Searing flames and bubbling magma surrounded the party as they delved deep into a notorious dungeon within a perilous game. Their mission: to slay a colossal fire dragon in one of the highest difficulty levels the game had to offer. This was a realm few players dared to enter.
The fire dragon, enshrouded in blazing flames, relentlessly attacked the players. The tank warrior fought desperately to protect his comrades, but even he was nearing his breaking point. He absorbed blow after blow while the healer, a cleric, struggled to keep up with the mounting injuries. With mana running low, they found themselves in a dire situation.
The young sorceress, having exhausted her mana entirely, appeared to have lost all hope. "It was madness to think we could take down a fire dragon on our own..." she lamented.
"If we wipe here, we'll plummet out of the rankings in one fell swoop," echoed the despairing male thief beside her. His attacks were ineffective against the dragon, leaving him powerless in this dire moment.
This party operated under the banner of a small guild led by a single guild master. Despite not being weak, they were a rapidly growing guild filled with potential, but now they faced an ordeal that threatened to derail their ambitions.
However, it seemed their arrogance had gone too far.
"After all our effort to break into the top hundred, is this where our dream ends...?"
"Master..."
The formidable warrior, the guild master, fought valiantly to protect his disheartened members. He had no regrets—achieving the honor of placing in the top hundred of such a vast VRMMO was no small feat.
Yet, the man pondered. He wished to reach just a little higher, to glimpse the world reserved for the elite, to witness the realm where true power gathered, even if just for a moment.
"Hey, don't give up. You've taken it down halfway, right? Let's push through the rest!"
Suddenly, a man appeared before the guild members. He looked like a swordsman but carried no shield. His armor consisted entirely of cloth, and he wielded a long sword with an extended blade. Dressed predominantly in white, he resembled some kind of hero.
With a carefree demeanor, he watched the rampaging fire dragon.
"Whoa, what a high-level beast! Did you really whittle it down this much? Wow, that's impressive!"
Even in such a precarious situation where an attack could come at any moment, the man bore an air of confidence, radiating an unwavering belief in his strength.
The guild master recognized his face immediately.
There was no way he could forget. He was the very goal the master aspired to reach, the one who stood at the pinnacle of success—now, he stood right before him.
"Eldon..." The guild master clenched his right fist tightly and shouted. "No doubt about it! He's the number one in overall rankings for clearing and defeating—Eldon, the Dragon Slayer!"
"What? He's the TP of all TPs! What's he doing here?" The number one ranking indicated that this man was the strongest entity in the game, a title earned by Eldon, known for hunting dragon.
A solo player who climbed to the top without belonging to any guild, Eldon was the object of admiration for everyone who played the game. He scratched his head sheepishly as he stood before the guild members.
"Well, I ran out of funds, so I thought I'd dig up some gems and strike it rich. Anyway, I'll take 20% of the reward!" He drew his sword, signaling the battle to resume.
The intelligent fire dragon, wary of this sudden challenger, had refrained from attacking until now. But once Eldon unsheathed his sword, everything changed. The dragon let out a massive roar and lunged at Eldon with its powerful claws.
It was the start of close combat. Yet Eldon had no intention of trading blows outright.
"Oh, here we go. Skill: [Jump]!"
"That's... really high..."
Eldon's prowess as a Dragon Slayer stemmed from his exceptionally developed [Jump] skill. With this ability, he could easily take down high-ranking monstrous beasts soaring through the skies.
However, the Fire Dragon was not about to let its foe escape. In the sky, Eldon found himself a prime target as the Dragon unleashed a relentless blast of searing flames.
It seemed the attack struck true, but then Eldon unveiled a surprising tactic.
"Come on, I'm not carrying a shield! Cut me some slack!"
Incredibly, he deflected the flames with his longsword. This left both the rogue and the mage players astounded. The quick-witted rogue seemed to grasp the trick behind it.
"He used the Charge skill to deflect the flames…"
"Charge? That's the skill that knocks opponents back! Can you really do that?"
"Well, he just did it, so what can you say?"
There is hit detection within attack effects, making it theoretically possible. However, executing such a maneuver in the face of a rapidly approaching fireball was beyond what an average person could manage. This was a clear display of Eldon's extraordinary skill.
"Double Slash skill!"
While his guildmates gaped, Eldon broke through the flames and unleashed a flurry of strikes from within the sky. A high-damage attack with two hits. The Dragon could do nothing but let out a massive groan, overwhelmed by the sheer power of the assault.
Having successfully launched his attack, Eldon landed gracefully on the ground. Since the beginning of the battle, he had been soaring through the air, skillfully engaging his enemies. As expected of a dragon hunter adept at jumping.
"What's wrong, fire Dragon? Try to burn me!" he shouted, pointing his blade defiantly at the creature.
He emanated an aura of confidence and dominance that left his fellow guild members speechless.
Set in a grand world spanning seven continents, the game featured strategic combat across twenty-three different classes. It boasted a robust crafting system that appealed to female players, alongside adorable monsters designed to be safe for children.
Released just a month ago, this was the most talked-about game in Japan.
That game was the latest VRMMORPG, **Deepguard**.
During the summer of my first year in high school, I, Renji Inaba, received a copy of this popular VRMMORPG from an acquaintance.
I was directionless, struggling with everything, and barely visible in class. Yet, for the first time, I resolved to embark on a grand adventure of my own choosing. I wanted to commend myself for that decision.
I had never been interested in games and had no intention of taking it seriously. However, for reasons that aren't easy to explain, I found myself in a less than stable mental state. A series of events had led me here, but that's a story for another time.
In the world of swords and magic, **Deepguard**.
Now the full-dive system into the world of data is a common reality. It's a cutting-edge VRMMORPG that fully showcases its capabilities. Unlike other RPGs that focus on realism, this game features a charming, stylized world that has become popular among female players. Its appeal lies not only in combat but also in crafting and trading, further attracting a growing female audience.
A month has passed since the beta test concluded, and the game has now entered a stable phase. The first wave of players has already established themselves, likely leveling up significantly. As a second-wave player, I am stepping into this world, determined to catch up with the veterans and achieve my goals.
However, just a few minutes into the game, I found myself utterly lost.
"Um, what is a job?"
"It refers to your profession in this world. There are three main categories: combat, magic, and crafting. Your chosen job affects your appearance, abilities, and skills."
Surrounded by a blue digital backdrop, I repeatedly questioned the NPC woman brought up by the help feature.
"W-what is a skill?"
"It defines your character's abilities. Skills influence your stats and unique actions. In this game, techniques and spells are also considered skills, which you can level up in the same way."
"I see, but I still don't get it."
After selecting a name and seeing my character's gender and age reflected, I thought I was making good progress—until I encountered this. What is this convoluted design that assumes prior knowledge? Can't they make this a bit more user-friendly for newcomers? Every term I hear is incomprehensible jargon. Indeed, the computer help system is completely ineffective.
"What should I choose? What's the right option?"
"Choosing freely is the essence of this game."
Yes, the hallmark of this online game, DeepGuard, is its unparalleled freedom. Every action presents players with choices—hunting monsters, exploring dungeons, crafting and selling items, attacking other players, or protecting people from those player killers. You really can do anything, but it feels like an insurmountable barrier for new users.
"Now, let me explain the types of jobs. The swordsman can wield all weapons and cast spells, making them versatile. The mage is a high-risk, high-reward role that casts from a distance. The cleric excels in healing, especially through magical support..."
"Stop! I don't want to hear a long explanation!"
I canceled the help function and skipped over the job descriptions. Listening to the explanations of dozens of job types would feel endless, and it was obvious that doing so would only confuse me further. For things like this, it's better to rely on instinct than logic. Or at least, it should be.
"Well, what should I do now…?"
I hadn't played any games lately, not even regular ones. For me, this job selection felt like pure torture.
There were over twenty options: swordsman, mage, priest, fighter…
The swordsman was probably a balanced type using a sword. But so what? I had no idea what made one option better or worse than another. I couldn't decide at all.
"I could just pick something at random, and if I don't like it, reset the selection."
But wait, what if I ended up trapped in an online game world? Wandering around with a randomly chosen job in a place where I had no idea when I could escape…
"What am I thinking?! That's ridiculous!"
Such a scenario was purely fiction, but if it were real, it would be terrifying.
Yet, the more I thought about it, the more fear began to creep in. What if I couldn't get out from here? What would I do then…?
"This is bad. I'm getting more and more scared… I might be digging my own grave here."
At this point, I should just force myself to make a decision. It'll be fine. In these types of games, all choices should be fairly balanced. They must have worked hard to ensure that no option is inherently better or worse. Kudos to the developers.
"Alright, then this option seems like the one…"
The words displayed were [RANDOM SELECT]. Maybe I should just commit and leave everything to chance.
I don't particularly care about visuals or abilities. I'm only playing this game as part of my research. Once I accomplish my goal, I can quit anytime.
Without hesitation, I select the random option. The result?
**Engineer**
"Wow, this is hard to comment on..."
I've drawn something incredibly mundane. I never expected the dullness of the real world to carry over into this one.
As soon as I confirmed my choice, my clothes transformed into those suited for the job. I now wore a charcoal-hued outfit, complete with goggles on my forehead and brown hair. It's a classic engineer look. A massive wrench hangs from my waist, presumably for development work.
I ask an NPC in the help function about the job's features.
"What are the characteristics of this job?"
"This is a production role proficient in machinery. In combat, you can create Ivy items using your unique skill, **Invention**, which can be used for attacking or defending. The downsides are a low aptitude for swords and the inability to use magic."
In a VRMMO that revolves around swords and magic, it's quite absurd to have a job that can't wield either. I wonder if a beginner should really choose such an unconventional role. No, I figured I'd get used to it once I started. That's what I decided to believe.