."

A notification box popped up first.

[Notice: Character login will consume a large amount of phone battery. Based on 100% battery (a Level 120 character can exist for 10 seconds, a Level 100 character for 10 minutes, a Level 80 character for 100 minutes, and a character below Level 60 for 1,000 minutes), the phone cannot be charged while the character is logged in.

The duration of the character's existence is based on the actual battery level.

When the battery reaches zero, the character will be forcibly logged out.

Recharging from 0% to 100% takes 24 hours.]

What did that mean?

A max-level character drained that much battery?

Even a Level 100 character could only be played for ten minutes—not even enough for one dungeon run.

A Level 80 character got one hundred minutes, less than two hours.

A Level 60 character had plenty of time, but what was the point of going in... just to get beaten up?

After thinking for a moment, Luke decided to lower his character to Level 60.

He would go in first and see what it was like without a network connection. If he encountered something he could not handle, he could just adjust the level again.

The character's level adjustment was complete.

Compared to the Level 120 version, the Level 60 character no longer had that overwhelming aura spilling outward and looked much more ordinary.

The character slowly turned translucent.

Then a map appeared.

[Because your actual location is the Cape District of Raging Wave City, Golden Shield Empire, the map of this area has been unlocked for you. Your created character can use the Cape District's 36 Virtual Teleport Anchors.

Notice: Virtual Teleport Anchors can only be seen and used by your created character.

Notice: If your created character dies, 100% battery must be consumed to revive them.

Notice: While controlling your character, you may adjust the character's level as needed. Battery consumption will be based on the character's actual level.

Notice: While controlling your character, ensure that you are in a safe location or have the ability to ensure your own safety.]

Luke found his location on the map, then selected a nearby Virtual Teleport Anchor.

What would happen?

He chose to enter.

[Character entering...]

Luke felt his consciousness suddenly swallowed by darkness. Then his viewpoint arrived atop a clock tower.

I...

How did I get out?!

No, he had not come out. He had two perspectives.

Luke was certain that he was still lying in the bedroom of Shelley's home, with the water in the bathroom next door still running.

Yet at the same time, his consciousness was connected to another viewpoint.

Through that viewpoint, he could see...

Luke controlled the extra viewpoint in his consciousness, turning it as easily as he could control his own body, and saw Shelley's home.

Luke immediately pulled his consciousness back, then quickly drew aside the curtains. Less than two hundred meters away, someone stood atop a clock tower.

A slender woman.

She wore the outfit he had spent 648 on. Her entire right arm was covered by a black lace long glove to conceal Angel's Right Arm, while two short curved blades were symmetrically tucked at the small of her back.

Under the moonlight, he could see her emerald-green ear-length hair and the outline of the pointed ears unique to Elves.

She was Clear Sky, the character he had spent ten years raising in "Era."

But why was Clear Sky here?!

And...

Luke returned to the viewpoint within his consciousness.

Through Clear Sky's eyes, he saw himself pressed against the window, peering this way.

His eyes were bulging so hard it seriously ruined his looks.

At that moment, Luke looked at himself through two perspectives. The sensation was both strange and enough to make goosebumps rise all over his body.

Shelley next door seemed to have heard something. "Detective Chief, is something wrong?"

"Nothing." Luke closed the curtains. "I was thinking about Her Highness the Grand Princess. I couldn't sleep."

"Detective Chief, you really are a devoted man."

"Heh heh, of course. Going to sleep now. Good night."

"Good night, sir."

When he heard no more movement from next door, Luke closed his eyes and went to sleep as well, his consciousness returning to Clear Sky.