Open World Online (O.w.O)

• 1^st Person POV (MC)

-Present Time-

-Entering O.w.O-

“Whoa....”

I couldn’t help but be in awe of what had happened to me once the visor glowed in that characteristic blue light.

I’m not in my bedroom anymore... instead, I am currently floating.

I looked down and up, all of it was pure white and floating blue cubes surrounding me as I still admired the ‘feel’ of the game.

Truth be told, I have never played virtual games before. I only play single-player RPG games or MMORPG stuff without those VRs. So, this will be my first experience, and suffice it to say I am already impressed.

(“They haven’t scammed me yet, so... I can give an ounce of trust at least.”)

Clenching my first and unclenching them, twisting my arms or spinning my body. The sensation is much like reality yet I knew in the back of my head this is all just a virtual reality.

“Impressive on how technology has developed throughout the years...”

I couldn’t help but admire this, and not a moment too soon a female voice echoed throughout this open white world.

-System-

“Welcome! To Open World Online. Please put your details here.”

-System-

Once her voice faded away, right in front of me a large mirror seemingly appeared out of nothing.

Its reflective surface shows me my face and body features but also there are empty bars to fill in the side.

“Name...”

(“Ah! It is asking for my Game Avatar name. Let’s see here... “)

Extending my hand, I touched the empty bar as a panel mimicking a keyboard appeared before me where I could tap each of the keys.

“Magie Magia”

There is an option to randomize names but I commonly use this name each time I play any MMORPG game.

Once I tap the enter button, the bar vanishes and reappears on the top of the mirror. As if showing me that it is now my name in the world of O.w.O

Soon after, several arrow icons appeared on my reflection each having its description such as Height, Width, Skin Colour, Gender, and many more.

“This may change when you’re exploring the world of O.w.O” -System-

The bottom of those descriptions noted those words.

Pressing another enter button without changing anything as I am satisfied with my features plus it would all be covered by armour anyway.

Those icons changed and creepily, my reflection is now posing differently. It is uncanny since I’m not doing those poses.

This one... I am standing upright and flaunt my chest forward. I wore heavy armour and a helmet while raising my sword toward the sky. As if I was a proud knight of a noble order...

“Haha...”

I funnily chuckle, it’s hilarious to see ‘me’ doing that pose all cool like that.

Pressing the arrow icon, the pose changes once more. This one is much more... obscene, ‘Me’ is semi-naked wearing a skirt made from an animal pelt and holding a massive two-handed axe with a murderous smile etched on my face.

“Nuh-uh... no.”

I immediately pressed the arrow button as I realized, these were the options to choose my class in the game. There are several classes I can choose from.

“This one is probably a rogue.”

My character is crouching down trying to be harder to see. I wear a black cloak and mask to cover my features as well. On ‘me’ both hands two sharp-looking daggers seemed to glint whenever light reflected on them.

“Next! Ah... this is... monk?”

I tried to compare it to other MMORPG games I have played.

This one, I was wearing a martial artist's robe and bandana while making a stance used to fight in those martial artist movies my parents used to watch...

Pressing next, ‘me’ is now wearing green leather armour and sitting on a branch somewhere up the trees. Nocking an arrow on a large bow.

“Archer... without a doubt.”

(“Ooh???”)

This one piqued my interest, as I am wearing a clean pure white robe adorned by golden filigree & embroidery. In my left hand, I carried a golden sceptre while my right hand carried a pendant with unique features carved into it. It shines in white light...

“A priest... Hmm... I have played my share of priests before so it could be interesting. Now where is it?”

I have a class that I always reliably go to and after I press next. My lips curved upward in a smile, a familiar scene revealed on my face.

“Ah... there you are.”

Sighing contentedly, I made a smile.

‘Me’ is wearing a long blue cloak that overflows reaching to the ground. My left hand is carrying a gnarly and fragile-looking staff as if it could break when hitting something. While my right hand is carrying a thick old tome. Behind ‘me’ is a massive magic circle.

This ‘vibe’ and of course the choice of attire is screaming Mage class to me. With a big smile, I immediately chose this class as I have always gone to the mage for my first class in any game.

Once picked, my reflection in the mirror changed again. As I can see on my left, the list of what I have chosen and if I tapped it. It will return me to the previous options if I suddenly have a change of mind.

The reflection now shows ‘me’ but...

“Wait a second... are my ears that long? No...”

I touched my ear and felt that it wasn’t that long, ‘Me’ in that mirror bore long pointed ears akin to an elf race.

“Wait... I’m holding something too.”

In my left hand, I appeared to be clutching a seed that grew into a small sprout. Then the animation returns once more into a seed before growing into a sprout.

(“What does this mean? Racial choice?”)

There is a note underneath the entire mirror saying.

-System-

This section refers to Racial-Changing items. You can only choose one, note that to change race you must complete a ‘Trial’ inside the game. You may encounter those ‘Trials’ after spawn or in exploration. The default race for all players is human.

-System-

“Oh! I see... I see...”

I cycled through the options, there are many. I say... many varying races in this game. Ranging from elves, dwarves, gnomes, giants, orcs, goblinoids, beast-kins, undead, shapeshifters, and more.

Each of these racial options also has its sub-races. So in truth, there are way more being displayed.

Until I landed on one racial option, it was just ‘me’ looking like a human but I was carrying something with my two hands.

A singular glass orb, as big as a tennis ball. It emits a strange silver radiance and inside this glass orb is pure black. I wait for a few seconds wondering about when the animation begins and what other racial options have on their lists.

...

...

...

*BAM*

A silent yet colourful explosion came from the blackness of the glass orb as if I were watching a documentary regarding the Big Bang. Universes, planets, and more are expanded outward as they go through the edges of the glass orb then returning it to empty darkness. As the animation repeats relaying this over and over.

“I was thinking of choosing an elf knowing their particularity against magic. But this one is interesting. I’ll choose this one instead.”

Tap on the enter button. A confirmation panel appeared right in front of my face.

-System-

You are choosing the Racial-changing item [Astral Orb (Unique)].

Are you sure?

Yes / No

-System-

“Oh boy, here goes nothing.”

I pressed ‘Yes’ with the panel vanishing and another one swiftly replaced it.

-System-

Welcome! Magie Magia to Open World Online.

Enjoy the game!!

-System-

The entire background of floating cubes vanished and everything turned so bright that I needed to close my eyes instinctively.

Once I opened them, a scenario far behind what I expected greeted me.

“Green... just green...”

Thick lush trees all jumbled up together into a dense forest. The slightest gap in the canopy at least gave me some light to work with but otherwise, it’s dark when I peer into places that don’t have canopy gaps.

(“Why in the middle of the forest?”)

That question rang in my mind while I looked around me. Suffice it to say, my curiosity is piqued and I was expecting to be in the plains where the nearby city is located.

As per the instruction manual, it says that when I entered the game. I needed to say ‘System’ as a voice command to open the system panel.

“System.”

Once I said it out loud, the familiar blue panel greeted me, and waving my hands I scrolled to the ‘Help’ section.

Opening it the system explains to me controls, inventory, status, skills, spells, and many more.

(“ I see... I see...”)

{Skill} in this game is gained by doing some actions. For example; gathering, hunting, doing combat, and many more factors contributing to it.

There are also skills gained from quest rewards in the form of a skill book where one chooses a {Skill} in a pool.

Since there are a lot of skills, I suppose that’s why they have categorizations such as Class Skills and Normal Skills

Class Skills are specific to the class players have. These can only be upgraded or gained after going through a ‘Trial’, specific class quests in an event, or simply by levelling up as that class.

Normal Skills are much simpler as they can easily be gained from doing menial actions or skills books. They also have ‘Rarity’ like common grade, rare grade, and legendary grade {Skill}. To upgrade them is also simple, as one needs to have the item [Skill Upgrade Book] with its respective rarity. That is if the {Skill} is upgradeable of course...

The other important bits I find are {Spells} they are divided by Tier and Elements. Ranging from Tier 1 to 10 and based on six different elements; Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, and Dark.

Suffice it to say, based on the explanation of ‘Help’. A higher Tier means more effects but also comes with a cost.

(“Oooooohhhhhhhh... This one makes sense.”)

{Spell} also has restrictions based on Class. Mages can only cast mage spells and Priests can only cast priestly spells et cetera.

A flash of understanding comes through my mind. But my brows still furrowed as a question lies unanswered in the back of my head.

(“Why did the game put me here?”)

Shaking my head, I decided to look at my status as surviving until I found a city is my topmost priority at the moment.

I couldn’t help but give a small excited smile. The humidity, wet air that entered my lungs, and somewhat warm environment gave this game a flavour of its own.

“Incredibly realistic...”

While the system was retrieving my character info, I touched one of the leaves. I feel the solidity of it on my fingers.

*DING*

-System-

{Name} Magie Magia

{Race} Human

{Sub-Race} None

{Class} Mage

{Level} 1

{Status}

STR: 1

CON: 1

DEX: 1

AGI: 1

INT: 1

Wis: 1

{Skills}

{Spells)

[Elemental Bolt]

[Force]

-System-

“Okay... Hmm... Hmmmm...”

{Status}, if I remember from ‘Help’ they show the 6 important statuses to raise during levelling up, gearing, and many more.

STR means strength, and raising this increases your physical attack damage. This will be a very important stat for physical classes then I suppose.

CON means constitution, raising this increases max Heath Point (HP) and Stamina Point (SP) while simultaneously increasing both passive HP Regen and SP regen. Plus increases physical defense as well. It also gives a small amount of resistance against some crowd control effects and diseases.

DEX means dexterity, raising this increases accuracy meaning less likely for your attack to miss, critical chance, and critical damage. Simple enough to understand...

AGI means agility, raising this to increase movement speed, attack speed, and dodge chance. Uuuuuu... that’s a nice stat for Rogue classes

INT means intelligence, raising this increases magical attack damage and magical defence. Increase Max Mana Point (MP) and passive MP regen. All mage spells scale off from this status so I better focus on adding most of it here.

WIS means wisdom, raising this increases magical attack damage and magical defence. Increase max MP and passive MP regen. All priest spells scale off from this status.

(“Oooooooo... WIS and INT don’t stack their bonuses together. So, I guess I just focus on raising my INT and CON”)

Moving on, I read the two spells that are in my arsenal. Based on the ‘Help’ section of the system. To use {Spell}, one needed to simply say its ‘keyword’ either by mouthing them, whispering, or even shouting it. Once I declare it, there will be a cast bar at the bottom corner of my vision that’s slowly filling up.

(“Ha! The game even says you can put your flair while the cast bar is filling up or before.”)

(“Oh! If you cast while moving, it will interrupt the cast bar. I see... I see...”)

There might be skills that are capable of removing those things if you get them but for now, this is what I have.

It seems if the cast time is fast enough, you can shoot them and then move. Essentially repositioning yourself to a safer spot.

“All right! Let’s try them first so I can get comfortable.”

I saw a rather sturdy-looking tree as I extended my left hand forward as if trying to reach it. If I remember [Elemental Bolt] is a spell that shoots elements to the target. I can choose which one.

“[Ice Bolt]”

*KRSSSS KRSSS*

Sounds of ice crackling can be heard once I finish saying the spell’s keyword, the cast bar appears as it slowly fills up, and then the temperature surrounding me slowly drops similar to a chilly winter. Once the cast bar was full, a singular icicle formed from my hand and launched forward.

*BAM*

It stabbed the bark of the tree. The cast time for [Elemental Bolt] is incredibly short, I would say it’s not even reaching one second. Maybe a fraction of it...

“Ah... simple enough... Whoa...”

All of a sudden, I felt a weak sensation as if energy is being sucked out of my body. Although it is only for a bit, it is enough to make me feel slightly more tired than usual.

“This must be the ‘feeling’ when MP is being used that system described. Guess the ‘Realism’ aspect of the game also affects my condition too... fascinating.”

I began to cast another spell as I wanted to try both of the effects. It is a bit annoying that they didn’t display the MP bar but based it on your feelings/sensations. Hmmm... I wonder if the same can be said for SP though, for SP maybe they made it so you feel sore or out of breath?

Though... I am a bit reluctant to try the feeling of when your HP dropped. No one likes pain after all.

However, I can see my HP bar clearly at the corner of my vision. Away from blocking my sight but if I pay attention I can check how much HP I have left. At the moment I am in 100% HP.

(“I wonder what’s going into Dev's mind when they decided to make monitoring MP and SP based on sensation while giving HP a bar of its own?”)

Shaking those thoughts away, I focus on the task at hand as I cast a spell.

“[Force]”

A cast bar appeared on the bottom of my vision and it fills up slower compared to bolt spells. Once it is filled though...

My left hand blasted kinetic energy that caused boulders and branches to be blown away from me while the trees swayed as leaves fell to the ground.

The sensation of being sucked out come again much stronger this time but I feel more prepared for it so it doesn’t catch me off-guard.

Safe to say the [Force] spell has a higher MP cost compared to [Elemental Bolt].

“Good... so those are the spells, I get the knack of it on how to play this Mage class. Simply shoot and if they get close just use [Force] to knock them away.”

Nodding to myself, I then check my inventory. It appears the Astra Orb item is right there. I dived my hand towards the icon of that item and felt a cold smooth surface at my palms.

Gripping it, I pulled that out, and in my hand, the Astral Orb lay to rest.

(“How peculiar... This is how the system recognizes what things need to be pulled from the inventory panel. I mean... I can increase the size of each icon so it is easier to take which one I want.”)

I decided to enlarge those inventory slots to fit my hand when I either dived my hand into it or just double-tapped on the icons displayed. It would be very helpful in a pinch as I do not want to pick up the wrong items during an emergency.

Putting the orb back in my inventory, I look around for a bit.

(“Truly, these trees are humongous. Hmm... probably easily reaching more than a kilometre or so in height. Plus...”)

Glancing to my left and right, the foliage is incredibly dense making it hard to tell direction and decide where to go.

“Ha....”

Usually in other games, new players are spawned in a beginner’s place but somehow I came to this forest... isn’t it a bit odd?

(“Why would they send me here? I certainly don’t see other players nearby.”)

A flash of ideas sparked inside my head. I remembered that each time players choose a racial-changing item, to use them players are going to face a ‘Trial’. Most likely a quest...

And if I remember, the last part told me that I could encounter those ‘Trials’ after spawn...

“So, is this entire forest… my quest?”

I made a gesture of opening my hands to reveal the entire foliage, canopy, and trees. At the same time, chuckling at how ludicrous it is.

(“I mean... this is perfect for elven trial...”)

I tapped the Astra Orb icon and brought out the item from the inventory to my hand easily after I enlarged the icon.

“What should I do with you then?”

The glass orb continues to make the animation of a big bang unleashing myriads of galaxies, planets, and stars as they expand outward far from the glass orb in an endless loop.

(“Hm?”)

I noticed something, the glow coming out from Astral Orb is... how should I say this... pointed or focused? Akin to a magnifier underneath the sun.

(“Yes, it is pointing towards something in this direction.”)

I turned my head to follow what the orb showed me. In my gaming sense, it is screaming at me to follow it and I oblige since I have no leads to turn to.

“Hm~ hm~ hm~”

Humming while walking, I am enjoying the humidity of the air, the constant rustles of the foliage and canopy by the winds, and the temperature that is neither hot nor cold. All of this felt so real to me.

(“Is this what virtual reality is like when used in conjunction with the latest technology?”)

I hummed again while walking with the orb in my hand. Then... I heard something different on my back, which prompted me to stop my movement to listen closely.

*Rustle* *Rustle* *Snap* *Snap*

It is a different noise compared to when the leaves sway by the winds. This is more paced as if rushing and snapping. It sounded like a branch breaking apart from pressure.

My heart beats much faster as my skin shivers unpleasantly. I put the orb back in my inventory and I looked around in closer detail. I am aiming my left hand as a cautionary measure.

But all of a sudden, I felt a strong wind rush towards me and...

*BAM*

“Guhak!” I grunted in pain.

The painful sensation is akin to me accidentally hitting my waist on the corner of a kitchen counter or stubbing my toe so I grovelled for a bit as a panel appeared before me in red.

-System-

Warning! Your HP is in the red zone.

-System-