Author's Note; Hello everyone, author here and I just wanted to thank everyone for checking out chapter 1 of my new series, Limitless Hero!
Side Note; the story has a slow start but please stick with it as the character development throughout the series is really strong.
- also please keep in mind that each chapter is roughly 1500 to 2000 words in total save any author notes or TL(translations).
...
In July 2024 a new game was released following alongside a brand new type of gaming device, this device would allow players to experience any virtual world for themselves by actually stepping inside of it.
Players would control their character's entire body with their mind and would feel the full weight of things like hunger, exhaustion, and even pain. While some immediately questioned wether this would be a good thing or not, players globally hopped on to the hype train within a matter of days following the live service announcement.
Furthermore it would be financially available in a number of stages while the price slowly lowered until it reached a stabilized rate at which both a profit could be made and the system could be provided around the world.
Fast forward 2 years later and the game known only as "Limitless!" has become a massive global success boasting roughly between 800 million and 1 billion active players.
Limitless! is a fantasy VRMMORPG or "Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game" where anyone can make their character and explore the world or partake in a number of activities or even occupations all the while gaining experience and leveling up to strengthen their character.
The release of Limitless! was such a massive success that the in game economy even effected the real world's own international trade and the buying and selling of in-game items and even accounts became immensely profitable in both the virtual and real worlds.
The Limitless! developers had become some of the richest people in the world and thereafter devoted themselves to the continuous development of new features for their game and company content.
Using the advanced systems of their own device and game the world of Limitless! itself became as close to living and breathing as any virtual world could, NPC's had their own thoughts, goals, and personalities while the city-states and nations of the game quickly developed into their own self-run territories that would occasionally effect the world on a large scale. This would allow the world to move and change in realistic ways without the interaction or interference of a developer.
Today is March 29th, 2026 and while guilds wage war to claim territory and race to reach new milestones and accomplish various feats, some live far simpler lives.
Take for example the life of Jin who lives in the small countryside town of Keld with his starter guild the "Iron Wolves". Over three months ago Jin's older half-brother Taejin left the town in order to become an adventurer leaving his younger brother behind in the care of his former guild mates. Jin now hopes to raise his level enough to one day join his brother and eventually become a "ranker" the top ranked players in the game. As he is now, Jin's unable to make it too far out of the region without encountering a monster who'd smash his face in with a single hit.
...
"Hmm..."
Grumbling to himself Jin's open status window showed all of his character's relevant information in one, easy-to-read screen.
[Player Name: Jin Suha]
[ID: ##########]
[Level: 6]
[Class: Warrior]
[XP: 132/600]
[Health: 50/50]
[Status]
* Strength: 3
* Endurance: 2
* Agility: 6
* Focus: 1
* Intellect: 3
* Magic: 0
[Skills]
Main Skills:
* Hunter I
Class Skills:
* Heavy Strike
Extra Skills:
"Man what a god damn joke, two skills and only one of them is actually useful, Heavy Strike isn't gonna carry me through the game tho, it's just a basic Warrior skill that loses its value in the early levels..."
*Knock* *Knock*
"Already time huh?, guess I'll get going then"
The clock on Jin's desk showed the time, 7:00am, the set time for the Iron Wolves next guild quest: Goblin Elimination, Keld Region.
Making his way downstairs Jin wipes off his mild hangover from last night's tavern crawl until he hears a familiar voice.
"You're late!"
"Relax, I'm basically just on time"
"Whatever, just make sure not to doze off while we're fighting later!"
"Yeah, yeah"
The familiar voice he heard just now belonged to the Iron Wolves Subleader and his guild mate: Karin(whose real name is Katherine btw).
Karin had a crush on Jin's older half-brother Taejin for about a month or so before he left town, Unable to follow him Karin vowed to protect his younger brother like an older sister.
But lately she's become more of the nagging mother-type than anything else.
...
"Good everyone's here, let's get going then"
Within a couple minutes the Iron Wolves guild leader Roland had entered the common room and started everyone off.
An hour later the Iron Wolves had made their way out into Keld's border region, the Jerlde Forest a large expanse of green covered in parts by a swamp.
Known for its wolf and goblin population the 'modest' road through Jerlde Forest still serves as an access way to merchants of humble means.
Two days earlier the guild had accepted a quest to eliminate the goblins in the area, that quest albeit simple and easy provided them with enough money to continue guild operations.
A similar structure is used by many of the smaller guilds while larger ones challenge bosses and fight for their own territories.
...
"Phew, that's the last of those little green bastards"
Wiping the sweat from her brow Karin l had a lot of work cut out for her, as the guild party's main rogue it's her job to dart around the battlefield taking advantage of preoccupied or distracted enemies.
With their task complete the Iron Wolves were now ready to return home to Keld when suddenly they hear a cry for help from the distance.
"H-HEELP MEEEEE!!"
Springing to action both Roland and Jin sprint towards the voice.
"Someone's in trouble" Roland finds himself lagging behind Jin due to the latter's difference in armor and equipment which affords him more mobility and less defense.
Making their way to the source of the voice Jin and Roland both find a partially wounded and terrified merchant surrounded by a small pack of level 2 and 3 wolves.
Jin who arrived first has already engaged in combat with one of the wolves while the other two circle the wounded merchant as Roland shows up almost half a minute later.
Roland who's level 5 can just manage to handle the level 3 and one of the level 2's while Jin handles the last wolf himself, nodding to each other in the process both start off handling their respective loads until all three of the wolves are down.
"Thank you, you saved me!"
The merchant from before stood up and gave a short bow before offering his thanks to the two player's.
"No problem, when we heard your yell-"
"If I might, I'm sorry well you see I happen to be on a bit of a tight schedule so if I may, I'd like to offer you a reward for your services"
"What kind of reward?"
Jin tilts his head to the side trying to gauge the merchant's level of wealth.
"While I'm afraid I can't exactly offer you any money at this current moment, I may instead hope to offer you another kind of currency"
"As in?"
*Er-erm* clearing his throat the merchant begins to offer his "reward" as if it were something of great value, even greater value than any gold or silver.
"In my trade we often substitute debts and repayments for tips of service, secrets and gossip if you would, as for adventurers like yourself I know you have very little interest in my affairs so I shall speak plainly.
In the forest therein lies a hidden entrance to a hidden dungeon, while I cannot provide any information regarding its interior, I am told it's level to be quite low for what treasures are hidden inside."
...
"A... dungeon? Here?!"
While Roland may seem unreasonably shocked Jin thinks to himself the merit of those words, words offered as a reward from an NPC, wether their true or false could determine the future of the Iron Wolves and the future of Jin's life as a Limitless! player.
"I know it may seem unrealistic but that is what I've been told and believe to be true, now if you'd kindly excuse me I have somewhere to be."
Dungeons are complex cave-like structures that house monsters and in most cases a boss monster, aside from XP dungeons typically offer the promise of treasure at the end in what is known as the "Treasure Room".
However dungeons are not something designed for low level players and guilds like the Iron Wolves to take on, instead they are reserved for middle to high level players and large structured groups.
"Thank you, we'll also be on our way."
"Uh! Jin!"
"He gave us our reward, let's go."
"Reward? You seriously believe there's a dungeon nearby? Here?!"
"It's limitless! There's all kinds of hidden gems in places no one expects, a hidden entrance to a hidden dungeon might just be what we need to get on our feet."
"Jin, even if that's true what could we do about it? Our strongest members are level 6, 5, 4, and 3... we can't take on a dungeon."
"Roland, of course I thank you for everything you've done for me until now but if you won't take this opportunity with me then I'll just have to do it myself, you know my situation."
"I understand, I'm sorry Jin but we can't go with you, even so you have my best wishes and good luck... I'm sure the other members will understand."
"Thank you Roland, then from today on I'm no longer a member of the Iron Wolves."
"Ha, let's be honest you were only stuck with us because you wanted to chase your brother."
"Yeah I guess that's true, anyways I'll be logging out for the night, it's been weeks since I've visited."
"Mhm, best of luck my friend!"
"Yeah, you too."
Bringing up his menu, Jin made his way to the log out option in the menu screen, after a few seconds the world went dark and Jin's eyes opened, exiting the device used to launch games like Limitless! He quickly cracked his bones and stretched his muscles.
It's recommended for players who spend large amounts of time "wired-in" to drink a mixed beverage to boost their immune system and to perform some light exercise to deal with any minor atrophy that might've built up over their time.
Putting on a fresh change of clothes Jin grabbed his keys and went out to the car.
It's not far to the cities general hospital wear his sister has been staying for nearly three months.
After parking and heading inside Jin finds himself almost immediately waved through the security check and into the elevator making his way to his sisters room.
In the three months since her hospitalization, Jin has become familiar to the hospital staff who work late at night and he no longer has to show his ID or insurance card.
"These flowers need to be changed, I'll bring you a fresh batch soon."
Pulling up one of the chairs kept in patient rooms Jin rests his head on his sisters bedside, speaking to her and hearing no response in turn.
"I'm sorry this happened to you Ari, but I believe things are going to change soon, I may have found a way to make some money.
Money to pay for your treatment, money to pay off our worthless father's debt, money to fix all of the problems in our life.
Money to make everything right."
Feeling the fatigue building up Jin's eyes begin to close as he holds Ari's hand, and soon he passes out.
* END OF CHAPTER 1*
Thank you so much if you made it to the end, I know it's a slow start but I promise the story will develop.
Note: any typos or grammatical issues will be fixed soon but it's 3:30AM and I'm exhausted.
THANK YOU!!!