Reiji Mukudori, about to start college, finally buys into the 2043 VRMMO everyone else is already playing and creates Ray Starling under the guidance of his brother Shu. The story turns on Ray's Embryo: after a first fight against overwhelming odds, his refusal to give up gives rise to Nemesis, a Maiden with Arms specialized in countering stronger foes. These novels are the source for the manga and anime adaptations, and they trace Ray's growth through the Paladin class in a game built for infinite possibilities.