บท 3: Chapter 3 - Starting The Game

Chapter 3 – Starting The Game

On Spring 10th, Month 1, the Year 2455, Rizend's World Government announced their next move to help curb the problem with VR. They announced a game called Progress which they claimed to help the younger generation to get back to the right path.

Whether what they claimed was right or wrong was still unknown. Everyone needed to wait for a few years to see the result.

Other than that, Progress was now a mandatory curriculum for middle school and high school students. The students' result playing the game would determine their grades for this new curriculum.

Moreover, it was mentioned that if the students failed Progress, the students would stay in that grade for another year until they passed.

The World Government knew and expected that people would dislike this move and thus made that 1:1 money exchange rate. Thanks to this, many people were excited to play this game and did not mind about the game became part of the school's curriculum.

Progress had been trending positively on social media since its announcement and everyone was excited about it. The World Government was relieved to see that majority of people accepted it happily.

The detail of the game was still a mystery. Other than the title of the game and about it being a game where real-life achievement and work affect the game, there was nothing else. All in all, the public reception was positive.

Spring 11th, Month 1, the Year 2455, Friday.

Ceylon and Keith received the VR device they ordered. Ceylon gave the one he bought for Adrian to Adrian and the trio opened the box at the same time excitedly. They gathered inside Keith's dorm room.

Since there were not many students enrolled, Adrian, Ceylon, and Keith all got a dorm room each. This happened because the World Government had tightened the rule. So, only qualified students were given the chance to enroll.

"VR-Future," Keith read the device's name on the box. It was a small cubic box with each side around 10 to 20 cm. "This is a small box compared to all the VR devices we know," Keith added.

"Agree. The smallest VR device is the VR-Mind, the headset launched a few years ago," Ceylon spoke.

"Maybe this one uses cheap part and that is why the government give it free to middle schoolers and high schoolers," Keith sounded disappointed.

"Perhaps, the experience is lacking too," Keith added.

"I doubt it. Look at the model name, 'Future'. The super AI must have been the one building this device. So, it must have been the best of the best," Adrian thought differently.

"I agree with Adrian," Ceylon nodded and he added, "Let's open it."

The trio opened the small box and inside was an earpiece. The earpiece was silver in color and it was in a normal earpiece size.

"…Will this work? Isn't this too small?" Keith doubted the device.

"Let's try it," Ceylon spoke and the trio tried to wear the earpiece. Be that as it may, they could not turn it on.

"The guide says that we can use the device when Progress goes online," Adrian spoke while he read the guidebook that came with the device.

"That is disappointing. Is this earpiece only useable for Progress?" Keith spoke while he tried to read the guidebook.

"We can connect it with our bracelet and it can be used with other VR apps. It just that we need to wait until Progress goes online before we can activate this device," Adrian spoke while he continued reading the guidebook.

Since they could not test the VR-Future, the trio decided to hang out doing nothing that night. The class started a week ago and thus, they did not have any assignments to do. All they could do was chatting until late at night.

Spring 12th, Month 1, the Year 2455, Saturday.

A few minutes before midnight. Adrian, Ceylon, and Keith gathered together to log into the game together. Progress would go online that night and they did not want to miss the chance. The trio decided to play inside Adrian's room because Adrian's room was the cleanest among the trio.

"I cannot wait to play the game!" Keith spoke excitedly. He had the earpiece prepared in his ear. Same with Ceylon and Adrian.

"I wonder how the game will be? The World Government has been keeping their mouth shut after the announcement. There is no detail released by them," Ceylon spoke while he lied on his back on one of the beds inside the room.

"Imagine if the game is boring and people will riot. It has been three years since we get to play VR games and if the game is boring… the consequences will be bad," Keith added and he lied on a bed too.

"I am sure everyone will try to make the game less boring because of the money. The exchange rate is a goldmine and everyone will want to get their hands on it," Adrian spoke. Similar to Ceylon, he was lying on the bed too.

The truth was, VR-Future could be played even if they were not lying on their back. The guidebook said that they could use it while they sat on a chair or even standing. However, it was advisable to not play it while standing.

"Yeah. I agree. I think many people's motivation is the money and not the game itself. Look at me and Adrian, we play this for money," Keith spoke blatantly. Adrian was embarrassed to admit it but Keith was right. He did play it for money.

The trio chatted for a bit more when suddenly, their bracelet rang. The trio looked at their bracelet and there was a notification about connecting the earpiece to the bracelet. The trio chose yes and immediately after that, the bracelet was connected to the earpiece.

The earpiece suddenly lighted up with lines of blue lights and the trio heard a voice in their mind, shocking them to the core.

[Nice to meet you, Player Adrian] the voice spoke in Adrian's mind but he was still in the real world. Adrian got up from shock and he looked at Ceylon and Keith who was sitting in shock too.

"Do you hear it? Within your mind? We are not yet inside the game," Keith looked scared.

"Yeah… This device is freaking powerful," Ceylon gulped.

"Let's focus on this," Adrian spoke and the others agreed.

"Hello, are you perhaps, Future?" Adrian asked.

[Yes. I am Future No. 1 378 265. The number is too long but you can call me Future or if you want to give me another name, I will accept it too] Future spoke.

"I will just call you your real name," Adrian spoke. While he was talking, Ceylon and Keith were talking too.

[Player Adrian, would you like to start playing Progress?] Future asked.

"Yes. Can I play it now?" Adrian replied.

[Then, I will connect you to the server but first, I need to explain to you the basic mechanic of the game] Future spoke and Adrian nodded.

[I am sure the government has mentioned that this game used real-life achievement to progress in the game. In Progress, the only way for players to increase their stats points is by doing something in the real world. For example, if you want to increase your Health point, you will need to eat healthy foods. If you want to increase your speed, you will need to run and so on] Future started explaining.

Adrian was shocked. 'So, that is what the government means real-life achievement affect the progress in the game,' thought Adrian.

[Future will keep monitoring everything the player does and give the rewards based on the activity done by the player] Adrian nodded. [That is all I can tell you at this moment. If you want to know more, you can play the game and ask later] Future ended the explanation.

[Then, shall we start the game?] Future asked and Adrian nodded. Immediately, the earpiece let out a small light and it started scanning everything inside the room including Adrian. Adrian was shocked once again. Not only him but Keith and Ceylon were the same too.

'Wow~ this device is totally on a different league than all the previous devices,' thought Adrian.

[Scanning complete. Player: Adrian Addison. From all the data obtained related to the Player, he is living a healthy and honest life. Authority Level: Grade C obtain] Future spoke but not only that but a hologram screen appeared in front of him with the words spoken by Future.

[Adrian, you don't need to worry about the screen. You are the only one who can see this screen and please keep your Authority Level a secret] Future spoke.

"What is the Authority Level?" Adrian asked.

[It is an advantage given to you when you play the game. For Grade C, you will be given better choices of specialty stats as well as my help once in a while when playing Progress] Future answered.

[Also, I will treat you better. If you look at your friends' faces, you will know what kind of treatment they are getting (smirk)] Future spoke. Adrian glanced at Keith and Ceylon and he could see them looking unsatisfied especially Keith.

Keith's face was red in anger while Ceylon was frowning hard. Adrian wondered what Authority Level they got. He also wondered what kind of treatment people with Grade B and above Authority Level.

[Well then, let us move on. I will show you your starting stats. I inform you first that the maximum starting points you can get are 10]

Name: Adrian Addison

Age: 21 [the Year 2455]

Level: 1

Experience: 0/100

Resident: none

Authority Level: Grade C

Basic Stats

Health: 90 [Max: 180]

Energy: 90 [Max:180]

Strength: 8 [Max: 16]

Endurance: 9 [Max: 18]