"Astral warriors, welcome to Ark Era!"
"As you can see, the prosperous and brilliant civilization of the old world is gone. This is now the Ashen Era after the Cataclysm. Eighty percent of this land has become wasteland and restricted zones, while terrifying pollution and mutated monsters roam every corner of the world."
"But we will not yield. Even if civilization has collapsed and the world is nothing but ashes, we can still rebuild our home upon those ashes with our own hands!"
A man who looked to be in his twenties stood on a metal platform. He wore a tattered robe, was covered in dust, and had bright, spirited eyes. In a deep, impassioned voice, he explained the current state of this era to the others.
Below the platform, more than five hundred simply dressed, unarmed "Astral warriors" stared at one another in utter bewilderment.
"Holy shit, holy shit!"
"The visuals, the textures!"
"This game really has tactile feedback! I can actually touch my own face!"
"Want to slap me and see?"
"I've never heard such a weird request."
Xia Wen knocked the lunatic beside him to the ground with a Tathagata Palm, then rubbed his hand as he savored the undeniably real sensation.
This game was unrealistically real.
At that moment, the "NPC" on the platform was also nearing the end of his speech.
"This is Shelter 71. I am Sivers, the gravekeeper of the old world."
"Now, connect your souls and activate your Astral Marks. To survive in this wasteland, you must first understand yourselves better."
"Collect your equipment and prepare for battle!"
As his voice fell, a stream of pale blue data suddenly appeared across Xia Wen's retina. A translucent, pale blue holographic panel abruptly yet naturally floated in the center of his vision.
``` [Initializing