Chapter 1: A New Family

November 6th, 2022. 12:02AM

A boy, with dark brown hair and hazel-green eyes was lying in a strange position, his face was serene and calm as he slept in his king sized bed. His name is Millicas Hamasaki. Then a boy, a small happy boy jumped onto the bed in excitement.

Boy - "Big brother, get up! It's the day! It's finally the day! Get up! You promised to play with me!"

Millicas - "Haruto! How many times do I have to tell you!? Don't jump on me!"

Haruto - "But...big brother it's almost time."

Millicas - "(sigh) Jeez, ever since I got you the beta test for that game, that's all you talk about..."

Haruto - "B-big bro...I'm sorry." Millicas then gave him a big smile.

Millicas - "heheh, it's fine. Truth is I've been looking forward to this too!"

Haruto - "r-really, you mean it?"

Millicas - "Yea, I don't usually get to hang out with my little bro. Especially in his favorite VRMMORPG. Just make sure you teach me all you know." (Yea, I live alone with my little brother. My parents were violent, and used to beat us. One day I took Haruto and left, we ran away and found a home were the landlord is cool with us. But ever since then, I have been working my but off so that Haruto could play his Virtual Reality games on the Nervegear. God knows I would do anything to make that boy happy. He is all that matters to me in this world. He deserves better, after he's been scarred.)

(Flashback)

I was sitting in the living room floor, doing homework. When suddenly I heard a loud crash.

Father - "Haruto! You broke another plate!? Come here! Your going to find out what happens when you make the same mistakes!

(I have had enough of this!)

I grabbed my bamboo sword, luckily I have been taking Kendo. I ran into the kitchen and swung it down on his head as hard as I could. "Aahh!" [Crack!]

Father - "aarg! You little pest! Are you forgetting your place!?" Then the mother came in, she took the bamboo sword from my hand and handed it to father.

Mother - "Millicas, you would be the last one I expected to disobey us, you don't see how grateful you should be. You're old enough to take a serious punishment!"

Father ran toward me and swung the bamboo sword sideways with all his strength. I put my arms up to protect myself but it didn't help. It struck my arm and knocked me down. He relentlessly struck at my back until I bled. In the background I could hear my brother crying out.

Haruto - "Big brother! No! stop it!"

Mother - "Eh? You shut up and watch!"

(I can't...I can't...I CANT TAKE THIS!) I heightened my senses, and smacked the sword away as it was coming down. Then I used all the strength in my legs to shoot myself into his stomach. He dropped the sword and groaned in pain. I quickly picked it up and ran for my brother in the kitchen. I grabbed his hand, but my parents...no, they aren't even parents, they blocked us off.

Mother - "you RATS! You should appreciate the fact that we are letting you live here!"

I grabbed a kitchen knife and held it up, the I spoke with a clear and calm voice.

"We're leaving. If you try to stop us, I will hurt you."

Haruto - "B-big brother?"

I grabbed his hand tighter, maybe to assure him it was gonna be okay. Or maybe to assure myself. I backed up through the back door. As soon as we were outside, I dropped the knife and started running with Haruto. Father showed himself at the door while still holding his stomach.

Father - "You think this is okay!? Watch, one day I'll find you! And your going to wish you were dead!"

(Back to the present)

Millicas was cooking breakfast, and Haruto was playing in the living room.

[ding dong!]

Haruto - "It's Siaki! He's here!"

Millicas - (yea, Siaki Fujimoto. When we first moved in here he was the first to welcome me. He is my best friend, and my neighbor. It's been 4 years since that incident. I'm now 16 and my brother is 8. So we have known Siaki for about 4 years now. I couldn't ask for a better friend.)

Siaki - "Hey Millicas, I brought my NerveGear. Whenever your ready, let's hook it up.

Millicas - "sure, just move the beds next to each other, I'll be right there."

Siaki - "I wonder if it's safe to be in there for too long. Like what if a hurricane or earthquake hits?"

Haruto - "You're funny Siaki, that won't happen."

Millicas - (Siaki has always been like that, careful. I think it may have rubbed off on me too, because we would always find ourselves talking about strange scenarios and how we would overcome them. Like a zombie apocalypse, or a meteor crashing into the earth. He always has something to be prepared for.)

After we put on the NerveGears, we waited. I was on the right, Haruto in the middle, and Siaki on the left. Then the clock hit 1:00.

All - "Link Start!"

After they entered, they looked at each other and laughed. Millicas is now Miles. Haruto is now Haru, and Siaki is now Silvio. They all looked different than they do IRL.

Miles - "hahaha! Silvio? That's priceless!"

Silvio - "Hugh? Your one to talk, your avatar looks nothing like you!"

Haru - "what about me?"

Miles - "You're still my adorable little bro, you actually look like yourself."

Haru - "Yea, I used the high density scanner to get my physical data. I like to be myself, even if it is kinda dangerous."

Miles - "well alright then, Let's get started! Haru, teach me all you know!"

Haru - "okay!"

The whole day the three guys spent the whole day learning the basics, and leveling up. They were educated in skills, crystals, health, shop, mobs, bosses, and everything else. By sunset they were already level 3. Then they were teleported to the central plaza.

Miles - "whoa, is this some type of event?"

Then Akihiko Kayaba comes down and explains the details of the game, everybody looks into the mirrors, looks like themselves in IRL. Then chaos breaks out.

Silvio - "Hey! Millicas! Is this guy serious!?

Miles pulled down the menu screen and looked for the log out button.

Miles - "I...it's not there. W-what the hell!?"

Everyone started shoving into each other to leave.

Silvio - "oof! Uh, hey Millicas lets get out of here!"

Miles - "w-wait, where's Haru?!"

Silvio - "Crap! He must've gotten lost in the crowd! Send him a message!"

Miles went into his menu and started to create a message. Before he could finish he received a message from Haru.

Miles - "He's heading...for the next town?! With a guild?!"

Silvio - "Lets go!"

They pushed through the crowd and ran through town, as soon as they were in the fields they took a short break.

Miles - "huff, huff. How you holding up?"

Silvio - "heheh, who would've thought, that one of our crazy scenarios would actually come true one day? Remember? We thought of this before!"

Miles became angry with what he just said. He grabbed him by his shirt and raised his voice.

Miles - "Do you really understand the situation here!? We can die!"

Silvio - "Except we are not going to die! We need to live, for Haru's sake. So clear your head, and let's continue."

Then, three wolves spawned on the road blocking their path. Silvio drew his sword.

Silvio - "I'll take the two on the left, take care of the one on the right"

Silvio ran toward the two to kill them, the one on the right ran toward Miles, he then drew his sword, but his hands were shaking.

Miles - (don't die, I don't want to die! Not like this!) "Nooo! Stay away!"

Miles then threw his sword, and killed the wolf. But the second wolf that was with Silvio slipped past and headed straight for Miles.

Silvio - "Shit! Miles heads up!"

He ran for his sword that he threw but was tackled by the wolf. Miles held the wolfs mouth but was losing HP from the sharp teeth.

Miles - "aah!"

Silvio - "Miles!" He ran toward his friend and killed the wolf with a sword skill. "Jeez! Cmon man what was that!? Whatever, Your HP is low so stay behind me for now." Miles grabbed his shoulder.

Miles - "This isn't a game anymore, I know that...but...I'm so afraid of dying!"

Silvio - "There is a lot going through your head. Like death, and what your going to do now? But don't worry, because if we both get strong together, nothing can beat us!"

Miles - "...ok...lets find Haru!"

End of Chapter 1