Deon Infinity, a dedicated gamer and highly sought-after beta tester, was thrilled to be selected for the newest VR experience from NEXA Corp: Fallout: Infinite Realms. According to the invitation, this wasn't just another game—it was a fully immersive, sensory experience where players could walk the irradiated wastelands, survive in the Commonwealth, and interact with a virtual world that felt as close to real life as possible.

Deon had signed the nondisclosure agreements, glanced at the lengthy terms, and soon found himself inside the sleek, high-tech NEXA testing facility. It wasn't long before he was briefed on the Neural Dive Station, a rig that supposedly synced with his mind and senses, "uploading" him directly into the game. He had tested countless VR games, but this sounded like it would blow them all away.

Once he was settled into the station, he donned the headset, his heart racing with anticipation. A calm, synthetic voice began the countdown as his consciousness faded.

"Welcome to Fallout: Infinite Realms, Deon," the voice said softly. The world around him melted into darkness.

When his vision returned, Deon stood in a brightly lit room filled with holographic screens, each labeled with character customization options. As he moved his hands through the air, he felt as if he were touching the screens themselves, the interface responding to his every thought and motion with an eerie, lifelike sensitivity.

First, he adjusted his character's physical appearance. He gave himself rich chocolate skin, vibrant white hair, and striking purple eyes that glowed slightly. Standing at an imposing 6 feet, his avatar looked every bit as confident and powerful as he felt. A hint of a grin crossed his face as he admired his character's polished, handsome look.

Next came the SPECIAL stats, and with a total of 40 points to distribute, he made his selections with purpose, balancing his choices for intelligence, charisma, and perception.

SPECIAL Stats:

Strength: 5

Perception: 6

Endurance: 5

Charisma: 6

Intelligence: 7

Agility: 5

Luck: 6

With stats done, he moved on to perks. Choosing the Vault Dweller backstory, he gained five starting perks that perfectly suited his style:

Starting Perks:

1. Solar Powered – Gains strength and health regeneration in sunlight.

2. Lead Belly – Reduces risk from eating contaminated food and drink.

3. Sneak – Enhances his ability to move undetected.

4. Charisma Boost – Improves his persuasion skills in dialogue and bartering.

5. Lone Wanderer – Increases endurance and reduces damage when traveling alone.

With everything finalized, Deon confirmed his character setup, feeling confident and eager to dive into the Commonwealth. But as the screens began to fade, he noticed an odd flickering around him. He barely had time to register the glitch before the sterile room dissolved into blackness.

An icy chill jolted Deon awake. His muscles ached, and his skin prickled with cold as he opened his eyes to an unsettling sight—a cryo-chamber pod, its walls covered with a thin layer of frost. Through the window, he could make out the faint, sterile lights of Vault 111.

"Wait… where am I?" he muttered, but his voice sounded strange, even to himself. He struggled, finding himself locked in the tight space, arms pressing against the pod walls. He banged against the glass, but his muscles felt sluggish, as if they were waking up alongside him.

With a hiss, the pod released, filling the air with cold mist as the door swung open. Deon stumbled out, gasping for breath. Everything felt real—the frigid air, the weight of his own body, the metallic clang of his boots against the floor. His breath fogged in the air as he steadied himself.

Instinctively, he tried to bring up the VR menu to log out, but… nothing. There was no interface, no control panel—just the cold, silent walls of Vault 111 around him.

"This has to be some kind of glitch," he whispered, tapping his Pip-Boy out of habit. The device lit up on his wrist, displaying the SPECIAL stats, perks, and inventory exactly as he'd set them. He found a handful of basic supplies: a Stimpak, a battered 10mm pistol, and a few rounds of ammo.

Checking his status didn't provide any relief. There was no log-out option, no in-game menu. It was as if the system never existed.

"Alright… I'll just have to find my way out of here," he thought, suppressing the gnawing sense of panic rising in his chest. He took a deep breath, channeling his focus. He was the Vault Dweller now, and survival would mean relying on everything he'd set up: his perks, skills, and instincts.

Deon walked through the dim, empty halls of Vault 111, every sound amplified in the eerie silence. Flickering emergency lights and the faint sound of dripping water filled the vault's interior, adding to the tension. He spotted skeletons, rusted terminals, and locked storage rooms, all haunting reminders of a catastrophe that had occurred long before his awakening.

He soon found himself at a vault door control terminal. A gentle hum of electricity indicated it was still active, and with a touch, the massive steel door started to unlock. It groaned as gears turned and the vault entrance creaked open, revealing the wasteland beyond.

As sunlight flooded in, his Solar Powered perk activated, and he felt a surge of warmth and strength. The sunlight was harsh and dry, beating down on a landscape of twisted trees, crumbling buildings, and an endless expanse of wilderness.

Deon's gaze lingered on the desolate Commonwealth for a moment before he took his first step outside, his heart pounding. The map on his Pip-Boy lit up, marking his position in the world. No longer confined by the Vault, he had the entire wasteland at his disposal.

He hadn't walked far before the first threat appeared—a group of radroaches, skittering over the cracked ground toward him. He raised his pistol, the weight and recoil of it feeling far heavier and more real than any in-game weapon he'd ever used. He pulled the trigger, the crack of the shot echoing around him as the radroach convulsed, then fell still.

Each encounter felt brutal and intense, reminding him that he wasn't just "playing" anymore—this was survival. His Lead Belly perk proved useful soon after when he found a stale, irradiated can of food. He hesitated but ate it, feeling only a faint twinge of nausea, and continued on, relying on his skills and wits as he scrounged for resources.

Hours passed, but with each step, Deon adjusted to the strange, new reality of the Commonwealth. His Lone Wanderer perk eased some of the burden, giving him a subtle sense of resilience. His Sneak perk allowed him to avoid a raider patrol, slipping into the shadows of an abandoned gas station until they moved on.

As he continued exploring, Deon couldn't shake the feeling of isolation. The world was vast, hauntingly beautiful, and terrifyingly real, every shadow and sound hinting at hidden dangers. And yet, despite the unknowns, he felt a strange thrill—this was the ultimate challenge, a life-or-death game with no reset button, no log-out option.