I woke up lying on a pile of straw.
Why was I on straw? Still, there was no mistaking the texture. Straw was piled up in a corner of what looked like a storage shed, and I had been sleeping right on top of it.
Was there even a place in Tokyo that still used straw? No, more importantly, why was I even here?
Let's think.
What was I doing yesterday? Right, I was trying to play some strange net game. Just as I was about to start, my consciousness faded...
And when I came to, I was on this straw. I had no idea what was happening.
So, was this a game?
A total virtual reality experience?
No way. I’d never heard of technology like that. Besides, entering a game world just by clicking a mouse? Impossible. Maybe it was a dream.
"Brrrruuo."
Just then, I heard a whinny.
Whoa. That startled me.
Something else was in the shed. I strained my eyes in the dim light.
Huh?
What was it?
The word "Horse" suddenly materialized in my mind. There was no doubt about it; it was definitely a horse.
I stood up and approached it. It was indeed a horse. Based on the thickness of its legs, it didn't look like a Thoroughbred, but it was a horse nonetheless. Not that I knew much about breeds.
The shed was roughly the size of a one-room apartment.
And a single horse lived here. Talk about luxury. I felt like making it apologize to me, considering I lived in a cramped two-room apartment with my old man.
Well, getting angry at a horse wouldn't solve anything, so I looked around.
It was dark, but the area outside the window was reddening as a faint light filtered in. It had been pitch black until a moment ago; it must have been dawn.
There was no sign of anyone else. The window had neither glass nor shutters—it was just a gaping hole in the wall.
The horse remained quiet.
When I looked at it and wondered what it was, that information—"Horse"—floated into my head again. It seemed that whenever I thought What is this?, the answer would appear.
Appraisal.
I remembered it then.
It was the skill I had added at the very end of the character setup yesterday.
I looked at myself and willed the skill to activate. Appraisal.
Michio Kaga <Male, 17 years old> Villager: Lv 1
Oh. Information actually appeared. Michio Kaga was definitely my name.
In other words, there was no doubt that I was inside the game from yesterday. Was this that "complete virtual reality" thing?
But how? I hadn't even registered my name or age. Did some super hacker dig up my personal info?
I checked my body, but nothing felt off. This wasn't a digital avatar; it was my actual body. I was even wearing the same jersey I had on yesterday—my usual loungewear.
They reproduced my clothes in the game too?
Gear was one thing, but a jersey?
Furthermore, I was barefoot. The temperature was mild, neither hot nor cold. It was fine inside the shed, but being barefoot would be a problem once I went outside.
As the shed grew slightly brighter, I looked around and spotted something resembling sandals lying on the ground. When I wondered what they were, information floated up once again.
They were exactly what they looked like: sandals.
I decided to put them on. I didn't have socks, so I wore them barefoot, tying the strings around my ankles to keep them from slipping off. It felt primitive. This was the kind of thing that should be handled with a single click in a game, not manually adjusted in virtual reality.
I checked my status again with Appraisal.
Michio Kaga <Male, 17 years old> Villager: Lv 1 Thief: Lv 1 Equipment: Sandals
...Uh.
Thief Level 1? That was because of the sandals, wasn't it?
My bad. I shouldn't have put on equipment that didn't belong to me. I had ended up picking up a Second Job in a very unexpected way.
By the way, the jersey didn't seem to count as equipment. Perhaps because it was something brought in from outside the game? Only the sandals were listed.
Come to think of it, I was supposed to have Bonus Equipment.
Searching the room with that thought in mind, I found a sword lying next to the straw. I used Appraisal on it.
The name Holy Sword Durandal and a list of various skills flooded my mind. It was loaded with effects like 5x Attack Power, HP Absorption, and MP Absorption.
As expected of Weapon VI. It clearly harbored a terrifying amount of power.
There was also a ring next to the sword. I Appraised it; the skills for Accessory II were decent enough. It was called the Ring of Determination. A fitting name for the start of an adventure.
I put on the ring and picked up the sword.
This really was a game world. The presence of the bonus weapons I chose during character creation confirmed it, even if I didn't understand how this virtual reality was being achieved.
I decided to step outside the stable. It would be bad if I stayed here and got caught stealing the sandals.
I tucked Durandal into the drawstring of my jersey, carrying it at my hip like a samurai.
Outside, the scenery looked like a peaceful, rustic village. There were several one-story wooden shacks surrounded by vegetable gardens. Fields stretched toward the rising sun in the east, and a dense forest pressed in from the north.
Even though the sun hadn't fully risen, the villagers were already active. Two people were walking down the road.
I hurriedly ducked behind the stable. I wasn't sure if hiding was necessary, but I didn't even know where I was. It seemed better to be cautious, especially since I was currently a sandal thief.
I watched the pair from the shadows. I checked their information with Appraisal. It really was convenient.
Both of them only had names and no surnames. Were they NPCs? They only had one job each, with no Second Job in sight. Their levels were low, though that might just have been how the game was balanced.
Then again, I was only Level 1.
I decided to move into the forest beside the stable to observe the village. It might have been fine to just walk up to them, but I preferred to see how things played out first.
The village stretched toward the southwest and was fairly large, consisting of about thirty or forty houses. Toward the center, there were even some two- and three-story buildings.
I Appraised the people as they emerged from their homes.
I saw someone who wasn't just a Villager—a Farmer Lv 5. I didn't know the functional difference between a Villager and a Farmer yet. If this were a real game, there should have been a tutorial somewhere. Without Appraisal, I would have been completely lost.
I continued my surveillance.
The highest level I saw was a middle-aged man who was a Villager Lv 25. If I were to talk to someone, should I pick him? Or should I aim for someone weaker?
I eventually spotted the Village Chief. He was sixty-eight years old and had a somewhat underwhelming Level 8.
I also saw someone with the Merchant Lv 6 job. Was he a peddler or a shopkeep? He stepped out of a three-story house and went right back inside. A merchant seemed like a good source of information.
As I was weighing my options, a massive roar suddenly echoed through the village. It was a shout loud enough to be heard by everyone.
I looked toward the source. The pair who had gone outside the village earlier were running back in a total panic. They were screaming something, but I couldn't make out the words.
Before long, other villagers emerged from their houses brandishing weapons—mostly swords and hoes.
No way. Did they find me?
I panicked for a moment, but it seemed I wasn't the target. Several villagers gathered together and sprinted toward the east. I moved stealthily through the forest to follow.
Looking east, I saw clouds of dust rising. A group of people was descending upon the village.
Thieves.
I didn't judge them by their looks. Appraisal confirmed their jobs were all Thief. They were still far away and looked like tiny specks, but the necessary information still reached my mind.
Appraisal really was an incredible skill.
The situation was clear. The game started with a bandit raid event.
I could probably just stay hidden in the forest and let it pass. However, the thieves' levels were generally low. If they were in the single digits, even I could handle them.
Besides, I had the Holy Sword Durandal.
The thieves were carrying copper swords, the same kind the villagers had. Basic starting gear. They wouldn't stand a chance against Durandal.
The villagers formed a line just past the stable where I had been sleeping. They were preparing to intercept the raid. The Level 25 man was at the center of the formation. The Village Chief was there too. Don't overdo it, Level 8.
As for the enemies...
Hugo <Male, 38 years old> Thief: Lv 41 Equipment: Iron Sword, Thief's Bandana, Iron Armor, Leather Boots
This man was clearly the leader. He was the only one with a high level, and his gear was noticeably better. He even wore a stylish Thief's Bandana.
The next strongest was only Level 19, and the third was Level 11. The rest were all single digits. Perhaps the levels were low because this was the opening event. As long as I watched out for the leader, I could manage this.
When the thieves reached the village, they brandished their swords and charged. The villagers met them head-on. Right before my eyes, a chaotic melee began.
People were screaming. I couldn't understand a single word of it. The thieves and villagers were locked in a desperate struggle.
The battle was happening right at the edge of the forest where I was hiding. If I jumped out now, I could take them by surprise.
Because both sides were low-level, neither had the upper hand; they were locked in a stalemate. The Level 41 leader was currently fighting the Level 25 man.
However, the level gap eventually told. The leader gained the advantage. He tackled the man to the ground and straddled him. He pinned him down and began stabbing frantically.
What was he doing? He was likely thrusting his blade into the gaps of the man’s armor. I’d heard that in ancient martial arts designed for armored combat, that was the standard way to finish an opponent.
Because he was pinning the man down, the leader was looking straight at the ground.
Is this my chance?
I felt like I could reach him without being noticed. If I delivered a single blow with Durandal from behind, I could deal massive damage.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
I drew Durandal from my waist and gripped it with both hands. It was heavier than a wooden kendo sword, but not so heavy that I couldn't swing it. For someone with my kendo background, it was manageable. If this was a starter event, a Level 1 player should be able to win.
I had to go.
I took a deep breath.
The sounds of the battlefield faded away. I no longer cared who was saying what.
I lunged out of the forest. I sprinted toward the Level 41 leader.
Along the way, one of the bandits noticed me and tried to block my path. I swung Durandal down, cutting the Thief Lv 2 down in a single stroke. So that was all a Level 2 was worth.
I raised Durandal again and closed the distance. At the final moment, I leaped and landed right beside the leader. Bracing my legs, I brought the sword down. I didn't kill my momentum; I channeled every bit of it into the blade. I dropped Durandal onto the leader's neck while he was still looking down.
The holy sword bit deep. The leader's head was severed and went flying. Red blood geysered from the stump of his neck.
Ugh.
What is this, some kind of splatter flick? Definitely a trash-tier game.
But I didn't have time to complain. I lunged at the other thieves.
The single-digit enemies near the leader were all finished in a single blow. Every time I swung Durandal, blood sprayed, and their numbers thinned.
I looked for the Level 19 thief, the next strongest. While taking out the single-digit trash, I scanned the battlefield.
The Thief Lv 19 was attacking the area around the Village Chief, some distance away from where the leader had fallen. Several villagers had rallied around the Chief to protect him.
Voices were shouting everywhere. The Level 19 thief looked over at me and screamed something.
Suddenly, the thieves broke ranks and began to flee. Seeing their leader killed had broken their morale.
Now that they were showing their backs, it was my turn to hunt. I gave chase, slaughtering several thieves from behind.
A Thief Lv 11 stood in my way. He was the third strongest of the bunch.
He swung from the left, and I parried with my right. Then I swung from the left, forcing him to block. Since he was wearing armor, a strike to the torso might not finish him.
I made the split-second decision to shift my blade and aim for the wrist. It was a precision strike I could only pull off because of my kendo training.
The thief's right wrist was sliced clean off, his sword falling to the ground. Durandal really was incredible.
Ignoring the blood spurting from his stump, I followed through with an upward slash. Deprived of his hand, he couldn't defend himself. I sent his head flying.
I ran through the crimson mist.
The thieves were in full retreat now. The Level 19 thief was leading the escape. What a coward. I guess he really was just a common thug.
I cut down more of them as they tried to run. Finally, I reached the Level 19 thief. He left his back completely exposed in his desperation to escape, making him an easy target for Durandal.
I mopped up the remaining stragglers. In the end, not a single thief escaped. They all became my experience points.
"Whew."
Once the last thief fell, I slumped to the ground.
Even if it was just a game, my breathing was heavy. I exhaled a long breath to steady myself. The sounds of the world slowly returned to my ears.
The field was a mess of corpses and blood. The bodies didn't seem to be despawning quickly. They really didn't need to make it this realistic.
I wondered if the beta testers had voiced any complaints. Since I’d never heard of a game with this level of virtual reality, maybe I was the beta tester. If so, I’d definitely have something to say about this.
As I sat there catching my breath, the Village Chief approached me. The Level 8 old man.
"XXXXXXXXXX"
"I don't know what you're saying," I replied.
"My apologies. Were you a speaker of Brahim?"
Right, there was a setting like that.
I couldn't understand his first words, but he immediately switched to a language I could follow.
"Yeah," I said.
"Oh. As expected. Are you an adventurer?"
What did he mean by "as expected"? He was speaking it too.
"Something like that," I gave a vague answer.
"Thank you for saving our village from such a crisis."
"No problem. It's fine."
It was just an event, after all.
However, I sounded strangely arrogant. It was because the Village Chief was being so incredibly humble. Even if his level was low, he was still the chief. It felt like a hassle to use polite language, so I just went with a casual tone.
"I will provide whatever reward I can manage."
"I see. In that case, is there somewhere I can lie down? I'm a bit tired."
Even though it was a game, I felt an actual physical exhaustion, as if I had really been fighting. Virtual reality was no joke. Besides, I didn't want to hang around a field full of corpses. Hurry up and despawn already.
"In that case, please come to my home. I am Somara, the Village Chief."
His job was indeed Village Chief; he was the leader of this place.
"Thanks. My name is Michio."
These people didn't seem to have surnames, so just "Michio" was enough.
Somara started walking, so I stood up and followed him.
"XXXXXXXXXX"
"XXXXXXXXXX"
I had no idea what Somara and the other villagers were saying to each other. How did this game's language system even work?
"Are there not many people who speak Brahim?" I asked.
"In this village, it is likely only myself and the merchant, Vikka."
"Hmm. Only two?"
"Lord Michio, you appear quite young, yet it is truly impressive that you command Brahim so fluently."
"Uh, yeah..."
Why did everyone keep saying that?
For the record, Brahim wasn't Japanese. It had a strange, unfamiliar ring to it. I shouldn't have been able to speak it, yet for some reason, I understood it perfectly and could reply without thinking. This virtual reality was full of mysteries.
"There was one other man, a former adventurer who could speak it, but in the battle just now..." Somara trailed off, his voice heavy.
Was it the Level 25 man? Or maybe another adventurer I didn't see?
I checked my own status.
Michio Kaga <Male, 17 years old> Villager: Lv 2 Thief: Lv 2 Equipment: Durandal, Sandals, Ring of Determination
Whoa.
It looked like I leveled up during the battle. I suppose that was only natural given the fight. Or should I be disappointed that I only gained one level? Leveling up was going to be a grind.
We reached Somara's house.
"XXXXXXXXXX"
"XXXXXXXXXX"
"I shall have hot water prepared for you," Somara said.
"Thanks."
Somara spoke to someone inside and led me in. The house was a two-story building with earthen walls. The civilization level was low—somewhere between ancient and medieval. I hadn't seen any guns or even bows yet.
The entrance led into a wide dirt floor. I was shown to a small room just off to the side.
"Please rest here for a while."
"I'll do that."
"Very well."
Even though it was called a room, it was still part of the dirt floor area, but it had wooden planks laid across the back. I lay down on the wood.
"Phew."
I let out a sigh. Time to log out for a bit.
...
Wait.
How do I log out?
I couldn't find a way to exit.
Panic started to set in. Come to think of it, I didn't know the command. I hadn't been given a manual or a tutorial. How was I supposed to return to reality?
"Logout..." I muttered. Nothing happened.
"Log off. Exit. Quit. End. System. Menu. Open. Save."
Still nothing.
"Menu open. Main menu. Exit menu. Option menu. Exit options. Window. Window open. Menu window. Exit window. Memory. Save. Save and exit. Overwrite save. Reset. Clear. Back. Return. Finish. End. Stop. Enough. I'm done..."
I tried every phrase I could think of, but the world didn't budge. I couldn't go back.
Wait, was this even a game in the first place?
My senses told me that this place was 100% real. There was no room for doubt. It was far too vivid to be a dream.
If it was real and yet a game, then it had to be virtual reality. But I’d never heard of a VR system this perfect. Especially not one you could enter just by clicking a link on a browser. I wasn't wearing a headset or any kind of hardware.
A world that felt real but wasn't virtual reality... in other words, just reality.
And yet, there was one reason I still believed it was a game.
I willed Appraisal on myself. My stats appeared in my mind. That was something that could only happen in a game.
However, while checking my status, I finally saw it.
The blood on my jersey.
If this were just a game, would it leave stains like this? If this were a digital world, why wouldn't the blood just vanish after the battle?
Was I really in a game?
Even if I were, if I couldn't log out, it didn't matter. I began to wonder if I would ever see my own world again.