Leo's hands tightened around his phone. He stared at the email, his mind racing.
"We know who you are, Nyxaris."
It could have been a bluff. A scam. But deep down, he knew it wasn't.
Someone had found him.
With a sharp breath, he tapped the email open.
From: Anonymous
Subject: We need to talk. We know who you are, Nyxaris.
Message:
"We've been watching. You're different. You've done things that shouldn't be possible. There are others who want to find you too—people who will not ask nicely. If you want to know the truth about what's happening, meet us tomorrow at 3 PM. The location will be sent an hour before the meeting. Come alone."
Leo's stomach twisted. This wasn't just about the game anymore.
The game developers were panicking, and now someone in the real world was reaching out to him?
He needed to think.
He locked his phone and took a deep breath. He couldn't tell his mom or Mia—not yet. He didn't want to worry them.
"What should I do?" he thought.
The safest move was to ignore it. But… something in his gut told him that wouldn't work. Whoever sent this knew things.
If he ran, they'd find him again.
And worse—if they weren't the only ones looking for him, then the others might not be so friendly.
The next morning, Leo forced himself to act normal.
He had breakfast with his mom and Mia, helped clean the new house a little, and even took Mia out shopping for some new clothes.
But his mind never stopped racing.
He kept checking his phone. Every time it vibrated, his heart leapt into his throat.
Finally, at 2 PM, another email arrived.
From: Anonymous
Subject: The Meeting
Message:
"Location: Old Train Station, West District. 3 PM. Come alone."
Leo clenched his fists. It was time.
The old train station was abandoned. Rusted metal, broken windows, and graffiti-covered walls surrounded the empty tracks.
Leo stepped cautiously inside, his hoodie pulled up.
No one was there—yet.
"This could be a setup," he thought.
His instincts screamed at him to stay alert.
Then—footsteps.
A tall man in a suit stepped out from the shadows. His expression was unreadable, his eyes sharp like a predator's.
Behind him stood two others—one wearing sunglasses, the other casually leaning against a rusted pillar.
"Leo," the man in the suit said. His voice was calm, but his presence was suffocating.
Leo didn't react. "Who are you?"
The man smiled. "You can call me Mr. Alden. And we've been very interested in you, Nyxaris."
Leo's fists clenched.
They really did know.
Mr. Alden gestured for Leo to follow. Reluctantly, he did—staying on guard.
They walked into a dimly lit office space hidden behind the station.
Once inside, Alden spoke.
"You've noticed it, haven't you?" he said. "The game is changing. Evolvera is not the same as it was before."
Leo stayed silent.
"The developers don't control everything in that world anymore," Alden continued. "Something else is at play."
Leo's eyes narrowed. "And you know what that is?"
Alden leaned forward. "No. But we intend to find out. And you, Nyxaris, are the key to it all."
Silence filled the room.
Leo knew he had two options—walk away, or step deeper into the unknown.
He took a breath.
And then, he asked the one question that would change everything:
"What do you want from me?"
Mr. Alden's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Straight to the point. I like that."
Leo kept his expression neutral, but his mind was racing.
Alden leaned back, his fingers tapping against the dusty table. "We don't want to control you, Leo. We want to work with you."
Leo narrowed his eyes. "Work with me… how?"
The man in sunglasses finally spoke up, his voice rough and direct. "You're breaking the rules of Evolvera, kid. You've done things the game's code shouldn't allow. The developers are losing control, and we need to understand why."
Leo crossed his arms. "So, what? You want me to be some kind of test subject?"
Alden shook his head. "No. We want you to keep playing. Keep pushing the limits. In return, we'll provide resources—information, security. If someone else is watching you, we'll know. If the developers try to interfere, we'll protect you."
Leo didn't trust them—not yet. But… if what they were saying was true, then he wasn't just changing the game.
Something else was changing it with him.
"Why me?" he asked.
Alden's expression turned serious. "Because you're the only one who has survived an encounter with the Unknown Entity."
Leo stiffened.
Alden continued. "That thing that attacked you when you got the last Eldros Key? We've never seen anything like it. The developers didn't create it."
Leo's heart pounded. He already suspected that. But hearing it confirmed was something else entirely.
"Whatever this thing is," Alden said, "it's not part of Evolvera. It's something else. And it's watching you."
Leo exhaled slowly. "…And if I say no?"
Alden's smirk returned. "Then you'll still be the most wanted player in Evolvera, with half the world trying to track you down. We won't stop you, but we won't protect you either."
Leo hesitated. He didn't like being pushed into a corner, but if these people were telling the truth, then the Unknown Entity wasn't done with him yet.
And if that was the case… he needed every advantage he could get.
Finally, he spoke.
"I'll think about it."
Alden nodded, as if he expected that answer. "Fair enough. Take your time." He handed Leo a small black card. No number, no logo—just a single silver emblem of a key.
"If you want to talk, use this. Until then… keep playing, Nyxaris."
Leo pocketed the card, turned, and walked away.
Leo barely spoke during dinner. His mom and Mia were happy, enjoying their meal, but his mind was still in Evolvera—still in that office, replaying Alden's words.
After dinner, he locked himself in his room, pulled out the black card, and stared at it.
Was this the right choice?
Was he really getting involved in something he couldn't escape?
But deep down, he knew—this wasn't something he could walk away from anymore.
Something had changed in Evolvera.
Something beyond the developers, beyond the players, beyond the game itself.
And for some reason, it was all centered on him.
Leo exhaled, placed the card on his desk, and reached for his VR headset.
He had a world to return to.
The moment Nyxaris logged in, the air around him felt different.
The usual loading screen flickered for a second—just for a fraction of a moment—before stabilizing.
Then—
[SYSTEM ALERT: NEW MAIN QUEST UPDATED!]
[THE UNKNOWN FORCE HAS BEGUN MOVING.]
A new darkness stirs in Evolvera, one that even the gods have forgotten. Find the truth before it finds you.
Nyxaris' heart pounded.
Whatever was happening… this was just the beginning.