1 Virtual Reality Pod

"Haaa.."

I clock out of my till and walk into the locker room to grab my jacket.

I wear my jacket and leave the till.

"Okay, manager Zack. See you!"

I waved to my old manager in his late fifties.

"Then, see you, best employee!"

He also smiled as I left the fast food place.

I look outside and see the road in front where people roam the streets. The sun beamed at my face as my left arm covered my eyes.

"Finally.."

My cheeks blossomed in excitement after dedicating hours of hard work.

".. I'll be able to buy a VR Pod!"

* * *

One day later...

"Here it is!"

I looked at the round and gray pod which looked like a futuristic version of a massaging chair. It had dark features; including transparent glass covering half the machine.

My breathing started to quicken.

My eyes trembled with amazement.

I clenched my chest with my hand and tried to stop my heart from beating so fast while my sealed lips were about to yell out of joy.

I quickly call my friend on the mobile phone.

"Hey Collin."

-Hey Alex! Are you going to play Aeconia Online now?

"Yeah, I'm about to hop in."

-Okay, bro! I'll get on right now! Tell me when you are out of the beginners village, okay?

"Yeah, sure, see you later."

Tuut-tuuuut-

I switched off my mobile and focused on the new model I just bought.

Finally.

'After a year..'

"Hooo.."

"Let's calm down."

I slowly and gently sit inside the pod and feel the comfortable seat.

"Now.."

I smile in confidence at the top.

".. let's begin!"

「 Initiating synchronization.. 」

「 Checking users vitals.. 」

「 User meets the status.. 」

Drrrnnnngggggg—

The pitch blackness exited and a bright blue light entered.

「 Welcome host. 」

It was a screen.

Not just any screen, but a blue, system panel that looked very futuristic.

「 I am the system and this is the world of Nexus This is a fantasy world filled with dungeons and dragons that you, an adventurer, can explore and enjoy! 」

「 Don't worry about adapting as I will guide you through this world. 」

「 Please choose a name to begin 」

A name.

Then, why not go with my terrible naming sense and choose,

"Xela."

The backwards and shortened version of my real life name. :)

「 Let's begin with the tutorial! 」

The colours faded into a white room.

The panel sat in front of me as it contrasted the white void.

「 There are three parts of the tutorial 」

「 We will begin with the first step 」

「 Stage 1: Choose your weapon 」

Suddenly, blue pixelated and computer-like particles appeared out of thin air, creating many weapons that surrounded me.

"Woah.. huh?"

I felt myself.

"It feels so real. It's just like how it is in real life"

An uncontrolled smile appeared on my face.

"All that hard work was worth it."

"What was I doing, thinking of the opposite..", I muttered as I sighed.

「 Please choose your weapon 」

"Ah, yes."

"Hmm.. let's see.."

I looked through the many weapons—swords, bows, slingshots or even axes!

"I spent a lot of my free time researching the best weapons to choose."

"The most popular was the sword, spear and staff with the spear being the most popular."

A small smile appeared on my face as if I had already thought ahead.

"But I already know what to pick. I've prepared in advance."

I look around the variety of surrounding weapons.

"Hm, now, where is it?"

I search attentively with my eyes until..

"There it is!"

I walk behind the direction I was previously facing and reach out my hand to a weapon before-

"|CHOOSE THE SPEAR|"

A distorted, ragged and irritating voice that hurt my ears spoke inside my head.

"Ah!"

I quickly place my hands over my ears after feeling the pain.

"Woah, that scared me!"

"It felt like I heard it from inside of my brain instead of my ears.."

「 You have chosen the spear 」

"Huh?"

I look at my right-hand which held the long wooden-staff that had a metal head at the end.