Chapter 3

  The queue was one of the few things he could exploit in his current life. He knew that if he logged in early, he would enter the game faster than others. The first thousand players to log in, without logging out, got a thirty-minute head start.

  Ben logged in two hours early, which meant he had to lie in bed and stare blankly at the timer. Most people wouldn’t have the patience. He was surprised that so many players were still ahead of him. He suspected most of them would give up and come back later. If they removed the helmet, their position would reset.

  He was right. Names vanished from the queue faster than he expected. He moved steadily forward until he was within the hundreds. Then the line slowed to a crawl. The remaining players weren’t casuals.

  The beta testers would still dominate the early rankings. Even reset to level one, they carried advantages most people didn’t. They had a significant head start, but he had the knowledge and experience to even the odds.

  The timer hit thirty minutes.

  Ben found himself in an expanse of pure black. No matter where he looked, he couldn’t see anything — not even his own hands.

  A light appeared in the distance. It grew closer, brighter, until it shone like the sun. Despite the intensity, it didn’t hurt to look at. It was warm. Comforting.

  The realism still unsettled him. He had never understood how the technology replicated real sensation so perfectly.

  From the light, a humanoid figure emerged. It was shrouded in radiance, its features indistinct, but Ben guessed it was an angel. At least, the game’s version of one.

  “Welcome, Benjamin Davis, to Eternity.”

  The voice was ethereal and feminine.

  Ben’s eyebrows rose. He didn’t remember this.

  “How do you know my name?” he asked.

  “We know a great deal about you.”

  “How?”

  “I can answer your questions,” she said, “or I can guide you into the game. Time is of the essence.”

  Ben paused. He had ordered the headset himself. It must have pulled the information from the purchase.

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  “Okay. I need to pick a class, right?”

  The angel nodded.

  “Yes. Though in your case, the class has picked you.”

  Ben frowned.

  “What do you mean?”

  She didn’t answer. Instead, she lifted a hand. A translucent system screen appeared before him.

  [Welcome to Eternity]

  [Congratulations on unlocking a hidden class]

  [Congratulations on unlocking a hidden class]

  [Congratulations…]

  The message repeated again and again.

  Ben’s eyes widened as the screen shifted, displaying multiple class options. Several of them were unmistakably God-tier.

  “These are exclusive classes,” the angel said. “Choose wisely.”

  Ben stared, stunned.

  “How did I unlock these?”

  “Would you like me to spend time answering that?”

  Ben shook his head and refocused. He scanned the descriptions.

  In his last life, he had been a summoner. It had suited him. Why fight yourself when you could command others to do it for you? Still, it had been a choice that only paid off far too late.

  All of the available options were faith-based classes. There was one for every archetype. Healer, tank, mage, archer, rogue, and more.

  His eyes locked onto the one that felt closest to what he knew.

  The image showed a figure standing with arms spread wide, gazing upward as an angel descended.

  [Caller of Angels]

  [Rarity: God-Tier]

  [Description: Your holiness heralds the coming of the angels to deliver divine justice to your foes. You may call upon the soldiers of heaven to fight at your side. In time, you will command legions.]

  Ben’s pulse quickened.

  “Definitely that one,” he said.

  The angel smiled.

  “You have been blessed. Do not waste this gift.”

  Ben hesitated.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  She didn’t answer. The light faded, and the angel vanished.

  A chill settled in his chest. He shook his head, forcing the thought away.

  It couldn’t be real. The implications were too much. This had to be part of the system — some interaction triggered by unlocking holy classes.

  He couldn’t afford to dwell on it. Not now.

  The screen shifted again, revealing his reflection.

  The figure staring back at him was a refined version of himself. Blemishes gone. Teeth whiter. Hair thicker. His build was slightly improved, his posture straighter, as if the game had nudged him closer to some ideal standard.

  He could modify it further. He didn’t.

  Others would waste time perfecting their appearance. Ben had no interest. After the apocalypse fell, looks were the least of his concerns.

  “Accept.”

  [Please choose your in-game name.]

  Ben typed the username he always used.

  Benaiah.

  One of King David’s mightiest warriors. Close enough to his own name to feel right.

  The darkness dissolved.