Chapter 1: The Game Entrance

MC's POV

Gamore: the place where games are popular. I'm a highschool gamer and I am a collector of Role-Playing Games (RPG) whether online or offline. I play RPG for the plot and I just love to adventure

The technology in gaming is so high, they invented a gadget that whoever uses it, the person can feel it from virtual world to real life. I found one of those once but it's too expensive that I can't buy it.

I just finished buying food stocks today and I am about to head home. I walk to a nearby Game Store and there is one poster that catches my attention: A limited edition console '360 P.R.O.' It has a large discount which really interests me. I walk inside and there's quite a people here buying things. I found the console and luckily, it's only last two pieces to sell.

Talking about the discount, it's 90%... A 90% discount on such console like this! It must be really worth it to buy this. My whole monthly allowance will be gone though, but I can handle.

I carry one box and walk to the counter. I put the console with my remaining money to buy it.

"Oh kid! You can't buy that console very easily." He said.

I look at him with a confused face. He prepares the two monitor and shows me a CD of a game.

"Either buy it on full price or defeat me once in this game." He continued as he showed me a game.

Such easy challange he gives. I went to the other monitor and play 1v1 combat to him. I am fired up to play these days since schooling just ended last week.

At first, I have a bad time assessing the game but I manage to dodge a lit oh his attacks. I'm slowly learning the combos and his moves. In the end, I defeat him on his own game.

He stood up and we shook hands then he said, "Good game, kid"

We walk to the counter and I buy the console with the exact money that I have.

"By the way kid, what's your name?" I am about to leave when he suddenly asked me.

"Apho Hyla" I answered then he gave me a CD game for this console.

"What a unique name. That game is also rare to find but I will give it to you for free. Good luck, kid" He said as he still called me 'kid' even though I just told him my name.

"Thanks" I told him then left his shop.

What a lucky day to get a discounted console and a free game.

Unknown Place

"Apho Hyla... Now the plan is set, I shall succeed this time" ????? says with a deep metallic voice.

Back to MC

I head back home and put all the groceries in place where I arrange it. My living room and kitchen might be tidy, but my room is a mess. My collection are tidied up, of course, but I don't really plan to clean up the empty cans of energizer everywhere at my room.

I enter my room and open the box where the console is. Holy shit!! This must be one of the latest VR consoles where you can experience and feel the virtual world! But I never heard this console before... and luckily, It's greatly discounted at the game store earlier.

Speaking about the console, it generally consists of a pair of shoes, a pair of gloves, and a VR glasses. But this console, it has a 'scanner' thingy. This console design looks like a freaking black box. The top of it has a circle spot, must be where the scanner is. I read the manual and prepare the requirements.

The console is ready now. I grab the CD-game. Its name is "The World Inside a Game" It's a RPG game, which is very cool. This will be my first RPG I will play using the realistic feature. I'm freaking excited!!

There is another requirement I shall do. The game needs my body stats. I let the scanner scan my body like my weight, height, etc. I equip the gloves, shoes, and the VR glasses then start the system

I feel a tingling sensation over my whole body. It feels like I'm teleporting somewhere else. After a few minutes, I fell into my knees. It's ticklish that I feel weaken at some point. I stand up and there is a mirror in front of me, I see myself on it. The system copies my body frame and transfers it into its own file. It's so cool if you think about it.

I move my body and it feels normal. The sensation around my body, I can feel it normally. I walk and look around because the game is still loading. At my back, there are big words written "The World Inside a Game". Being in the virtual world proves the name of this game.

The loading screen earlier took a while before it opens. The game, despite being a RPG type, doesn't request the classification of the player. Instead, it wants personal information. I only fill up the requirements and ignores the "optional" ones. My name, age, and my gender: Those are the only info I put.

I click the submit button, and I can feel the tingling sensation again. I got used to it so after I got teleported, I stood up very nicely. I look around and I can tell that I got teleported into a park. There's a lot of players here, chilling. I step once and a screen pops out in front of me. It says:

"Find the hallway of classes and pick your class"

Ohh! Now I get it. That's why the game doesn't let the players pick classes immediately. How clever. I have nothing in hand, even a map, so I have to adventure a lot. Adventuring is one of the reasons why I love to play games.

I walk and run every corner of this park, just to secure that it has no secret places. This game is so realistic that I got exhausted. I saw a bridge to the forest but I will rest for now on the bench underneath the tree.

While resting, a timer suddenly appears in front of me.

"30 minutes before the game starts"

Quite a short time to adventure but as I said earlier, I will rest for now.

After 5 minutes, I stand up and start going to the forest. I suddenly stop after someone hugs me from behind.

"Hey Hyla! Nice to see you here. When did you start buying this game?" A sweet voice whispered in my ears.

I greatly know her cute voice.

"Just today, how about you?" I answered with my normal, not surprised at all, voice.

I can feel her chest pressing unto my back but I remain calm.

"Yay! we're the same" She happily said then released from her hug.

I turn around to see her, my childhood friend. She always plays with me and team as duo in every game we play.

"Hey Hyla~ help me!" She suddenly ranted and I look at her with curiosity.

"Hehe, I can't find the class thingy the game was talking about... I was lost!" she continued while looking at me with puppy eyes.

I think I know where this is going.

"I was about to go to the Hallway of Classes, wanna join?" I offered to her and her eyes starts to sparkle

"Ehh really?! Then let's go!" She giggled and held my hand.

I point the direction where the waterfall is. The river it forms is the one that separates this park to the forest. She runs to the bridge while I am casually following her. The water on the river is clear enough to see the rocks beneath it. We enter the forest and we found a dirt path, probably towards our destination.

We run and when I'm exhausted, she stops running then we will walk. She is an athletic girl so she has a lot of stamina. While in a walk at the forest, there is a little path that I saw behind the clustered trees. It must be the way to the top of the mountain. it's not very visible but my eyes are sharp enough to see it.

We continue to alternatively run and walk until we reach the entrance of the hallway.

"Hyla look! So cool!!" She pointed the entrance of the hallway as she is fascinated about the design of it.

It is just 4 white pillars with ancient style architecture. Well, the hallway itself is like an ancient building. I walk inside and she hurriedly follows me. There is a moment of silence, until she enters a topic.

"Sooo.... you used your real name in this game, huh" She said to me.

I look above my head and see my HUD indicating my name. I look above her head and also see her name:

Yulia Shizumiya

"So do you" I say to her.

"Well you see, I want to be popular here too! not just in school. And since I'm with you, that dream is not impossible, hehe~" She said with a cuter voice.

"Not bad" I praised her as I kept walking.

I heard her muttering "you really are no fun at all"

We reach the end of the hallway, which is a big ballroom-like place. There is a lot of players here but since this room is so humongous, it doesn't matter.

I see four rooms in total, means four classes! Each room represents a class: wand for mage, bow and arrow for marksman, sword for swordsman, and dagger for assassin.

I look at Yulia's face, who looks amazed again. I tap her shoulder to look at me.

"Hmm?" She asked with her eyes sparkling.

"Same classes from before?" I asked her.

"Yes ofcourse! THAT is our duo combo, right?" She replied to me.

I teased her by saying, "Yeah, goodluck for solo leveling" then let out a little giggle.

She always wants to be with me when I'm playing. I walk towards the swordsman's room and inspect the place. There is fewer players here compare to outside.

I see a button at the end of the room. I walk into it and there is a text above it saying "You can't change your classes once you press this, CONTINUE?" I press it immediately because I don't plan to change our game style. After I press it, a necklace is generating at my neck. If my hunch is right, this symbolizes my class. I try to remove it but it doesn't work.

Yulia's POV

"Hey Hyla! Solo gaming is hard. Hey wait!!" I shouted at him.

He doesn't even bother looking at me. He just went inside the room. Sigh, that guy. I hope he is just joking about it.

I walk towards the marksman room and there are a lot of players here! I got a glimpse at the end of the room and I see a button. Since I am athletic, not like I am showing off or anything, I easily get over them and reach the pkace where the button is. There is a text above it, but I don't like reading so I just click the button. It generates a necklace at my neck. Looking at its details, it has bow and arrow. Yes! I am now legit archer. Maybe I can remove it... Nope, no avail. I will just leave it.

I walk outside and look around. I see Hyla is waiting me, leaning at the wall.

Apho's POV

After I got what I need, I go outside to wait Yulia. After a minute, I see her coming towards me.

"phew! I thought you leave me on my own. Thank goodness." She said to me while smiling.

"As if I will do that" I told her while we were walking to the exit.

"for your information!! you prank me once! You suddenly leave me when we are playing back then" She shouted as she pouted.

"Sorry about that" I patted her and then she giggled.

"Hmph! So what are you planning now?" She suddenly asked.

"I saw a path somewhere on the forest earlier. I think that is a secret path to the top of the mountain earlier" I told her.

"Ohh let's go there!" She excitedly said and ran towards the forest.

The timer from earlier shows up again: 10 minutes left. We still have enough time for a little adventure. I follow her as she runs slower. I point the direction where the path is and she runs towards it. I almost can't catch up.

With realistic VR feature, the path is quite dangerous to take. I feel thrilled while Yulia has mixed excitement and fear. Either way, we reach the top of the mountain. There is a lake at the middle and a cave at the other side. I'm so exhausted from running and climbing.

*4 minutes left*

I see Yulia sightseeing at the edge of the mountain. I walk beside her and she suddenly hugs me.

"Look Hyla! The whole park is so beautiful!" She happily said while pointing her finger to the park.

I hug her too and stare at her eyes. She suddenly got flustered and gently pushes me away.

"H-hey! W-what was that for?" She stuttered and blushed a little.

"There is a cave over the lake, lets go?" I asked her as I point my finger to the cave, behind her.

I was about to say that while hugging her back but I guess that could be fine too.

"O-ohh... hehe okie!~" She whispered then walked towards the lake.

She stretches a little then begins to swim across the lake. she's so athletic while I just run around the lake.

*1 minute left*

She waits me at the entrance. The cave is rather smaller than I expected. I peak inside and its quite dark. I walk inside first to inspect the place then she follows.

*30 seconds left*

Its getting darker and darker, and I frequently look at her. there's a slope going down.

*10 seconds left*

I see a light at the end of the cave but suddenly, I hear Yulia scream.

"Huh?! HYLA!!-----" I heard her screaming voice is slowly fading. I follow the sound but I also fell. I got unconscious after it.

-To be continue