Chapter 3

It's the old 5.6.

"Late—"

Today, as usual, Haruka came running down the stairs.

"Big brother, you're always on time. I was so excited I couldn't sleep at all!"

I thought it took longer than usual, but it seems she was too excited to sleep last night.

"In my case, the game itself isn't the goal."

"That's true. But you should still enjoy the game properly! By the way, I didn't ask about your stats. Can you fight properly?"

She said this to me.

"I haven't really thought about strategies, but I chose options that would allow me to progress."

"I feel a bit uneasy about the phrase 'able to progress'... Anyway, once we log in, can we meet up first?"

"Once I finish the tutorial, I'll wait near where it ends."

"Right! My friends will probably get impatient and go ahead, so I'll meet up with you first."

"Are you sure? Shouldn't you catch up with your friends?"

"It's fine. I just want to have fun together, not necessarily to tackle the game together."

"Is that so? I remember Ruri saying she's a hardcore gamer."

My sister isn't that much of a game enthusiast; she just enjoys fun things, so her attitude toward games is different.

"Alright, see you in the game♪"

After school, I went straight home and immediately started the game. I had seen my sister dash out of the school gate as the after-school homeroom was about to end. I didn't run, but I didn't want to keep her waiting, so I started right away.

When the game launched, I was once again enveloped in a floating sensation. A window appeared asking, "Do you want to launch Abundant Feasibility Online?" I answered "Yes."

I was enveloped in a bright light, and this time, instead of a hotel entrance, I found myself in a medieval European-like town, a fitting stage for a fantasy world. The people chatting in the town seemed so lively that I wondered if they were really NPCs.

After a while, a window appeared in front of me.

"Thank you for playing Abundant Feasibility Online. As a first login bonus, you will receive initial equipment and several items based on your chosen class. You cannot speak to other players until the tutorial is complete. Once the tutorial is finished, you will be recognized by others. The tutorial will now begin."

The window closed, and I noticed a fairy-like creature in front of me.

"Hello. I am the tutorial NPC 'Navi.' I will now begin explaining this world."

The world of Abundant is very unstable, with various races and creatures living in it. As a result, many countries and villages have been established, and small conflicts occur constantly. Concerned about this situation, the creator god Infu requested the gods of the Earth to invite travelers to this world to promote interaction and mutual understanding among the people. This town, First, is located in the Kingdom of Inishery and is known as the "Town of Beginnings" because it houses the headquarters of the Comprehensive Guild. Players will first register with this Comprehensive Guild.

Registering with the guild allows you to take on various quests. Completing quests earns contribution points, and once you accumulate a certain number, your guild rank will increase, allowing you to take on more quests and register with specialized guilds. The tutorial explained the process of registering with the Comprehensive Guild.

"Next, I will explain the rules, prohibited actions, and penalties in this game."

Each country in this world has its own rules and laws, which must be followed. Additionally, there is an AI that detects socially problematic actions, and penalties are imposed upon detection. For example, committing crimes such as murder, theft, or stalking, whether against players or NPCs, can result in severe penalties, including account deletion and arrest by the police. This is a natural response to the recent social climate, where the idea that "VRMMOs are just games, so anything goes" has been challenged, and now, if something happens in a VRMMO that is particularly heinous, it can be judged according to the laws set in VR game regulations.

For less severe violations, such as breaking game-specific rules, the penalties are determined by the respective countries, and a corresponding title is added to your profile. For example, if you use a skill like "Appraisal" to peek at someone's stats without permission, the title "Peeping" will be added to your profile. These titles are visible to others, so you will lose trust from both players and NPCs unless you hide them with a skill or complete a rehabilitation program in the respective country to remove the title. There are also skills to detect hidden titles.

Regarding player killing (PK), you can choose whether to participate in it during the initial setup. You might wonder if it has any meaning for those who don't engage in PK, but you can take on quests to hunt bounties or counter PKers and take their drops, so it can be a viable option for those confident in their skills.

If you choose not to participate, a barrier will protect you from PKers, and you won't be able to attack them. In this case, you can call a GM or ask nearby guards for help. Naturally, you won't be able to take on bounty quests. However, if you are attacked unintentionally, you will take friendly fire damage, but not enough to kill you. I chose not to participate in PK.

"Finally, let's move on to the in-game controls. First, I'll show you how to open the menu. Just think, 'Menu, appear.'"

I did as instructed, and the menu appeared in front of me.

"The menu is visible only to you, but if you want to show it to someone else, you can request permission, and they can grant it. The menu includes Status, Item Box, Log, Mail, GM Call, and Logout. You can select an option by tapping it with your finger or thinking about it, just like when you opened the menu."

I followed her instructions and started browsing the menu. I noticed an unfamiliar item in the item list. I remember the initial window mentioned that initial items would be distributed based on your starting stats, so this must be it.

"You've confirmed the initial items. Now, let's equip them."