1 New World

"Where the hell am I?" he muttered, glancing at his surroundings.

Bewilderment clouded his expression, confusion etched vividly on his face. He didn't know what to make of his surroundings.

In what situation had he found himself? Just an hour ago, he had gone to sleep in his room, thoughts occupied by the game he planned to buy.

Now, he had woken up to find himself in a completely different room.

Moreover, as he observed the room's style and various pieces of equipment, he couldn't decipher anything about his situation.

Everything in the room exuded a modern vibe; the room's architecture was unlike anything he was accustomed to.

All the technology and equipment present were more advanced than anything he had known.

The entire room felt futuristic.

As he surveyed his surroundings, a series of absurd thoughts flooded his mind.

Had he been kidnapped, destined for some sort of experiment?

Was this the domain of a top-secret organization conducting experiments?

Or could it be an alien base? It made some sense, given the level of technology far beyond Earth's.

He struggled to recognize some of the items in the room. His gaze fixed on the large, sleek screen mounted on the wall, unmistakably a TV.

On the table lay a laptop, tablet, or some similar device, its identity eluding him. Nestled in the corner stood a box-shaped appliance, undoubtedly the refrigerator.

Yet beyond these few objects, everything else remained unfamiliar to him.

Just as he began to grasp his predicament, an excruciating pain surged through his head, overwhelming him until he succumbed to unconsciousness.

Several hours later, he awoke feeling utterly drained, despite having just slept.

How could he not feel fatigued? He had absorbed a vast amount of information in his sleep.

He now understood his location and circumstances, oddly content with the realization.

He had transmigrated to another world, one known as Apex, distinct from Earth in myriad ways. Strangely, he found solace in these disparities.

Though the notion of being in a foreign realm was daunting, he found it surprisingly easy to come to terms with his situation, perhaps due to his retained memories, which made his surroundings feel somewhat familiar upon waking.

In his past life, Leo was a dedicated gamer. He played a wide variety of games, spanning from the excellent to the mediocre. Regardless of the game's quality or genre, he had experienced most of them. Leo firmly believed that the best way to evaluate a game was by playing it firsthand. Consequently, he refrained from reading any reviews before diving into a new game.

Because of this, he conducted numerous reviews of the game, leading to a modest level of popularity within the gaming industry. He actively contributed ideas to budding developers, despite lacking formal software and programming knowledge. Leveraging his perspective as a gamer, he offered valuable insights to others. Additionally, he monetized his passion by live-streaming gameplay sessions, thereby generating income.

By the age of 24 in 2023, he had immersed himself in a plethora of games released throughout the 2020s, and even explored titles from the 2010s.

Being financially affluent due to inheritance, he indulged in gaming without restraint. His ability to earn through gaming added to his enjoyment of various titles.

In this world, where gaming held significant sway, he felt fortunate to have been transmigrated into it.

He had transmigrated into the body of someone who bore an uncanny resemblance to him, sharing his name, Leo.

Leo grew up an orphan, relying on government assistance for his basic needs until he turned 18 and completed his education. Subsequently, he held various jobs and managed to save enough money to open an Internet Cafe, sustaining himself through its operation.

As Leo reconstructs his memories, he finds himself clear-headed, devoid of any confusion stemming from the memories of this body. To him, these memories are mere information. Bereft of parental figures and having limited interactions with others, he lacks emotional attachments. He simply hasn't formed close enough bonds with anyone to feel emotionally connected.

As he reorganized his thoughts, he found himself able to contemplate his next move with calmness.

He had entered an entirely different realm, one far more technologically advanced than Earth. In this world, gaming played a pivotal role in its operations. This was due to the fact that, despite its technological advancements, artificial intelligence comparable to humans had not yet been developed. The concept faced significant opposition from the denizens of this world, with many fearing the potential dangers posed to humanity by AI. Additionally, the endeavor was deemed prohibitively expensive.

As a result of this resistance, progress toward developing true AI had been stymied. Furthermore, it became apparent that the task was considerably more challenging than initially anticipated.

However, the pursuit of knowledge and innovation was integral to human advancement. Halting such a project would not be so straightforward.

To circumvent these challenges, a solution was devised: to create AI within the confines of the gaming world, thus avoiding public backlash. This approach not only mitigated risks but also facilitated the development process. Moreover, integrating high intelligence into game characters eased the transition to AI creation.

This strategy opened avenues for a myriad of individuals to contribute their ideas, including game developers and enthusiasts. Given the widespread acceptance of gaming, this approach garnered minimal opposition.

Implementing that idea, the countries of this world have decided to make game development a mainstream profession. It has been 6 years since gaming became mainstream, so this idea is still in its initial phase.

However, if only the government had popularized gaming for research purposes, it wouldn't have gained such widespread popularity. The focus could have remained on research.

Unfortunately, the government's plans backfired as the gaming environment became so popular that it turned into a cultural phenomenon.

The gaming industry grew immensely, and people became more interested in gaming than government-sponsored research. Consequently, research progress slowed down as people prioritized gaming enjoyment.

Before the government could regain control, gaming had already become deeply entrenched in society. Any attempt to interfere risked causing chaos and public backlash.

Thus, the government decided not to intervene, realizing that despite being slower, progress in creating AI could still be achieved through gaming in the long run.

As he familiarized himself with his surroundings, he rose from his bed and reached for a tablet on the nearby table. Being a hardcore gamer, he held high expectations for the games of this world.

However, he found that the games in this world were not as extraordinary as he had hoped. While many new games were being developed and competition in the gaming industry was fierce, the overall quality lagged behind. Some games were good, especially those produced by major companies, but nothing truly exceptional.

Despite significant technological advancements in other fields, such as technology, this world still lagged behind Earth in games, animation, and entertainment.

Just as he was observing the games of this world, something in this vision attracted him.

"Why am I seeing this symbol?" he muttered, perplexed. He initially speculated it might be an advanced lens or gadget, given the world's technological prowess. However, he quickly dismissed the idea as he couldn't recall wearing any such device.

He also considered it might be some sort of game, but that notion was swiftly dismissed as he grasped the gravity of the situation within this world's gaming dynamics.

Thus, he found himself thoroughly perplexed. Why could he perceive a mark in his vision, immovable regardless of his own movements?

Piqued by curiosity, he fixated on the symbol, only for a notification panel to abruptly materialize before him.

Displayed within was a countdown timer:

3

2

1

Before he could muster a response, the panel expanded, engulfing his sight, and he sensed an intrusion into his being.

In the blink of an eye, a searing pain overwhelmed his senses, and he succumbed once more to unconsciousness.