After freshening up and having a quick dinner, Robin felt a mix of excitement and anticipation as the gaming pod was delivered to the mansion. He climbed inside, adjusting to the comfort of the high-tech seat that embraced him. Before fully immersing himself in the virtual world, he turned to Oliver.
"Remind me in two or three hours, okay?" Robin instructed, knowing how easy it was to lose track of time in such a hyper-immersive experience.
"Understood, sir," Oliver replied, giving a respectful nod before stepping out to give Robin some privacy.
With that, Robin activated the pod, the smooth sound of technology reached his ear as the interface glowed before him, preparing to transport him into a new realm. Robin felt dizzy like the sensation he felt when he was teleported.
As Robin's head cleared from the initial dizziness, he realized he was floating in a vast, white space that stretched endlessly in all directions. The sensation was surreal, as if he were suspended in a dreamlike void with no ground or sky, just an infinite expanse of light. He flexed his fingers and moved his legs, testing the boundaries of his movement. To his surprise, he could not only walk but run with incredible ease. There was no gravity to restrict him, no resistance, just pure, fluid motion. With a simple thought, he felt the wind rush against his face as he soared upwards, flying freely in this limitless void.
Robin’s thoughts began to take shape around him. He instinctively knew this space could be the consoles home. If his hunch was right then he can customize this home lobby. With a flicker of intention, different version options appeared around him. The blank canvas began to shift and ripple, offering options to decorate and transform this space according to his desires. He could create a lush forest, a futuristic cityscape, or even the comforting interior of his mansion, anything he could imagine. The environment responded to his will, waiting for him to craft it.
Ahead of him, a large, glowing panel appeared, displaying the various functions and options. The interface was fluid and intuitive. In front of the white space hovered his game selection, alongside social media, music, and other apps. It was a personal command center. As he glanced through the options, Robin noticed several of the games he had bought, neatly listed and ready for him to dive into. They're arranged in a shelf.
There was a sense of familiarity and power in this world he could lose hours in here if he wanted, molding it to his vision or escaping into any of the games that caught his interest. A smile crept across his face as the possibilities began to unfold before him.
Robin went through all the games he had and he also noticed there is also a store page with games and reviews. He can try some later.
Robin wanted to try some shooter game just to make himself familiar with this environment. He selected a disk of the game which by cover looks like cod from earth.
Robin just opened the case of the game , The world around him shifted instantly, the blank white void transforming into a gritty, war-torn battlefield. The faint smell of smoke and gunpowder hit his senses immediately, a surprise given that this was supposed to be a game. The ground beneath him was uneven, littered with debris, and the air buzzed with the distant echo of gunfire. For a moment, Robin just stood there, adjusting to the intensity of the experience. The realism was staggering.
Then he saw the menu in front of him with different options like settings , game mode,class customization etc.
He knows he had no chance with the real player so Robin chose to practice with the bot first.
At first, his movements were clumsy. As he picked up a rifle from the ground, he fumbled with the controls, struggling to aim as the weight of the weapon settled in his hands. The recoil from his first shot took him by surprise, sending a sharp jolt up his arms. "This is more than a game," he thought as the faint smell of burnt gunpowder lingered around him. His heart raced, and his breathing quickened with the sense of danger looming all around. When he got hit by an enemy's bullet, it stung a light but unmistakable pain in his chest enough to make him flinch and crouch behind cover.
His enemies, controlled by the AI, were relentless. They moved with strategy, flanking him and pushing him into tight corners. Robin’s initial reaction was panic; he ran through the ruins of the city, barely able to land his shots, all while trying to figure out how to reload and swap weapons effectively. He wasn’t used to the game’s intensity, and each time he got hit, the pain, while mild, served as a reminder of how immersive this experience was.
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Robin had practiced shooting with Andrew few time but all those were energy bluster with no recoil but these guns are like that of earth.
Gradually, though, Robin started to adapt. His aim became steadier, and he began to recognize the patterns of enemy movements.
His fingers, once hesitant on the trigger, grew quicker, switching between weapons and reloading with fluidity. The terrain that once felt overwhelming became familiar as he learned where to take cover, when to push forward, and when to hold back. The thud of his own boots on the ground, the vibrations of nearby explosions, the sting of getting shot—it all faded into the background as his focus sharpened. He started to move with confidence, diving into skirmishes, taking out enemies with well-placed shots.
The smell of smoke and gunpowder no longer distracted him; instead, it heightened his awareness, adding to the tension. Each bullet he fired felt purposeful, and the mild pain from being hit only pushed him harder to improve. He began to appreciate the visceral realism of it all—the distant echoes of combat, the weight of his weapons, even the subtle strain in his muscles from running and diving for cover. He wasn’t just playing the game anymore—he was inside it.
Before long, Robin found himself leading a squad of AI-controlled soldiers through enemy lines. His movements were precise, his reflexes sharp. He navigated the battlefield with ease, his rifle an extension of his will. It felt exhilarating, yet intense. By the time Oliver came to remind him of the time, Robin was fully immersed, completely in sync with the game's rhythm.
After playing for a while although robin wanted to play more but restricted himself. He returned to his console lobby and started going through all the apps there are.
Robin had seen the social media app in billboards but never thought much of it. He created an anonymous account or one can say the default account and started the app.
Upon entering, he found himself standing in a vibrant, futuristic cityscape. It was not unlike Nexar, the real-world city he had explored recently, but the atmosphere was much more chaotic. The sky was filled with floating advertisements, each promoting different virtual experiences, from live concerts to simulated interplanetary travel. A constant stream of people—or rather, avatars—moved in every direction. Some of them looked like humans, while others had chosen avatars resembling fantastical beasts, cybernetic beings, and even everyday objects like floating books or animated plants.
He scanned the interface in front of him and noticed a wide array of rooms he could enter. There were private rooms and public rooms. but Robin was more interested in exploring the public spaces. With a casual swipe of his hand, he chose a public room labeled "Central Hub."
As soon as he stepped inside, the energy of the space hit him. The place was bustling with activity. There were towering shopping malls that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky, filled with stores selling everything from virtual clothing to rare digital artifacts. People were everywhere, chatting in groups, trying out new games, and sharing experiences. In one corner, he saw a cluster of avatars engaged in a fast-paced card game, their intense concentration visible despite the exaggerated cartoonish features some of them wore.
He even tried food in this virtual world. It didn't fill his stomach but it gave him the sensation of eating. He couldn't describe the sensation by word.
As he wandered deeper into the hub, he began to notice the stranger side of this world. Some avatars were engaged in questionable activities things that didn’t look entirely legal, and dark corners where shadowy figures whispered amongst themselves. The open freedom of the VR world allowed for both the awe-inspiring and the unsettling, and Robin couldn’t help but feel a strange mixture of fascination and unease.
The fluidity of movement, the immersion of sound, and the sheer variety of experiences available made it easy to lose track of time. People in avatar form were laughing, playing games, and showing off their digital belongings like prized trophies. Yet, for all the excitement, Robin was also wary. Something about the freedom of this virtual space, where anyone could be anything or anyone they wished, felt like a double-edged sword.
After a quick tour he exited the app and tried the media app. There were many movies,tv shows and even live products on the platform. He first tried to listen to a music video. When he opened the video he felt he was in the world of that video he could feel the atmosphere the sound of the singer was right in front of him. This was like watching a live concert.
When he was immersed in his vr experience he heard Oliver's voice. He couldn't believe he just spent 3 houres like that.
Robin with a flicking motion exited the media app and left the vr.
The experience was something.
Robin lay down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, his thoughts running wild after the surreal experience inside the VR world. As his body relaxed into the bed, his mind didn’t.
What if… the thought crept in. What if all of this Arora, the William family, Liam, Oliver, Andrew—what if it’s not real? What if I’m stuck in some kind of simulation or coma?
The possibility unsettled him, and he found himself questioning everything. The teleportation, the enhancements, the cities... could they just be fragments of my mind trying to keep me busy while my real body lies unconscious somewhere? He’d felt so detached inside the VR world, yet so real at the same time, just like here.
Robin clenched the bracelet on his wrist It was like his anchor. But even that seemed to blur his thoughts. What if his mind had fabricated it all to keep him occupied, creating a story around him while the truth was far from his reach?
With a sigh, he turned over, feeling both grounded and lost. As his mind raced, it was difficult to shake the creeping feeling of doubt.