Author note: This novel is somewhat inspired by TenSura. Please understand, until now I was your average reader. I was only reading Fantasy until now, and wanted to create my own, and I got inspired by TenSura. However, I wont use TenSura's world and all their stuff, I only got inspired bit by Fuse's work. Also, if you think anything can be improved in my work, then please don't hestiate to comment.
The year is 2190, The word of entertainment has been monopolized by new genre of VR that came with new technology - Dive in Massively Multiplayer Virtual Reality Role Play Game, in short DIMMVRRPG. There were allot of games, though only little of them were actually even known, not many companies could do a game with open world and good mechanics. However, in year 2192, suddenly game Volos became popular.
This game offered open world, to be exact, there were 5 worlds. - Europa, Azja, Afryka, Ameryka and Piekło.
There were four main worlds, Europa, Azja, Afryka and Ameryka. They represented the branches of Oak Tree - The world and continents of the world. They were the main worlds if you have chosen humanoid race. Each world had it's own cities, countries and history.
Piekło, the fifth world was the underworld. If you have chosen Heteromorphic race. For normal, humanoid player, it could be hell. Humanoid players, in hell before level 100 were taking damage constantly, because of curse named "The Volos Curse", it was curse from the ruler of Underworld.
What also have make many players come to Volos, was their Mechanics, and leveling system. It was divided into: Races, Classes, Race Classes and Sub classes.
Races were only available for Heteromorphic races and on rare occasions for some Humanoid races, like Elves, Goblins and Zombies, with zombies later if evolved then they would turn into Heteromorphic race. The good example of evolution would be vampire, it had many evolutions. Their starter race was Lesser Vampire and their final form was Vampire [True Ancestor]. However picking heteromorphic race had also huge disadvantages, first was that any Humanoid player could kill you, without any consequences, Second was that if you arent level 100, you couldn't go outside the underworld. If you wanted to evolve to another race, you had to invest 10 levels into your race, that was the only way, it cost allot at start, however, later it was nothing.
There were around 300 classes and their sub classes. The most common one were: Archer, Warrior Magican and Assassins. Magican had many sub classes, the most common were: Dark Mage, White Mage, Shaman, Sorcerer, Cleric and many more. If you wanted to upgrade your class, you had to invest 10 levels into the class.
It must've been rough right? Investing 10 levels both into class and race. Well no, the max level was 1000, and it worked in way, that your level stay, however, it's just main the class/race you picked. It wasn't rough for anyone, well maybe at start it was. However later, there were more monsters to level up on, with made game easier.
Even though the last boss was level 1000 and was named Chernobog, there was almost no one that considered him the real "last boss" for lot of players, he was like boss, that would prepare you to real "Last boss" - it was the Oak Tree. Oak Tree was guild made by 41 players, at start, all of them had 500 levels, with was allot if you consider, that at that time, only 1000 players had it, and most of them were solo. Their guild base was unconquerable, even though there were only 41 players, they had many NPCs and traps, and among that 9 levels.
All of guildmates had level 1000, even if one player inside a guild had 1000 level, the guild was considered strong, then what about all guild mates had level 1000? Everyone was no match, even when 700 people, The "Humanoid Council" invaded Oak Tree, they failed at level 3 out of 9. They didn't stood stand there, all NPCs there were already 500 level.
The requirements to join Oak Tree, was to first: Be a working man/woman. Second: Be a one of the heteromorphic race and Third was to be at least 500 level. At that time, it was impossible to join the guild, as none Working Man/Woman was actually 500 level. Most of them were streamers or students.
However, those good times have ended, after 10 year of service, the company that ended game decided to close the game. Now Nikodem, the leader of Oak Tree was alone, lonely, every other player that was in the guild, either left the guild and started as humanoid or started his own guild or just left to real life. He was the only one out of the original 41 original members that was still playing.
He was level 1000 and #1 at arena, he was ex-military commander and the first player to ever master the "You move, your character moves" set. It was very hard, since you had to have lot of skills yourself instead of having them as the "Skill".
Nikodem was Magican Knight, a player that uses both Magic and Swordsmanship. It was hard, since magic itself was a skill only, and you had to have high level control of your senses to even use it, and add Swordsmanship, where you have to control your footwork and everything, no one was match for him. His race was Vampire [True Ancestor], officially the strongest race in the game, though the hardest to get, because you had to have the item "Chernobog's Tears" after defeating the Chernobog, last boss. With as a Vampire was hard.
It was 23:00, a hour left till the end of the servers. Then, he decided to enter game. He was back from the work, but he could at least be there till the end, right?
After he came to his VR set, the first thing he could see after launching it, was system. There were lot of applications there, since he used VR most of time he had free. He then touched Volos Application. It didn't take much time to log him into the game. At max 2 seconds.
He was at the 9th level, his main playground. There, was a throne, the "41 seats" and everything else related to players. It was his oasis, and place that bring up nostalgy. He was in the throne room. There was throne for him and his guildmates.
'Ha.... it was a good time.... But good times always end.... don't they?' He though, if in game he could cry, then he would be already full of tears. He didn't want to leave this place, however he had to, he couldn't stop the company from doing it.
"Luciffer, Rimuru, Ainz, Yuujiki, BrazilianDeportation....." He begun to name every guild mate, at some point, he started to remember, all those names, and their twaddle about their favorite anime and stuff... It was full of nostalgia, at some point he started to even watch anime. They were his only friend. In real life, he always was a solo-player. He had no girlfriends, friends or family. His family died when he was in Iraq. Killed by a murderer.
His guild mates were his only friends, he considered them a family.
'Ahh..... just look how many minutes has passed' he though.
It was already 23:15. Already 15 minutes has passed as he spoke every guild mate's name. What took him so much, was to remember every guild mate's traits. Even though his last friend left year ago, he still remember him and others carefully.
Some time has passed, Nikodem there was lonely sitting on his throne, the highest one of all 41 and with the biggest Flag. It was already time for the end of the server, it was 23:57. He didn't want to say goodbye, instead he wanted to be in this place for years and more years... till the end of his days.
23:57:43
23:57:45
23:57:59
23:58:04
It was already time to say goodbye, in two minutes the servers would be closed, already he was the last player, he knew that from notification he got on his screen.
["You're the last 'player'"]
[You're the last player of Volos, you are here 'till the end, we thank you for your cooperation for all these years, player "Dazhbog" we thank you for supporting our game till the end. We will remember your effort put into the game, and your time. You the "last boss" were the greatest player.
Thank you, Every Developer of the Volos Game~~ ❤]
He was surprised, he was expecting some monotone message for thanking him for playing the game, but he saw a message from developer team. He didn't think that they would actually say something to him. It was that time, that he was that happy, that he could die happily right now, and in this place.
'Right now I could die... I have seen enough in my life, I am satisfied'
24:00:00
0:00:00
The Servers closed. He was happy at that time, after he left cabin, he went and cried. He seen enough to make him cry, a 40 years old man.
'It's okay for me to cry.... right?' He though, he always though that he must be the 'rough' guy, since he was in military, but right now, he cried.
'Yes, it is, if a man cries, it just means he was strong for too long' He though, he used quote, though edited it a bit.
He went on streets after some time, he was still crying a bit, but he had right now enough strength to go outside. It was his doom, he wanted to meet those developers at least, maybe somehow he could. But after a hour of walking down the street, he was stabbed.
From behind, a young man looking 24 stabbed him with knife, a kitchen knife. He was surprised, his body felt strange, it was hot, and after some time it felt cold.
The young man begun to run and shout, he wasn't sane, he probably was drunk and after he did what he did he quickly became sober. He was obviously scared, he wouldn't do anything like that sober.
Many people saw him, and ran to help him, there were many people shouting. They called police, ambulance and everything. However, that was no help. He was already on ground.
'Damnit, is it how I die? I wanted to meet them..... maybe even I could meet my ex-guildmates.' He though, he was crying, the second time. He didn't want to die right now.
'Maybe if I was immortal, like a vampire, then I could meet them' He though.
"Confirmed. 'Lesser Vampire' race. Granted." A gender neutral and emotionless voice suddenly said.
'I heard that people who die a virgin at age of 30 are sage, Since I am 40, I should be some all knowing sage, right?
The voice could be heard again. "Confirmed. 'The all knowing sage, Asura', skill. Granted." It was the same voice, emotionless and genderless.
'Shut up will ya? Right now I am thinking.' He though. The voice didn't react 'Ah... anyway. I wonder if I could be a girl? But being a girl? Damnit, all the time I have though about it, with gender is better? Fuck it, it is not time to think about it.' He though to himself.
However, the voice again, could have been heard. "Confirmed. Skill 'Gender Change'. Granted."
'Shut up wi-' it was waste of precious time to though about anything not related to what was he saying. 'Ah.... well whatever. If you grant anything, just gimme the god damn food. I want to eat every dish ever made.'
"Confirmed. Skill 'Gluttony'. Granted."
When the emotionless voice said that, Nikodem fell into despair. He didn't do many things he could have done. In the end he didn't meet his friends in real life, he didn't meet those developers. He had many thoughts right now, in this moment.
"Confirmed. Skill ❄︎☟︎☜︎ ☜︎❄︎☜︎☼︎☠︎✌︎☹︎ ✞︎⚐︎✋︎👎︎. Granted."
Right now he couldn't hear what the voice was saying. Well, it didn't even sound like human's language.
Well, he didn't have much time to think, after few moments of that, he died.
'Where am I?' He though.
What he was seeing, were stars, galaxy. Nikodem could see body, from his perspective it wasn't his. He had body of an old man in his 40s. He was tanned. However this body, was unnaturally pale. It looked like it didn't even touched sun once.
He tried to move around his body, more precisely his arms. However the body that from his perspective wasn't his, actually moved when he wanted to, and like he wanted to.
'Uh.... what is this?'
He was confused, for several minutes he analyzed situation, and tried to get off it, however he did not actually think of anything.
Well after some time, again the voice could have been heard.
"Body Preparations. 90%. Memory Transfer. 100%. Abilities Preparations. 100%" The voice said.
"The body has been prepared. Soul Transfer. Confirmed" Quickly said voice after.
Nikodem didn't even said a word, and the voice could be heard again.
"Soul Transfer Preparations. 100%. Notice: The soul will be transferred into new body"
After which, his vision turned black. It was lasted for a moment. He wasn't sure yet, what was happening. He still analyzed the situation.
Few moments had already passed. Nikodem was already bored. His vision was still black. At this point he was bored to the core, now he couldn't even see those beautiful stars. However, after those few moments passed. He could finally feel his body.
He though that he was probably naked, as he could feel something similar to floor. Through clothes it couldn't be felt, he knew this feeling, he often just laid around on the floor, naked and depressed in his apartment.
At that moment, he finally started to open his eyes. And saw...