My name is Tristan Anderson, an orphan. My mother died while birthing me, and my father perished in a war. At nineteen years old, I'm below average in terms of looks, standing at a short five feet with an obese stature and an overly large nose. To top it all off, I reside in the slums of Ohio.

Currently, I'm lying on my bed in my single-room dwelling. It's a cramped space with only one toilet and no kitchen. But if I ever feel like cooking, I do it right here since the room is somewhat spacious.

As I chomp down on my Burger King meal, my attention is caught by a news piece playing on my outdated thirty-two-inch smart TV, generously given to me.

The news announcer's voice catches my perplexed expression. "As anticipated, the new virtual reality console that will change the world is finally here! Afterlife Online has arrived! It's an open fantasy world brimming with fascinating and otherworldly things: beasts, monsters, dungeons, and mystical creatures. Everything you could ever imagine is included. Players can even earn money by clearing dungeons, completing missions, and achieving grand feats!"

I scoff, throwing away my burger and switching off the TV. "Affordable prices, my ass! They want ten thousand dollars for that crap!"

Yep, that's me, a loser who does nothing but watch TV and play games all day since graduating high school. The only time I'm usually free is when I treat myself to a meal at Burger King.

But it wasn't always like this. It all started when I turned eighteen, reaching the stage where I could make my own decisions. I left the orphanage, eager to stand on my own and not rely on scraps anymore. Thankfully, I ran into one of my late father's close friends, who offered me this abandoned dorm for free.

Initially, I thought I was destined for a quick demise due to the constant violence that permeated the area. Surprisingly, the people here are friendlier than their reputation suggests.

To cut a long story short, I spent a whole year feeding on Burger King due to depression and psychological issues, slowly spiraling into obesity.

To cope with my depression, I immersed myself in video games and occasionally watched movies. You're probably wondering how I manage financially since I'm jobless, right?

Well, the government compensated me with some money for my late father's sacrifice in the war. I received about a hundred thousand dollars, which made me complacent and led me down the path of aspiring to be a successful gamer. However, gaming turned out to be much tougher than I anticipated. I can barely get a thousand views on a single upload. My total views don't even reach a hundred thousand. My dream of becoming a successful gamer went down the drain. But I haven't given up; I keep trying...

The announcement on TV triggers a surge of adrenaline through my veins. I've been waiting forever for the launch of this realistic game that's supposed to revolutionize the gaming world. But seeing the exorbitant price leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

"Fuck! Who in their right mind would pay ten grand for that piece of shit?" I curse, angrily slamming my hand onto the bed.

Taking a deep breath, I release a sigh...

They claim it's a limited offer, and if I don't pre-order now, I might miss out, considering the high demand from eager players. Moreover, the game is set to release next week, so if I order it now, it should arrive by then.

I swiftly get up and power-walk to my computer, situated in the corner of the room. Taking a seat in my gaming chair, I switch on the computer.

While waiting for it to boot up, I grab my phone from the desk to check my account balance.

"Ah, screw it! I only have eleven grand left!" I exclaim, my eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"But... I want that game. If I don't make it big this time, I'm finished. I can still manage one thousand dollars a month," I mutter, gritting my teeth.

Determined, I begin typing away on my computer, logging into the gaming company's website.

As I scroll through the site's menu, my eyes widen in disbelief.

"What the... One hundred thousand pre-orders already?! Are you kidding me? I thought it was supposed to be limited... Wait... Only one unit remaining! No way!"

Without wasting a moment, I quickly click the pre-order button. Fortunately, my card details are saved on my computer, making the process swift.

[Purchase successful. Item will be delivered next week.] the notification confirms.

A smile spreads across my face as I slump back into my chair.

"Those sneaky bastards... The supply was truly limited. But the number of pre-orders is insane, considering the website was only available a few hours ago. That means those who didn't pre-order won't be able to buy the capsules from stores. They must be losing their minds... It's a clever strategy to make a quick buck; they'll probably release more. But it's a privilege to get the game early," I mutter, a bright smile blooming on my face.

To celebrate securing the last capsule, I grab another Burger King burger.

____________________________________________________________________

"Ahhhhh... That was intense," I mutter, finally tearing open the packaging of the VR capsule.

As expected, it resembles a large capsule capable of accommodating a human. It seems a bit bigger than I anticipated since I had no choice in selecting a size. But hey, it's much better than getting one too small to fit me.

Excitement surges through me as I plug the capsule into a nearby wall outlet. Instantly, several fine neon lights illuminate the capsule.

Following the instructions in the manual, I press a button on the pod, and its hatch opens up. Inside, I notice intricate humanoid carvings, but there's something peculiar about the capsule. It's as if the insides pulse with a strange glow, almost as if it possesses its own consciousness.

Humanity has truly come a long way, I can't help but think.

Eagerly, I climb into the pod and lie down, pressing another button. Slowly, the hatch begins to close.

Once it seals shut, I find myself engulfed in complete darkness, while a tingling sensation runs over my skin.

Suddenly, a blinding white flash appears before my eyes.

[Welcome to Afterlife Online] A message greets me.

[Please choose your region…]

I select my region as prompted.

[Please choose a name…]

"Crimson_Overlord," I confidently enter.

[Sorry, the name already exists…]

Well, those jerks stole my username. I use it for most of my other games.

"Milf_Hunter."

[Player name successfully registered.]

[Milf_Hunter >> User Id: 195784557.]

[The capsule would like to scan the player…]

I contemplate for a moment, my excitement skyrocketing. I'm determined to be the best player in this game.

But before I proceed, I need to eat some burgers since I haven't had anything today. Without further thought, I click on "Exit."

[Sorry, Player >> Milf_Hunter << cannot exit the pod because he has been chosen by Draegan Vossen, the great Asura.]

What the hell is this game saying?

I click on "Exit" again, hoping to regain control, but to my surprise, the exit button suddenly disappears.

[Player's soul will be transferred to the infernal realm in ten seconds. The host's body will be eliminated in this world.]

[9... 8... 7... 6... 5…]

Panic sets in as I realize there was never any mention of this in the game's advertisements. I frantically try to regain control over my body, but it's futile.

[4... 3... 2... 1…]

In an instant, everything goes black, and I feel a strange sensation coursing through my being. It's as if I'm being torn apart and reassembled simultaneously.

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