Heroes United by Destiny

Cutting through the darkness, piercing the dawn.

A shattered world awaits the first light.

Rush forward without fear of danger

To give a fatal end to darkness

…

Day by day, we grow. Trial after trial, we hone ourselves.

Sharpening our skills, enriching our experience.

In pitch-black labyrinths,

We cling to dreams, marching side by side with comrades.

Facing destiny, never bowing to darkness.

Through hardships and toil,

We cross a million years of time.

—

On a starlit stage, Aerigia sang the theme song of *Ragnarök* with fiery passion.

As the song ended, she waved back at the roaring cheers from her fans below.

“The gods have fallen, rotting all creation. And you—you shall bear the fate of saving this world.”

—Fight for glory. You are not alone.

The screen behind her flashed *Ragnarök*’s tagline. Host Fenghuo Qianyuan stepped onstage, applauding.

“Thank you, Aerigia, for that beautiful performance.”

“Aerigia is peerless! Aerigia is peerless!”

Fans chanted wildly. Aerigia, blushing, covered her face with both hands and turned away.

A sofa, coffee table, and snacks slowly rose from beneath the stage.

“Sit,” Qianyuan said, settling onto the sofa first and gesturing to Aerigia.

Flustered, she sat across from him.

Yet the fans’ cheers still roared without pause.

“Today’s *Ragnarök* pre-registration event is honored to have national idol Aerigia here. That was just formalities—so fans, please stop shouting. Your goddess is so shy she wants to vanish into a crack in the floor.”

With elegant humor, Qianyuan’s words hushed the crowd into smiling silence.

“Thank you, thank you,” Aerigia said, bowing with hands clasped.

“Help yourself to fruit and snacks.”

“No, no, no need!”

“You still seem nervous. How about another song?”

Qianyuan’s tease reignited the hall.

“One more song!”

“One more song!”

Playfully scolded, Aerigia buried her head in her arms on the coffee table.

“Enough joking. Let’s begin the main topic.”

“Mhm, mhm.”

Aerigia sat up, sipping water to cool down.

“Today, I—Fenghuo Qianyuan—”

“And I, Aerigia—”

“—will reveal some *Ragnarök* details. Our boss claims it’s ‘technology seventy years ahead of the world.’ I don’t know if that’s true, but share your thoughts after the stream.”

“Careful—he might dock your pay for that.”

“My salary’s already in the negatives this month…”

Silence fell, then burst into laughter from the audience.

“Alright, serious time. Director, roll the first PV.”

Lights dimmed. A holographic scene materialized before everyone.

The Pantheon’s council hall.

Gods argued fiercely, parting in bitter discord.

As divine wars raged, the world crumbled into apocalypse.

Collapsing earth. Charred wastelands. Fertile soil turned to desert. Skies choked in eternal gloom.

Ordinary people, caught in the crossfire, knelt praying for peace.

But the gods’ wrath reduced them to ash.

“Gods pity no one. They feel nothing. They never notice insignificant lives like ants.”

“Okay, first PV over. Clearly, this is a Western fantasy game.”

“Eh? That’s it? I wanted more!” Aerigia complained, still lost in the scene.

“No worries—you’ll get your fill after the stream.”

“Wait, that’s not it! The visuals… it felt so real!”

“That’s *Ragnarök*’s new tech: Realistic Projection. It’ll reshape how everyone sees reality. But I’ll keep details secret for now.”

“Tell me later, just us?”

“Focus on the game. I’ll check my notes…” Qianyuan leaned back, twisting open a water bottle. “Is *Ragnarök* a full-dive game like *Emperor*?”

Aerigia tilted her head, puzzled.

“Totally different. *Emperor* is a virtual fantasy in 2D space. *Ragnarök* builds on real-world 3D space.”

“So like *Emperor*’s city exploration?”

“Close. But *Ragnarök* focuses on combat and competition, with adventure elements. Battlefields mirror reality; adventure zones lean toward *Emperor*’s style.”

“Sorry… I’m still confused.” Aerigia rubbed her temples, frowning.

“Simply put: *Ragnarök* blends AR and VR. It can overclock reality or break dimensions.”

“I don’t fully get it, but it sounds amazing! Second question: Will it have over a hundred classes like *Emperor*?”

“No. Only one class: Savior. But talents create huge variations.”

Qianyuan’s reply drew gasps from the crowd.

“Oh? How so?”

“Enhancer type: Saviors equip Holy Relics, divine artifacts, or saints’ gear to boost stats for battle.”

“And others?”

“Technician type: Control personified artifacts or Holy Relics with your mind to fight.”

Qianyuan lounged on the sofa cushion, smiling.

“That sounds exciting! Any more types?”

“Autonomous type: Summon multiple personified gear to fight independently. By the way—they interact with players.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

This caught not just Aerigia’s interest, but the live audience’s too.

“Truth is, *Ragnarök* is part of the *Ark Fantasy* project. Details are confidential—but I can share this: Your future virtual girlfriend or boyfriend might become real!”

“Listen closely, everyone! Your 2D waifu or husbando could step into reality!”

“OHHHH!”

Cheers surged like a tidal wave.

“*Ragnarök* 1.0 unlocks personified divine gear and smart interaction systems. These gear can take human form, appearing beside you daily. For intelligence level—Director, activate Dimensional Overclock.”

“Give it up for Qianyuan-chan’s demo!”

Stage lights died. Three anime-style girls materialized on the platform.

“This is B-rank personified gear. It responds to player actions with preset lines.”

Qianyuan reached to touch the chest of a girl in white shrine maiden robes.

“Hey! Don’t touch me!” She slapped his hand away with a glare. The crowd erupted.

“Next, S-rank. Simple conversations only.”

Same gesture.

“Filthy commoner! Don’t lay a finger on me—or I’ll kill you!”

“How would you kill me?”

“Hmph. Braised or steamed. Your choice.” The S-rank girl crossed her arms, fireballs swirling around her.

“AAAAAH!”

The audience went wild.

“Last one—I’ll keep its rank secret. Just feel it.”

“Welcome home, Master. How may I serve?” The girl reacted as Qianyuan approached.

“I’m hungry. Order takeout.”

“Same restaurant as usual, or try a new one?”

“You decide.”

“It’s evening. I recommend low-calorie options for health. Order placed—delivery at 9:27 PM.”

As Qianyuan finished, fans surged toward the stage. Live chat flooded with “2D waifu.”

“Calm down! Your passion makes this awkward!”

Before Qianyuan could speak, the girl addressed the crowd. Silence fell.

The stream ended with her singing.

“More *Ragnarök* reveals next time.”

“Goodbye.”

Even after the stream ended, screens scrolled with “Give back my waifu.”