4***Unexpected Start

I think it's safe to say that I'm thoroughly and utterly shocked.

The website said that there newer models since the game's release are 100% mentality controlled, but nothing could have prepared me for the experience I was having!

I wanted to explore immediately but then something caught my eye, somewhere to the upper left corner of my peripheral vision:

Status: Inventory: Belt: Money:

That must be the status and inventory menus. Money is self-explanatory. The belt menu, however, was new to me. Nevertheless I checked them out anyway.

Status: lvl/0

HP: 20

STM: 15

HUG: 0

FAQ: 0

Other:

Str: 5

Spd: 5

Agi: 5

Tgh: 5

IQ: 5

Con: 5

Rsp: 1

Masteries: (?)

-

Perks: (?)

-

Series: (?)

-

Inventory:

Food:

Apples (5)

Armor:

-

Resources:

-

Weapons:

Simple knife

Belt:

Simple knife (hp: 2, dg: 2, crit: 1)

Money:

10 coppers

Achievements:

-

So in other words, I have the basic starter pack for adventurers. I can work with that.

I got up of the ground to look to the village, but I couldn't stop my eyes from looking all over the place! This was just too sereal!!! The game that I've worked at buying for over 7 years! The game that I've been obsessing over for just as long!, The game that everyone has been playing for ages before me and must be leagues ahead of me in!!! I finally get to play it!!! I can't wait to get out and start getting Masteries and exp. from mobs! But one thing was stopping me...

"Mom. Let's..."

"You want to start exploring don't you." my mother said out of nowhere. I turned around to see a knowing look on her face! What she said wasn't a question, but a statement!

"W-what are you talking about. Come on, let's go and play together." I said, reaching to her still sitting form.

I worked for 7 years, and it would've been longer had it not been for Mr. McFarlly giving me that outrageous bonus, just so I could get her to play! She needs this, and I'm not gonna let her sneak out of here without giving the game a chance!

"I know you're play style." she started, making me stop mid reach, "You'd want to go out of the village as soon as possible and and start fighting some - what did you call them? - 'mobs' yes that's it!' she continued as she eased up off the ground on her own.

Her character was at least a foot taller than her actual character, and her eyes were a rich blue, but other than that, she kept her general body figure and facial features. The only major change in her appearance was her hair!

Her hair was long and flowing in the wind , sporting a red-orange that seemed switch from straight red to straight orange with every passing second! I could only cock my head to the side as I watched the phenomenon in mesmerized awe and confusion! Never in all my years of research have I seen a case like this!!! I stared at it for another second before writing it off as a probable glitch from using an older model terminal.

"H-how did you know?!" I asked, mind focused back on the conversation as I felt her knowing eyes start to unpeel me!

"I've been watching you. Every game you bought, every piece of decoration you bought for your room..."

'They're merch. Not just decoration!' I sad in my mind, barely stopping myself in time from saying it out loud.

"... every hour you spend at the desktop taking notes from each game. I saw them all." She finished. "I'm pretty sure you don't actually want me by your side while you're doing that." She asked, bending down to my still short - surprisingly - line of sight. I underestimated her!!!

I nodded in response regardless however, a blush appearing on my face.

"Then go. You deserve it! Don't worry, I won't leave." She said with a warm smile!

"Just be sure to meet up with me in the town square at 6 a.m. alright." she said, feigning sternness at the last moment and failing miserably.

"Real time? Or..." I asked to tease her a bit, then immediately regretted it when se gave me a hard stare.

"Sure mom! One more thing before I go though." I added mom to my friends list, so that we could whisper to each other from anywhere so long as we were in range of it.

I gave her a big bear hug, which she returned with equal vigor (after being stunned by the gesture) and we went to the outskirts of the village in front of us before we went our separate ways.

After checking for a minute to make sure she doesn't jump of the moment I'm gone (You can see the levels of trust here can't you *rolls eyes*), I looked for the BMO Share app, found it in the bottom left of my vision, opened it, and instantly synced with the Lore Hunters.

Upon syncing, I found at least 1.4 mil. viewers synced up with them as well, and the number continued rising!

The game has been improved to the point where you can now sleep in the real world and continue playing the game without any physical or mental repercussions, making this game a treasure for NEETs and people with actual lives alike. Meaning people can play stay synced all day if they wanted!

As it stands I have the whole night to do as I pleased, but priorities come first. And my number one priority is to gain some Masteries.

And I know the best way to do that!

____

"Hey hold on a moment kid! *hehe*" I stranger called out to me from above just when I was leaving the village and going into the first area. I looked up to see a sketchy-looking guy walking across the top of the wall!!!

He was garbed in old, tattered clothes and a moth-eaten robe, brown with old age, and I could tell from where I was standing that he was drunk. Basically, I would have written him of as a beggar had it not been for the way he carried himself with an air of respect around him.

Maybe that's why I even stopped to listen to him.

"Yes, what can I help you with?" I asked, deciding to be polite to him.

"Your a new player, right? *hehe*" he continued. I was beginning to become skeptical about this one.

"Who's asking?" I replied, deciding to play it safe for now.

"Hahaha!!! Your a smart kid, you know that? The name's John Morrison, at your service. *heh*" He replied, falling into a fit of laughter.

"What's so funny?" I asked, confused at his outburst.

"Nothing kid *hehe*. Nothing at all." he said, finally calming down

"... Anyway," I continued, " my name is...."

"I don't need to know your name kid, just if your a newbie our not."

"Well then in that case, yes, yes I am."

"Is this your first time playing an MMO game." Well, truth be told, this isn't the first time I'm playing one. I've been so set on getting this game that I played as many MMOs as I could get my hands on, just so I can get a feel of it.

"No, this isn't my first time playing one."

"Then you would know that its not a smart move to start going after monsters without even a single mastery." he stated. This is also true, as you need to at least do something more than walk up and down in order to get one, which means that going to fight monsters at all without a single mastery means that you haven't even picked up your dagger to attack something yet. However, I had a plan in mind.

"Yeah I know, but I'm still going anyway." Even though one could just head to the practice area or attack a tree or a rock or something to get Masteries, that's all their getting, Masteries. As compensation for a safe training environment to achieve and improve Masteries and perks, you won't be able to gain Exp points for leveling up or get loot to sell or use in crafting, so in the end it's a waste of time.

Attacking monsters, however, does all of that. So its like killing two birds with one stone.

*surprise* "*hehe* Very well then, kid." He said after being seemingly shocked at my statement, "but I have one piece of advice to give you."

"And what might that be?" I asked, getting interested.

"Don't die. *hehe*" He said, flashing me a humor filled smile.

I scowled at him, his little laugh at the end, starting to grate on my ears, and turned to walk away. "Goodbye John." I said in distaste.

"*hehe* See ya around Nylon." Eh?!! I don't think I told him my name.

I turned to ask him how he knew it but he was gone!

Great, now I'm curious as to how he is!!!