Prologue - World's Worst Scumbag

"Congratulations to all new students."

A man in his mid-thirties with broad shoulders and sharp eyes addresses us through the microphone, his gaze sweeping across me and the other students from the stage. Despite being introduced as the principal of the school, the air around him feels different, even though he is dressed in a formal suit.

"Welcome to Japan's pride, the International Adventurers Academy. Here, we offer the latest knowledge and the best environment for your growth."

Yes, this is the entrance ceremony for the International Adventurer Academy.

"I hope that you will devote yourselves to further developing your latent talents and meeting the expectations of those around you."

Suddenly, I realized I was in an auditorium, the seats arranged in a fan shape around the stage.

I wondered if this was some magnificent surprise event, but as a small and ordinary citizen, my reaction wouldn't be significant. I'm not an important figure or some well known influencer whose reactions matter to an audience. But honestly I don't care at all!

"Whether it's entrance to the Adventurer College or joining a capture clan formed by high-ranking adventurers, each of you has a desired course and goal. You must work hard with your friends to achieve them."

This vast auditorium and that strict principal are familiar to me. I also recognize the male student with bright red hair sitting at the front and the female student with light blonde, semi-long wavy hair.

Students who brought double-edged axes or spears to the entrance ceremony can also be seen. At the very front of the center, there's a someone in full plate armor.

'Well, now I'm certain I am inside THAT MMORPG...'

"I want you to spend your precious school life in such a way that you can have a fulfilling life without any regrets."

'No! No! There's still no way I got transported inside a game! Calm down me!'

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A full-fledged action MMORPG that features the quest for powerful and rare weapons and armor, navigating deadly battles with ferocious enemies, and aiming to conquer deep dungeons. It also includes pretty girls and multiple handsome men for female players!

Welcome to "The Conquest," a dungeon romance MMORPG that combines school adventures with romance. The tagline says it all: "Why not try to conquer the love of your life while conquering the dungeons along the way?"

However, the beautiful graphics, highly polished action, and deep game system gradually gained attention in the gaming community. The addition of new capture characters, customizable modes, and large-scale PvP and war modes with hundreds of participants helped the game become popular. It didn't take long for "The Conquest" to become well-known among gamers.

I've been playing this game since my college days, and I continued even after joining the workforce. I'm proud that my skills, initially quite poor, have significantly improved through repeated boss battles and PvP encounters.

'Well, that's one advantage!'

Once home, I swiftly took a shower, hastily cook some instant noodlea, and turn on my PC. When I logged in there's a notification indicated incoming mail. It was from the Developer.

"Hmm? An email?"

A few days ago, I fell for the lure of a game event sponsored by management promising Exclusive access to test the next large-scale update! Little did I know, the event turned into a harrowing ordeal.

Tens of thousands of players gathered at the event venue, buzzing with anticipation for the upcoming quest. I could see the sea of pop-up chat flooding my computer screen.

"Did you make it here?"

"Can't wait!"

"My hands are shaking."

"If I clear this, I'm getting married!"

'Tck! you guys are still noisy as usual!' I clicked my tongue after facing an fps drop since I play with this potato PC.

While I quietly listened in on a casual conversation, a white giant dragon suddenly plummeted from the sky. It crushed 30% of the participants beneath its tens of thousands of tons, instantly reducing them to vapor. Amidst the chaos, top players scrambled to organize and fight back, but their attacks barely scratched the dragon's thick scales. Without warning, the dragon unleashed a devastating laser beam that froze anything on its path, causing instant death and turning players into casualties one after another.

Still, it was the experienced players who were surrounding it. They were co-ordinating with each other and moving to avoid damage and taking on aggro according to the situation? After about two hours of deadly battle, more than half of the participants were lost, but they devised a strategy and defeated the balance breaker boss ... but that was just the beginning.

"Ah come on! This is just a casual MMORPG, not one of those Soulsborne games! Why so hard?!"

The event venue collapsed as players rushed towards the dragon's corpses in search of drop items. Thus began a deadly escape game: instant death awaited those who chose the wrong route, with undetectable traps posing constant threats. Boss-class monsters attacked in coordinated waves, adding to the challenge. On top of that, there was a strict time limit to escape.

Although I managed to clear it in the end, success seemed almost based on luck due to the game's punishing difficulty. It was so challenging that no one else could clear it but me.

However, luck is also a form of skill. Wouldn't it be nice to be straightforward about what one has earned? The email I opened revealed my eligibility as a tester for a large-scale update that promised rewards. My expression fell upon reading it.

[Start the installation update immediately!]

"Well, if I install this patch and start playing, will I be transported into the game... wait? Transported?"

Weird, there's no way someone could actually being transported into a game right?

I didn't dwell on it too deeply and click scroll the term and condition again.

"Since it's a test, existing characters can't be used; it might start fresh. But you can bring one skill into the game!"

The choice is between "Randomize character" or "Customize character" to create your own. Since customization seems troublesome, I'll go with "Randomize character". If I don't like it after playing for a while, I can always remake the character.

"Okay, installation completed successfully. Time to dive right in!"

I pressed the game start button vigorously.

[Action confirmed! Start to transport...]

Just like that, my PC screen start to shine brighter than the sun, blinding my eyes.

—————————————

Now I recalled how I arrived here, but could it be due to the update program? Is that even possible?

Admittedly, I yearned to enter the world of "The Conquest" and engage in my usual daily pursuits! I craved popularity! I desired to be with that heroine! Such fantasies... Am I too old for this? Adventure knows no age.

Let's organize this a bit:

One, "Is this reality or just a game?"

In "Dungeon," the principal's speeches and announcements appeared in dialogue boxes akin to an adventure game. Yet now, I can't locate such a window anywhere. Moreover, the graphics are so lifelike that it's hard to consider this a mere game. The level of detail is striking.

The Conquest also boasts stunning graphics, albeit noticeably CGI upon close inspection. However, my current view—barring fantasy elements like oversized weapons and armor possesses a realism that defies even scrutiny. There's no sound of clothes rustling from nearby students or the faint squeak of chairs as in the game.

Hence, it feels more natural to view this as a world where games have materialized into reality, rather than a simulation like VR. Originally, The Conquest was designed as an information-rich game crafted with real-world virtualization, or you called them, the metaverse. Frankly, if this setup were a game, it would be overkill. Nonetheless, I crave more information.

Two, "If this is in-game, can I log out?'

I used to be able to select the logout option from the interface that was always present during the game, but now I can't see anything like that in my field of view. Previously, I could exit the game simply by removing the head-mounted display from my head, without formally logging out... but now I'm not wearing it.

By the way, aside from the conversation window, I've noticed the interface reappeared after the terminals were distributed at school. Should I postpone the decision to log out until then?"

Three, "What happened to my real body?"

I'm not sure. It's possible that only my consciousness is here, and my body remains in the original world. If the 'transport' mentioned in the update program's description is accurate, then does that mean my body no longer exists in the original world? The only way I can confirm this is by logging out and check.

Four, "Do I really want to go home?"

There is a reason to go back to the original world.

It's been a few years since I started working at the company. If I were to leave, the projects we've been diligently working on would grind to a halt, causing inconvenience to many. Moreover, even though I live alone, I still have rent and utility bills to pay. It might not be wise to leave everything behind like this.

However, if my consciousness were fully transferred here along my body...

'Ah hell, let's enjoy this world!'

Let's enjoy this world. When there's nothing you can do, there's nothing you can do about it. Fortunately or unfortunately, I don't have a family, and no one will be sad when I'm gone. If I find a way home, I'll deal with it then.

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Various thoughts and questions arise, but I don't know anything for sure. Surrounded by a mix of excitement and confusion, I feel the urge to ask the students around me questions. But for now, I need to stay calm. Stay calm, me.

On the stage of the entrance ceremony, several faculty members have finished their long speeches. "Do your best" was the gist of what I understood, and it seems the entrance ceremony is finally over.

"With that, the entrance ceremony for Adventurer High School is concluded. Next, we will have homeroom in each class. Please leave, Class A."

Class A.

In the story of "The Conquest," Class A was filled with many talented individuals, including future student council presidents, famous adventurers, and the children of renowned trading company owners. Even in Class B and Class C, you could spot the rivals and key characters pivotal to the main storyline.

I scan the faces of the students, recalling the characters from the main story.

"Finally, everyone in Class E, please."

Everyone around me rises at once and starts moving toward the exit. It seems that the class I'm enrolled in is Class E. In the game, whether playing as the "hero" or creating a custom character, it always started from Class E. I chose "Randomize Character," but am I being treated as a customized character?

The students leave the auditorium and walk silently to the classroom, the atmosphere tense. The view from the window is spectacular, revealing massive training facilities, large tenant shops, and workshops, all clearly expensive.

Students who get to study at such a prestigious school are bound to be happy!

The high school I attended in my original world was just an ordinary old school, so the difference in facilities here is striking. I recall that this national adventurer's school is funded extensively for commercial and political purposes, like securing resources, with a huge amount of money being invested from the national treasury.

...

I went up the stairs and arrived at the classroom marked "1-E," feeling a mix of nostalgia and uncertainty about the possibility of living through high school again.

Never in my wildest dreams had I felt so powerful! I clenched my fist and released it, noticing my grip was stronger than in my real body. Perhaps my character has hidden potential?

Curious about what kind of character I was, I went to the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror–

The reflection was a man I recognized...

"T—TH—THEO...."

A slim figure with a striking yet irritatingly familiar face, wearing the school uniform. This face belonged to a villainous character known for his sexual harassment and bullying of one of the heroines.

Known as...

"THEODORE GARCIA?!?!?!?!"