A New Game

The goblins appeared out of nowhere, their sharp teeth bared, and their beady eyes fixed on me. I gripped my sword tightly and tried to steady my breathing. I had fought before, but never against creatures like these.

The goblins charged forward, their crude weapons raised high. I swung my sword, trying to fend off their blows. One of the goblins lunged at me, but I sidestepped its attack and brought my sword down hard, slicing through its neck. The goblin fell to the ground, blood gushing from its wound.

But the other two goblins retaliated quickly. They circled me, taunting me with their snarls and hisses. I tried to keep my footing, but the ground was slick with mud and blood. The first goblin came at me again, and I was forced to parry its attack.

The second goblin seized the opportunity and slashed at me from behind. I stumbled, and the first goblin took advantage of my weakness to strike me once more. I felt the sharp pain of its blade pierce my armor, and I knew I was in trouble. But I refused to give up. I fought back with everything I had, striking out at the goblins with all my strength.

The battle raged on, seemingly endless. The goblins were relentless, but I was determined. I pushed myself harder than I ever had before, determined to emerge victorious. Finally, after what seemed like hours, I managed to take down the last of the goblins.

I was battered and bruised, but I survived. As I stood there, panting and covered in blood, I was just relieved to be alive. All I could think about right now was... WHAT THE HELL IS THIS GAME?!??

***

It was finally the day. The day when the most anticipated game ever is set to release. After more than a decade spent in development. It was made, surprisingly enough, not by any gaming company but by a relatively new technology firm, Quantum Solutions. This firm recently took the world by storm with its advanced AI algorithms.

And now it is said that they created a highly specialized gaming AI that they trained on vast sets of data containing everything. This includes games, fantasy books, and even mythology to create a completely new world from scratch.

It is supposed to be the ultimate Isekai experience. You could be the protagonist in an entirely different world. With its procedurally generated environment and lifelike NPCs, there are endless possibilities for character development and customization. This makes every player's experience unique.

Specifically crafted for an emerging type of virtual reality called Full-Dive VR, it allows you to completely immerse yourself in the game while simulating all your senses, creating the illusion that you are actually in the game.

Full-dive technology was actually developed accidentally some time ago by a small medical firm that researched how to treat patients with brain damage using VR. They apparently didn't have much success with it. It rusted on the shelves for some time until some genius figured out a way to create games with it.

Since then, several games have tried to take advantage of this technology. However, they were all just short tech demos and fun simulations, nothing like an actual game until now.

From the moment they showed the trailer more than a year ago. Which showed a vast living world filled with bustling medieval-like cities and vast, verdant green forests filled with life. It quickly became a worldwide sensation.

But except for the trailer, there were no other pieces of information about the game available: no story, no guides, absolutely nothing. But despite that, every streamer and professional gamer was eager to start playing the game alongside everyone else and their mothers.

Right now, you probably wonder why that is, right?

How does an obscure new game from a no-name company gather so much attention and hype?

You see, it has nothing to do with the game itself. Actually, Quantum Solutions doesn't even call it a game; it is supposed to be a "Social behavioral experiment," whatever that is supposed to mean.

They even released a multi-page document explaining it in detail, but that's not important. Under all that gibberish, there is one critical piece of information hidden.

And that is: they will pay you to play the game!

There are of course ways to earn money playing games, like being a streamer or joining an e-sports team. However, there is no game out there that would pay you just to play it.

Well, actually not everyone would get paid, but there is supposed to be a worldwide ranking system and the top players will get prizes, including money. There will also be a special type of in-game currency that can be exchanged for real money.

So you can see why such a game would gather so much attention, especially among streamers and professionals who like to compete for prizes.

I was neither a streamer nor a professional player. Just a regular guy moving about his life. I used to play a lot back when I was in school. But after I graduated and started working, there wasn't much time anymore, so I just play occasionally nowadays.

But like everyone else, I was totally taken aback by the trailer. The idea of getting paid for playing a game resonated with me on a deep level. That was always my dream career: playing games all day long and getting paid for it.

Well, there is also the shady business of collecting your data for some unknown experiment, but who cares about that, right?

There was just one problem. With all the craze about the game before its release, all the Full-Dive VR helmets were totally sold out. There were months-long waiting lists, and everyone scrambled to get their hands on one.

Luckily, my friend and former classmate Xavier, who works at a hardware store downtown, was kind enough to save one for me. The bad news is I will need to get there and retrieve it in person to avoid it being "lost" during transportation, which is apparently a very common thing these days for some reason.

The problem with that is that I will need to go... out.

You see, I'm kind of a shut-in with social anxiety. Nowadays, it is perfectly possible to work remotely from the comfort of your home and have everything delivered to your doorstep. This is a paradise for someone like me, but it makes the instances where I have to go into the city even more harrowing experiences.

I wake up with a knot in my stomach; the thought of leaving my apartment sends shivers down my spine. But I have no choice. I need to retrieve my helmet. The thought of venturing out into the bustling city makes me feel dizzy, but I steel myself and prepare.

I take a deep breath and open the curtains. The sunlight streaming in feels like a punch in the face. The noise from the street below makes me want to crawl back into bed and cover my ears. But I know I have to face my fears, so I take another deep breath and get dressed.

I put on my clothes, and I can feel sweat forming on my forehead. I know I'll be anxious and nervous the whole way there, but I can't let fear control me. I grab my keys and take one last deep breath before stepping out into the hallway.

The elevator ride down to the lobby feels like an eternity. I can feel the other tenants' eyes on me; it makes me want to run back to my apartment and lock the door.

As I step out onto the street, the noise and chaos of the city hit me like a tidal wave. Cars honking, people yelling, and music blaring from speakers. I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of sound and movement. My heart races, and my palms sweat.

I gather my courage and hold my jacket tightly around my body to protect it against the cold autumn winds as I make my way through the crowded sidewalks.

Every step feels like a battle, and every person I pass feels like a potential threat. My mind races with worst-case scenarios: "What if someone tries to rob me?" What if I get lost? What if I have a panic attack in the middle of the street?"

But I pushed these thoughts aside and focused on my goal. I made my way to the public transportation station at the crossroads close to my home. I waited for the tram while trying to keep as far away as possible from everyone else.

I found the hardware store and hurried inside to escape the biting cold. The silence envelopes me like a warm blanket on a cold night, and I exhale with a sense of relief.

I made it!