ARGUS PRESENTS
In 2022, humanity has finally created a complete virtual environment.
It's time for this week's MMO Stream. We began with a promotional video. Was this the day of last week's release? What were all these people waiting in line for?
Blue Exorcist Online!
The one in front waited three days before the game was to be released. Amazing! Or is this just what any real gamer would do? On today's MMO Stream, we will be covering the internationally famous « Blue Exorcist Online » A.K.A « BEO »!
« BEO » is the first of its kind, a virtual MMORPG using the amazing technology called «Nerve Gear». There are no controllers, there are no monitors, through the « Nerve Gear » players experience touch, smell, taste, and sound directly into their brains in a state called « Full Dive ». You actually get to be inside the game!
To be honest, none of the «Nerve Gear» software released so far has really taken advantage of the hardware. Yeah, it all sucked big-time. But « Blue Exorcist Online » was developed personally by the inventor of «Nerve Gear», Johann Faust.
Prior to its official launch there was a one-month Closed Beta. This test was opened to 1,000 eager players chosen at random. During the Beta-testing phase, « Blue Exorcist Online » was deemed to be an exemplary game despite its very high difficulty-level. After the Closed Beta period ended, the Beta Testers were given the opportunity to pre-order the game.
Hope you're excited. Today is the launch date of the long-awaited « Blue Exorcist Online »!
Of the people lined up at the stores, many were disappointed. Only 10,000 copies of the game had been released for the initial launch, and most of the people there camped overnight just to get their hands on a single copy.
Oh, I can't wait! The Beta Testers said it was all incredible. I wanted a copy, but it sold out online in only seconds. And as you saw, all the hardcore fans bought all the store copies…
A slight, thin figure was laid out on the bed, « Nerve Gear » already placed over the head. The power indicator glowed green in the dim room, along with the internet connectivity indicator beside it. Through the glass visor you could see a slight smile form as the dark red eyes closed and one final deep breath was drawn in.
"Link…Start!"
A rainbow-colored tunnel with bright flashing lights, followed then by the options menu:
Touch- OK, Sight- OK, Hearing- OK, Smell- OK, Taste- OK.
Language » Japanese.
Login: Firestorm04
Password: Villagedown
Character Creation. Beta test data is still available. Would you like to use it?
Miyu (M).
[Yes]
Welcome to
Blue Exorcist Online!
青のエクソシストオンライン
After looking around and recognizing the familiar square in the « Town of Beginnings », Miyu clenched a fist and smiled broader than ever. "Looks like I'm back in this world." Around the tall male avatar with short red hair materialized other players, looking just as thrilled. It was a quaint, sort of medieval marketplace. Smooth taupe cobblestone lined the streets, which had tiny shops set up along the sides of them.
Miyu had barely gotten out of the weapon's shop when a voice from behind startled the former Beta Tester.
"Oi!" It was this guy.
Looking across the way, Miyu blushed but quickly squashed the embarrassment. He walked over and smiled, a set of fangs clearly visible, much like Miyu's own. Another half-demon type it seemed.
In « Blue Exorcist Online » there were only two types of player characters, and even then you had to meet a certain criteria for applying for the ever sought after « Half-Demon » character. It was chosen randomly, out of all who applied only 1% were chosen. So, in this situation it was a lot like fate that these two had met.
"My name is Rin," said the boy, holding out his hand. He had a long length of midnight hair and blue eyes. As per the « Half-Demon » character specifications he had fangs and elf-like ears, just like our protagonist. "You were a Beta-Teter, right?"
"Uh…" Miyu had a bad feeling about this…
"Ah… uwah!"
The small sword swished around hopelessly, cutting nothing but the air. Right after, the dark red hog charged fiercely at the owner of such a weapon. Miyu laughed after seeing the pig slam into the boy and send him flying backwards to roll on the grass.
"Hahaha…don't attack like that." Miyu wiped away a stray tear. For the past few minutes they had gotten nowhere with their training. "The first movement is important, Rin."
"Dammit." The new a party member sat up up and glanced at Miyu in irritation. "Even if you say that. It still is moving pretty fast."
Miyu picked up a pebble from the patch of grass at their feet and raised it slightly, as if throwing a baseball. Within that moment the system detected the activation motion of a « Sword Skill », and the rock began glowing a soft blue.
The pebble took a straight path to hitting the hog in the right butt cheek, and it squealed with rage and faced Miyu.
"Of course they move, dummy." Miyu sidestepped a charge from the Hog. "But if you begin with the right moves, the system will put your sword skill into effect and hit the target for you." It swung its tail and Miyu calmly stepped to the right. "How should I put it? Well, you feel a slight pause, and when you feel the skill activate, release it."
"Right…"
The monster in front of them was officially named « Frenzy Hog » and was only a level one demon. However, due to his inexperience, Rin had nearly half of his HP shaved off in trying to madly attack the thing.
Rin took up the small curved blade and repeated to himself what Miyu had told him. He focused on the hog. For a brief second he felt the air around him change, and his arms moved on their own, the sword glowing the same light blue as the pebble Miyu had thrown. With one dash forward, Rin sliced though the Hog, the light trail from the sword blazing bright. The blade made a clean crisp clanging as the monster gave a loud and high cry of pain.
Above the hog, an HP bar that had once been full was drained in only a second.
The demon burst into a million colorful, semi-transparent shards before it disappeared.
Result
EXP- 24
Col- 40
Items- Hog Meat
Victory for the two of them. Rin raised his arms up in joy.
"All right!" he yelled, causing some nearby birds to fly off into the distance.
"Congrats," said Miyu, smirking. They exchanged a high-five and laughed. "But," Miyu sighed. "That Hog was just about as powerful as slimes in other games."
"What? I thought it was a boss or something."
"Now that's just crazy."
Rin swung the beginner's sword to practice some more. "So I hear there are lots of skills and classes, like Blacksmithing and Aria and stuff?"
"Yeah, there are tons of them. I hear there are thousands upon thousands." Miyu glanced at the boy who was having a good time with the sword so far. "So is this your first time doing « Full Dive »?"
He eagerly nodded. "I had to buy the hardware just to play the game. This is actually my first time even playing an MMORPG."
"Wow."
The breeze blew past them, agitating some loose leaves from where they'd been battling.
"Well, I gotta Log Out," said Rin, finally sheathing his sword. "I'm hungry and…I ordered a pizza for when I took a break." His stomach growled in affirmation of the earlier statement.
"Oh. Well have fun then."
They shook hands briefly.
Rin saluted briefly and turned aside. "See you later, Miyu."
With his right hand Rin brought up the Main Menu, swiping down with his index and middle fingers pressed together. Up popped a rectangle with several selections. He looked at the menu for a couple of seconds with confusion. "Huh? Where's the Log Out button?"
"Look closer," said Miyu passively. Newbies usually had trouble with the most simple things.
Slowly Rin shook his head. "It's not there," he said nervously. It probably was just his imagination, but something felt really off about that little fact.
Strange. Nothing like this ever happened in the Beta Test. It was the official launch though, so there was bound to be some bugs. Miyu brought up the menu as well. "It should be the last one on the bottom."
The same white rectangle popped up in front of Miyu. Scanning down the list the usual selections were there. Options, Help, Log—No, it wasn't there.
"You see?" said Rin. It's not. I don't see it anywhere.