The familiar blue interface appeared before Aster.
Do you wish to log out?
YES / NO
He looked one last time toward the walls of Mistvale.
The village had become quieter as evening settled in. Adventurers returned from hunting, merchants packed away their stalls, and warm lights flickered from the windows of small homes.
Somewhere beyond those walls lay Skyrend Peak.
Somewhere farther still waited the countless Truths hidden throughout Divine Nexus.
Aster smiled.
"I'll be back."
He pressed YES.
Darkness swallowed everything.
The sensation of wind vanished.
The smell of grass disappeared.
Even the weight of the wooden sword at his waist faded into nothingness.
Then...
A soft mechanical hum reached his ears.
The VR helmet slowly unlocked with a gentle click.
Yevhen opened his eyes.
A white ceiling greeted him.
The familiar hospital room.
The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.
The faint scent of disinfectant.
For a brief moment, he simply stared upward.
"...I'm back."
His body once again felt weak.
The strength he had enjoyed inside Divine Nexus was gone.
His legs remained motionless beneath the blanket.
Yet...
Something had changed.
Not physically.
Inside his heart.
For the first time in years...
He no longer felt trapped.
A knock sounded at the door.
Before he could answer, it opened.
"There you are."
Elena walked inside carrying two paper bags that filled the room with a delicious aroma.
She smiled the moment she saw him awake.
"I was wondering if you'd sleep through dinner."
Yevhen laughed softly.
"I almost did."
She placed the bags on the bedside table before taking out several food containers.
His eyes widened.
"Burgers?"
"And fries."
She grinned.
"And your favorite chocolate milkshake."
Yevhen looked at the meal in surprise.
"You remembered."
"I always remember."
She pulled a chair beside his bed and carefully arranged the food where he could easily reach it.
"Today's a special day."
"The world's first full-dive game."
"And my little brother survived eighteen hours inside it."
She crossed her arms dramatically.
"I think that deserves a celebration."
Yevhen couldn't help laughing.
"...Thanks."
Elena handed him a burger.
"So..."
She leaned forward with sparkling eyes.
"How was it?"
Yevhen froze.
How could he explain it?
Should he tell her about the battlefield?
About Grandfather?
The necklace?
The Primal Codex?
Would she even believe him?
He remained silent.
Elena noticed immediately.
"Hey..."
Her voice became gentler.
"You don't have to tell me everything."
"I just want to know..."
She smiled warmly.
"...whether you had fun."
Those simple words broke something inside him.
Fun.
He hadn't thought about that word in a long time.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
A smile spread across his face.
"I walked."
Elena blinked.
"...What?"
"I walked."
His voice trembled.
"I actually walked."
He lowered his eyes toward his motionless legs beneath the blanket.
"They carried me."
"I ran."
"I climbed hills."
"I stood beneath a tree."
"I crossed an entire village."
His smile slowly widened.
"...Without pain."
Silence filled the room.
Tears gathered in Elena's eyes before she even realized it.
Yevhen continued quietly.
"I know it wasn't real."
"I know it was just my consciousness inside a virtual world."
"But..."
His voice cracked.
"It felt real."
"So real."
"I could feel the grass."
"The wind."
"The warmth of sunlight."
"I even got tired after fighting monsters."
He laughed through watery eyes.
"I've never been so happy to feel exhausted."
Elena covered her mouth.
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
Yevhen looked at her apologetically.
"Sorry."
"I didn't mean to—"
Before he could finish, Elena gently held his hand.
"No."
Her own voice shook.
"Don't apologize."
She squeezed his fingers.
"You've spent years watching other people walk."
"Run."
"Live."
"And today..."
She smiled despite the tears.
"You finally got to experience it yourself."
Yevhen nodded.
"I thought the game would just be an escape."
"But when I was there..."
"It didn't feel like escaping."
"It felt like..."
He searched for the right words.
"...being alive."
Neither spoke for a while.
The room remained quiet except for the steady rhythm of the heart monitor.
Eventually, Elena wiped away her tears and forced a playful smile.
"So..."
She nudged the burger toward him.
"Did my brave adventurer at least remember to eat?"
Yevhen laughed.
"I don't think Aster ate once."
"Aster?"
"My in-game name."
She nodded approvingly.
"I like it."
"It suits you."
Yevhen took a bite of the burger.
It was every bit as delicious as he remembered.
For a while, the siblings simply ate together, talking about the little things.
Yevhen told her about Mistvale's peaceful streets, the training grounds, and the friend he had met named Cole.
He laughed while describing how nervous he had been during his first monster hunt.
He even admitted how excited he felt after reaching Level Four.
The only things he kept to himself were the battlefield...
His grandfather...
And the Primal Codex.
Some secrets were too unbelievable.
Or perhaps...
They weren't his alone to tell.
As dinner came to an end, Elena stood and gathered the empty containers.
She paused at the doorway before leaving.
"I'm really happy."
Yevhen looked up.
She smiled with a warmth that reminded him of home.
"I haven't seen you smile like that..."
"...since Mom and Grandpa were still with us."
The room fell silent once more.
Yevhen touched the necklace resting against his chest beneath the hospital gown.
It felt warm.
Just for an instant.
Almost as if it had heard her words.
And somewhere far beyond the hospital walls...
Beyond reality itself...
The world of Divine Nexus patiently waited for Aster's return.