~~~(POV: Justin Xander)~~~

~~~(Location: Inn, Geonia, Aeternitatem Genesis)~~~

~~~(Day, Date, Time: Sunday, April 14th, 9:28 PM PST)~~~

~~~(Current Age: 19 Years)~~~

It's been a really long day today, and even climbing the stairs to the Inn room I rented makes me glad I'm getting off after three days straight of staying in AG. Logging off is not a complicated process.

In every VRMMORPG, your game character is temporarily transported to a limbo space, stored safely until you return to the game. When you log back in, you're taken to where you logged off.

Typically, people get rooms or have houses in-game to log off safely. There is a simple reason: if you log off in an unprotected area, like outside in the street or outside a dungeon, your game character isn't instantly transported to the limbo space.

Instead, you're left vulnerable to attacks and thefts, hence why everyone tries to get an Inn room or buy a personal piece of property in VRMMORPGs.

I've played VRMMORPGs where there are no protected areas to log off. It was a rough time.

I make it to my Inn room and open the door. Entering and closing the door behind me before making it to the bed. You may think VRMMORPGs would do the log-off process differently, but since the technology is built into the gaming pods instead of the games themselves.

It's universally accepted throughout all VRMMORPGs. After all, you can get into these virtual worlds without gaming pods.

The only thing VRMMORPGs have in common is this individual function, which is from the third-party technology that is gaming pods.

If you're a gamer, you know all about third-party bullshit. But it's just something you have to deal with. I sit on the bed and lie down, looking up at the ceiling for a few seconds before I pull up my player interface.

Making my way all the way to the log-off button. As I close my eyes, the ticklish feeling enters me, and momentary darkness follows. It's all working as it's supposed to, and the next second, I'm opening my eyes.

The gaming pod opens with a pressurized hiss, and I watch as the IV tubes slink into their special holding areas, disappearing out of view as they do, making the entire inside look like a slanted cushioned chair.

I step out of the gaming pod, and my body is weak and stiff. Before I can say anything or make a stretch, I'm blasted with the need to use the bathroom. As my body adjusts to movement again, I almost run to the bathroom.

Making it easy to get around and less and less stiff. It's about 20 seconds after when I stand over the toilet and release a jet. The sound fills the bathroom, and I tilt my head back as I'm given sweet relief.

"Ahhhh..."

Standing here for a minute and a half is typical for anyone who frequently plays for long periods. My gaming pod has a built-in waste collector if I want to use it, but I don't play games long enough to where I piss and shit in my gaming pod.

I have hygienic standards, and so does the rest of my family. After I'm done, I go to the sink and see I've lost maybe a pound or two. Three days without solid food and only having sustenance from a nutrient bag has its side effects.

"Women love this part..."

The gamer's diet.

That's what women who look to lose weight quickly call it. Guys who work out and bodybuild hate it. I'll need to spend a few hours at my home gym before getting back on AG to work my body out and keep it from atrophying.

You can lose several pounds a week from staying in your gaming pods and living off the nutrient bags, but it's not something I'd recommend.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

GRRRRRRRAAAAA....

My hand reaches my stomach as I walk out of the bathroom. I haven't had solid food in three days, so I'm hungry.

"Might as well turn on the TV while I make something."

My kitchen and living room are connected. I live in a large home, and the TV fits the size. I pick up the remote from the couch, go to the kitchen, and turn on the TV. I only have it on one channel: the gaming news network.

Also known as GNN.

Panels of professionals, guild founders and leaders, and other industry members report on and discuss everything gaming in the VRMMORPG world.

Modern gaming is a multi-trillion-dollar business. It's a thriving arm of the world economy. People live healthier and better lives thanks to building clean energy sources and preserving the natural environment.

The world today is healthier than it has been in the last 200 years, and life on our planet is thriving.

"It's been almost 72 hours since the launch of Aeternitatem Genesis, and it's already caused a large shift from other VRMMORPGs. Since launch, many have taken to the forums to talk about the game."

I stand over the oven as I prepare some BBQ chicken strips. I'm in the mood for something high in protein and carrying a bit of spice. It's not something I have all the time, but it's filling as fuck. One of my favorite meals.

My eyes turn to the TV screen and see the screen shift from the man talking to some of the posts being made on the public forums.

"Many players are upset they got bad names after letting the system AI name them for a measly 25% EXP boost. However, it's also sparked a large trolling community. Calling these people who got bad names a litany of insults."

Hey, when you make dumb decisions and announce them to the world, prepare for the roasts to come rolling in. It's part of the modern gaming community. You make some stupid choice and complain about it, and you get reamed.

I was one of the people who allowed the AI to name me during character creation, but I was lucky to get a good name from it.

"Aside from this particular subject regarding AG, its response has been overwhelmingly positive among the player base. Many claim it's a breath of fresh air due to the lack of hand holding and information dumping."

A small chuckle escapes my lips as the reporter's voiceover continues. The comments and forum topics on the screen slowly roll, shouting out gratitude and a new take on the genre as a good thing.

At first, I was on the fence about the whole thing. But now, after playing for three days and getting to be there in AG. It's really a blast to have the lack of information. Having to find things out for yourself adds another layer of fun.

"Many of the elite guilds offer multi-million dollar bounties on information, whether it be about locations, travel routes, items, or specific players. The guilds Heavens Nameless and Sins of Wrath have posted multi-million dollar bounties on certain players."

I sit at one of the chairs on my kitchen's center island. Making sure to keep an eye on the oven timer, and snack on some celery sticks as I watch the TV. It's pretty common that certain top guilds offer bounties to find specific players.

Heavens Nameless and Sins of Wrath are among the top 15 guilds in the world. Having over two million members a piece. Each is a powerhouse in its own right.

"These bounties are searching for the players with Legendary graded classes that stand at 10 million a piece. The single Ancient graded class that was announced is going for 6.5 million for information on this player."

Man, that's a lot of money. Considering I'm the player in possession of the Mythical graded class, it stands to reason the bounty to find information on me must be even higher.

"The player base of AG has found out that the Mythical grade is the highest possible grade for something to be assigned, and there is one player who currently has a class of that level."

In the past, when a particular player popped up in the game of the time, the top guilds would agree on a general bounty and then post specialized bounties on their websites. I wouldn't doubt this is what's happening right now.

"The general bounty posted by the top 20 guilds for the Mythical graded class and the player who wields it agreed on a 65 million dollar bounty. However, the bounties are even higher on the websites of the top 20 guilds."

I've been the recipient of bounties before, but that was for bad behavior and guilds wanting to teach me a lesson. I never got a lesson because I was so good at getting away or hiding. But now I'm being hunted for millions.

I can't say it's something I want to happen, but this is the market and function of the gaming industry—just how it all works.

"There has also been a general bounty posted by the top 20 guilds for information regarding the player who crafted the first Ancient grade weapon. Standing at 8 million dollars."

Whoever said that power doesn't pay was an idiot. But in the end, it depends on the circumstances of that power. So maybe they weren't a complete idiot.

"Along with a general bounty of 1.2 million dollars on information regarding the location or whereabouts of Priestess Daphne Winshearth. Specialized ones have been released on guild websites for these two bounties."

No one is getting the first of these two bounties, considering that person is me. But the second is information about an NPC. That 1,500 Platinum reward in the game dwarfs the real-world value of a 1.2 million general bounty.

No one in their right mind would give up anything worthwhile for that amount of money regarding Priestess Daphne Winshearth.

Man, I can't wait to check the forums and see what's on there.