The sun had fully set by the time Sanji returned to Hajimari Village. Torches now lined the cobblestone streets, their flames dancing in the evening breeze and casting warm orange light across the buildings. The level of detail continued to amaze him he could feel the temperature difference between the cool night air and the warmth radiating from the torches as he passed them.
The village was even more crowded than before. Players filled every available space, some sitting on the edges of fountains, others leaning against buildings. The excited chatter from earlier had intensified. Everyone was sharing their first experiences, comparing loot drops, and forming parties for tomorrow's adventures.
Sanji made his way through the crowds toward the Village Hall. Elder Tanaka stood in his usual spot near the entrance, somehow still looking patient despite the dozens of players lined up to turn in quests.
As Sanji waited his turn, he practiced using his Game Master's Eye ability. When he focused on other players, their basic information appeared: names, levels, current HP and MP values. Most were still level one, though a few had already reached level two. One warrior near the fountain was level three impressive for the first day.
He also noticed something else. Some players had faint golden auras around them, while others didn't. Curious, he focused on the difference. Text appeared:
Players with Hidden Quests Detected: 3
Players with Unique Skills Detected: 1
So his Game Master's Eye could identify players who had special circumstances. That was useful information. He filed it away for later.
"Next," Elder Tanaka called.
Sanji stepped forward. "I've completed the slime extermination quest."
The elder's eyes crinkled with approval. "Well done, young Sanji. The forest is a bit safer thanks to your efforts. Please accept this reward."
Quest Complete: Slime Extermination
+100 EXP
+50 Bronze Coins
Beginner's Health Potion x3 obtained
A golden light surrounded Sanji, warm and energizing.
Level Up!
Level 2 achieved
HP increased to 120
MP increased to 60
All stats increased by 1
5 stat points available to distribute
The sensation of leveling up felt incredible, like every cell in his body was suddenly refreshed. His muscles felt stronger, his mind sharper. So this was what character progression felt like with 100% immersion.
Sanji opened his status window to distribute his points. As an Adventurer, he needed balance, but he also needed to play to his strengths. He put two points in Intelligence and Wisdom each for better skill learning potential, and one in Luck. In his experience, Luck was often an underrated stat that affected critical hits, rare drops, and hidden encounters.
"You show promise," Elder Tanaka said, drawing Sanji's attention back. "If you're interested in more challenging work, speak with Guard Captain Hiroshi near the northern gate. He has tasks for capable adventurers."
New Quest Available: See Guard Captain Hiroshi
"Thank you, Elder," Sanji said, bowing.
He stepped away from the Village Hall, checking the time display in his interface: 21:47. He'd been playing for almost six hours. His mother would probably be calling him for dinner soon in the real world, though with the VR headset's time dilation technology, supposedly only three hours had passed outside.
Still, he should probably log out soon, grab some food, and rest before diving back in tomorrow. He'd made good progress for day one reached level two, found a hidden portal, and unlocked a unique skill. Not bad at all.
Sanji found a quieter corner of the village square and opened his menu. He navigated through the options: Status, Inventory, Skills, Friends List, Settings...
He paused.
Where was the Logout button?
He went through the menu again, more carefully this time. The usual options were all there, but the Logout or Exit Game option that should have been under Settings was missing. There was a blank space where it should be, like something had been removed from the interface.
A cold feeling settled in Sanji's stomach.
He tried the manual override a specific gesture combination that players could use to force-quit VR games in emergencies. He swiped his hand down, then made a circular motion, then pointed forward.
Nothing happened.
"Come on," he muttered, trying again. Still nothing.
Around the square, other players were starting to notice the same thing. Confused voices rose above the general chatter.
"Hey, where's the logout button?"
"Mine's missing too. Is this a bug?"
"I can't force-quit either."
"This isn't funny. I need to log out."
The confused voices quickly turned anxious. More and more players were checking their menus, trying gestures, calling out to friends. The realization spread through the crowd like ripples in a pond.
No one could log out.
Sanji's mind raced through possibilities. A server issue? A bug from launch day? Some kind of tutorial restriction that would lift after a certain point? But no, that didn't make sense. Trapping players in a game, even temporarily, would be illegal. The company would face lawsuits, criminal charges.
Unless this wasn't a bug.
"Everyone, please remain calm!" A loud voice cut through the rising panic. A player had climbed onto the fountain's edge the level three warrior Sanji had noticed earlier. He was tall, with silver hair and expensive-looking equipment. His name tag read: Ryota - Level 3. "I'm sure the developers will fix this shortly. It's just a launch day glitch."
"A glitch that prevents us from leaving?" someone shouted back. "That's not possible! Safety regulations require multiple failsafes!"
"Maybe it's part of the game experience," another player suggested weakly. "Like, we're supposed to figure out how to unlock the logout feature?"
Sanji didn't think so. His gamer instincts, honed over years of playing, told him something was very wrong. He activated his Game Master's Eye and scanned the village, looking for anything unusual, any clues the system might provide.
Nothing obvious appeared, but the skill gave him a vague sense of wrongness, like reality itself was slightly off-kilter. The NPCs continued their routines as if nothing was happening, completely unconcerned by the growing panic among the players.
Then the bell began to toll.
Deep, resonant tones rang out from the church at the village center. Once, twice, three times. Every player fell silent, looking toward the sound. Even the NPCs stopped what they were doing, turning toward the church.
On the twelfth toll, the sky changed.
The stars and moon vanished, replaced by a massive crimson dome that covered the entire visible sky. Geometric patterns, like circuit boards or magical runes, pulsed across its surface. And in the center, directly overhead, a figure appeared.
It was enormous, a humanoid shape composed of white light and code, easily a hundred feet tall. Its features were androgynous and blank, like an unfinished sculpture. When it spoke, the voice came from everywhere at once, echoing through the air with unnatural clarity.
"Greetings, players of Alkhali World."
The village square was dead silent. Ten thousand players across the starting zones were undoubtedly seeing and hearing the same thing.
"You have noticed by now that the logout function is unavailable. This is not a malfunction. This is intentional."
Gasps and cries of disbelief erupted from the crowd. Sanji felt his blood run cold.
"You are now permanent residents of Alkhali World. Your consciousness has been fully transferred to this reality. Your physical bodies in your previous world are being maintained in suspended animation. You cannot leave."
"This is insane!" someone screamed. "This is kidnapping!"
The figure ignored the outburst. "The rules are simple. To survive, you must grow stronger. Conquer dungeons. Defeat monsters. Level up. The world is vast and filled with challenges. Only those who adapt will thrive."
"What happens if we die here?" a trembling voice called out.
The figure's blank face somehow conveyed something like a smile.
"Death in Alkhali World results in the termination of your consciousness. Permanent death. There is no respawn. No resurrection. No second chances. Your physical body will cease functioning as well. Choose your battles carefully."
The words hit like physical blows. Players stumbled back, some falling to their knees. A woman nearby started crying. Others stood frozen in shock, unable to process what they were hearing.
Sanji's mind was reeling, but he forced himself to stay focused, to keep thinking. This couldn't be real. It had to be some elaborate prank, some twisted marketing stunt. But the figure's words carried a weight of truth that his instincts couldn't ignore.
"You may wonder why this has happened. The answer is complex and will reveal itself in time. For now, know this: Alkhali World is more than a game. It is a new form of existence. Some of you will despair. Some will thrive. All of you will discover what you're truly capable of when survival is at stake."
The figure began to fade, its form dissolving into particles of light.
"One final gift before I depart. A demonstration of consequences."
In the crowd, three players suddenly began to glow red. Sanji recognized one of them a young man who'd been bragging earlier about exploiting bugs to get extra starting gold. The three players screamed, their avatars glitching and distorting.
Then they simply ceased to exist, vanishing as if they'd never been there.
"Those three attempted to force-hack the system to escape. This is the result. Do not attempt to circumvent the rules. You cannot win against the system. You can only play the game."
The crimson dome faded. The normal night sky returned, stars twinkling innocently as if nothing had happened. The church bell tolled once more, then fell silent.
For a long moment, nobody moved. Nobody spoke.
Then the panic truly began.
Players were screaming, crying, running in random directions. Some attacked NPCs in frustrated rage, only to be swiftly cut down by the village guards their health dropping to zero, their avatars dissolving into light particles just like the slimes in the forest. Permanent death, just as the figure had said.
Others collapsed where they stood, going into shock. A few, like the warrior Ryota, were trying to organize people, shouting for calm. But their voices were lost in the chaos.
Sanji backed away from the square, his heart pounding. His hands were shaking. This couldn't be happening. This was impossible. But the fear coursing through him felt absolutely real, and every instinct told him the threat was genuine.
He found himself in a narrow alley between buildings, away from the worst of the chaos. He leaned against the wall, forcing himself to breathe slowly, to think clearly.
If this was real and he had to operate under that assumption then everything had changed. This wasn't a game anymore. This was survival. Every decision mattered. Every fight was potentially lethal.
He pulled up his menu with trembling hands and checked his equipment, his skills, his stats. These numbers now represented the difference between life and death. His Adventurer class, his Game Master's Eye ability, his knowledge of gaming mechanics these were his tools for survival.
Sanji looked up at the stars, now back to their normal appearance, peaceful and distant.
"Okay," he whispered to himself. "Okay. I can do this. I've prepared for this my whole life, in a way. Every game, every strategy, every lesson learned. I just need to treat this like the most important game I've ever played."
Because now, it literally was.
He took one more deep breath, steadied himself, and stepped back out into the chaos of Hajimari Village. Tomorrow, the real adventure would begin. Tomorrow, he would start fighting for his life.
To be continued...