Ryu fiddled with the visor ( a movable part of helmet) of his brand-new Eternal Nexus Online N-Link headset, looking at the holographic login screen floating in front of him. The tagline below the game's logo read:
"Where legends are forged, and eternity awaits."
Overdramatic much?" he muttered, hesitating for a moment. His childhood friend, Aris, had practically begged him to try the game, claiming it was "the future of gaming." Not convinced. He always loved playing multiplayer games, finding them to be full of drama. RPGs meant playing alone for him, but when his childhood friend turned up at his door brandishing the headset and using her usual stubborn determination on him, it was out of the question to resist.
"Come on, Ryu!" Aris had grinned. "For once, stop being a loner. Try something new! Besides, it's supposed to be incredible—like living in a fantasy world for real!"
Now, here he was, reluctantly giving in.
"Fine," he sighed, lying back on his bed. He tapped the Start button on the screen. A soothing voice echoed through his ears:
"Welcome to Eternal Nexus Online. Prepare for full immersion."
Light enveloped his vision.
Transition painless. One second, he lay on his bed. Next second, he found himself standing in the middle of a bustling medieval city square.
"Whoa…" Ryu breathed, taking in the view. Towering stone buildings reached for the sky, colorful banners waving above cobblestone streets. NPCs and players alike filled the market, their voices a chaotic symphony of life. It was so vivid it almost felt real.
He looked down at himself. His jeans and hoodie had disappeared; instead, a simple leather tunic covered him, along with boots and a belt with a basic iron sword on it. In the corner of his view, a system menu with his stats and gear filled in.
"Level 1… duh," he muttered, swiping the prompt away.
"Ryu!"
He looked around and saw Aris pushing her way through the throng to reach him. She was just what he expected of an adventurer: slim armor, two daggers at her hips, and a cheeky grin. Her avatar looked very similar to the real her - bright eyes and short brown hair.
"Took you long enough!" she said teasingly as she punched him lightly in the shoulder. "Ready to get into it?
Not like I have a choice now," Ryu said, rolling his eyes. "So, what's the plan? Level grinding? Raids?"
Aris smirked. "First, let's get out of this starter zone. I know a great spot for farming XP. Follow me!
As they pushed through the gates of the city and out into the rolling plains, Ryu couldn't help but marvel at how detailed everything was. The tall grasses swayed with the wind, and the far-off mountains looked almost as if one could touch them.
"This is crazy," he said.
"Told you!" Aris grinned. "Now come on. Up ahead is a pack of boars. Let's see if you can actually swing that sword.
An hour of fighting the lower-level monsters and getting the hang of the combat system made Ryu feel the adrenaline start to kick in. The controls were fluid, and the rush of dodging an enemy's attack and landing a critical hit was addictive.
"You're not bad for a first-timer," Aris said, tossing him a healing potion.
"Not bad?" Ryu scoffed. "I've been carrying you this whole time."
"Keep dreaming," she shot back, laughing.
A little sunlight remained in the skies that afternoon as the sun dizzied over the fields, while simultaneously a chime echoed around the air.
"Notice, players. A special announcement is about to proceed."
Ryu froze at that moment. The voice was not coming from his interface—it was everywhere. And for that reason, the whole world was speaking.
Ryu turned to Aris, "What is going on?"
"No idea, Aris replied. Must be some kind of event". Though her brow furrows a little.
A huge red flag rose from the sky, and a cheerful atmosphere about the game seemed to darken. A figure materialized above them: a man in a long black coat, hood hiding his face. His voice was cold and commanding.
"Welcome to Eternal Nexus Online. I am Zenith, creator of this world."
Ryu's stomach tied in a knot. Something in the tone of the man chilled his spine.
"As of this moment," Zenith continued, "the true game begins. You all have been chosen to be in a very extraordinary experiment. There is however one rule that you all must know: death here means more than losing your avatar. When you die in this world, all of your memories will be erased and you will stop being the same as you used to be."
"What the hell?" Ryu whispered as his blood ran cold.
Around him, others players shouted in confusion.
"This's gotta be a joke," she said, though her voice quavered. "Right?"
Zenith threw up a hand, calming the crowd. "Your N-Link devices can't log out now. This is your only way out-clear that final dungeon and the Nexus Keeper. Until then, my control of your memory, and freedom, isn't going anywhere.
A wave of panic spread throughout the players as one.
"Is he serious?" Ryu opened his menu and asked, shaking his head. Of course, the logout button had vanished.
"This is insane," Aris said, tossing her head. "It's just a game!"
Zenith's voice thundered once again. "To demonstrate my sincerity, I have prepared a demonstration." He clicked his fingers.
A group of players nearby suddenly collapsed, their bodies dissolving into particles of light. Instead of respawning, however, their names disappeared from the system interface.
"They're… gone," Aris whispered, her face pale.
Ryu clenched his fists, his mind racing. This was no game anymore. It was survival.
The final words of Zenith resonated ominously:
"Welcome to your new reality. Let the Nexus consume you.
As the dark figure disappeared, chaos erupted. Players screamed, some running aimlessly, others falling to their knees in shock. Ryu grabbed Aris's arm.
"We need to move," he said firmly.
"Where?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Anywhere but here. If this is real, we can't afford to stay in one place."
Aris nodded, her expression hardening. "You're right. If we're going to survive, we need to level up fast.
As he sprinted back toward the city, Ryu's thoughts churned. The stakes had never been higher, and failure was not an option.
For the first time, he wasn't playing a game. He was fighting for his life—and his memories.