"Pick a name."
That was all I heard in a bright white room.
"Isauchi." I said almost immediately.
"Isauchi" was the name I had used for my whole life online, so it only made since to use it here.
The moment I spoke my chosen name, the world around me shifted and morphed into a sprawling town square teeming with life. Thousands of players bustled through the streets, their voices overlapping in a chaotic cluster of chatter and laughter as they explored their new digital reality.
Once I'd taken in the full scope of the town, my eyes were drawn to a shop bustling with activity. Curious, I made my way toward the finely crafted building, its polished wood and ornate carvings standing out among the surrounding structures. On either side of the central doorway, weapon stands displayed an array of gleaming blades, hammers, and staves—each promising a different path in combat. The door itself never fully shut, constantly swinging open and closed as a steady stream of players flowed in and out.
Pushing my way through the crowd of players bottlenecked at the entrance, I finally slipped inside the shop. The air was filled with the faint smell of metal and rust. Hanging from the ceiling on rusted iron chains, a wooden sign swung gently above the chaos. As I stepped closer, the carved letters came into focus:
"Basic Armor = 100 Copper, Replacement Weapon = 50-100 Copper, Healing Potion = 250 Copper, Basic Survival Supplies = 100 Copper."
As I read over the sign, I quickly realized the game used the familiar copper, silver, and gold currency system—standard fare for anyone who'd spent time in an MMORPG. Comforting, in a weird way.
"At least something here worked the way I expected," I spoke to myself quietly.
Even though I had no definitive answer as to the value copper possessed. I had a vague idea thanks to the ridiculous number of half-baked and sloppy MMORPGs I'd played over the years.
After leaving the shop, I joined one of the two bustling lines outside that led to a huge selection of glistening weapons. The crowd was noisy but energized—new players buzzing with anticipation, arguing over which weapon would be better suited for use in different situations.
As I slowly shuffled forward, I used the time to weigh my options. There were axes, daggers, bows, spears, hammers… but I'd already made up my mind. I'd always gone with swords in other games, and there was something comforting about sticking with what I knew.
By the time I reached the front—now with an even longer trail of players stretching behind me—I was more than ready.
"Could I get one of those swords?" I asked, trying to sound polite but confident, but I got the feeling I just came off as weird.
The NPC vendor, a burly man in a blacksmith's apron, barely looked up as he responded.
"Sure thing. Just remember—you only get one freebie. After that, you'll need to either pay for a new one or bring it to a weaponsmith for repairs."
After thanking the vendor, I stepped away from the starting area and began exploring the town, weaving through crowded streets and colorful stalls in search of a guidebook. I'd read somewhere that one could be found somewhere within the city. If I were going to survive in this world, I needed all the information I could get.
Navigating through a steady stream of new players darting in every direction, I finally spotted a weathered basket tucked near a wooden bench. Inside, neatly stacked, were guidebooks covering towns one through three—just what I was looking for.
I picked up one of the many guidebooks in the pile and flipped it open, eager to digest as much information as I could. The pages were clear and precisely labeled, featuring simple maps, item tables, and beginner tips for the first three towns in the game.
Completely immersed in the helpful book, I lost track of my surroundings and didn't notice the boy slipping out of the growing crowd behind me—until his voice suddenly broke my concentration. I flinched.
"Hey, are these the guidebooks?" he asked, a little out of breath. "I'm trying to find the way to the plains just outside the city."
"Yes," I responded, still caught off guard from his arrival.
"Thanks," he said, already flipping through the pages. "I was starting to think I'd never find them with how packed this place is."
While he scanned the guidebook, I took a moment to get a better look at him. He didn't look any older than me—fifteen, maybe sixteen at most. His short, curly black hair was a bit tousled from the crowd, and though he was slim, I could see the outline of lean, defined muscles under his starting gear. Slung across his back was a massive hammer, almost half his size—clearly the weapon he'd picked up from the shop earlier. It didn't quite match his frame, but something told me he knew how to use it.
"Is this your first MMORPG?" I asked as he tucked the guidebook into his inventory with a quick flick of his hand.
"Nah, I've played plenty on PC," he said, glancing up. "But this is my first time in VR. Gotta admit, it's a bit of a learning curve."
He spoke with a calm confidence, like someone who knew their way around a game, even if the format was new. Knowledgeable—and from the looks of it, capable.
I figured it couldn't hurt to start building some allies. So I made a quick decision to party with him in hopes of leveling up faster.
"That's cool," I said with a nod. "What's your name?"
"Kura," he replied. "Short for Kuratowa. What about you?"
"Isauchi," I answered. "I came up with it when I was eight. Just kind of stuck."
He chuckled. "Don't we all? Half the names in these games probably come from some kid's imagination."
He was relaxed and easy to talk to. Figuring now was as good a time as any, I decided to ask.
"Wanna party up?"
"Sure," he said without hesitation. "It'll help with leveling up anyway."
With a quick swipe of his hand through the air, he pulled up his menu and tapped my name. A couple of seconds later, a soft chime echoed in my ears as two notifications appeared—one for a party invite, and the other for a friend request.