2 – In the Sky

[Welcome to the Grand Azure Online closed beta test. Please note your progress in this game will be deleted after the closed beta test period ends]

Alan intended to enjoy this game as best he could because tomorrow that would be impossible.

After pressing the [Ok] button, a default avatar in the shape of a man in armor materialized in front of Alan next to the customization UI.

There's no point in refining avatars in that game. Alan randomly changes the sliders that change the avatar's appearance. The important thing is that his avatar is different enough.

In just a minute, the avatar became a man with short blonde hair and an excessively long nose.

[Choose your starting job]

[Fighter, focus on melee attacks]

[Ranger, focus on ranged attacks]

[Mage, focus on magic attack or support]

[Rogue, focus on high-speed attacks and stealth]

When Alan hovers his finger over the options, the avatar's outfit changes according to the respective job. Fighters will wear armor, mages will wear robes, and so on.

Alan did not bother with the lack of information provided. This is still closed beta. Maybe the developers haven't included a proper explanation of each job.

"Let's go." Alan chose to become a mage, triggering the avatar and UI in front of him to disappear. He then checked his body, which was now wearing a magic robe.

[Insert your name]

Alan typed in a username he usually used.

[Aldrych]

After pressing another [Ok] button, Alan felt he was lying down on something but still in the darkness. Moreover, he felt whatever it was on his back slowly moving.

[You are the chosen one to live in the sky. After drinking a special potion that allows you to survive the lack of air and low temperatures, you are placed in a particular casket that can withstand the great ritual magic. It's been some years since then, but for no apparent reason, you just woke up now]

[Push]

As per that order, Alan pushed forward using both hands. He felt the surface of something like smooth wood, and not long after, the lid of his casket came off. Dazzling light and cold wind greeted the young man.

"Ah…" After getting used to the light, Alan could see the blue sky dotted with chunks of land and the ruins of buildings floating in the air. Those things are moving at a slow pace.

Alan immediately lost his balance as soon as he stood up. His casket was swaying. His heart also felt a slight jolt. This was only a game, but Alan was startled by seeing the land so far below him.

He really is in the sky.

[Please check the beginner starter kit on your waist]

Alan took a small bag on his belt containing several items.

[Pocket knife x1, ready to eat food x10, mana potions x10, elixir x1]

Not only that. In his casket, he also found a staff with a gray crystal on its tip.

---

[Ordinary magic staff]

[Grade: E]

---

And there's one unexpected item: a medium-sized leather jug filled with water.

Alan could understand the food he got. Those things could be used to recover his health points. But water? The players don't need to rehydrate in the game world.

Or are these ingredients for making potions or something? But why give this thing at the beginning of the gameplay?

He shook his head. His time to enjoy the game was limited. Why was he thinking about such small things?

Since no more guides appeared, he had to take the initiative. However, just as he picked up his magic staff, a loud thump emerged not far from Alan.

The young man squinted to confirm what he saw: a woman whose head was stuck on a patch of land with her buttocks pointed at Alan.

A nickname text was floating above that butt.

[Celia_Wolfe]

Alan was stunned. It looks like she fell from above, maybe when she jumped off a boulder or rubble. But how did she get to be in that comical position is a mystery to Alan.

"Help me…" The woman babbled in a muffled voice while trying to get her head off the ground.

Alan took a breath, then jumped into a rubble. The environment in the game was quite real, so it gave Alan a sense of danger. Fortunately, he has a better jumping ability than in the real world. It seemed this was another effect of the potion he 'drank' before leaving for the sky.

"Please, help me…. It's pitch black in here…." She sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"Hold on." Once near the woman, Alan was a little confused. She has to hold onto that female fighter's body, after all. "Sorry."

The young man held the woman's waist and pulled her.

"Ahnnn…." Instead of screaming, she let out a sensual sigh.

Alan tried to ignore it and continued to pull her body.

"Ahnnn… Carry on…."

Alan's body jerked backward as he managed to pull the woman.

"I am Celia Wolfe." The long silver-haired girl wore a smile, even though her head was full of dirt stains. "Well, you can already read my name over my head, though."

Alan's attention was drawn to the woman's voice. It was a little hoarse and shrill but still pleasant to the ear.

"You can call me Al." Alan shrugged as he smiled back at her. "It's nice to meet fellow players. We spawn in random places, you know? Coupled with the small number of beta-testers despite the vast world, the possibility of us meeting anyone else is extremely slim."

"Yeah, I meant to come to you when you got up. But you saw for yourself just now. It was far from a success." She started looking around. "The quiet atmosphere and the guides are so few, so I was slightly confused... What is that?"

Alan turned his head in the direction Celia was looking at. They both froze. A creature with dark-orang scales and bat-like wings was flying fast toward them.

That beast resembles a dragon, but its body size is only that of an adult.

A goddamn wyvern.