Employees moved between customers, explaining specifications and processing purchases. The excitement was almost tangible.
A young man was enthusiastically asking an employee about the difference between two models.
"Does the X-7 really have better neural synchronization?"
"Yes, sir. The X-7’s sensory response is approximately twelve percent faster than the X-5."
Nearby, another customer was already swiping through his personal terminal, preparing to pay.
Aiden barely glanced at them before his attention went straight toward the reception counter.
There was no reason for him to buy a pod. He already knew exactly what would happen to these machines tomorrow.
He approached the attendant. The young woman behind the counter looked up and smiled professionally.
"Welcome to Eclipse Online. Are you looking to purchase a pod?"
"No." Aiden shook his head.
"How much does it cost to rent one?"
The attendant paused. "Rent?"
She looked slightly surprised as he confirmed with a slight nod,
"Of course. We do offer temporary access." She said, quickly tapping her terminal, bringing up the available rental options.
"Normally, temporary access is relatively affordable, but because Eclipse Online launches tomorrow, demand has increased significantly."
A holographic price list appeared between them.
"At the moment, the cheapest option is eighty Universal Points for ten minutes."
Aiden’s eyebrow twitched, "Eighty?"
"For ten minutes." The attendant gave him an apologetic smile as she added, "I’m afraid so."
Aiden stared at the price. ’Eighty Universal Points for ten minutes. Damn, that’s a bit too much...’
That was expensive. Like very expensive.
In Year 3000, individual nations and regions still maintained their own currencies for domestic transactions. The dollar remained useful in some places, the euro in others, the yen, yuan, pound, and countless regional currencies continuing to circulate.
But Universal Points were different. They were designed to transcend those boundaries.
A globally recognized digital currency, Universal Points could be used almost anywhere on Earth, making them especially common for international transactions, advanced technology, digital services, travel, and large-scale commercial operations.
For an ordinary university student, eighty Universal Points for ten minutes of entertainment wasn’t exactly pocket change.
Aiden glanced at the displayed rental options, "That’s the cheapest?"
"Yes." The attendant hesitated before adding, "Demand is unusually high because of the launch. The rental prices are temporarily elevated."
She gestured toward the showroom, "If you’re planning to use Eclipse Online regularly, purchasing your own pod would be much more economical in the long run."
Aiden almost laughed. ’Of course it would.’
That was exactly what he had done in his previous life. He didn’t know the game would merge with reality and made that huge financial mistake...
Sighing inwardly, he looked at the expensive pods displayed around the showroom. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
’It’s a good thing I have my memories. Renting a pod temporarily is ridiculously expensive... but it’s still only a fraction of the cost of buying one.’
His smile became slightly self-mocking. ’Knowing myself, I would’ve definitely bought one again if I had regressed without my memories.’
He remembered his younger self. Excited, naive and convinced that Eclipse Online represented the future of entertainment.
He had poured a huge portion of his student loan into purchasing an expensive pod because he wanted to experience the game at its highest possible quality.
At the time, it had seemed like a perfectly reasonable decision.
Now... Aiden sighed internally. ’Sigh... I really was dumb back then.’
But he couldn’t truly blame his younger self. There had been no reason to suspect the truth. Everyone believed the same thing. Eclipse Online was a game. Nothing more.
Aiden pulled out his personal terminal. "Fine. I’ll rent one."
The attendant smiled, "Certainly."
The transaction was completed almost instantly.
Aiden watched the Universal Points disappear from his account without much reaction.
Eighty points. A small price to pay for what he needed.
The attendant checked the booking confirmation. "You’re assigned to Pod Room Seventeen."
She pointed toward a corridor leading deeper into the facility.
"You’ll have ten minutes of uninterrupted access. Your account can be registered directly from the pod."
Aiden nodded, "Thank you."
"You’re welcome. Enjoy Eclipse Online."
Aiden turned away. ’Enjoy huh?’
The word almost made him smile, ’Ignorance is truly bliss.’
Shaking his head, he walked down the corridor.
Pod Room Seventeen was located near the end. The door slid open automatically when he approached.
Inside was a small, quiet room. At its center rested the pod.
There, Aiden stopped. For a moment, he simply looked at it.
The machine was sleek and futuristic, but not overly extravagant.
A reclining platform formed the base, surrounded by a transparent upper shell. A sophisticated neural interface curved around the headrest, while dozens of tiny biometric sensors were embedded throughout the interior.
Soft synthetic material covered the reclining surface, designed to keep the user’s body comfortable during prolonged immersion.
It looked almost harmless. Almost.
Aiden stared at it for several seconds. He remembered this. Three years ago, he had sat inside a machine almost identical to this one.
Back then, excitement had filled his heart. He had wondered what the legendary world of Eclipse Online would look like.
He had wondered what Class he would receive. He had wondered whether he could become one of the strongest players.
He had smiled filled with happiness and expectations. He hadn’t known that this was humanity’s gateway to hell.
Aiden’s expression became complicated for a moment.
Then it disappeared. There was no point dwelling on the past.
Sighing inwardly, he stepped inside. The pod automatically adjusted itself to his body. The reclining surface shifted beneath him, supporting his back and legs perfectly.
A faint mechanical hum filled the room.
Then, Click.
The transparent shell descended. Darkness swallowed him.
Aiden closed his eyes. For a brief moment, there was nothing. It was completely silent with no sound, nor sensation.
But then a calm, genderless voice emerged from the darkness.
[Welcome to Eclipse Online...]
Aiden’s eyes opened.
[Welcome to Eclipse Online, Aiden Cross.]