Standing up from my chair, I walked to my puter desk and picked up the VR:Ser. As I did so, it struck me as odd that this device had su old-fashioned look—a full-head helmet. The test VRMM products typically required an attat at the back of the neck, resembling a choker design.

  Not to mention, it was heavier than it looked!

  This device's weight alone indicated that it should only be used while lying down, not sitting or in any other position. But I khat, even though it was heavy, its weight-bang teology would reduce pressure points when activated, minimizing injuries.

  Moreover, the device's system included a neural interface that removed the need for physical movement; when logged into the game, the physical body would be fully rexed, perhaps simir to sleep paralysis, where the mind was active and fully immersed, but the body remaiill.

  This meant the VR:Ser offered unparalleled immersion, expining why it could be heavy... and costly!

  The price, the weight, the design—deep sensory feedback wasn't practical feneral amusement. Perhaps this was why collectors, the wealthy, researchers, and die-hard pyers were drawn to it. Oher hand, the average individual (like me) could only dream about purchasing one.

  'But I didn't know if this helmet was the same as the ones sold to the public.'

  After pg the helmet on the bed while I sat on the edge, I opehe small se at the back of the VR:Ser to pull out the ReLink cable and ected it to my Helios. Once plugged in, the holographiterface automatically sprang to life from my metal bracelet.

  " Luo, the VR:Ser is now ected to your room system and Helios. Please firm if you need optimization."

  "As usual," I replied.

  "Uood. Initiating your preferred settings in your usual mode."

  While waiting, I y down on the bed. This stage was tedious when installing a game but vital. Since Helios was already a part of eadividual's identity, all activities had to be ected to it for safety, and the regutions themselves required it.

  Although the VR:Ser device provided its own security system, eg Helios was crucial. It could handle various systems in my life, making the overall experience smoother and more ied—including this game. It adjusted the room's enviro for an optimal gaming experiend ensured I stayed safe while ected.

  My favorite part was that it could use my historical data and prefereo ize the game system. So, there were no more fiddly settings when logging into the game. Even "login" itself became unnecessary; I could just ehe game.

  And thankfully, this process took just a little bit of time.

  " Luo, your room has been prepared with the usual enviro parameters—lighting and temperature adjusted for optimal fort, and all safety measures are in pce. If you require any ges or additional assistance, please let me know. Enjoy yame!"

  Good. I crawled into bed and found a fortable position to rest. Then, I carefully positiohe helmet over my head. It automatically adjusted with a soft lining that fit the curves of my head.

  When the visor automatically desded, my bedroom view faded away. Everything became dark. Eventually, this darkness shattered as silver cubes floated freely before me. They gathered and were absorbed into one, revealing a logo titled "NeuroVerse System."

  Visual e... synizedThen, the silence—like the sensation in my eardrums after a pakes off—melted away. I heard a little song tune emerge, whispering around me.

  Audio e... synizedThis time, the feeling of my back lying down and toug the bed disappeared; I felt myself being lifted up before being released freely into an open space without gravity.

  Sense e... synizedClear!All systems synizedDing!

  Entering the server, please wait...I was sent flying through rings of light like a time mae in a sci-fi movie and arrived at a vast bck pce filled with twinkling white glitter that seemed far away. Or rather, I arrived in the vast expanse of space.

  Holy, I was... impressed!

  ames never showed anything like this (or I o py more to learn diverse new game sequences). In front of me, ic dust appeared. Eventually, the dust began te and spin ft like a disk, whi some ers of the disk formed clumps that kept colliding with each other and stig together, being massive balls.

  It was the formation of the pary system.

  In particur, of a p.

  Because then, my gaze was drawn to a white-blue globe with a thin ring. My eyes widened as the realization dawned ohat globe was, without a doubt, my home p! I k, as I had seen augmented projes—Huh?

  Wait, wait, wait...

  'Where do I know this from?'

  Lessons on iations were part of the standard curriculum. However, firsthand augmented projes were reserved for society's elite. I felt out of pce with this knowing.

  The thought made me sider... could there be experiences I might never fully process?

  Hmm. So far, what I remembered and applied in the real world has not cshed. Everything has worked out fine; I even beed from this ability to remember things clearly. That was why disc I had "fotten" about the VR:Ser was such a shock. This means the "I could fet" anomaly was ONLY reted to the VR:Ser. It further expihat my thoughts were suppressed by elements within this game.

  In short, I knew I had pyed World: The in, but one i had fragmented my memory.

  My primary objective then... was to iigate the event or meism in World: The in I hypothesized might be lio these issues or, at least, find more crete evidence of this memory loss (because all was still my specution). Returning to the game looked like the best way to figure out why I had fotten about it in the first pce.

  Having this clear roadmap made me excited to proceed! I took steps—

  Thud!

  —but hit an invisible wall instead.

  Uh, okay, too excited wouldn't be good either. I rubbed my forehead and took a step back.

  'My ret days of normalcy made me lower my guard, huh...'

  Now... instead of dwelling on that idiocy, I read the red s that appeared just as I hit the invisible barrier ahead. My hand began to tap owi the text with the big excmation mark that read [Notice!]. It brought up another s filled with deext from the top, on and on, down as I scrolled the s to the end.

  'Ah, yes, the most thrilling ToS reading.'

  What kind of crazy person would waste their time reading dense, ky text when they were looking forward to py? But since I was in abnormal circumstances, I had to be that crazy person and start reading these "Terms of Service."

  In one skim, I realized nothing unusual in their se; everything appeared standard—the usual legalese about user duct, data usage, and liability discimers. But when I wao review it further, I could easily read it ter.

  'Reread them in my head, what I meant.'

  Because after I pressed the [Accept] button, the "Terms of Service" couldn't be read anymore unless I visited their official website.

  This felt slightly ironily minutes ago, I had questioned my memory's reliability; now, I was trusting it agaihe doubt wasirely mispced—my skepticism was limited to World: The in and the VR:Ser. That was where the anomaly y. My ability to recall and revisit everything else in my mind... I still trusted.

  When the red s disappeared, I saw a bunch of choices for ging how my avatar looks. There were so many options and styles. It felt like I was holding a bunch of paintbrushes. However, instead of using paint, I picked different looks aures for my character in the game.

  A smile tugged at the er of my lips as I stood there.

  And said, "Skip."

  I could never rete to pyers who would spend hours decorating their avatars. That was just etic; it would have little impa the gamepy. Why should I waste my time on it? After all, using my usual appearance was a strategic ambiguity in itself.

  You 't ge your appearance you have decided on it.

  tinue?

  A full-body mirror appeared before me, repg the invisible wall. This was what I meant by strategic ambiguity.

  My hair was short and silvery white, with "a bit" subtle streaks of red blending into the strands. Even more striking were my eyes—this bright red color. I already looked like a character out of a game. But actually, it wasn't that remarkable. Long ago, people with silver hair were sidered defective; they held the lowest social strata until their existence became rare, almost extinowadays.

  I wasn't (and had never been) proud of my looks.

  In the gaming world, however, it would appear normal; no one would realize this was my natural appearance. I have embraced this tendency ever since I started pying VRMMs.

  So, I said, "Yes."

  The full-body mirrlowed and shattered into light particles, apanied by a strong wind. I turned away from the source, hand outstretched to block the gust from my face. It was s that it pushed me backward, little by little.

  As my foot stepped back, instead of finding the invisible flain, it fell downward as if the pce where I stood had never existed.

  And my whole body went into a plete free fall through space.

  You will be teleported to the story mode locationTruly. The adrenaline rush from this ued high-speed fall sent tingles all over my body! My heart thumped, and my stomach muscles tightened. But a blinding light bombarded me before I could react to this overwhelmiion. The more I fell, the more dazzling it became, f me to y eyes as tightly as possible and stretch my arms forward to block out the gre.

  Thankfully, as suddenly as it had begun, the sensation of falling ceased.

  My body felt like it was toug something as if I was lying on a mattress. But with air on my left and right, without even looking, I knew I was in a narrow pce. My eyes, still adapting to the lingering excessive brightness, opened slightly. Closed again. Opened. Blinked. I could faintly see that I was inside a... pod?

  Once my eyes had adjusted and could open wide, the pod swung open; digital pieces came together to create a message before me.

  Wele to World: The in, Rhuzerv!'Rhuzerv... who?'

  Before I could analyze what had happened—whether it was that name or my mind sh out from overstimution—a hand reached out to me. Instead of taking it, knowing it was inteo help me up, I instinctively g who was now in front of me. A woman with a cold expression. Her long, midnight-colored hair fell over her shoulders, while her eyes were a soft, moon-like blue.

  "Wele to Vaughan Academy, udent. My name is Noir. I am the leader of the Discipliment. I will be assisting you."

  'A leader?'

  That caught my attention, promptio see her more clearly.

  She wore a uniform that was a mix of burgundy and bck, highlighted by gold buttons down the front. Bck belts around her waist added formality. Her skirt, edged with bck frills, reached mid-thigh. To top it all off, she wore a long bck cape, its colr lined with white fur.

  I aying attention to these details because the game's Wikia—created by pyers—didn't fully describe each department leader. Even their illustrations were missing.

  Obviously, I became curious.

  With her hand still exteo help me out of the pod, I preferred not to initiate physical tact if it wasn't necessary. With a palm gesture, I shook my head and politely deed her offer. I swung my legs over the pod's edge and nded on the ground. Noir withdrew her hand, an unreadable expression on her face. Typical of an NPC, of course.

  "Very well, student...?" She tilted her head. Her toarted ft but rose slightly, indig she was asking for a name.

  My avatar's o be exact.

  It t, but her expectation of an immediate answer—without a formal introdu—suggested that the IGN (In-Game Name) could be ged freely and wasn't fixed.

  So I just gave my usual one.

  "Luo."

  D.N.A.