Verso had already known there was more to the system than what he could currently see.
The system had previously said that reward for his first mission was the [Fusion] function which sounded very powerful. But the last thing he had expected was to unlock a whole new feature just by stepping through a portal.
He stood in the shadow of the massive stone barked tree in the corner of the clearing with his eyes locked on the blue text floating in front of him.
---
Function: Realm Menu
Description:The Realm Menu allows the Host to manifest a perfect, simulated copy of any downloaded Realm within their subconscious while they sleep.
Note:Within the simulation, pain is a reality but death is not permanent. All growth and loot gained within the simulated Realm will be transferred to the Host's physical body upon waking.
---
As Verso read through the description, he felt a chill that had nothing to do with the dungeon's temperature. He froze, as he felt like something come up in his throat.
"This is insane..."
The words came out in a slow and shaky whisper.
He stared at the screen as his mind kept racing to keep up with the implications.
If this description was telling the truth it completely changed everything. He didn't have to be physically present in the dungeon to get stronger.
According to the system, he could now enter the Shattered Wilds from the safety of his own bed.
Even better, he didn't have to fear dying. In a real dungeon one real mistake meant you were coming out in a coffin or even worse you were never getting out.
In the Dungeon recreated by the system, he could die a thousand times over and just wake up in his dorm.
'Or should I say, a realm.' Verso corrected himself.
He realized that the system viewed these places differently than the rest of the world. To the school, this was a dungeon yet the system kept calling this place a 'Realm.'
Although he did not yet know what this meant, he had a feeling that he would find out soon enough.
And if this function worked exactly like it said it did then one month wasn't a tight deadline instead it was more than enough time.
He could train for hours from the comfort of his room. He could hunt as long as he wanted just waking up to having food and attend classes.
"What do I do now?"
Verso looked around the clearing. A few students were still nearby, checking their gear and laughing among themselves. Something deep in his gut told him that staying here right now was a waste of time and that he should go back to his dorm.
"Ah, fuck it!" Verso said out loud, ignoring the weird looks from a couple of passing freshmen.
He turned around and headed straight back toward the massive yellow tear in space. He didn't care if the people watching him thought he was chickening out like a coward.
Verso's dorm room was quiet.
He closed the door and locked it, letting out a long sigh of relief.
The room was quite small. It was a standard size rectangle room with a bed, a wardrobe, and a desk.
Luckily, because he was a top ranked student, he had earned the right to live alone, which was a blessing he had not fully appreciated until now.
Verso quickly kicked off his shoes and jumped down flat on his bed. The mattress was soft and felt like a cloud.
"How do I do this?"
He closed his eyes and focused on trying to pull up the system window just like he had in the office.
A green colored window suddenly came into existence in front of him as he opened his eyes.
---
[✦Realm Menu✦]
Available Realms:
1. The Shattered Wilds
Locked Realms:
???
???
---
'Looks like the only one available is the Shattered Wilds.' Verso thought.
He glanced at the other options, which were nothing but rows of question marks.
He wondered what he would have to do to unlock those. Did he have to physically visit every dungeon just to download them?
'Okay, let's give this a shot.' He thought.
He focused his intent on the words The Shattered Wilds in the menu.
[Entering: The Shattered Wilds]
Right away, a system message sounded in his head followed by a sudden overwhelming wave of exhaustion.
It was not like the exhaustion of being tired after a long day but rather a heavy and forced drowsy feeling as if he had taken sleeping medication.
It felt like his body was being pulled into a deep, dark pool of water but Verso did not fight the feeling, closing his eyes and letting his body go limp.
[Host has Entered the Realm.]
The mechanical voice woke him up.
Hearing the voice of the system that he was slowly getting used to, Verso opened his eyes and immediately sat up.
He wasn't on his firm dorm mattress anymore as he felt the crunchy dry grass and the uneven surface beneath him.
He looked up and saw the breathtaking pink and blue sky, glowing with that same soft and ethereal haze.
Massive stone barked trees towered over him, their glowing vines swaying in a cold breeze.
He was standing in the middle of the clearing, the same exact spot where he had been just a few minutes ago.
He spun around, looking for the yellow portal but to his surprise the area was empty. There was no portal, no other students and no guiding marks.
"This is literally a one to one recreation of the Shattered Wilds." Verso said out loud not worried about anyone hearing him.
His voice didn't echo at all, the forest swallowing the sound.
The clearing felt completely surreal because not only was it beautiful but the complete lack of other people made it feel like a ghost town.
"Okay, this kind of creeps me out." He muttered as a cold shiver ran down his spine.
Back in the real dungeon, the noise of other students had made the place feel less scary but here he was completely alone.
He took a few steps forward, his boots making a loud thumping sound against the ground.
Slowly Verso walked toward the small, narrow path between two massive trees as he knew from his classes that this route led deeper into the forest.
And if this place was a perfect copy, then the beasts should also be there.
"Let's get the hunt going." He said as a small smile appeared on his face.