Chapter 6: Into the Virtual Warzone
1.
Deciding to snipe was a good start. At least I had some direction now.
‘But what kind of game is this?’
The problem was I’d never seen the game my sister was playing. First, I needed to look it up.
I searched ‘The Legendary Arena’ on GreenWiki for info.
“A virtual reality-based 5v5 team battle game in the MOBA genre. Played in first-person, where players directly control a hero’s body for immersive combat?”
From the description, it seemed similar to games I’d played before, just with different tech.
‘Let’s give it a try.’
Playing the game would be better than just reading about it.
No time like the present. I started to get up from bed but lay back down.
Checking her match history, my sister’s rank was Platinum—not too high, so there was no rush.
‘Let’s sleep for now…’
Closing my eyes, sleep slowly took over.
‘So this is how you set it up.’
The next morning, I headed to the capsule room at the crack of dawn.
It was early, so no staff were around, but using the capsules was straightforward.
I preferred a corner spot, so I went to the innermost capsule.
I put my shoes and belongings in the locker next to it and closed it.
“Done.”
After setting a password, it locked with a click. I stood and pressed the button on the capsule’s exterior.
Hiss—
With the sound of escaping air, the lid slowly opened. I lay inside, feeling like I was floating in water.
‘So this is how it works.’
The unfamiliar sensation startled me briefly, but I pressed an interior button, and the lid closed.
『Welcome to ImaGine DiVer!』
Words appeared like a hologram in front of me. I wasn’t surprised—magic had similar effects.
『No user data found. First-time users must register a biometric ID.』
『Do you agree to biometric ID collection?』
“Yes.”
I nodded to confirm my consent.
『Generating a unique pattern based on gaze, voice, heart rate, and brainwaves. Registered biometric data will be used for automatic login and personalized settings.』
『Collecting data…』
The surrounding walls flickered with green light.
『Biometric ID registration complete!』
『From now on, we will guide ‘Kang Hayul’ to a new world you’ve never experienced.』
『Turn imagination into reality.』
My vision flashed. A falling sensation, like being sucked into another space, made my body feel weightless.
Soon, my feet touched solid ground. A lush green plain stretched before me.
The scent of earth tickled my nose, and a gentle breeze brushed past.
“…This is all virtual, not real?”
They say sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
That was true. Even illusion magic couldn’t feel this real.
『Hello :)』
As I marveled at the surroundings, words appeared.
『We will now begin the basic tutorial to adapt to virtual reality.』
Instructions followed, guiding me step-by-step.
I moved and acted as the system directed.
‘This is wild.’
It felt almost identical to moving in reality. How could it respond so quickly?
『Starting the physical sensation tutorial.』
A sword fell from the sky, and a scarecrow appeared.
『Pick up the sword and swing it.』
I bent down, grabbing the sword.
Its familiar weight brought a smile.
I never thought I’d hold one again so soon.
Whoosh—!
I took a stance and slashed the scarecrow.
Its head fell cleanly to the ground.
『Now try shooting a bow. Here’s the stance.』
A bow and arrow appeared. I aimed at a distant target and slowly drew the string.
Creak—
The string’s tension, my trembling hand, the weight—it all felt so real.
Whoosh—!
Releasing the arrow, it hit the target’s bullseye. The bow recoiled slightly.
Next, they had me fall on purpose, bump into walls, and feel heat and cold through fire and ice.
‘Pain is limited.’
It wasn’t completely absent, but it was mild, like a slight sting.
If real pain was fully replicated, people could die from shock. Who’d play a VR game like that?
『Your brain will perceive all sensations as real. But don’t forget—this is just virtual.』
『It’s all just data.』
With the system’s words, the scenery dissolved like dust.
A green space filled with numbers and letters flashed briefly before returning to the plain.
『You’ve completed the mandatory tutorial!』
『The next stage involves practicing interaction and combat.』
“Skip it.”
『Skipping the third tutorial.』
『All stages complete. Tutorial ended.』
『Now, enjoy this world freely!』
The text vanished, replaced by various UI elements.
『Premium Capsule Room Benefits』
『Enjoy the following games for free without purchase!』
“Oh.”
The Legendary Arena was listed. I moved my fingers to access it.
『Entering The Legendary Arena.』
My vision flashed, and a massive castle wall filled my sight.
Boom—Boom—Boom—!
“Waaaaaaaaaa—!!!”
Fierce drumbeats and deafening war cries echoed. A barrage of arrows darkened the sky.
Boom—!
The stench of metal pierced my nose as explosions rocked the battlefield.
A soldier charged at me, and my vision went black.
『The Legendary Arena』
“Wow…”
What an intense intro. It reminded me of battling the Demon King’s army.
As the screen brightened, a large desk appeared with a holographic battlefield.
A woman materialized beside it.
“Welcome to The Legendary Arena! I’m Melena, here to assist you! Nice to meet you!”
“Nice to meet you.”
I shook her hand. The sensation was so vivid. An NPC feeling this real was unbelievable.
“What should I call you?”
『Enter the name you’ll use in the arena.』
“A name…”
After a moment, I typed one in.
『Carrier』
‘I was a pack mule before.’
It was a nod to my return from the other world, where I was a glorified errand boy.
No one would get it, but it was for my own satisfaction.
“Carrier! Great name! I’ll call you Carrier from now on!”
“Cool.”
Melena smiled brightly and spread her arms.
“This is the lobby, where you prepare before entering The Legendary Arena. Let me explain what you can do here!”
Her cheerful voice detailed the lobby and the game’s purpose.
“So, to sum it up, The Legendary Arena is where heroes from all dimensions fight, and I pick one to assist?”
“Exactly! If you’ve got that, I’ll explain the basics!”
“No need.”
“Huh?”
I’d heard enough. I already grasped what The Legendary Arena was about.
I needed to start the game as soon as possible to get closer to meeting my sister.
“Can I jump into a ranked match?”
“Sorry, that’s not possible. I trust you, Hayul, but the heroes don’t. You need to play 20 quick matches before you can enter ranked.”
“Tch.”
Fair enough. A newbie jumping into ranked would be a disaster for teammates.
“No choice then.”
I’d planned to take it easy, but I’d need to change that.
I’d grind out the 20 matches as fast as possible and then hit ranked.
“Start me in quick match.”
“Got it. Starting matchmaking!”
『Game found!』
The matchmaking screen popped up, and a game was found instantly.
Popular game, huh? My view shifted, revealing a holographic battlefield.
[Game Lobby]
[Short answers only: MD.]
The moment the chat appeared, I knew what was up. I quickly typed.
[Carrier: TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT]
[OldFolksDentist: GJGJGJGJ]
[ManOfThisEra: WDWDWDWD]
[BadLuckDay: Ugh, fck; I don’t wanna go support…]
I sighed in relief as the chat rolled in.
‘Yup, same as always.’
Fastest typer picks their lane. It was the same system as the games I used to play.
[BadLuckDay: Mid, can I take mid? I really wanna go mid.]
I clicked through the heroes, checking their weapons and abilities.
Some skills were familiar, others brand new.
“Hm, which one’s good?”
[ShortAnswersOnly: N]
[BadLuckDay: Yo, your typing’s annoying lol, I’m going double mid lol]
[ShortAnswersOnly: ?]
‘Some things never change.’
Ignoring the chat, I picked a hero from the top lane roster.
[ManOfThisEra: Yo, what am I supposed to do then? Solo bot???]
[BadLuckDay: Just go solo lol, spoon-fed baby whining so much lol]
[ManOfThisEra: Orphan?]
[BadLuckDay: Yup~ Ur mom~]
The team was bickering before the game even started.
[OldFolksDentist: Ugh, this vibe’s a mess. Should I dodge?]
[Carrier: I’ll carry. No dodge.]
I quickly typed to stop our jungler.
[OldFolksDentist: Checked your history, this is your first game? Smurf?]
[Carrier: Nope.]
“Smurf in a different way, though…”
They wouldn’t believe me anyway.
[OldFolksDentist: How you gonna carry???]
[Carrier: Trust me.]
[OldFolksDentist: Huh?]
[Carrier: Huh?]
[OldFolksDentist: I’m just gonna dodge. Games like this aren’t fun for jungle ㅇㅇ; sorry;]
As our jungler said that, the timer ran out, and the game began.
『Entering The Legendary Arena!』
I took a deep breath.
The sharp scent of blood hit my nose.
Back to the battlefield.