"Whoa!"
I almost choked on my food at her sudden remark.
"Wait, wait, hold on! Who likes whom?"
"Huh? You like Yuki-chan, right?"
"I don't like her! I mean, I don't dislike her either!"
"Helping Yuki isn't about like or dislike; it's because we're childhood friends, and I just can't feel at ease when she's not around!"
"Oh, but it sounds like you really do like her."
"That's not it at all!"
Damn it, I really hate these kinds of conversations, especially when they come from my family. After enduring my mother's teasing over breakfast, I sank onto my bed for a moment of respite. Yet, while my body rested, my mind was anything but calm.
Thoughts of what Dad had said circled in my head: about Yuki, about AIWOn, about Arcadia, and more.
Before long, my unease grew unbearable, so I decided to get moving and headed to the Shippūjinrai martial arts dojo. It had been a few days since anyone visited, and the place was a bit dusty, so I cleaned it before slipping into my training gi.
I began with some warm-up exercises to practice the footwork of Shippūjinrai. Then, I grabbed a bokken and refined my footwork again, followed by practicing the steps of the Kenpō Ittōryū. I used the bokken because the movements differ a bit when transitioning from bare hands to wielding a weapon.
That was when I became acutely aware of the differences between my real body and my VR body. If I had been logging in and out frequently, I might not have noticed the disparity. But after a long VR dive, it was clear: my real body's movements simply couldn't keep up with those in the virtual world.
Is this feeling of discomfort unique to me? If the differences between reality and VR were so pronounced, there should be more talk about it. No, in other VRMMOs, the discrepancies are even more noticeable. Perhaps it's because AIWOn has systems that parallel the real world that I can perceive this gap? I'm pretty sure the growth rate in AIWOn is set at 100%. Could that be influencing things as well?
No answers come to mind, so for now, I focus on bridging the gap between my real and virtual bodies. I train relentlessly, honing my footwork. While I do this, I reflect on what my father told me, pondering my next steps. I think, then move my feet; I move, then think — lost in a cycle of relentless motion.
Time slips away, and before I realize it, I've been practicing until evening. After much contemplation, a realization dawns on me, clearing my vision. Simultaneously, my body feels lighter, as if perfectly in sync with my thoughts.
—Shutan!
With a light sound, I dash from one end of the dojo to the other in an instant. Unexpectedly, I've mastered the ultimate technique of the Shippū Jinrai style— Shun. Until now, I had only been using a mere imitation of it in AIWOn, but this is undeniably the true essence of Shun.
Could the influence of the Kenpou Ittō-ryū that my master taught me have played a part? Or perhaps my body instinctively responded now that I've found the answer to the doubts that had been plaguing me?
In any case, there is only one thing I need to do. Yeah, there's no need for hesitation. My mission is to save Yuki.
After finishing my training at the dojo, I set out with renewed determination to visit Aunt Ayako at the hospital to check on Yuki. When I entered Yuki's room, Aunt Ayako was there.
"Oh, Suzanne-kun. Thank you for coming to see Yuki," she said warmly.
"Aunt, I'm sorry, but it seems it will take me a little longer to save Yuki," I replied.
"It's alright. You don't have to worry about that," she said, falling silent afterward.
I too kept silent, focusing on Yuki's face without saying any more than necessary. A heavy silence settled in the room for a while, and then I said my goodbyes to Aunt Ayako and left the room.
"Wait for me, Yuki. I will definitely save you."
Back home, I had dinner with Mom and managed to get a good night's sleep in my own room for the first time in a while.
— May 7, 2059 (Wednesday) —
"Mom, I'm heading out," I called.
"Okay, be careful," she replied.
After breakfast, I made sure to let Mom know before leaving the house. I headed back to ICE and went straight to my father's research lab.
"Have you cooled off a bit?" he asked.
"Yeah, more than enough," I said.
Indeed, after spending all of yesterday moving around, the unnecessary blood that had surged to my head had settled, allowing me to think clearly.
"So what's next for you? Are you really going to dive into AIWOn again to chase an imaginary Arcadia?"
"Dad, Arcadia really exists."
"Oh? What's your evidence?"
"Because it's Arcadia Corporation that created Alive In World Online. The term 'Arcadia' refers to an ideal paradise, right? The true culprits behind the Angel In incident—the executives at Arcadia—are trying to build their own paradise within AIWOn. That's what I believe Arcadia is."
"That's probably why they named the company Arcadia. It's possible that the way Alive In World Online is treated as equivalent to the real world is also tied to this ideal paradise."
"And since AIWOn is a game, Arcadia can't escape those limitations. Creating a world like Arcadia requires debugging, both from outside and inside the game. There must be some sort of access point or emergency exit for adjustments somewhere in Arcadia. After I find Yuki in Arcadia, I plan to search for that."
"That's just Suzanne's imagination. What will you do if you're wrong and end up in a coma yourself?"
"In that case, I'll rely on you, Dad, to figure something out from the outside. I don't have to do everything alone. You're out there, and inside, I have the dependable Amy."
"What I need to do is rely on everyone around me to help Yuki."
As I spoke, my father's stern expression softened into a gentle one.
"Has your vision cleared a little? That's right. Until yesterday, Suzanne wasn't looking outward for help in her efforts to save Yuki."
Reflecting on his words, I realized how absorbed I had been in my struggles to assist Yuki, rushing forward on my own. This single-mindedness had led me to take reckless risks in AIWOn.
"Just understanding that is a step in the right direction. Good grief, did Amy really have to put you in such risky situations to make that clear? Did she plan to let you out at just the right moment too?"
Ah, I see now. By getting hurt badly inside AIWOn, I was meant to realize the implications of my actions outside. It's confusing...
"Well, that aside, we're also gathering information from outside in search of a solution. Suzanne, you need to investigate Arcadia for clues about finding Yuki. But proceed with great caution. Understand? Even with Amy's powers, we can't grasp the full scope of the world inside Arcadia. So far, it seems the only method we've found to navigate it is the Angel Quest."
"Ah, got it... but wait, Dad. Did you know from the beginning that a world called Arcadia really existed?"
"Oops, did I say too much?"
"Too much? That's an understatement! Damn it, I was dancing in the palm of your hand, wasn't I? No, 'dancing' isn't quite right. 'Being guided' is more accurate, I suppose.
...Well, whatever. I guess that's what you'd expect from a father.
After that, I headed to the nurse—today, it's Fujiko Iizuka—before descending once more into the world of Alive In World Online through the VR machine set up for long dives.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
On the Difference in Physical Sensation in VRMMOs: Part 5
153: Anonymous Tester @AIWOn: 2058/4/10 (Thu) 19:11:43 ID: Ken5h0346B
"AIWOn definitely has the most pronounced difference from reality."
154: Anonymous @GGO: 2058/4/10 (Thu) 19:14:15 ID: sc00perHr86
"Right? Other VRMMOs don't seem to have that issue. I wonder why?"
155: Anonymous @VSO: 2058/4/10 (Thu) 19:16:42 ID: Vi888eRvivip
"It's really noticeable how odd my body feels after logging out of AIWOn."
156: Anonymous Tester @AIWOn: 4/10/2058, 7:17 PM ID: ExpL49Ff10
Actually, other VRMMOs have body abilities that are much more unrealistic, so you would think the dissonance in reality would be stronger.
157: Anonymous Tester @FFO: 4/10/2058, 7:20 PM ID: VR36936Dsk
It's because they've incorporated a sensory adjustment feature when logging out, right? It seems AIWOn doesn't have that.
158: Anonymous Tester @DDD: 4/10/2058, 7:22 PM ID: BattelJk810
No, the reason AIWOn feels the most realistic is precisely why it causes such a strong sense of dissonance.
159: Anonymous Tester @FFO: 4/10/2058, 7:22 PM ID: Ba9New3Kcp
The breasts bounce, bounce! They bounce in reality too! The most jarring experience is with AIWOn. After logging out, it bounces the most, lol!
160: Anonymous Tester @AIWOn: 4/10/2058, 7:23 PM ID: ExpL49Ff10
>>157 That's just a rumor, lol. It was a temporary thing, but there is no such feature, haha.
161: Anonymous Tester @AIWOn: 4/10/2058, 7:26 PM ID: Ken5h0346B
Hmm, I think the reason from 158 makes the most sense after all.
162: Anonymous Tester @GGO: 4/10/2058 19:27:15 ID: sc00perHr86
Is the disconnect between real movement and VR movement in other VRMMOs so significant that it actually creates a sense of immersion?
163: Anonymous Tester @VSO: 4/10/2058 19:27:42 ID: Vi888eRvivip
>>159 I'd like a more detailed explanation of how the breasts sway.
164: Anonymous Tester @AIWOn: 4/10/2058 19:31:43 ID: Ken5h0346B
AIWOn is designed to mimic reality, so even in the VR world, it allows for the smoothest body movement. That might be influencing the experience.
165: Anonymous Tester @FFO: 4/10/2058 19:32:29 ID: VR36936Dsk
What? Is this a rumor? Well, thinking about it, if everything is geared to eliminate that sense of disconnect, it's pretty much the same as tinkering with your mind.
166: Anonymous Tester @VSO: 4/10/2058 19:33:42 ID: Vi888eRvivip
>>159 I'd really appreciate a more detailed explanation of how the breasts sway.
167: Anonymous Tester @AIWOn: 4/10/2058 19:34:43 ID: Ken5h0346B
>>165 Whoa, if that's true, that's no joke!
## 168: Anonymous Tester @AIWOn: 2058/4/10 (Thu) 19:36:36 ID: ExpL49Ff10
I guess the only way to bridge the gap between the VRMMO experience and reality is to train my real body?
## 169: Anonymous Tester @VSO: 2058/4/10 (Thu) 19:37:42 ID: Vi888eRvivip
Regarding your earlier comment, I'd like a more detailed explanation about how the breasts move.
## 170: Anonymous Tester @VSO: 2058/4/10 (Thu) 19:39:42 ID: Vi888eRvivip
About that, I would really appreciate a more detailed explanation about the way breasts move.
## 171: Anonymous Tester @DDD: 2058/4/10 (Thu) 19:42:50 ID: BattelJk810
Whoa, just how much are we talking about breasts here?
---AL Year 103, March 25---
Upon awakening in "Alive In World Online" after my soul's return, I found myself in a room at an inn in the coastal town of Boat Port where I had fallen asleep. As I propped myself up in bed and glanced outside, the sun hung high in the sky, suggesting it was around midday. Exiting my room and making my way down to the first-floor dining area, I spotted Ava and Trinity enjoying their lunch.
"Good morning! Though, I guess it's more like good afternoon now," I said.
"I'm glad you finally woke up! I thought you'd never come back," they replied.
The two who spotted me called out, and I decided to sit at their table for my first meal in nearly two days since AIWOn.
"Are we crossing the sea to the Empire of Japan today?" one of them asked.
"Yes, with Snow, we should reach the East End continent in just two to three hours," the other replied.
Under normal circumstances, it would take about a full day to travel this distance by ship from the port town. Considering that, Snow's performance is truly remarkable. As expected of the Silver Drake, a mount specializing in travel; it's no mere decoration.