Chapter 2: An Immersive Adventure Begins
In the 30 years of Ethan's life, He has only played games a few times.
Ethan reminisced about the time when he first enjoyed games at a Gaming Cafe during his early middle school days. Back then, everything seemed incredibly fun, and even the simplest activities held a certain charm.
"What are you doing? Aren't you coming in?"
Ethan snapped back to reality; he realized he had lingered outside the VR room, lost in memories.
Although he had entered the VR room a few times before with Maxwell, actually coming here to play a game felt like a new experience. He didn't know how to describe it, but his heart was slightly pounding.
Ethan was greeted by a spacious VR room, the devices positioned two meters apart from each other. They resembled luxurious massage chairs but with a sleek and futuristic flair.
Most people were reclining with the massage chair seats pushed back as far as possible, wearing VR headsets. Beneath the armrests, LED monitors displayed the remaining playtime, adding a touch of high-tech allure.
"Are you working tomorrow?"
"No."
"Great. I'll give you 5 hours then, so enjoy it at your own pace. You can use the third device."
Maxwell engaged in a brief conversation with the counter attendant, who swiftly entered commands on the keyboard. Instantly, the remaining time for the third device changed from 00:00 to 05:00. Ethan opened an app to pay for the game and asked Maxwell how much it was.
"Forget it. It should be my treat…"
"I'm fine with that as well"
"Okay. If things go well for you, promote our store for free, okay?"
"What do you mean by 'things go well'?"
"Because you can become popular with your insanely good-looking appearance."
Ethan let out a slight sigh, but he nodded his head. Maxwell's previous requests had often leaned towards unrealistic aspirations, such as seeking free modeling services for his business or desiring to be featured in advertisements.
However, Ethan had no intention of going in that direction. He simply wanted to spend a modest and happy daily life alongside his daughter. That was the one wish that resided deep within his heart.
"Let's do it that way then. So, how do we start?"
"It's simple. Put on the gear, and you're good to go. If you want to exit the game, just shout 'log out.' The system will guide you through the process."
Ethan nodded in understanding and, as instructed by Maxwell, put on the gear.
It was his first time using such equipment, yet it felt remarkably comfortable, as though it had been custom-made.
As Maxwell observed the scene, he momentarily paused before turning back towards the counter.
"Ah, I forgot to mention—you can skip the tutorial."
Well, it didn't matter. It will be over soon, anyway.
As soon as Ethan opened his eyes, a surge of primitive emotion washed over him—it was pure awe. Before him unfolded a spectacle similar to a science fiction movie.
Space. Yes, this place was space. He found himself in space, surrounded by an infinite expanse of darkness, punctuated by brilliantly shining planets that illuminated his field of vision. There was a gentle breeze. Even though it was an environment where wind couldn't exist, it was blowing. Defying the laws of this environment Moreover, he could breathe and move freely, as if standing upon invisible platforms.
[Welcome, adventurer.]
A majestic voice resounded. He couldn't discern the origin, but it sounded like it was speaking right before him. Ethan couldn't help but marvel at the rapid advancements in science and technology that made such immersive experiences possible.
Even though the game hadn't officially started yet, it felt as if he already knew why people were so enthusiastic about the Heroes Saga.
"Hello."
[You look like you are ready for adventure. First, let me introduce myself. I'm your personal assistant in the Heroes Saga, here to help you get started. Before we get started, you need to agree to the terms and conditions. Here they are.]
The terms and conditions were long and complex, but Ethan read through them all. There was nothing worth rejecting, so he checked the box for agreement.
Afterward, the assistant provided various instructions.
[The content of the game may be unsuitable for individuals with weak mental or physical conditions. You bear all responsibility for any resulting harm. You can also choose between the adult and teenage versions, which differ in blood color, realistic depiction of the body, and so on.]
[Let's move on to the sensory immersion rate setting.]
The sensory immersion rate referred to how closely the game resembled reality in terms of the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. It could be set from 0% to 100%, with 5% being the recommended setting.
A warning message appeared if the setting was above 10%, as severe aftereffects could occur due to extreme pain, even cardiac arrest. Of course, the company disclaimed liability.
A table showed the distribution of settings used by users. The majority set it at 5%, and the number of users decreased exponentially as the percentage increased by 1%.
[There are 3,708 people who set the sensory immersion rate to 100%.]
Ethan pondered for a moment. "Can I change the setting later?"
[Yes, it's up to the adventurer. You can change it anytime]
"Then I'll set it to 100%,"
[The sensory immersion rate will be set to 100%. However, please note that if the sensory immersion rate exceeds 50%, Heroes Soft may determine that there is a risk to the adventurer's safety and forcibly adjust the value or terminate the game. Please keep this in mind.]
[Entering the sensory immersion rate you set at 100%.]
Suddenly, Ethan felt as if his body was floating in the air. He realized that his physical senses perfectly matched the sensations of reality.
Afterward, Ethan received various instructions from the assistant. In the Heroes Saga, there was no system for customizing appearances for personal identification. The name would serve as the ID.
[All preliminary preparations have been completed.]
[Before you embark on the actual game, you can proceed with a tutorial designed to help new adventurers become accustomed to the game. The tutorial is not mandatory. If you don't wish to play it, you can skip it and head straight to the Eden Continent. Would you like to proceed with the tutorial?]
"I will proceed."
Ethan thought it would be beneficial to master the movements and learn how to use the game interface through the tutorial. The foundation is essential. It was no different from his consistent hobby of kendo.
"Preparing to move to the tutorial."
[May your heroic tale as an adventurer spread widely in the world where imagination becomes a reality, Heroes Saga.]
Name: Ethan Williams
Level: -
Abilities
▸ Strength
▸ Agility
▸ Stamina
Ethan glanced at the translucent status window hovering in the air and turned it off. He surveyed his surroundings, taking a deep breath of the cool air that wafted under the refreshing shade provided by the giant oak tree. He could smell the scent of greenery in the air.
"It feels cool and fresh."
He moved his body around, testing the virtual world. It felt so natural that it was hard to believe he was in a game. It felt like moving into an "actual" reality, not a virtual one.
[Do you want to enable auto streaming function?]
Suddenly, a message window appeared before his eyes. Initially, he was taken aback at first and was about to close it immediately, but he paused for a moment. The words that Lily had spoken while beaming with a wide smile yesterday came to his mind.
"I streamed while playing Heroes Saga, and I gained a lot of subscribers. I even received donations..."
The system was undoubtedly referring to the "streaming" function that Lily mentioned.
"Could this help me establish a connection with other players?"
His contemplation didn't last long. [Auto streaming will begin.]
[Current viewers: 0]
Ethan entered the "list" and was greeted with a list of users currently streaming.
▸ Real-time Rankings
▸ Popular Rising
▸ 24-hour Donation Rankings
The sorting changed according to the tabs selected.
Ethan randomly clicked on one of the streams, and at the top of the Popular Rising ranking tab, there was a broadcast titled "Solo Play in Dark Mage's Temple." The streamer's name was displayed as Matthew Leicester.
- Number of viewers: 130,860
- 24-hour donation amount: $7,038
"People watch this many?" Ethan wondered.
Ethan watched as the user known as Matthew Leicester cast spells toward the skeletal figures wearing tattered robes in the dimly lit temple. Fireballs launched from his hands formed an arc, hitting the skeletons, who let out low screams before collapsing.
[Richard Dawkins has donated $800.]
-Matthew's gameplay is always astounding. As expected of the 5th ranked wizard in the rankings.
Ethan was amazed by the incomprehensible amount of money that had been donated to Matthew's stream.
"How much money must someone have to donate such a large sum?" he wondered.
Ethan earned a monthly salary of around $2,000, and he couldn't imagine spending even a fraction of that on a donation.
As the number of viewers increased, surpassing 150,000, several people made donations, and the 24-hour donation amount exceeded $7,800.
When someone made a donation, their message appeared prominently in the chat, different from regular messages. This was commonly referred to as a donation message.
"Could Lily be streaming as well?"
Ethan's curiosity was piqued, so he searched for the streamer's name, "Lily Williams," in the search bar. Many people had the same name, but even after carefully examining each one, he couldn't find a glimpse of his daughter. He realized that it was already midnight. She would probably be sleeping at this hour.
"I told Maxwell I might join late due to prior arrangements, so I don't need to contact her separately."
He wanted to focus more on the game at the moment. With that thought in mind, he took a few steps forward, and the system window appeared.
[Entering Tutorial 1st Floor]
[Objective: Walk to the finish line]
[Remaining distance: 990M]
Ethan walked along the path lined with untamed grass, his gaze fixed on a spot one kilometer away where the light rose from the ground. Even without further explanation from the system, he could tell it was the finish line.
[Your stamina has slightly increased.]
[You have successfully cleared Tutorial 1st Floor.]
[Would you like to proceed to Tutorial 2nd Floor?]
When Ethan chose "Accept," his vision briefly went dark before finally recovering.
"The same location again?"
He was back in the grassy plain. The same giant tree. Pleasant weather and a gentle breeze. But something was different. -
There were monsters…
A group of green-skinned creatures with slender limbs and protruding bellies stood in the distance, wearing a brown cloth around their waists. They held wooden clubs in their hands, and the red letters "Goblin" floated above their heads.
"They're not moving."
Ethan observed the surroundings, taking a step forward.
[Please choose a weapon. You can only choose one, and the remaining weapons will be removed.]
Suddenly, a large box appeared at his feet and opened on its own. Inside the box were various weapons—wooden swords, bows and arrows, cudgels, spears... Roughly carved and hastily crafted weapons made from wood. Ethan picked one of the weapons, naturally choosing the wooden sword. Once he made his choice, the rest of the weapons disappeared with the box.
The goblin's eyes gleamed, and it stared at Ethan with a simmering sound. Without a word, Ethan raised his wooden sword.