Chapter 1

12/05/27

Revised and Expanded

Science and technology evolve at a rapid pace and are utilized in various fields.

The gaming industry, too, has embraced the latest technology, leading to the emergence of cutting-edge games.

"Another World" --.

It is the world's first VRMMORPG, a multiplayer online role-playing game that incorporates VR technology into network-based gameplay.

The game's setting is a classic medieval fantasy where players wield swords and cast spells to defeat vicious monsters.

The realistic virtual world created by VR technology serves as the stage for epic battles against towering monsters that rival buildings, captivating many with its grand visuals.

I am one of those captivated.

When a TV special on VRMMORPGs was broadcast, the scene of knights and mages facing a giant dragon left an indelible impression on me.

I resolved to play it for sure.

However, since VR technology is still in its early stages of entertainment applications, the VR headset "Vargear" required to play is extremely expensive, costing about twice as much as a regular PC.

As a high school student, I couldn't afford it.

Just as I was about to give up, I came across a certain online article.

"Recruitment for 'Another World' Beta Testers"

MMORPGs often recruit a portion of the general public as testers to check server load, bugs, and game balance before launch.

"Another World" is no exception, and it seems they are recruiting testers from the general public.

However, the number of people who own the expensive Vargear is limited, and without it, testing is impossible.

Therefore, 200 testers will be selected by lottery to receive a Vargear.

This recruitment is likely a thin thread of hope for thousands, if not tens of thousands, of gamers.

But I held onto a faint hope and applied as well.

And today -- the start of the beta test.

On this day, I finally stepped into the world of VRMMORPG -- the world of "Another World."

---

"Wow, this is the world of 'Another World'!"

After logging in, I found myself in a forest.

The swaying trees and the faint, fresh scent in the air made me wonder if this was the real world.

I couldn't even imagine how such a phenomenon was created.

The manual that came with the Vargear only covered the settings and basic operations, and the technical aspects were incomprehensible.

Well, there's no point in standing around dazed. Let's try some things as a tester.

First, let's check the basic operations -- how to display various windows like status, skills, events, items, and maps.

To display a window, you just need to think about it, and a semi-transparent screen will appear.

There are several types of windows: the status window to check your character's condition, the skill window to check your equipped skills, the event window to see ongoing or completed events and quests, the item window to display and equip items, and the map window to view the surrounding area or the world map.

After checking all the windows, there didn't seem to be any issues.

While I'm at it, let's check the items I have.

I'm equipped with a cloth shirt, pants, leather sandals, and a long, thin oak staff that's about my height.

I also have five each of the lowest-level potions to restore HP and MP.

By the way, why is the initial equipment a staff rather than a sword or knife?

There's a reason for this.

In "Another World," you need to create a character that will act in the game.

You must choose a profession for your character.

Professions include Warrior, who wields swords and shields, and Archer, who excels with bows.

I initially planned to choose Warrior.

But while reading the manual, I wondered if someone who has never touched a sword could fight properly.

Think about it.

I'm at best a novice in swordsmanship, having only dabbled in kendo in PE class.

The image of a complete novice swinging a sword in a more realistic VR battle just seemed awkward and uncool.

Such a discouraging image is enough in real-life classes.

The impressive swordplay in TV shows and movies is only possible because the actors have received training to make it look good.

That's why I chose Magician.

Most of the skills a Magician can obtain are magic skills.

So, there's no need for close combat, which means I won't have to make awkward movements.

Also, since a staff is required to use skills, the initial equipment for a Magician is a staff.

Anyway, let's check how to take out and put away items.

To take out an item, you just need to think about it, and it will appear from the item window. To put it away, you just need to touch the item and think about it, and it will return to the item window.

However, only items that display a detailed window when you look at them can be stored. Small stones on the road are not eligible.

After confirming the basic operations, I looked around again.

--- Still, where am I? And why is there no one around?

It's the start of the beta test, but there's not a single person in sight.

There should be about 1,000 testers. It's strange that no one is around in a new game.

Also, there's no tutorial for beginners, which is unusual for traditional MMORPGs.

Some games don't have tutorials, and it might not exist in the beta test.

Since I can't do anything by staying here, let's move. There might be a town nearby.

Just as I was about to take a step after displaying the map window, I heard a high-pitched scream from a young woman.

Maybe this is part of an event?

The timing suggests that starting to move might trigger the event.

If so, I have to go with it!

It wasn't far away.

Within two to three minutes, I found a girl with red hair tied in buns and a blue long skirt.

In front of her, hungry wolves were drooling.

This event is probably about rescuing the girl from the wolves.

There are five wolves, each at levels 1 to 3.

I should be able to defeat them, being level 1 myself... probably.

This is likely a tutorial event, so the monsters shouldn't be too strong.

A level difference of 1 or 2 in the early stages shouldn't be a big deal, and I can use potions if necessary.

At least, that's how it was in the MMORPGs I've played before.

Tension runs through me as I prepare for my first battle. Magicians are a rear combat class.

These classes are often described as paper armor, being very weak compared to other combat classes. This game is probably no different.

It's not a good idea to face multiple enemies at once.

So, it's better to attack from a distance and catch them off guard.

The Magician skill "Mana Bolt LV1" is a non-elemental magic attack that deals damage based on the "Intelligence" stat.

Since Magicians have high intelligence, the damage should be considerable.

I don't know how much HP the enemies have, but it shouldn't be too high.

It's okay, I can win -- with that thought, I aimed my staff at a level 1 wolf and activated the skill!

A purple bolt of lightning struck the wolf. It let out a final scream and fell.

One hit, I can win!

The other wolves turned their attention to me, probably because their companion was attacked.

Mana Bolt, being the first skill learned, has a relatively low MP cost and a short cooldown of less than one second.

I continued to use Mana Bolt, targeting the weaker wolves with low HP one by one.

--- Level 3 wolves required two hits, and I was worried when I only had one Mana Bolt left, but I managed to defeat all the wolves before they could attack me.

The enemies seem to be quite weak.

As the first event, it's not very difficult.

I leveled up after defeating the five wolves.

After finishing, I looked at the girl, who I assumed was an NPC.

But -- is she really an NPC? Her expressions seem more realistic than those of an AI-controlled NPC.

Being too realistic is also a concern.

As I kept looking at her, I noticed a change in her face. ...Is she confused?

There's no reward for completing the event or guidance to the next event.

Right! I can check the event window to see if this is an event!

I hurriedly checked the event window.

...It's not there.

So, there are two possibilities.

One is that the conditions to start the event are not met.

Some events may not occur based on level, race, or profession.

But it's unlikely that such an early event would be race or profession-specific.

The other possibility is that she is a player, not part of an event, and was not being attacked but was hunting.

But if that's the case, it's very bad.

In MMORPGs, it's considered bad manners to steal another player's prey except in party situations.

What should I do? -- The girl smiled.

-- She is a player.

Then, what does this smile mean? Did she think she had material for a post on the internet about my bad manners?

If that happens, I'll be pointed at by others when I play this character in the future.

Well, I was in the wrong. I can't blame her if she posts about it.

"Sorry..."

I need to apologize properly.

Then, to avoid an awkward situation, I turned to leave.

"Wait! ...Can you tell me your name?"

...My apology wasn't enough for her. She seems to have a short fuse.

If I keep quiet, maybe my name won't be posted.

But I had already resigned myself to whatever happens. If I'm posted, I can always make a new character, and it's early enough to recover.

"...Chaos"

I answered with my character's name and logged out.

I was depressed all day after my first experience in the world of "Another World."

The next day, I checked the internet forums for "Another World" to see if I had been posted, but I hadn't.

Why didn't she post? Maybe she didn't intend to?

Could she have wanted to be friends!?

...I missed a chance. I have no friends in the beta test of this high-barrier VRMMORPG.

She probably felt the same way. I'm already shy and have few friends, and I missed a chance!

...Maybe she's still hunting in that area -- with that hope, I hunted in the area but didn't see her.

I kicked the wolves in frustration, but it didn't help.

...I need to value encounters with people more in the future.

---

The village of Caro, located in the southwestern part of the Kingdom of Castal, is a small village with a population of 200.

It has no notable industries and is a peaceful, rural village primarily focused on agriculture.

"So, is this true?"

The village chief, a man in his fifties, asked the young man with a troubled expression.

"Yes, it seems true. I never thought Forest Wolves would appear on the road."

The story he heard from a battered merchant in the morning shocked the villagers.

Forest Wolves -- these magical creatures usually inhabit the deep forest.

They are not particularly strong as wolves, and an adult can drive one away, but they are troublesome because they travel in packs.

This is a big problem. For a village with no industries, trade with the city is essential.

If left unchecked, the village will eventually dry up.

"Is the rumor true, then?"

The story he heard from the merchant is just a rumor, but a rumor quietly spreading in the kingdom --.

The revival of the evil god --.

An ancient evil god, sealed by the gods in the distant past, has been revived, and the activities of monsters and demons have become more active.

If this is true, it makes sense for Forest Wolves to appear near human settlements.

"Anyway, we need to let others know that Forest Wolves have appeared in the area --"

"Chief!"

A boy burst in, interrupting the chief.

"What's the commotion?!"

"It's Rila! She was attacked by Forest Wolves while picking herbs --!"

"What!?"

The boy's report shocked the adults present.

---

The villagers of Caro occasionally go into the forest to gather herbs and food.

Rila and her sister Cynthia were doing the same.

The forest is close to the village, and there's no danger of monsters if you don't go deep into it, so the two girls were alone.

But today was different.

"Cynthia, be quiet. There's something there."

Feeling an ominous presence, the 14-year-old red-haired girl Rila held her sister's hand and hid in the bushes.

Cynthia, who looked a few years younger, followed her sister's serious expression and obeyed.

A strong animal smell came from upwind -- please, let it not be -- she prayed, holding her breath and searching for any signs.

Unfortunately, her fears were confirmed. The creatures her parents had often warned her about were there.

Forest Wolves -- and there were five of them! Or rather, it was fortunate that there were only five.

It seemed they had strayed from their pack, and there were no other wolves, which was a stroke of luck.

They hadn't noticed the girls yet, and being downwind, they were hard to spot. They could have passed by without incident.

Cynthia's grip on Rila's hand tightened with tension and fear. Rila squeezed her hand back, trying to reassure her.

Two of the wolves were about to leave -- please, just go -- Rila and Cynthia pleaded.

Suddenly, the largest of the five Forest Wolves looked in the direction of the bushes where the girls were hiding.

-- At that moment, the Forest Wolf only felt a subtle sense of unease and didn't actually spot them. It was just an instinct -- a hunch.

If nothing had happened, the other wolves would have left with it.

But for the girls, it was a terrifying moment. Rila managed to hold it together, but --.

"--- Ah!"

Cynthia couldn't hold it in. She was overwhelmed by the gaze that seemed to see through her and let out a scream.

-- And it reached the ears of the wolves.

Ten eyes, ears perked up, pierced the bushes where the girls were hiding.

"Cynthia, stand up! We're running!"

Rila shouted, and the sisters ran as fast as they could.

The Forest Wolves growled and began to chase them.

The distance between the Forest Wolves