"Men don't read manuals," Robin, Sauvik, and Ravi exclaimed simultaneously. Cathrin and Rita both shook their heads in confusion and frustration. These men seemed extremely determined to avoid reading a manual.
"Don't we have a virtual assistant? Is anyone there?" Robin shouted, and within seconds, a translucent woman appeared before him. She resembled an AI he had seen in the TV series "Flash" a long time ago.
"Hello, Mr. Kashyap. I am your personal virtual assistant. How may I assist you?" The translucent woman responded.
"Why didn't you appear earlier?"
"I am sorry Mr. Kashyap. Most of the people who take the service seem to know about the experience too much so the assistant service wasn't ever pushed since many people find it annoying. I am sorry Mr. Kashyap for our overlook." The assistant who seemed to be a humanoid and a copy of a human woman said.
"Alright, as you can see, I have friends here. I want all of us to be in the same location on the Galaxy Island under the Luminary Collective. Is that possible?" Robin asked.
"The Galaxy Island of your origin is based on Toraks. Since you and your friends entered the VR from a third-class galaxy, your appearances have been randomized, and your origin doesn't match. However, since you all have the same high-level service, you can move freely between islands at no cost. Would you like to transport yourself and your friends to the Luminary Collective galaxy island?" The assistant explained.
"For sure," Robin replied, and his friends agreed. They vanished from their previous location and found themselves outside a colossal wall.
The wall was incredibly tall, taller than anything they had seen before, perhaps even taller than anything in their dreams. As they appeared near the wall, so did their friends. They were taken aback by its sheer height and the fact that it stretched for kilometers in both directions, disappearing from sight.
They had materialized just outside the wall, a few meters away from a magnificent gate. A broad road extended in front of them, with multiple lanes for vehicles and people bustling in and out of the city. The wall seemed to divide the city from the wilderness.
"They have cars and other things here too?" Cathrin was surprised to see the vehicles, as some of them had refrained from researching the VR world to avoid spoilers and were taken aback by the grandeur.
"Think of it as just another world, Cathrin. Imagine it like any other place, but with much more extravagance," Robin explained as they began walking toward the gate. They crossed it without encountering any guards or having to pay any fees, as the entire island was free from the start.
"Welcome to Nyloria."
As they entered Nyloria, they were greeted by the sight of a sprawling cityscape from space. It was a shimmering metropolis that spanned millions of cubic meters, and its silhouette against the backdrop of the galactic core resembled a colossal, multifaceted crystal, adorned with a breathtaking array of colors. Gigantic rings encircled the city, serving as portals for travelers from distant galaxies. These rings emitted a mesmerizing energy that drew visitors from across the universe to experience the grandeur of Nyloria.
The streets did not adhere to the conventional laws of physics; instead, they followed the whims of imagination. Buildings floated gracefully, defying gravity, and pathways weaved through the air, creating a seamless blend of art and architecture. The roads were adorned with vibrant flora, their luminescent petals softly glowing in the perpetual twilight that bathed the city.
Nyloria's architecture combined futuristic elegance with organic design. Towering crystalline spires reached toward the heavens, their surfaces pulsating with energy, symbolizing the fusion of technology and nature.
They strolled along the illuminated pavement, surrounded by people who appeared to be some version of bioluminescent beings. King Lumis and Selena had been right; they were the ones who stood out.
Surprisingly, nobody paid them too much attention. The people seemed to be enjoying themselves, sitting in restaurants that spilled out onto the pavement, cheering and creating a festive atmosphere. Robin and the others couldn't help but notice that they weren't the only ones who looked different. There were individuals from various species here. Since this was the capital VR city of the Luminary Collective, it was expected that beings from other galaxies would also be present for trade and other purposes.
They began to explore the city at a leisurely pace, taking in all the sights and sounds. This city was a true manifestation of imagination and fulfilled every fantasy one could imagine.
"Considering how beautiful this VR city is, I can only imagine that the gaming system here is out of this world. Just think about a medieval world in this VR with magic or something like Warhammer. I'm sure they have mind-blowing games," Robin mused.
"Even in this world, you're thinking about VR games?" Rita asked with a playful smile.
"Why not? Most of my powers are based on games," Robin replied with a grin.
"Alright, we can go check out the gaming section," Cathrin sighed, secretly excited to explore the gaming culture here. After all, that was one of the primary reasons she had joined the VR adventure.
The city wasn't just about entertainment; it also had offices and offered consulting services, including doctors, mainly therapists. Physical health had been mostly solved through advanced technology, but mental health was still a significant concern, with many people preferring non-pharmaceutical methods to address it.
Seemingly, depression wasn't going to disappear for humanity anytime soon.
Gaming, however, was a substantial part of the city. There were shops where visitors could enter and be introduced to a new world of games. Robin immediately summoned the assistant and asked for recommendations on the best games for beginners, particularly those famous throughout the universe.
The assistant promptly provided a list of ten renowned games. More than half of them were centered on galactic battles, while the others revolved around everyday life scenarios. One game involved being a doctor in a planet with outdated medical technology, while another allowed players to live the life of an ordinary person, starting as a janitor and eventually becoming the CEO of a multiplanetary company.
Upon hearing the descriptions, Robin's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but he didn't voice his thoughts. After much deliberation, he decided to explore the game that would allow him to embark on a galactic journey as a soldier, climbing through the ranks. It would start as PvE (Player vs. Environment), and after reaching certain levels, they could engage in PvP (Player vs. Player) campaigns.
Robin and his friends eagerly entered the gaming shop, paid the shopkeeper using Luminary Collective currency, and stepped through the door into the world of gaming. The shop was spacious, bustling with activity as numerous people came and went. This heightened their anticipation, as they assumed the game must be a good one.
However, after they emerged from the shop about an hour later, disappointment was written across their faces. It seemed Robin's gut feeling had been spot on.
"Am I the only one who thought that game was bad?" Sauvik whispered.
"No, I didn't like it either," Cathrin admitted.
"I agree, it wasn't great," Ravi chimed in. Rita, being new to this genre, remained silent, but her expression revealed that she hadn't enjoyed the experience.
Initially, they had all been thrilled to find themselves on a new planet, assuming the role of a soldier. However, as the initial adrenaline rush subsided, they realized that despite the stunning visuals and unique setting, the game's story lacked depth – or more accurately, it had no depth at all.
It appeared to be a straightforward tale of a soldier trying to climb the ranks. Even after an hour of gameplay, there was no narrative development or significant story elements to engage their interest.
And seeing this Robin and his friends went to other gaming shops, and they held the same experience there too. After spending for about 4 hours in different shops they understood one thing. The universe lacked good games which was very weird for them. This universe couldn't imagine good games or was their imagination stagnated because they had known all the knowledge possible to be known, and couldn't go more.
Robin couldn't understand but everyone was disappointed. And then suddenly Sauvik said.
"Why don't we make games?"
"What?"
"Yeah. Make games in VR based on the lores we know, like LOTR, Book of Ice and Fire (GOT), Warhammer 40k and other games which was quite famous. I am sure we can make the VR version of it and if we do so, we can make loads of money." Sauvik said. And then suddenly it clicked for everyone.
Yes.
They could make games and make the gaming world of this universe much better and more immersing. If this was done then might be they would be 'billionaire' in the universal status too. Though Robin didn't really care about money but the games would give him quite a bit of leverage on money and not settle on selling things like Vibranium and other stuff all the time as those things could easily invoke jealousy.
----
Read 30 more chapters on my p@treon,com/thelightedghost