Five years ago, a VRMMORPG named Earthisia suddenly gained immense popularity. No one knew who developed it or which company managed it—it just appeared. Players could order a VR helmet online, and the next day, it would mysteriously show up outside their door as if by magic.
Online forums were filled with debates. Some believed Earthisia was the work of a secret organization, others suspected it was a covert extraterrestrial project. There were even rumors that an advanced AI had created it as a simulation of another world. Yet, no one could find the truth.
Earthisia captivated players with its vast and boundless world—so expansive that even after years, no one had discovered its edges. The game's realism was breathtaking, from its stunning landscapes to dynamic weather and creatures that seemed alive. What truly set it apart was its lack of pain suppressors. Injuries in the game were felt as they would be in real life—intense and undiluted, though not lethal. This heightened the thrill, making every battle and exploration feel like a real adventure.
The danger, the magic, and the potential to be different made the game irresistible. For many, it was an escape from reality—a place to chase dreams of success and power.
Gerry Frey, a 17-year-old boy, had brown eyes, black hair, and sharp features. His tall stature and natural talent in almost everything made him stand out, but despite his abilities, Gerry was unlucky.
"Everyone seems to be talking about this game. Does it really work like that?" Gerry muttered to himself, frowning.
Although talented, Gerry's life was far from easy. His parents had died in an accident, leaving him and his younger sister, Lila, to fend for themselves. Lila, just two years younger, was his priority. Gerry worked tirelessly at a convenience store to pay her tuition while managing school during the day. His weekdays were a constant grind, and weekends were reserved for spending time with Lila.
One evening at the convenience store, two students were chatting loudly while picking out snacks.
"Hey, what level are you in Earthisia? I'm already Level 58 with a Knight class," one bragged.
"Pfft, 58? That's weak. I'm Level 97 with a Swordsman class," the other shot back.
Their conversation faded as another customer entered the store. A blonde-haired boy approached the counter with a grin.
"Boss, long time no see! How are you doing?" asked Raven, Gerry's classmate.
"I've been busy working to save up for my sister's tuition, but I'll be back at school tomorrow," Gerry replied.
"Boss, you should try Earthisia. I heard you can make a lot of money there. It's way better than working at a convenience store," Raven suggested.
"Really? I thought only streamers earned money through donations," Gerry replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Nah, it's more than that. If you get rare items or equipment, you can sell them to other players. People pay good money for rare stuff. It's hard to get, though," Raven explained.
"I'll think about it. I've got some extra savings after my next paycheck," Gerry said thoughtfully.
Raven's phone rang, cutting their conversation short. "I've gotta go, Boss. Just think about it—you're the most talented guy I know. You'd probably be stronger than most players in no time."
"Alright, take care on your way back," Gerry replied as Raven left the store.
Outside, Raven answered his phone. "Hello? Yeah, I tried to convince him to play. It's only a matter of time now."
That night, Gerry returned home, where his little sister was waiting for him.
"I'm home. What's for dinner tonight?" Gerry asked as he entered.
"Fried pork with a special sauce—my specialty! I feel like something exciting is going to happen soon," Lila replied cheerfully.
As they ate, the news played on the TV. Once again, Earthisia was the headline.
"For today's top story, Yana, the only daughter of the Glade conglomerate, has discovered a legendary class called 'Archmage's Apprentice.' It has garnered significant attention in the game. Meanwhile, no one has uncovered the main storyline quest yet," the news anchor reported.
"Yana..." Gerry muttered under his breath.
Years ago, when his parents were still alive, Gerry's family was as influential as the Glades. He and Yana had been close friends, but after his parents' deaths, everything changed. The Glades took over their family's company, leaving Gerry with nothing but their house. He distanced himself from everyone, even Yana, whom he blamed for his family's downfall.
Later that night, Gerry made up his mind. After paying Lila's tuition, he used the remaining money to order a VR helmet.
The following morning, Gerry found a box outside his door. It was the VR helmet, labeled only with his name and address. He set it aside and went to school, Quiranes High, to catch up on the classes he had missed.
Despite his absences, Gerry managed to stay second in the entire school. His sharp intellect and determination kept him afloat. His seat at the back corner of the classroom by the window allowed him to focus on his notes undisturbed.
"Gerry, it's been three days since you came to school. Here are my notes from those days. I simplified the content to make it easier to understand," Yana said, handing him her notebook.
"I don't need it. I can handle this on my own. Just leave me alone," Gerry replied coldly.
Yana's expression turned sad. "You've been different ever since your parents died. It's like you're not the same person anymore."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she walked away. Gerry ignored her and continued studying. Raven, however, was absent that day.
Sure! Here's the revised version with improved grammar and structure:
Back in his home, Gerry started to put on his VR helmet and prepare to dive into Earthisia. As soon as the helmet was secured, a jolting experience hit him, like riding a roller coaster, falling down a steep drop.
Then, he found himself in a gray world. A small screen appeared, prompting him to input a name.
There was no character customization in the game, but players could edit their In-Game Name (IGN). Without much thought, Gerry typed "Grey," a name that held no particular meaning, simply because the world around him was still dull and gray. As soon as he entered his name, however, the world began to change. A buzzing wind stirred the air, the grass fluttered in the breeze, and rays of light broke through the clouds, illuminating the scene. Soon, large letters appeared before him: Welcome to the world of Earthisia. They vanished just as quickly as they came.
Gerry opened his map screen, but it was empty. The game didn't offer a map unless players either bought one or explored the area themselves.
He found himself in the middle of a vast plain with no equipment. A bit confused, Gerry wandered around, noticing that there were no other players nearby. He must have been spawned into an unexplored part of the world, far from any of the game's usual starting zones. He walked for what felt like hours, and eventually, in the distance, he spotted a kingdom. It looked a lot farther than he initially thought.
But before heading toward the kingdom, Gerry figured he should level up first. He needed to farm a bit before making the long journey.
On his way, he came across some wild rabbits—low-level monsters, perfect for a beginner like him.
He noticed three wild bunnies grazing nearby and, without hesitation, he chased after them. The wild rabbits were quick, but Gerry managed to corner them, landing punch after punch, knocking them down one by one.
Lvl. 2 Wild Rabbit has been slain. You have gained 12 XP.
You have leveled up!
Lvl. 1 Wild Rabbit has been slain. You have gained 8 XP.
Lvl. 2 Wild Rabbit has been slain. You have gained 12 XP.
You have leveled up!
Soon after, Gerry opened his status window to check his progress and increase his stats.
[Status Window]
• Name: Grey
• Level: 3
• Class: None
• Title: None
Primary Stats:
• Strength: 1 → +2 Physical Damage
• Dexterity: 1 → +1% Attack Speed
• Constitution: 1 → +1% Physical Resistance
• Intelligence: 1 → +1 Mana Regen/Second
• Wisdom: 1 → +1% Magical Resistance
• Luck: 1 → +0% Rare Drop Rate
• Charisma: 1 → +0% NPC Favorability
• Perception: 1 → +0% Trap Detection
• Endurance: 1 → +2 Stamina Regen/Second
• Willpower: 1 → +0% Mental Resistance
Secondary Stats:
• HP: 100 (Base)
• MP: 50 (Base)
• Defense: 1
• Evasion: 0%
• Unallocated Points: 6
He farmed all the way to the kingdom, reaching level 18. Along the way, he saw several other players farming for mobs. They were all newbies, just like him.
The newbies seemed to be struggling against a wild boar, which was level 5. When one player was about to be eliminated, Grey used his fast, agile movements and punched the boar multiple times, killing it and causing it to drop a magic stone.
"Thank you! If not for you, I would've experienced the dying part of the game. Though, I do want to feel it once," a player named Okeru thanked Grey with a smile.
Gerry thought that this player was a masochist. Imagining dying in the game scared him. After eliminating the boar, it seemed that an earthquake occurred, signaling the spawn of a field boss. Grey thought that he could take it on, so he rushed to the area where the boss was spawning.
Many players had gathered in the area, all ranging from levels 10 to 20, as if an event were taking place. In Earthisia, field bosses were much harder to kill than regular dungeon or gate bosses. These bosses required the cooperation of multiple teams or even an entire guild to defeat. Field bosses usually spawned after a lot of their minions were killed, but there were specific conditions to meet before they appeared. In some cases, a unique field boss would spawn without any conditions—it would just show up suddenly. All unique field bosses had their own titles. Their level could range from 100 to the max level, though no one knew what the max level was. The highest level seen in Earthisia was Level 204, which had appeared five years ago.
Determined to gain some profit, Grey went to the field area where the boss was spawning. The boss was a giant wild boar named Warhog, level 25. Grey, with no equipment, except for the newbie clothes he received when entering the game went to the area.
Upon arriving at the scene, several players were already pouncing on the boss—mages casting spells, swordsmen attacking. Players could choose their class at level 10 at the nearby kingdom or the Adventurer's Guild, as mentioned in the beginner's guide on a wiki.
With so many players already besieging the boss, it was only a matter of time before they killed it. Gerry decided to make sure he took the last hit on the boss, guaranteeing that he would receive a rare piece of equipment. But just as he was about to land the final blow, an earthquake shook the area.
A silhouette of a giant dog, with the face of a dragon, appeared in the distance. It was a Level 100 field boss named Growler, with the title "The One Who Eats." Gerry ran as fast as he could, remembering what he'd heard about the game's pain system—if he was eaten by that giant monster, he would feel everything.
He sprinted away, heading opposite to where the kingdom was. After running for a while, he eventually reached a nearby forest. Just as his luck would have it, he tripped and fell into a hole. A portal appeared beneath him, pulling him in. Luckily, the monster couldn't fit into the hole, and the terrifying roar of Growler grew faint as it moved away.
After falling through the portal, he found himself in a strange cavern filled with statues. At the end of the path, there was a book. The book appeared to be blank, and Gerry realized it was likely an unidentified item. Maybe he could sell it for a fortune.
Thinking about the money he could make, Gerry grabbed the book. But as soon as he touched it, the statues around him began to move. Panicked, he quickly grabbed the book, and an explosion occurred. He died instantly.
"You died," the system's voice announced.
"Main Quest has progressed to 1%," it continued.
"You have been..." Gerry saw part of the message before the world went dark.
Gerry groaned in his bed, shouting in pain as he remembered the explosion. The sensation of dying in the game had felt too real, but at least he had the book.
Meanwhile, in a distant mansion, a man smiled as he watched the news. "So, it begins. The main quest has appeared."
"After five years since Earthisia launched, the main quest has finally surfaced, and players have been trying to figure out its conditions," a news anchor reported on TV. "In addition, the Glade family has posted a bounty of $100,000 for any information leading to the discovery of the main quest."
Back in the real world, Gerry was unaware of the uproar his actions had caused. He had a 24-hour death penalty before he could log back into the game. He had no idea that his actions had already sparked a chain of events across the gaming community.
It was the weekend, so Gerry had the day off. He decided to spend it with his little sister. They went to Nyalimi, a fast food restaurant their parents used to take them to, then went shopping at a nearby mall called SM Super Mall to buy his sister some new clothes. Afterward, they went to the cinema to watch a horror movie, then took a walk around Wisdom Park. By the time they returned home, Gerry had almost forgotten about his death penalty in the game.
Feeling that the penalty might have passed, Gerry retreated to his room to grab his VR helmet. He still couldn't get used to the feeling of logging in—like being pulled through the system menu in a roller coaster plunge.
"That was scary and thrilling at the same time," Gerry muttered to himself as he prepared to enter the game again.
After the 24-hour penalty had passed, Gerry logged back into Earthisia. He immediately checked his inventory, but the book was no longer there. When he saw his stats, his heart sank. He had received a new passive skill called Forever Level 1, with no description other than its name. It was bound to him and couldn't be removed. He also had a new title: Cursed by the Ancient One, which boosted all of his stats by 15.
[Status Window]
• Name: Grey
• Level: 1 (Forever Level 1 - Curse)
• Class: None
• Title: Cursed by the Ancient One (+15 to all primary stats, immunity to basic status ailments)
Primary Stats:
• Strength: 15 → +30 Physical Damage
• Dexterity: 15 → +7% Attack Speed
• Constitution: 15 → +7% Physical Resistance
• Intelligence: 15 → +3 Mana Regen/Second
• Wisdom: 15 → +5% Magical Resistance
• Luck: 15 → +2% Rare Drop Rate
• Charisma: 15 → +5% NPC Favorability
• Perception: 15 → +10% Trap Detection
• Endurance: 15 → +10 Stamina Regen/Second
• Willpower: 15 → +5% Mental Resistance
Secondary Stats:
• HP: 150 (Base)
• MP: 50 (Base)
• Defense: 30
• Evasion: 5%
Current Effects:
• Passive Skill: Forever Level 1 (Prevents leveling; cannot be removed)
• Buff: Cursed by the Ancient One (+15 to all primary stats)
Unallocated Points: 0
Now, Gerry faced an impossible question: What would he do in this newfound game? He couldn't order another helmet, as this one was bound to him. Would he continue his journey in Earthisia, or would he be satisfied with his life in the real world?