"Arise"

About an hour after the emperor's journey had commenced, the activity in Proxima A reached a dramatic crescendo.

Ptssss, A soft hiss echoed as air escaped from a pod that began to open. The lid slowly rose, revealing a stunning dark elf woman lying peacefully inside.

She remained still for a moment longer before her closed eyes began to flutter and then slowly open, revealing striking green eyes that gradually came into focus.

“Mh…” she groaned slightly as she grasped the edge of the VR pod, using it for support as she shifted from a reclining position to a seated one.

“Although I believed it was real, I still had a slight suspicion that we were merely part of a simulation undergoing a test,” she said, her voice initially crackling. As she spoke, her vocal cords gradually adjusted, growing clearer with each word, signaling their first true use after being constantly stimulated by the pod to prepare for movement when the time for their awakening came.

“It’s good to be skeptical and que