Sanji Takamura's fingers trembled with excitement as he adjusted the sleek VR headset over his eyes. The device felt lighter than expected, almost like it wasn't there at all. Around him, his small bedroom faded into darkness as the startup sequence began.
"Alkhali World, here I come," he whispered to himself.
For three months, he'd watched the hype build. Every gaming forum exploded with speculation. Every streamer counted down the days. The advertisements promised something revolutionary: a VRMMORPG with 100% realistic immersion, a world so detailed it would feel like living in a fantasy realm. Ten thousand players had won the chance to participate in the initial launch and somehow, Sanji's application had been selected.
The headset's interior glowed with soft blue light. A feminine voice, smooth and artificial, filled his ears.
"Welcome, player. Please state your username for registration."
"Sanji," he said without hesitation. He always used his real name in games. It felt more honest somehow, more real.
"Username 'Sanji' accepted. Beginning neural calibration. Please remain still."
A tingling sensation spread across his scalp, not unpleasant but strange. The darkness before his eyes rippled like water, and suddenly he was falling through a tunnel of stars and color. His stomach lurched even though his physical body remained sitting on his bed.
This is incredible, he thought. The sensations felt completely real.
The tunnel opened into a vast white space that stretched infinitely in all directions. Sanji looked down at his hands or rather, his avatar's hands. They looked exactly like his real ones, down to the small scar on his left thumb from a kitchen accident two years ago.
"Avatar customization initiated," the voice announced. "You may alter your appearance as desired."
A translucent mirror materialized before him, showing his full reflection. Average height, messy black hair, thin build. His dark brown eyes stared back with barely contained excitement. Some players would probably make themselves taller, more muscular, more conventionally attractive. Sanji considered it for a moment, then shook his head.
"No changes," he said. "I'll keep my normal appearance."
If he was going to live in this world, even temporarily, he wanted to be himself.
"Customization complete. Please select your starting class."
Five pedestals rose from the white floor, each displaying a different weapon and armor set. Sanji walked around them, reading the descriptions that appeared in his vision.
Warrior - High strength and defense. Excels in close combat.
Mage - High intelligence and magic power. Controls elemental forces.
Ranger - High agility and perception. Master of ranged combat.
Priest - High wisdom and support abilities. Heals and protects allies.
Adventurer - Balanced stats. Can learn any skill but masters none.
Sanji paused at the last one. In most games, the balanced class was considered the weakest choice. Specialists always outperformed generalists in their respective roles. Warriors tanked better. Mages dealt more damage. Rangers had superior mobility. Priests were essential for group content.
But Adventurer could learn ANY skill.
His gaming instincts tingled. There was something here, some hidden potential the system wasn't making obvious. In his years of gaming, he'd learned that the most interesting builds came from unconventional choices. Besides, if this world was as complex as promised, flexibility might matter more than specialization.
"I choose Adventurer," Sanji said firmly.
"Selection confirmed. Adventurer class assigned. Initiating world transfer. Good luck, player Sanji."
The white space shattered like glass.
Sanji's consciousness tumbled through a vortex of sensation wind on his face, the scent of grass, the warmth of sunlight. His feet touched solid ground, and suddenly everything solidified into crystal clarity.
He stood on a cobblestone street in a medieval village. Wooden buildings with thatched roofs lined both sides of the road. NPCs walked past him villagers in simple clothing carrying baskets, children chasing each other between houses, a blacksmith hammering away at his forge. The detail was staggering. He could see individual stones in the road, hear the specific rhythm of the blacksmith's hammer, smell bread baking somewhere nearby.
"This is insane," Sanji breathed. "It's completely real."
Around him, other players were materializing in flashes of blue light. Dozens, then hundreds, appearing all throughout the village. Their reactions ranged from awed silence to excited shouting. One player nearby fell to his knees, running his hands through the grass, laughing in disbelief.
Sanji opened his menu with a thought, and a translucent blue screen appeared in his vision. He navigated through the interface instinctively inventory, stats, skills, settings. Everything functioned smoothly, responding to his mental commands.
Status Window:
- Name: Sanji
- Level: 1
- Class: Adventurer
- HP: 100/100
- MP: 50/50
- Strength: 5
- Agility: 5
- Intelligence: 5
- Wisdom: 5
- Luck: 5
His equipment was basic: a plain short sword, a wooden shield, simple leather armor. Starting gear for a level one player. But that was fine. The fun was in the journey, in growing stronger step by step.
A new notification appeared:
Tutorial Quest: Speak with Village Elder Tanaka
Reward: 50 EXP, 10 Bronze Coins
"Guess I should start there," Sanji muttered. He closed his menu and looked around for directional markers. A helpful golden arrow appeared, pointing down the main street toward a larger building at the village center.
As he walked, he took everything in. The physics felt perfect his footsteps made appropriate sounds on the cobblestone, his sword bounced slightly at his hip with each step, the wind actually moved his hair. Other players were testing things too. One mage was casting a basic fire spell, squealing with delight as actual flames appeared in her palm. A warrior was swinging his sword, marveling at the weight and balance.
The village elder's house was a two-story building with a sign reading "Hajimari Village Hall" in both Japanese and English. Sanji climbed the wooden steps and pushed open the door.
Inside, dozens of players had already gathered, crowding around an elderly NPC in traditional Japanese robes. The man had a long white beard and kind eyes that crinkled at the corners.
"Welcome, young adventurers," the elder said, his voice warm. "I am Tanaka, elder of Hajimari Village. You have been called to our world in its time of need. Monsters grow bold in the forests. Dungeons spawn creatures that threaten our people. We need brave souls willing to venture forth and protect the innocent."
The speech had the slightly stilted quality of scripted NPC dialogue, but the elder's expressions and gestures were remarkably lifelike. Sanji found himself listening attentively despite knowing this was just the tutorial introduction.
"For those willing to help, I have prepared simple tasks. Speak with me individually to receive your first quest."
Players began lining up. Sanji joined the queue, using the wait time to observe the other players. Most seemed to be teenagers or young adults like himself. Some were already forming groups, chatting excitedly about party composition and dungeon strategies. Others, like him, seemed content to start solo.
After ten minutes, Sanji reached the front of the line.
"Ah, another brave soul," Elder Tanaka said, his eyes fixing on Sanji. For a moment, something flickered in that gaze something almost too aware, too intelligent for an NPC. But it passed quickly. "You bear the mark of an Adventurer. A rare choice. Tell me, young one, what drives you to walk the path of balance rather than specialization?"
Sanji blinked. That wasn't standard NPC dialogue. That was an actual question.
"I believe flexibility is strength," Sanji answered. "The ability to adapt to any situation matters more than being the best at one thing."
Elder Tanaka smiled. "Wise words. Very well. Your first task is simple. In the Shinrin Forest to the east, slimes have been multiplying. Defeat five slimes and return to me. But be warned in this world, death has consequences. Fight carefully."
Quest Received: Slime Extermination
Defeat 5 slimes in Shinrin Forest
Reward: 100 EXP, 50 Bronze Coins, Beginner's Health Potion x3
"I won't let you down," Sanji said, bowing slightly before turning to leave.
Outside, the village was even more crowded now. Players filled the streets, overwhelming the NPCs. Some were already heading toward the village gates, eager to start leveling. Others were still experimenting with the interface or buying supplies from NPC merchants.
Sanji made his way to the eastern gate, where a worn sign pointed toward "Shinrin Forest - Level 1-5 Area." A handful of players were already heading down the dirt path that led into the trees.
As he walked through the gate, a strange sensation passed over him like stepping through an invisible curtain. The sounds of the village faded behind him, replaced by forest ambiance: rustling leaves, distant bird calls, the whisper of wind through branches.
The path wound between massive trees, their trunks wider than he could wrap his arms around. Dappled sunlight filtered through the canopy, creating patterns of light and shadow on the forest floor. It was beautiful and peaceful, almost enough to make him forget this was supposed to be a dangerous area.
Almost.
A wet squelching sound came from his left.
Sanji's hand went to his sword hilt as he turned. Twenty feet away, a blue gelatinous creature about the size of a large dog wobbled between the trees. A glowing name tag floated above it: Slime - Level 1.
His first enemy.
Sanji drew his sword, the metal ringing as it left the scabbard. The slime noticed the sound and bounced toward him with surprising speed. He raised his wooden shield instinctively.
The slime launched itself through the air.
Sanji blocked with his shield, feeling actual impact as the creature hit. The force pushed him back a step. Numbers appeared in his vision: -3 HP. The slime had dealt damage through his block.
"Okay," Sanji muttered, heart racing. "This is really happening."
He slashed with his sword, the blade cutting through the slime's gelatinous body. -12 HP appeared above the monster in red numbers. It wobbled but didn't die, bouncing back for another attack.
Sanji dodged this time, rolling to the side. The movement felt natural, his avatar responding perfectly to his intentions. He came up swinging, hitting the slime twice more. -11 HP. -13 HP.
The slime shuddered and exploded into particles of blue light.
+20 EXP
Slime Core x1 obtained
Sanji stood there breathing hard, adrenaline pumping through his veins. That had felt completely real the weight of the sword, the impact of blocking, the satisfaction of landing hits. This wasn't like any game he'd ever played. This was something else entirely.
He checked his HP: 97/100. One slime had barely hurt him, but that assumed he played carefully. He needed to be smarter, more tactical.
"Four more to go," he said, venturing deeper into the forest.
Over the next hour, Sanji hunted slimes methodically. He learned their attack patterns they always bounced twice before launching themselves. He practiced his timing, dodging instead of blocking to avoid taking any damage. By the time he defeated his fifth slime, he'd taken only six total damage and felt significantly more confident in combat.
Quest Complete: Slime Extermination
Return to Village Elder Tanaka for your reward
But before heading back, Sanji decided to explore a bit further. The forest stretched on, and his gamer curiosity demanded he see what else was out there. Most players probably rushed straight back to turn in quests, but sometimes the best discoveries came from going off the beaten path.
He followed a narrow trail that wound uphill, pushing through hanging vines and stepping over exposed roots. The forest grew darker here, the canopy thicker. Fewer players had ventured this far.
Then he saw it.
Between two ancient trees, partially hidden by overgrowth, stood a stone archway covered in glowing blue runes. The same blue as the system interface. Sanji's Game Master instincts screamed that this was something important.
He approached carefully, examining the archway. Information appeared in his vision:
Hidden Discovery: Ancient Portal (Sealed)
Requirements to unlock: Unknown
+50 EXP for discovery
A hidden portal. Already. On day one.
Sanji's mind raced. This was exactly the kind of secret that could lead to unique rewards, hidden quests, or special items. But it was sealed, requiring some unknown condition to unlock.
He memorized the location carefully, taking note of the distinctive bent tree nearby and the large boulder shaped like a sleeping cat. He'd definitely be coming back here.
As he turned to head back to the village, something caught his eye. A faint shimmer in the air, like heat waves rising from summer pavement. He squinted at it, trying to focus.
Suddenly, text appeared:
Unique Skill Acquired: Game Master's Eye (Passive)
Effect: See hidden information, detect secrets, identify weaknesses
Sanji's breath caught. A unique skill? Already? He hadn't even done anything special except...
Except notice what others missed.
He activated the skill consciously this time, focusing on the world around him. Everything sharpened. Hidden paths appeared as faint golden lines on the ground. Plants that could be harvested glowed softly. And in the distance, through the trees, he could see outlines of other slimes with their exact HP values floating above them.
This skill was incredible. This was game-breaking if used correctly.
Sanji smiled, a real genuine smile of excitement and anticipation. Alkhali World had only just begun, and already it was exceeding every expectation.
He started back toward Hajimari Village, eager to turn in his quest and begin the next step of his journey. The sun was starting to set, painting the forest in shades of orange and gold. Other players were heading back too, chatting excitedly about their first battles and experiences.
Everything felt perfect.
None of them knew that in just a few hours, everything would change. None of them knew that they'd soon discover they couldn't log out. None of them knew that their greatest adventure would also become their greatest nightmare.
But for now, in this golden moment, Sanji was simply a gamer living his dream. And tomorrow, that dream would become something much more complicated.
To be continued...