[Please enter your username.]

I stared at the message floating in the air before opening my lips. "Joon-Chul"

[Are you a female or a male?]

I let out a smirk before replying to the system's message. "Male."

[Please customize your character.]

I tapped the 'Random Customization' bottom a couple of times since I didn't want to waste my time creating my desirable character.

Soon, I suddenly came across one which almost looked identical to me in reality. The only difference between me and the character's appearances are the demon horns, demonic wings and crimson red eyes. I observed the character closely while being submerged in my thoughts.

I haven't experienced VR games before. So I was quite astonished by this sight. Should I choose this as my character? Why does it have to look like me? Is this a normal setting for VR games? I shook my head to erasing those distracting thoughts and pressed 'Yes'.

[Are you certain to live as this character?]

I hesitatingly gazed at the 'Yes' bottom and sighed inwardly. Then pressed 'Yes'.

[Welcome to Fusion Fantasy Universe, Joon-Chul!]

I grinned upon hearing the system's message. I wonder how fun it will be from now on.

[Congratulations! You are the last player to join this world!]

Last player? My eyebrow quivered when I heard that message.

[1000 Players have joined this world-line!]

[The acquisition for the world-line transfer is met!]

Is this a common thing for VR? Then why am I having an ominous foreboding?

[You are the 'Last' player!]

[You will receive th....]

Before I could hear the end of that message, my vision blurred and I felt my consciousness shifting to somewhere else.

———

Not long afterwards, I opened my eyes to be greeted with the blue sky and a medium-sized tree.

"Where am I?" I asked with a dumbfounded expression.

And I shifted my gaze to the tree that I was under. "What is this tree? I have never seen this before.."

As I said that, a system's message appeared all of a sudden.

[The tree you're viewing is the ‹Cupressus Sempervirens› tree.]

"What? Cupressus Sempervirens tree? What the hell is that?" I stood up while gently touching the tree.

[You have entered a new world-line!]

Am I in the game at this moment? I glanced at the system's message hovering in the air. Then I remembered I put on my VR headset at 9:53 PM.

I scowled as I spoke. "I only came here to take a peek in the game. And since I am done. I should exit and head to bed because I have a ton of work to do in the early morning."

[You can't exit this world-line.]

...huh?

[Stage #1: Introduction.]

+

Stage Information: You have arrived in this new world. Either adopt to this new life or die.

Stage Task: Open your status window by saying 'Status' in your mind.

Time Limit: 1 Hour.

Reward: Knowledge about the ‹System›

Failure: Death

+

My eyes widened when I finished reading the system's messages. Death?

Fortunately, I wasn't the only one puzzled by this.

"What is with this crap? I just joined in! Shouldn't there be a tutorial?!"

I looked to my right where the voice was coming from, and discovered a man. Then he continued talking.

"This game is confusing! I'm leaving!"

As if what the Stage's failure had indicated, the man exploded into pieces and died on the spot. Furthermore, the system's message appeared.

[Player '999' has died.]

[Footage of player '999''s true death is playing.]

Without delay, a big screen emerged from where the man had died. And a video showed an apartment room where a man took off his VR headset, only to explode the same way the man who died a moment ago as the ending of the video.

Somehow, it felt familiar to me as if I knew that would happen. Sadly, I didn't have time to question myself why when screams resounded out everywhere. Someone roared out. "Brother!!"

Some people were terrified after hearing that person shouted, while some were frightened to the point of plopping down on their butts.

When they were busy doing that, I kept a level head and took a deep breath. I mouthed out inside my mind 'Status', and a system's message rang out my ears.

[You are the first to open your stats window!]

[Reward for this achievement will be compensated when this stage ends!]