50 years ago, an unforeseen event had shaken the very foundations of reality. A voice, echoing through the hearts and minds of every living soul throughout the entire planet, declared, "Installation commencing, Installation complete, Initialization. G-System setup finalized." In an instant, the world was enveloped by a wave of shimmering blue pixel cubes.
As those cubes disappeared, the System's voice declared, "World Update complete. Initializing Beta Dive."
At that moment, people around the world disappeared or to be more precise they were transported in Nexus-an expansive virtual subspace that now existed in parallel to reality, a world created by the System.
The Beta Dive incident whisked away an estimated that 30,000 people were transported in Nexus. 2 months later, gates manifested in cities worldwide where "players", the people who were transported in Nexus came back. But unfortunately, only a rough estimate of 300 people came back.
"End of the Beta Evaluation. Resetting parameters and updating of subspace Nexus will begin. Time before final execution, 7 months" said the notice of the system.
All the players stated that it was a world where reality and the virtual world intertwined seamlessly. Hunger, fatigue even death were experienced. Some described it as horrifying place while others said it was unlike anything they had ever seen. The only thing they all said in common, was that the Beta Test ended after defeat of the first-floor boss.
With the system's announcement and the testimonies of the players, some people were panicked while others were exited to leave their boring, unfortunate or overbearing lives to go and explore that new world. It was a place where the lines between the tangible and the imaginary blurred, and where ordinary people could become extraordinary heroes. State officers and leaders made many meetings on how to deal with this unknown situation always ending at a stalemate.
And so, the 7 months passed. Former players who weren't traumatized, broken or those who were enchanted by Nexus wrote notes which were then processed and published for all to consult if others were also to be dragged into that world.
"Attention. Nexus Update complete. Download of G-System control and function frame in all subjects. Upload of subjects data as player profiles, complete. Access to Nexus granted. Execute Gen Dive." Said the system notice.
As players logged in, they found out that they could also log out from Nexus, going back and forth between the two worlds. Within that realm, individuals could traverse between reality and virtuality with ease now. But that world was as real as reality. One misstep could lead one to the point of no return.
Days, weeks, months and years passed, and society had adjusted to the changes brought by the System. The benefits brought forward by the system such as the materials found in Nexus, stats, gold among others promoted growth economically and socially. Players continued to login in Nexus to reap profits, explore that new world or abandon their old lives for both the good and bad motives. At that point, the system became a part of the common livelihood of the people.
And now in the present, among the myriad of players, we follow a low-level player named Mia. Having personal problems and concerns back in reality, she escapes into Nexus for a sense of freedom from all her. She roamed the lands in search of quests and adventures accompanied by her friends whom they party-up together regularly. Little did she know, her fate was about to take an unexpected turn.
"Hey Mia, let's login after class. What do you say?" asked one of her friends eagerly, prompting a nod of agreement from Mia.
After their class, they first went to the commercial district and then bought crepes. After eating them, they logged in Nexus.
"Execute Gen Dive" they all said simultaneously as their bodies transformed into small blue rectangular pixels, going from their feet upwards.
After logging in, on a routine quest with her party in one of the numerous fields on the first floor, Mia found herself in the depths of a forest, following the trail of a rustle she heard in the bushes. As she ventured further, she found a Bloody Hare who was right in front of a stone monument with runes inscribed on it.
Determined to complete her quest which was to collect horns from Bloody Hares, she took her wand ready to strike it with a spell. As she launched her spell "Wind Cutter", the hare evaded the attack which hit the monument while the hare after evading, escaped.
However, as she chased after it, the damaged monument started shining brightly which blinded her. As her quest took an unexpected turn, she opened her eyes only to find herself in an unfamiliar place. As she rose up and looked around the surrounding area, she stumbled upon huge doors which seem to lead to a hidden chamber. Intrigued by the mysterious aura emanating from within, she cautiously approached, her curiosity piqued.
Opening the doors and stepping into the chamber, Mia's eyes widened in astonishment as she beheld a sight unlike any other. At the heart of the chamber stood a towering crystal, pulsating with an otherworldly glow. Trapped within the crystal was a young man, his features frozen in a peaceful slumber. Drawn inexplicably to the crystal, Mia reached out tentatively, her fingertips grazing its smooth surface.
To her astonishment, the crystal began to shimmer and crack, fracturing into a thousand shards before her eyes. With a resounding shatter, the crystal shattered completely, releasing the young man from his ethereal prison.
As the shards of the crystal scattered across the chamber floor, Mia's heart pounded with a mixture of fear and exhilaration. Before she could comprehend the gravity of her actions, a deafening roar echoed through the chamber as its doors disappeared without a trace, sending tremors reverberating through the air.
From the shadows emerged a horde of grotesque monsters, their eyes gleaming with malice as they descended upon Mia and the young man. Panic seized her heart as she realized the perilous situation they were in, trapped in a hidden dungeon with no means of escape.
Just as despair threatened to consume her, a soothing voice echoed in her mind, cutting through the chaos like a beacon of hope.
"You have activated the hidden quest: Savior of the Restored Victim" declared the System's voice, infusing Mia with confusion as to what this declaration meant.
With the monsters closing in on them, Mia turned to the young man beside her with a despaired expression as he simply woke up and yawned. As if unfazed by the impending danger he was witnessing, with a casual flick of his wrist, he snapped his fingers, unleashing a wave of energy that engulfed the monsters in a blaze of light.
As the dust settled and the last of the monsters dissipated into nothingness, Mia stared at the young man in awe, her heart filled with admiration and gratitude. In that moment, she realized that she had unwittingly stumbled upon a powerful ally unlike any other in Nexus.
Together, Mia and the enigmatic young man stood amidst the ruins of the crystal chamber, their destinies intertwined by the threads of fate. Little did they know, their journey was only just beginning, and the trials that lay ahead would test their courage, their strength, and their bond as partners in the ever-changing world designed by the system.