In less than three minutes, the beta test for Minecraft Online would begin.

Lucas rubbed his hands together in excitement.

When he was a child, his father often invited him to play Minecraft, and they would spend entire days exploring the blocky world together.

His father had once told him that Minecraft carried the essence of his youth.

From his early days in elementary school to his years in college and then to work, his father was deeply immersed in the game.

Back then, he had a group of like-minded friends who gathered online to explore the game and share their adventures.

However, as time passed, these friends drifted apart, and no one was left to accompany his father in mining and crafting within the game.

Lucas remembered a day when his father pointed at the buildings on the screen and began introducing them one by one.

"This is your Uncle Milic Tea's house."

"And this over here is your sister Orange's farm."

"This is..."

One by one, his father shared the stories behind each structure.

Every building held countless treasured memories.

Lucas noticed that at some point, his father's eyes had turned red, filled with emotion.

Lucas's mother appeared behind them, knelt down beside his father, and comforted him softly.

By the way, Lucas should mention that his parents had also met in Minecraft.

His father would often say, "I have no regrets about entering this world, and I would want to be a square person again in the next life."

As the child of two avid Minecraft players, Lucas had grown up influenced by the game.

However, none of his peers shared the same interest or passion for the mosaic-quality graphics of Minecraft.

Nobody wanted to play with him, and Lucas often found himself isolated in this regard.

But everything changed when the Craftsman Company, which had been silent for years, suddenly announced at a press conference the launch of Minecraft Online, the sequel to the beloved game.

Lucas was incredibly fortunate to secure one of the 10,000 limited beta activation codes.

Along with the code, he received the latest holographic simulation gaming helmet developed by Craftsman.

Excitement coursed through Lucas as he carefully put on the helmet and lay down on his bed.

Unlike traditional VR games, Minecraft Online boasted a revolutionary immersive holographic simulation technology.

Players would enter a deep sleep state after wearing the helmet, and all actions in the game would be controlled through brainwave feedback.

The system was so advanced that it could simulate the sensations of taste, temperature, and even smell.

For those who sought a challenge, it even offered the option to enable pain simulation.

"Welcome to the Magic Craftsman holographic simulation game helmet. Brainwave scanning in progress," the system intoned.

"Identity verification successful. Connecting to the Minecraft Online server. Please wait."

After a brief pause, a glowing light curtain appeared before Lucas, and a small, blocky character resembling him slowly rotated on the screen.

The game employed advanced data collection technology, including realistic avatar creation.

Additionally, the helmet monitored players' physical conditions, automatically disconnecting them from the game if they experienced any discomfort.

In severe cases, it could even call emergency services to dispatch an ambulance.

Lucas briefly thought over what name to choose for his character.

After some thought, he decided on a new ID: Pendragon.

Once his character was created, the system began loading the new world for him.

As the loading process completed, Lucas felt a brief moment of darkness before he lost consciousness and entered a deep sleep state.

When Lucas opened his eyes again, he found himself staring at a massive square that spanned tens of thousands of square meters. It was already crowded with players, all exploring their surroundings with curiosity.

Lucas looked down to find a small backpack and a game guide provided by the system.

He was wearing the default skin, which was included for all new players.

Opening the game guide, Lucas was met with a series of basic crafting recipes.

He couldn't help but smile to himself; he had memorized these recipes by the age of three.

All around him, other players were struggling to make sense of the game.

"What is this? Is this long stick just a stick?"

"Why is everything made of squares? This is so unrealistic!"

Lucas chuckled at their comments. Unrealistic? Talking about realism in Minecraft was missing the point entirely.

The square where they had spawned was surrounded by towering stone walls.

A few adventurous players began climbing the walls, their movements nimble and agile. One particularly confident player mocked the crowd below:

"Ha! We're the first to escape the spawn point. You losers can stay down there forever!"

However, just as he was about to reach the top, a bolt of lightning struck him.

His body froze, his face blackened, and his hair stood on end before he tumbled down.

Other climbers nearby suffered the same fate, screaming as they fell.

Before their bodies hit the ground, they disintegrated into glowing particles and disappeared.

The entire crowd fell silent.

Players exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to do next.

Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice resonated through the square.

"I didn't expect such enthusiasm," it said.

The players looked up to see a figure floating in the center of the square.

He was a bald man with a thick black beard, dressed in gray pants and a brown shirt.

His half-smile and gleaming white teeth gave him an air of mischief, though his dull eyes made him look somewhat humorous.

"Welcome to Minecraft Online! I am the creator of this game. You can call me Notch," the man announced.

Lucas stared at him in awe.

Notch was a legendary figure in the Minecraft community, a name that Lucas had always thought was more myth than reality.

If Notch truly existed, did that mean other urban legends in the Minecraft universe—like Herobrine or Disc 11—could also be real? The thought filled him with excitement and anticipation.

Notch continued, "I will now explain the rules of Minecraft Online. Please pay close attention."

Lucas leaned forward, eager to hear every word.

With a sly smile, Notch declared, "Here, there are no rules."