章 2: Between Two Realms: The Hazy Boundaries of Reality and the Virtual

In the real world, Jon's virtual reality capsule, which had been emitting concerning signals of failure, reached its limit. With a final hum and an electric snap, the system abruptly shut down, severing the connection between Jon and the virtual universe.

Time, in this state of disconnection, became a blurred concept. It could have been minutes, hours, or even seconds. But eventually, Jon's awareness began to emerge from the depths of silence. Distant and muffled sounds grew clearer, and he recognized the anguished voice of his mother.

"Jon? Jon! Are you okay?" Her voice was laden with concern and fear.

Slowly, Jon opened his eyes, finding the relieved yet still fearful face of his mother. She gazed at him intently, searching for any sign that her son might be experiencing distress.

Blinking a few times, Jon tried to acclimate to the reality around him. "I'm okay, Mom," he murmured, his voice slightly hoarse. His mother's expression immediately softened, and a sigh of relief escaped her lips. His father, who stood a bit farther away, also relaxed, the tension in his shoulders visibly easing.

"How long was I unconscious?" Jon inquired, attempting to piece together what had happened.

His father, with a perplexed expression, replied, "Just a few seconds, son. It was all very quick."

Jon widened his eyes in surprise. In his mind, it felt like he had spent a considerable amount of time in that virtual world. He pondered the possibility that his perception had been affected by exhaustion from staying awake all night, but something within him felt that there was more to the story.

Determined to disconnect from that virtual environment and understand what had occurred, Jon activated the exit menu. His fingers moved swiftly, searching for the option to end the session and return to the real world.

Jon's expression grew somber, as if a cloud had shadowed his mind. His father, sensing the sudden change, questioned with concern, "Is something wrong with your menu, Jon?"

Incredulity was evident in Jon's voice as he replied, "You... you can see my menu?"

His mother, noticing the growing tension between father and son, intervened: "Jon, are you really okay? Have you had any recent falls? Maybe hit your head?"

Jon shook his head, trying to make sense of the situation. "In Aeloria, everyone knows about the personal menu, but it's private. No one should be able to see it unless I allowed."

'This is the pinnacle of immersion,' Jon reflected internally, still trying to grasp the situation. He turned to his father, seeking some clarity. "How do I disconnect from here?"

In his mind, Jon theorized that the developer of the AI mod had equipped the NPCs with knowledge of the game's menu. This would facilitate mission cooperation and group formation. It seemed like a logical and useful innovation.

However, his father's expression, filled with genuine confusion, made Jon realize that the situation was more complex than he imagined. "Disconnect?" His father echoed, brow furrowed in worry. "The menu is a gift given to all of us. Finish eating and get some rest. Maybe you'll feel better. If not, we'll seek the village healer."

Jon, feeling increasing discomfort, nodded briefly to his father and headed to his room. Each step felt heavy, as if he were walking through a dense, foggy dream. Once inside the room, he frantically began to explore the menu, swiping his fingers through the air, trying to find the exit option.

"Disconnect," he whispered, hoping that the voice command might hold the key. Nothing happened. "Exit the game," he tried again, his voice trembling slightly with growing anxiety. "End session. Logout. Terminate."

But no matter how hard he tried, the world around him remained unchanged. The feeling of confinement began to settle in his mind, and Jon realized that, somehow, he was trapped in that virtual universe, with no clear path back to reality.

One week after that tumultuous beginning in Aeloria, Jon had already absorbed some inescapable truths about this world. The first and most disturbing was the inability to disconnect. He had tried in every way, but each attempt proved fruitless. Second, the passage of time in Aeloria mirrored that of the real world: days were 24 hours long, and the week consisted of seven days.

Furthermore, Jon noticed that while he still felt pain when injured, the intensity was dulled, and recovery was accelerated. He theorized that this might be due to the influence of mana permeating this world, nourishing and healing his body in a mysterious manner.

The system of quests and rewards was also intriguing. Everyday activities, however mundane, could trigger missions that granted experience (EXP). However, the system also imposed penalties. An example of this was when, frustrated by his situation, Jon clashed with his father. The reprimand that followed not only left him emotionally shaken but also resulted in a penalty within the game. Daily familial activities, which used to yield EXP, became futile until he fulfilled his "punishment."

Jon was caught in a whirlwind of thoughts. He recalled Nexus, the MMORPG that had once dominated his attention prior to Aeloria. In Nexus, temporal distortion was a striking feature: two in-game days equated to just one real-world day. This peculiarity had revolutionized the world of online gaming, making Nexus a global sensation. Yet, even that distortion paled in comparison to Jon's current experience in Aeloria.

In Aeloria, everything felt so tangible, so real. NPCs didn't repeat predictable patterns; they had their own lives, desires, and motivations. Each dialogue was unique, every interaction felt genuine. It was as if Jon was truly living in another world, not merely playing a game.

The notion of a mod keeping him trapped until the game's completion crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Even Nexus's most advanced technology couldn't create an experience as immersive and realistic as what he was living through.

"What's happening to me?" Jon murmured to himself, feeling increasingly lost.

Jon's mind, shaped by countless hours immersed in the universe of anime and games, naturally drew parallels with "Sword Art Online," the iconic series where players were trapped in a virtual world. However, a disturbing experience made him reconsider this theory.

On a particularly frustrating day, as he wandered through a field, Jon impulsively attacked a wild rabbit that crossed his path. The familiar sensation of gaining EXP appeared, as expected. However, what followed was something he had never experienced in any game: the rabbit's body, instead of vanishing or turning into pixels, remained on the ground, writhing in agony and bleeding profusely.

The brutal realism of the scene was too much for Jon. He felt nauseated, and before he could contain himself, he vomited right there, next to the wounded animal. The raw, visceral reality of that moment made him realize that Aeloria wasn't just an advanced game; it was something far more intricate and disturbing.

Having distanced himself from the digital landscapes of Nexus, Jon found solace in the immersive pages of novels. One of them, in particular, had woven itself deeply into his mind: the saga of a writer who, by some twist of fate, awakens in the intricate universe he had crafted with words.

As he walked through a forest near his home, with the golden rays of the sun filtering through leaves and dancing around him, an epiphany struck. In a soft voice, almost carried by the wind, he murmured, "Have I reincarnated inside my favorite game?"

The idea, though fantastical, seemed strangely plausible in that magical moment. Perhaps, much like the protagonist of his favorite novel, he had been transported to a world he intimately knew, but now revealed itself with a depth and realism he could never have imagined.