All Stats Random (Just for you)
Chapter 1,
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Today is the day Un-reality finally gets a public release. It’s the first VR game which can boast a world so real that it’s hard to differentiate them.
Except of course, to differentiate them exactly there’s magic in that world.
As I put on the headset while laying on the bed, it boots up instantly and starts displaying me the start screen.
The headset loads up and scans my eyes as authentication. It can only be turned on by one person, but others can use it too. Kind of like a PC but less sharable. There’s other uses for it except the game but using it for those would require some form of training to do. Not that I would use it for that anyways.
The game loads and automatically connects to my account, the same one the headset used to start up.
It’s the launch day, but there’s no delay at all in the connection.
It takes me to the character creation screen. It’s possible to choose whatever you like, to a limit. It does not allow you to change certain parameters after a limit. For example, a 5ft person wouldn’t be allowed to exceed 5.5ft in height customization, so around a 10% margin. Because it would just be too disorienting when he goes back to reality.
It also displays a total amount you’re allowed to change. The default is the player’s actual appearance. The more you change from it, the more percentage it would show that you altered it.
The only race you’re allowed to select is human. Other races exist but aren’t playable. But there’s theories that its possible to select it.
Currently the appearance deviation is at 0%.
Just for fun I maximize all the sliders to the extreme.
The figure in front of me changes into a hulking dark-skinned man with chiseled muscles showing through his clothes, very short white hair and sky-blue eyes, his face quite savage looking and not at all appealing, but giving a certain sense of protecting.
A message box pops up in front of my eyes.
> Current appearance deviation is 100%.
>
> Would you like to confirm it?
>
> However, it is not recommended, as the controls would get harder and difficulty in adapting to them would rise exponentially. How much deviation is there in your appearance is also visible to other players.
>
> Confirm / Not yet.
I lift my hand and select ‘not confirm’ option. What It said was enough of a reason. I don’t plan to just waste my time here, and if I’m lucky then I just might able to improve my current condition.
I select the reset option. It goes back to my real appearance.
Very pale white skin, a slightly tall but frail looking figure, long, pitch black hair and crimson eyes. A face that seems so beautiful that it’s hard to approach, but at the same time the rest of the figure seems as if it requires protection. Making it difficult to judge the person’s gender.
> Current appearance deviation is at 0%.
>
> Would you like to confirm it?
>
> Confirm / Not just yet.
Hmm, it slightly changed its options now. Well, I suppose I could expect this bit of polish when it comes to the alleged greatest game release in this century. I select ‘confirm’.
> Please select a character name.
>
> ______
It brings up a virtual keyboard for me to type using.
How about… ‘Chris’. That is ambiguous enough. Neither masculine nor feminine. It could be Christopher or Christie.
> Character name, ‘Chris Val’ confirmed.
It allows you to choose whatever name you want. It doesn’t have to be unique. It identifies you uniquely using your ID rather than an in-game character name. Since you can only make one game character with one ID, which also requires iris scanning and fingerprints.
> You will be shown the tutorial, a really basic one. However, the beginning portion of the game or the starter city itself would be enough for a player who has played an RPG before. The tutorial will not explain all game mechanics, just give you an idea about them.
>
> Show the tutorial / Skip it.
I choose the see the tutorial. I don’t have much first-hand experience with RPGs. Not that I just don’t, I rather couldn’t play any RPG because that too might be demanding too much from this body.
It starts showing me the silhouette of a person doing lots of actions and asking me to repeat them.
They start with asking the NPCs for quest, how to swing a sword or shoot a bow, how to use skills by selecting them through the menu. And then all the menu options, which basically are just the options to see your own stats, the inventory, the skill tree, the map, though the map is hidden until you explore that area or buy a map from a store, and the quests menu which records all your current quests and your progress in them.
> The starter city Willow Creek in the Taimid Empire has been chosen for you.
>
> Or would you like to change it?
>
> Yes / No
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
I select no. I don’t know about any of the cities in game to make an informed choice. Better to let it choose for me this time.
> For the duration of first 20 levels before getting a class, there is no interaction with other players, to make it easier to play and experience the game in its raw form before being influenced by other players.
I suppose that makes sense.
The scene around me starts changing and I find myself lying on the cold stone floor.
I get up slowly, out of sheer habit, before realizing that my circumstances in the game are different. And then move a little faster.
My hands don’t feel as weak anymore. I could easily lift my body off the stone platform.
It’s an unreal feeling.
I almost habitually once again use the platform as a support to walk, but then put more force behind my legs and start moving a bit faster. There are no problems.
I look around while standing without using any crutch or cane. It’s the inside of a medieval temple like place.
> Story Quest: (Starter City)
>
> After you woke up, you realized you were in a temple. Talk to the temple priest to find out more.
>
> Hint: There are more ways than one to progress a quest and story, different ways give different result.
>
> Quest reward: 100 Exp. One beginner weapon of choice.
>
> No time limit on the quest.
Or maybe it’s a gothic temple? I only have pictures to judge by so my guess wouldn’t be accurate but probably close.
There’s a stone statue of some figure. Perhaps the god this temple worships.
I walk carefully at first, then start moving faster bit by bit. And by the time I reach the door, it’s a full sprint. I don’t feel tired at all.
The doors open as someone is coming inside. I duck and perform a slide. Passing right from under that person, and getting up and continuing sprinting.
I let out a laugh while running straight towards the forests that are near the temple. Away from the direction of the town. Not a flawless slide by any means. But it was the closest I could do as the books described it. And it was my first try too. It could be said to be a miracle that I didn’t bump into that person.
> The minimap shows a marker towards where the quest NPC is.
A circular, half transparent map like thing shows up in my vision. Its center marked with a red arrow pointing towards what looks to be dark green spots in the map, trees I suppose, so where I’m heading. There’s a blue mark with ‘Q’ on top of it. It’s right behind me. So, the person entering the temple was the priest himself. Oh well.
But I don’t stop running.
It’s exhilarating. The feeling of exerting yourself till you get physically tired. I didn’t understand it before but I think I do now.
I continue running deeper into the forest.
> Your stamina is less than 20%. It is recommended you stop running to save stamina (FP). It will start recovering at its normal pace while walking and accelerated pace if resting.
I stop running and lean against a tree to check my stats finally.
> As this is the first-time opening stats menu, tips are displayed besides the stats themselves.
>
> Chris Val
> Level: 1 (100 exp left)
> HP: 100 of 100 (Health Points. A numerical representation of your life.)
> MP: 50 of 50 (Mana Points. How much magic you can use depends on this. If it falls to 0, you will be stunned for 10 seconds. Depends on mental strength and Int)
> FS: 20 of 100 (Fatigue Strength. Or Stamina, how much you can physically exert yourself. If it drops to 0, you will move 5% slower till it recovers to at least 1.)
>
> Hit: ?? (Equip a weapon first) (The damage caused by the weapon.)
> (This depends on the weapon you are using and your proficiency with it, including other stats.)
>
> Str: 10 (Strength. Increases damage dealt by weapon attacks.)
> Con: 10 (Constitution. Decreases damage received from weapons attacks.)
> Int: 5 (Intelligence. Increases damage dealt by spell attacks.)
> Res: 5 (Resistance. Decreases damage received from spell attacks.)
> Spd: 10 (Speed or Dexterity. How fast you can move and with how much finesse. Also determines cooldowns on skills.)
> Crit: 10 (Critical. Your chance to land a critical hit, dealing increased damage, current Crit Dmg is 180%.)
> (These stats increase with increase in levels. From the equipment you wear, etc.)
>
> Mov Spd: 100% (Movement speed.)
> Luk: 10 (Luck. Determines various minor things.)
> (These stats cannot be increased by normal means.)
>
> …Show Details… (The detailed view is currently unavailable.)
>
> Skills: None (You need to obtain a class first.)
> (There are certain class dependent points, like the rage meter for Berserkers.)
The explanations are certainly quite useful.
Now, what to do?
Looking around a bit, I could see a small stream. The first thing that comes to mind, Fishing.
At the least I need a string and a hook. Maybe I have something of use on me?
I open the inventory.
> Inventory empty.
Well, there’s that. I look down on my clothes. These are normal clothes for what I’d expect, a shirt and pants. Nothing in the pockets either.
Now’s my chance to try what I’ve only read in those survival books.
Making a hook and a string, then attaching it to a stick would be too much work. There’s a better way.
Harpooning.
I take a stick then bite on its end to loosen the fibers. Then using my bare hands, pry the end apart, dividing the stick into half. Then I repeat it to end up with 4 parts of the stick on one end, and it’s intact on the other end. Insert 2 smaller sticks to hold the ends apart, and there. A makeshift harpoon.
Rather than a harpoon, isn’t it a trident? But it has 4 ends, so a quadrant? Not that I care.
I take off the basic shoes I was wearing and roll up my pants and stand in the stream, looking for fish to swim by as I try to capture them using the trident.
A small fish swims by quickly, but I spotted it and acted quick enough to spear it.
> 30 Exp gained.
>
> The path you use to get to level 20 will determine which class you get.
Good to know. I don’t need to go to the priest now.
After catching a few fishes and putting them back into the water, I start walking away from the initial spot.
Down the stream a little is a pond. I take off my clothes, leaving only the undergarments and jump into it.
…
As I’m tridenting(?) the fish and trying to learn how to swim intuitively and by observing the fish, a message pops up.
> 4 hours have passed in real life.
>
> As per regulations on headset use, you will be logged out in 1 minute.
There are of course regulations on how much time one can really spend online and in the game. They can’t have the workforce disappearing or something I suppose.
The game shuts down and the headset turns off. I lift my hands to remove it but a sudden pain shoots through my arms and into my spine.
I moved my arms too fast…
Why couldn’t this body handle more? Why couldn’t it function normally?
The nurse walks into the room just as I’m about to press the buzzer.
“Val, we were able to acquire permissions for you to use the headset longer. They understood your circumstances and allowed for that.”
It’s not that hard to get the permissions to play for longer. But you need to get your health checked regularly and there’s other requirements that you’re not going to stop contributing to the society or something.
Not like there’s much contribution I could do to the society while I’m lying on this hospital bed that is. At least according to what they think.
Since it was one of the few wishes I made, they got the necessary permissions for me quite fast.
This genetic weakness in my body. It’s just like I got an unlucky lottery ticket. They could only keep me in the hospital for maybe 2 months longer, till the money my parents left behind lasts. Money from all of their inheritance, before they left the world.
I need to do something about it. Something about my condition.
“Understood. I’d like to be left alone please.” I tell the nurse and she goes back into the adjoining room.
I put the headset back on.