Chapter 1

Finally, full-sensory immersive VR games became accessible to the general public, quickly sweeping the market and leading to a VR boom in recent times.

These devices have a wide range of users, from hardcore and casual gamers as usual, to real-life fighters and brawlers, sick or elderly people who can't easily enjoy sports, and parents who want to balance recreation and family time, among others. It's safe to say they are more widely accepted than previous games.

In particular, VR MMOs are very popular. The combination of VR and MMO is highly addictive. This is evident from how they stand out compared to other VR genres.

The appeal lies in their broad appeal. Whether you want to master the game, delve into player interactions, or enjoy a slow life in the virtual world, it's all possible. That's why they attract a wide range of users.

The joy of setting up your preferred avatar, building your character as you like, and playing with other players is something you can't experience elsewhere.

I am one of those who is deeply immersed in the VRMMO "Break Force Online."

BFOnline is a classic fantasy game set in a world of swords and magic, with a wide variety of professions, equipment, combat skills, and magic as its charm.

My avatar, Theodore, is a battle mage, a pure combat-specialized magic user.

Today, after a short outing, I returned home, put on my headset with high spirits, and turned it on. That's when I first noticed the security alert. It warned that someone was in my private area. What? Someone?

VR headsets have this feature. They monitor the surroundings while you're logged in and alert you during the game. For example, they can alert you to a drop in body temperature or hunger, and also prevent theft or mischief by alerting you if someone enters your designated private area.

But the front door was locked, and I live alone. I don't have a girlfriend, and I don't have any rude friends who would barge in. So, there should be no reason for the alert to go off. Normally.

"---What?"

I activated the external monitor and looked around while still wearing the headset, only to meet the gaze of a man who had come out of the closet.

I think this was an unfortunate event for both of us. If the alert had gone off after I logged in, I would have been immobilized and could have just watched the thief run away.

However, with the headset just powered on, I could still move and speak. The man seemed to realize he had been seen.

According to a friend from university, there had been a series of break-ins in the neighborhood.

The man held a knife. Judging that I had seen his face, he lunged at me, who was lying down to log in.

"Are you kidding me---!?"

Why did he assume I had logged in and decided to eliminate a witness so rashly? If he didn't want to be seen, he should have worn a mask, I strongly thought.

I instinctively protected my neck, but I was stabbed in a different place. A hot shock ran through my side. The man pressed the login button on the headset. My senses quickly faded.

I couldn't even protect myself until the system finished processing. I watched the headset's processing end in despair, stunned by the structural flaw. Why did this happen?

---The first sensation I felt was being held in someone's arms.

My whole body was numb, and I couldn't move a finger. I had no sense of up or down, and the scenery was changing rapidly, making it hard to understand what was happening.

Somehow, I was in water. I couldn't breathe or swim properly, and my eyes were wide open. Suddenly, the scenery stopped moving. My arms were grabbed, and my body was lifted. I felt a hard surface on my back.

I was pulled out of the water and laid down somewhere. I understood that much, but I didn't understand why.

"Master Theodore! Please hold on! Master Theodore!"

I opened my eyes slightly and saw the relieved face of a beautiful blonde girl, Grace. I sat up and looked around. I was in the city of the Gartner Earl's domain. There was a waterway nearby, and I had been pulled out of it.

Judging from Grace's wet hair and clothes, she must have rescued me from the waterway. There were also unfamiliar adults around, so they might have helped as well.

What had happened to me? Was I logged into BFOnline? What was this event?

No, wait. What do you mean by logging in? What event? Am I not Theodore?

...I was confused. While drowning, I felt like I was seeing someone else's memories, as if I were in a distant world.

I remembered the memories of a Japanese person named Kikuhiko Kirishima. But if that were the case, it would contradict the ten years of memories I had as Theodore.

After all, I had to accept that I was in the game. But I also had the clear feeling that I was Theodore and that I was Kikuhiko Kirishima.

...It didn't make sense. If it were just a case of reincarnation and remembering my past life, it would be easier to understand.

My abdomen, which should have been stabbed, was fine.

I couldn't even log out, call a GM, or open my inventory, so there was nothing I could do about the abnormal situation.

"Are you okay?"

As I was lost in thought, Grace's expression clouded over again. I awkwardly smiled to reassure her. Grace was a servant of the Gartner Earl's household, assigned to my room, and one of the few people on my side in that house.

"Hey, Theodore. Are you okay?"

Byron, my half-brother, spoke with a grin. Daryl, Byron's younger brother and a goldfish poop, was also there.

Ah, I remembered. Someone had pushed me into the water. Most likely, it was these two.

Today, I was asked to help carry things while shopping. I was brought along with Grace, my assigned servant, probably to embarrass me in front of her.

Byron and Daryl, the unpleasant older and younger brothers of the Gartner household, often bullied me. I was the son of the Gartner Earl's mistress. After my mother died of illness, I was taken in by the Gartner household, but I didn't get along with my half-siblings at all.

It wasn't just that we didn't get along; they treated me like a dog or a cat from the start. How could I be expected to get along with them?

In BFOnline... when creating a character, you can set and adjust the character's background in great detail. This affects the character's personality and initial stats.

While this has no deeper meaning in the game and you can choose whether to role-play according to it, for me now, role-playing is no longer a game but a reality.

If the character creation settings thought up by Kikuhiko Kirishima are now my reality, I would say, "Don't think of such things," but... well, it's my own doing. Perhaps my reality has been reflected in the other me.

Because of such a childhood, Theodore has a strong tendency to seek power and is suited to be a mage, with initial stats adjusted accordingly... Kikuhiko must have thought about it this way when creating the character.

So, what should I do from here? I thought, gathering, solidifying, and rolling magic in my hand.

"You should at least be able to swim. You're a guest in the Gartner household, so don't embarrass yourself."

Daryl said this, clearly not recognizing me as family. Fine by me. I don't think of you as family either.

If I were the old me, I would have bowed my head and remained silent, but now, I don't care. I don't feel the need to endure anymore.

"...You, who can't even swim, would probably float anyway. You're just a lump of fat."

"What?"

Daryl's face turned red and contorted. He didn't expect me to argue back, and Byron frowned.

"...Hey, Theodore. Do you understand your position?"

"No, it's just too much trouble. I don't want to cater to your stupid faces anymore."

After all, I get bullied almost every day. I get hit for no reason all the time.

In the Gartner household, I am at the bottom of the hierarchy. As the son of a mistress and the smallest in size, I've had a hard time, but I don't need to endure anymore.

Thinking calmly, my father doesn't hate me, and he would probably forgive me even if I caused some trouble. Otherwise, he wouldn't have called me home.

"You bastard..."

Pointing at Byron's feet, I cast a low-level wind spell, Air Bullet, to preempt him.

"!"

The wind bullet hit the ground, causing an explosion. Byron's eyes widened, and he froze.

"...When did you learn magic?"

If asked when, it would be "just now." Thanks to BFOnline, the magic knowledge acquired by Kikuhiko Kirishima has become Theodore's. While my magic power is still low, I can easily cast low-level spells without incantations. I'm confident I can toy with someone like Byron, who is just a novice knight.

I also have far more experience in player-versus-player combat.

"If you behave from now on, I think we can get along."

Saying this, Byron's face twisted in hatred. It's better to make the power dynamics clear with people like this.

"Theodore! Just because you can use a little magic, you're being arrogant!"

Byron seemed to understand the situation, but Daryl was a bit too young to grasp it.

Picking up a handful of stones, he threw them at me. Grace tried to shield me from the stones, but there was no need to worry.

Instead, I grabbed her arm, pulled her back, and spat at Daryl.

"Get lost."

I cast the same Air Bullet but adjusted it to be more like a wall of wind. It scattered the stones Daryl threw and blew him into the waterway. It was easy to do.

A scream and a splash echoed.

"Daryl!"

Hmm, pretty much as I imagined.

Pointing at Daryl, who was flailing in the waterway, I said to Byron.

"Go save him, Byron. He's your cute little brother, right?"

"...You'll pay for this."

"Go quickly. Grace, don't interfere. Byron, if you try to command someone here using the Earl's authority, I'll throw you into the waterway too."

Byron, grinding his teeth, turned and jumped into the waterway, the sound echoing through the street.

Well, that's a good start. To live comfortably from now on, I need to change the actions and thoughts of the stupid brothers.

But living with them is something I can't do anymore. What should I do from here? Honestly, I think staying in this backwater is a waste of time.