"Finally! Heavenly Online I'm coming!"
Ishida Kirika kept repeating those words in her head. Today, Friday January 11, 2041, is the day Heavenly Online launches, the game that all over Japan have been waiting for. Even though it only available for Japan servers, Virtue has managed to make its name become a hot topic at the beginning of this year.
Kirika is in her room. A small room in white and light oak shades. Although small in size, but she arranged it so neatly. The bedroom that doubles as a workspace only has a few pieces of furniture. She deliberately limited the things in her room so that this narrow room seemed spacious.
She sat on a gaming chair, leaning her body on the softback of the white synthetic leather-covered foam. Yes… she is a fantasy novel writer as well as a gamer. Her habit is to play games to get story ideas, although she often uses that excuse to linger on.
In front of her, a white monitor was showing a live broadcast from Virtue Station. A streaming event organized by a video game software development company headquartered in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan.
An emcee called Online Navigator named Kanoko Marinka continued to explain about when Heavenly Online server would start, as well as a brief conversation with Virtue CEO Fujihara Setsuna and his subordinates, game master Leo, game master Yukio which was conducted online.
Kirika's attention was focused on Setsuna who looked different from yesterday when they met. Today that man was wearing casual clothes, a black T-shirt with Heavenly Online written on it and white ghoose feathers around the writing. Judging from his current appearance, the man's age was getting younger and different from being the impression of a company leader. In fact, he is more suitable to be called a gamer.
"Hmmm…no wonder he asked me to go to Ashikaga Renoir, Virtue's office is near the cafe. It seems I was being taken advantage of," Kirika smiled weakly as she recalled her meeting with Fujihara Setsuna yesterday. "But, well. After all, the offer he gave was more profitable for me."
Then, she turned her attention back to Virtue Station, seeing a short video about instructions on how to play Heavenly Online that was being played by the operator of the event made her remember how happy and enthusiastic she was when the game called Heavenly Online was widely reported in various media.
Dynames Gear that made by Virtue, was created a new style of game called full dive. However, the mechanics of a machine like the Dynames Gear had never existed before. So, the games that still use old technology became less attractive. All of them are games that limit the player to walk a hundred meters in town or old style dungeon, of course a gamer like Kirika will be very disappointed.
On the first day of sales of the device, Kirika and gamer who couldn't wait to experience the entry into the game, had hoped that Dynames Gear could create a real virtual world and Heavenly Online could spoil them. At the first time she watch the trailer, Kirika becomes very sure that game that everyone has been waiting for.
She is also willing to spend part of her income from writing novels to buy Dynames Gear which costs more than a computer set plus her gaming accessories.
The setting game is a galaxy with seven planets and Heavenly being the last planet as well as the center of the galaxy itself. Each planet has a safe zone as well as a maze with different settings and levels of difficulty. The first planet that the player's adventure begins with is Eldian, a planet that has green forest areas, snowy areas, and medieval ruins. The background of the safe zone was made like a rural area in Europe.
Previously, the home computer and video game console were also built. The company has successfully indulged video game lovers and has been entrusted to many by the rigorous application of operating standards.
When Virtue announced that they had succeeded in making the first full dive machine, everyone immediately believed and was so sure that the Dynames Gear was safe to use.
"Geez! I can not wait!"
Finally she could no longer hold herself back. Heavenly Online's launch was still an hour away and at this time Virtue's side made her even more impatient because she was constantly being shown short videos of Heavenly Online.
""Lucky for those chosen to be the beta test participants, I signed up but didn't receive any mail. But out of thousands of players, only a hundred people were chosen. Why not make more? You fujihira-setsuna stingy! "She murmurs as she exhales deeply and taps her feet on the floor covered with a soft, white carpet.
"Fujihara Setsuna… should I accept the offer? Maybe this is a golden opportunity to develop my writing skills? But…I have not said anything about this to Hyde, nor the publisher. Is it okay?"
As she watched the man speak, the memory of their conversation came back to Kirika's mind. Setsuna has managed to fascinate her, the aura of that man's leadership deserves thumbs up. He was firm in explaining all the cooperative procedures, but on the other side he spoke like a friend.
"I think I can feel at home working at his place," thought Kirika.
Just as she was engrossed in her new future world that was in front of her eyes, her cell phone suddenly rang. However, the sound of Virtue Station as well as her imagination overpowered the loud sound of a Japanese band's song that became her ringtone. But luckily she noticed her cell phone vibrating on her bed.
"Hyde-san?" she exclaimed in surprise. "Does she want to terrorize me at a time like this?"
Kirika just stared at the screen of her smartphone which showed a portrait of Makoto Hyde, the editor of the publisher where she made the contract. She hesitated to answer because she didn't want to spoil her good mood. But if she didn't pick up the editor's call, worse things could have happened. The last time she ignored her call, Hyde had come straight to her house and showered her with ear-splitting chatter.
"What's wrong, Hyde-san?" she said in a voice that was deliberately made like an innocent child.
But after she said that slightly stupid thing, she immediately put her smartphone away from her ear. Even her beloved editor's voice crept out even though she was not using a loudspeaker.
"Okay... okay... don't be so angry, Hyde-san. I will get an idea as soon as I get into game . I promise."
Kirika came back with the excuse she always used to keep Hyde at bay, but it seemed that this time her beloved editor didn't want to compromise anymore. Frankly, it's been half a year since her last novel was released—she's always reasoned to look for ideas through playing games and still no sign of starting to write. Instead, she was trapped in the game and forgot her time and responsibility to the publisher.
In the end, Kirika had to find another way to calm her editor down and distract her for a while. She decided to tell what happened yesterday, when she got a direct invitation from Fujihara Setsuna—the CEO of Virtue, the game company that was being talked about all over the Japanese media.