It had been four years since the discovery of Neural Link technology, and its introduction took place five months later.
The entire world saw it as a major breakthrough, and honestly, it was– in fact, it was a revolution.
Unlike traditional VR, which relied on external hardware, the Neural Link connected directly to the human brain, allowing users to experience digital worlds with all five senses, just like reality.
The internet transformed overnight. Social spaces, workplaces, and even education systems adapted to the new technology, with every browser and the latest devices integrating it seamlessly.
And that was when Voidborn Tales was created.
A year after Neural Link had been fully integrated into everything, including smartphones, the industry's trailblazers decided to test its limits by developing a VR apocalypse game.
Voidborn Tales became one of the first games to fully utilize the technology, marking another milestone in the industry's history.
Thanks to the Neural Link's immersive features, everything in the game felt astonishingly real.
Players could feel the weight of their weapons, the ache of exhaustion after running, every sensation was replicated. However, to prevent harm, a limit was placed on pain perception.
The game blurred the line between reality and fiction. Even without the Link, Voidborn Tales was a masterpiece.
Weapons ranged from traditional to modern, bullets and swords alike were viable choices. Every kind of weapon existed, not to mention the game's unique class system.
That was what made it feel alive.
That was what made Han Sol love it.
A month after the game's release, Han and his friends had purchased the full VR setup, despite the price. But for him, it was affordable.
Noise-canceling headphones, visors, and gloves provided an incredibly immersive experience. For those who couldn't sit still while playing, arcades offered specialized halls designed for movement-based gameplay.
These halls featured cushioned walls, canvas floors, and harnesses to ensure player safety.
---
[The Enemy's Armor is Almost Done For.]
[Mana Points Depleted.]
[Enemy Has Lost an Arm.]
WARNING: SAFE ZONE WILL CLOSE IN THIRTY SECONDS.
"Han, finish it!"
Yoo Jisoo's voice rang through the comms, barely masking her exhaustion as she continued firing unnaturally long bullets to weaken the boss.
The battlefield they stood on, was a wasteland, or rather, a ruined city. Above them, the sky split with violet cracks as the final boss let out a shriek.
Han's sword shot through the air from the angle he had thrown it.
The heavy blade cut through the trees and embedded itself in the boss's grotesque body, earning another ear-piercing screech.
"Hold your ground!" Han called out. He stepped in front of Jisoo when she stumbled back, pulling out another sword.
"Trying!" she snapped. "But in case you haven't noticed, I'm out of mana!"
"You and me both," Donghyun muttered, rolling his shoulders. His daggers flickered in his hand. The once-brilliant glow from a while ago had handed leaving just dull metal.
"Guess I'll just stab it till it dies."
"Of course, that's your plan," Nari scoffed and tightened her grip around her staff.
Han glanced at..his friends. They fought together for two years, through raids, wars, and impossible challenges.
Their bond was shown in everything.
They always wore the same skins in every match, whether it was the sleek black combat suits, the female clown, or their current favorite, The Order, a set of nun, bishop, and priest skins.
And their class choice that was always effective.
Nari shoved her staff into the boss's jaw and leaped back, creating an opening for whoever still had enough EP to attack.
Han jumped, reaching the boss's blind spot right at the center of the black sun.
The heavy sword, that was already stuck in the beast's body, reappeared in his hands. Then, he descended like a rock...or in this case a meteor.
[Transferring MP and EP to Weapon.]
Han smirked as his sword glowed with dark purple light and plunged his sword into the boss's eyes.
And that wasn't all, he pushed it deeper into the beast's skull, till blue ichor splattered everywhere as its body split in two and disintegrated.
For a second, there was silence.
[Congratulations. You Have Completed Voidborn Tales.]
[Server Will Now Shut Down.]
Han let out a sigh and lowered his sword, searching for what to say, but Jisoo spoke up first. "...It's over?"
Donghyun chuckled, though there was no real humor in it. "Guess this is where we say goodbye."
"Yeah," Nari muttered, looking away. "I mean… we'll keep in touch."
They all knew that was a lie. The game had kept them together. Without it, life would pull them apart.
They were from different countries, different time zones, Seoul, Japan, and while Nari lived in Newyork.
Han wanted to say something, but he didn't. Instead, he just nodded. He had already accepted his fate—there was no need to say anything else.
"We'll still talk, don't worry, you guys, alright?" Jisoo said, and they all agreed in unison, except Han, who already knew how it would turn out.
One by one, they logged off.
Then the final notification popped up.
[Server Disconnected.]
---
Han tried to move on, so he went into teaching. It was fine. He had always been good at it, even during his college days.
His students at the academy were smart, and he enjoyed watching them figure things out, reading the confusion on their faces before it would finally click. But it wasn't the same.
There was no thrill. Just lectures, equations, and the occasional debate about outdated security models.
As he prepared to head home for the day, a student approached him after class, frowning down at their notes. "Professor Han, I think there's a mistake here."
Han glanced over the equation. "Good catch. Fix this variable, and it should balance out."
The student nodded, satisfied. Han offered a small smile before packing up his things.
Outside, the school grounds were filled with life, students laughed, chatted, and hurried to their next class.
Han blended into the crowd, adjusting his head warmer and glasses, ones he actually enjoyed wearing, despite his eye problems.
His entire outfit and demeanor remained dull, just like every other person around him.
And he was just twenty-one years old, yet he felt like a seventy-year-old man with too many regrets behind him.
The train ride home was quiet. Han sat by the window, watching the streaks of neon lights pass by as he idly scrolled through his socials.
[Neural Link Company Announces New AI Prototype… Speculations Rise on Possible New Game.
He sighed. Nothing would ever be like Voidborn.
His mind drifted back to those moments when he'd log off after the others at 2 a.m., setting his visor on his desk, already excited for the next day.
Now all that was over....
Jisoo focused on her gymnastics tournaments, Nari went back to college, and Donghyun continued touring and hosting concerts after signing his idol contract.
His mind always drifted to the maps in VBT, where it felt like he was living an adventure.
He couldn't help but feel regret every time, and the emptiness he felt was nothing compared to going hungry for days.
In fact, he'd prefer that over feeling like he had accomplished nothing.
His fingers tapped idly against his phone screen, randomly scrolling through the Discord chat from VBT. It was silent.
They had promised to stay in touch.
Even Jisoo, the one who had been the most insistent, had stopped messaging after the first few weeks.
He sighed and leaned back into the seat.
He thought it would be better if he forgot about the game like they did. At least that way, he could find peace, maybe even something thrilling to do.
Bungee jumping was nice. Aerial sports were also an option.
Good thing he knew how to fly a fighter jet, something he was grateful to his high school's summer lessons for.
Lost in thought, the vibration in his hand pulled him back. His phone screen lit up with a notification.
At first, he assumed it was another work email. Maybe a late-night message from a student.
But when he glanced at the screen, he froze.
[Installing…]
His brows furrowed. He didn't downloaded anything. His security settings were airtight—nothing should be installing without permission.
Yet, the progress bar continued.
[98%…]
[99%…]
[100%. Installation Complete.]
He looked around to make sure no one was watching him. But when he glanced down again, his breathing paused.
[You have received a gift. Would you like to open it?]
"A gift?"
"From who?"
"Today isn't my birthday...right?"
He tapped the screen, expecting some scam or phishing attempt. But there was no indication of where it had come from, just a simple prompt displayed there.
[Would you like to open it?]