1 Chapter 1 - The Birth of a Broken Player
Immortal Legacy, the wildly popular VRMMORPG, has been thriving for the past three years, bolstered by the advancement of Full Dive technology. This technology has revolutionized human life, with many daily activities now taking place within this virtual world.
For the past twelve months, Broken had invested a great deal of time and energy into playing Immortal Legacy. Unfortunately, his progress had been unacceptably sluggish; he had only managed to reach level 25, whereas some of his peers who had started at the same time had already achieved the level of 100.
Taking into account that the in-game world of Immortal Legacy, Yunatea Time, passes three times faster than in the real world, this would equate to Broken effectively playing the game for the equivalent of three years in Yunatea Time.
"At last!" Broken shouted, the sun glinting off his blond hair and bright blue eyes as he stood to his full height of 1.79 meters (5.88 feet). "I'm about to sign my first contract with a spirit!"
"My sister was offered a contract from three high-grade spirits a few months ago," the man standing next to Broken said, laughing heartily.
"Huh!" Broken was taken aback, surprised that someone was trying to talk to him. He had never really made an effort to make friends in this game.
"I think that's something to be proud of," Broken said.
The warrior-class player, a man with brown hair, black pupils, and standing at 1.82 meters (5.98 feet) tall, grinned and nodded. "She is undeniably talented as a gamer," he said, "and I'm sure I can get the same offer. After all, the blood of champions runs through our veins."
Broken then nodded and smiled simply in response.
"My name is Boo-ba," he said, extending his hand towards Broken as they strolled in line towards the Temple of Blessing.
The Temple of Blessing was an awe-inspiring sight, constructed with a masterful combination of stone and other materials that gave it an ethereal, shadowy hue. It was a revered place of worship, offering level 25 players the opportunity to interact with spirits and form a bond with them. This magnificent structure stood in the middle of a dense forest, surrounded by ancient, towering trees that lent the area an aura of antiquity.
Every player had the chance to receive a contract proposal from each spirit drawn to them. They had the opportunity to accept only one contract, presented with multiple ones that might be offered to them at the same time. It was essential that they made the right choice during this process, as it could potentially have a great effect on their progression.
Unfortunately, some players never got the opportunity to obtain a contract, although this was a rare occurrence.
The potential of signing a contract with a high-grade spirit was an incredibly exciting and curious experience for anyone. The potential rewards were remarkable: those who were poor could become wealthy, those whose love lives were miserable could become playboys overnight, and those who had been oppressed could finally stand up to their oppressors.
Broken turned to Boo-ba, cautiously accepting his handshake.
"Broken," he answered softly, "my name is Broken."
The player's avatars in Immortal Legacy had remarkable resemblances to the players' actual faces and appearance, with only slight customizations available.
It was also possible to guess someone's age by their face and body proportion in the game, although the characterization was more focused on different age groups such as children, teenagers, young adults, adults, middle-aged and elderly people. However, this still showed that the players in this realm were of a very wide range of ages.
"Woah!" Boo-ba exclaimed, patting Broken's shoulder with a slight laugh. "What an awesome name! But, could you tell me which part of you was broken, just out of curiosity?" he added with a chuckle. "Just kidding," he continued, laughing. "I like to joke around; some people find me funny, hahaha."
"At least my name isn't as weird as yours..."
"What? Are you sure?" Boo-ba retorted, placing his hands on his chest. "My name is representative of something that everyone worships in their life, you know. The bigger the Boo-ba, the better."
Boo-ba gazed off into the distance and noticed a girl with bright red hair. She was dressed as if she was a magician, wearing a sexy outfit that revealed her toned thighs from the slit in her skirt, and her top was cut low, accentuating her ample bosom.
"Look at that girl," Boo-ba said, giggling lightly. "She's even proudly showing off her chest so that all the guys can get a good view when they see her."
Broken turned his head in the same direction as Boo-ba, and he noticed a mage girl that he had encountered on the hunting ground before. Though he had never known the girl, he led a laid-back life in Immortal Legacy and had only a few friends in the game.
[Boo-ba Lv. 25 send a friend request]
"Accept my friend request," said Boo-ba. "I can teach you the most advanced tricks to quickly become good at this game. I learned a lot from my sister, so you will never lose with me."
Broken nodded and pressed the accept button.
[Boo-ba Lv. 25 has become your friend.]
"Broken, how long have you been playing this game?" Boo-ba asked.
"Uhm... three years of Yunatea time."
"What?!" Boo-ba exclaimed in surprise. "Are you serious? What were you doing over those three years? Why did you only get to level 25? Have you been taking it easy? Even the most noobest gamers would have achieved level 100 by now. I'm still at level 25 since I'm a new player, having only been playing for two months of Yunatea time."
Since the release of Immortal Legacy, those who had reached the highest level were typically in the 200s or higher; however, this was only achievable for those with privileges, as the rankers had devoted nearly their entire lives, time, and finances to reach such heights.
By contrast, Broken had a different experience; due to his responsibilities in the real world, he could only allot limited time to the game, resulting in an understandably slow progress.
"Yes, I guess," Broken replied with a friendly smile, "even though I like this game, I only have one hour of real world time each day to play it. I'm not looking for excuses, but I don't have any other choice, and the desire to keep up with the levels of other players isn't a luxury I can afford."
"Tsk!" Boo-ba replied, then patted Broken's shoulder. "You don't need to worry, I'll get strong quickly and I'll help you level up even faster. You can count on me now that we're friends, okay?"
"Thanks…" Broken smiled and nodded, grateful for Boo-ba's offer. "You don't have to do that," he said. "But it would be really helpful."
Their turn arrived, and they walked into the temple together.
"Don't worry, Broken," Boo-ba said reassuringly as he stepped up to the altar that stood at the end of the huge, rocky outcrop. "Whatever spirit you end up signing a contract with, it won't be something to be ashamed of. I'll always be here to support you."
Broken strides up to the portal door near one of the majestic Altars.
[Do you wish to venture into the Spirit World?]
[Please note that this is something that can only be attempted once a week; if you are unsuccessful in forming a contract, the likelihood of a second chance in the future will be diminished.]
Broken pressed the Yes button, and he felt a strange energy pulling him through space until he suddenly found himself standing in a place surrounded by clouds.
In every direction, small islands floated in the sky. Some had lush green grass and trees, others were blanketed in snow, and others boasted volcanic mountains in the distance.
Broken stood stock-still, gazing as a multitude of multicolored, luminescent orbs drifted around him.
"So this is what a spirit looks like to those who have never contracted with it," he thought to himself.
Spirits come in all shapes and sizes, offering a variety of different perks. Players can gain elemental affinities, unique skills, and even physical forms like spirit beasts that can assist them in combat.
Contracts made with spirits were something that high-level players can revisit in the future, but the initial phase can give them a great power boost in Immortal Legacy. That's why this process was something very important that all new players in Immortal Legacy should strive for.
"I like him," a childlike voice echoed from around Broken, filled with divine beauty.
The spirits around him glowed with an ethereal light.
"He's quite handsome," a different voice declared. "I admire his posture."
"He has such great potential for the future," a third voice chimed in. "I don't want to miss out on this chance."
"It should be me who deserves to be by his side," the other voice declared proudly.
[Faith, an Epic Grade Spirit of Light, is offering you a contract.]
[...]
[...]
[Tansy, a Rare Grade Spirit of Power, is extending you an offer.]
Several notifications popped up on Broken's screen, indicating the spirits who wished to make a contract with him.
"But, I can only make a contract with one of them, right?" he muttered to himself.
"Broken, please accept my contract... I want you..."
Broken was trying to recall what Boo-ba had said before when his sister was simultaneously presented with a contract offer from three high-grade spirits. He wasn't sure how high the grade Boo-ba had been referring to. However, the game's grades ranged from the lowest - Common, Rare, Elite, Epic, Unique, Legend and so on.
If Broken was offered a contract from an Epic-grade spirit, it surely meant he was quite fortunate. Right?
Broken gazed at the spirits hovering nearby, pondering what kind of spirit he would need to progress in the game.
"Seven contract offers all at once? Is this normal, or something special?" he asked aloud.
He knew that his warrior class and fire affinity would give him plenty of advantages if he chose a spirit of the fire element. But, Broken was considering the Epic-grade spirit that offered him a contract. It had a Light element, which left him questioning the compatibility of Fire and the effect it may have on his already established class and skills.
He felt regretful that he hadn't done more research on spirits beforehand and paused for a moment to ensure he was making the right decision.
[Birch, a Rare Grade Spirit of Nature, is offering you a contract.]
[...]
[...]
[Oceana, an Elite Grade Spirit of the Sea, is proposing a contract.]
Broken was shocked and amazed when contract offers from a dozen spirits started pouring in, and two of them were even Epic grade!
His enthusiasm and happiness were evident in the smile on his face as he exclaimed, "I actually got offers from this many spirits!"
For him, happiness was not something that came easily, and so even something like this, occurring in a virtual world, was enough to make him feel truly blessed.
"I love it, I love you guys, thank you for giving me this opportunity." His appreciation made the spirits swirl around him in joy.
[Birch canceled its contract offer and, without hesitation, it took off running.]
"Eh? What happened?"
[Oceana canceled its contract offer….
[...]
[...]
"Let's go now," one spirit urged.
"We don't belong here, and I'm scared of what might happen if we stay any longer." Another added.
"I really want to stay, but we must go."
"Eh!" Broken exclaimed in shock, glaring as the spirits moved around him in a frenzy before flying away.
"Hey, why are you all leaving? What's going on?!"
All of the spirits had abruptly rescinded their offers to Broken and were not leaving him with anything.
"Hey, just give me a second, I didn't mean to take my time too long."
Broken desperately tried to catch up with them, but the spirits had already vanished from his sight.
"What?! Why? What did I do wrong?"
Broken's face filled with panic as he watched the spirits hastily break their contract and scatter around like they were scared of something.
"Don't tell me that I'm one of the few people who didn't manage to secure a contract with the spirits?"
Broken attempted to take a deep breath, attempting to calm himself.
With only a limited amount of time to play this game, he saw it as an opportunity to take a break from his hectic lifestyle and responsibilities.
He had allowed himself an hour a day to visit this virtual world, and although his progress was slow, it was not due to idleness; in fact, if he calculated his progress, it was relatively fast, simply hampered by his lack of time.
Broken struggled to come to terms with reality, then suddenly, a fast-spinning circle portal appeared before him.
"What...?" he gasped in shock.
A slender, white, and luminous female foot stepped out of the portal, followed by a young woman clad in white, appearing in front of him.
The woman raised her face towards Broken, displaying a stunning beauty he had never seen before. Her waist-length silver hair shimmered, her captivating emerald eyes glistening in the light. Her white, glittering dress hugged her petite figure, and the magnificent jewel accessories that adorned it caught the eye.
"Who...are you?" Broken inquired, completely taken aback.
"I am the one who will guide you to be the best player in Yunatea," the woman spoke in a gentle, melodic voice; however, she quickly stopped talking.
She then gracefully lowered her body, touching her knees to the ground, and eventually laying her entire body upon the ground, her soft cheek pressed against the earth.
Broken walked closer to the girl, eager to find out what had happened to her.
"Hey, are you okay?" He then looked up at the name hovering above her head.
[Akidia - The Goddess of Sloth]
