Volume 2 Chapter 14 VRMMO
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Do you know about a game called VRMMO?”
I thought I could just relax back at the inn, but an unexpected guest was waiting for me.
Mr. Kondou Seiya, 32 years old, apparently a detective inspector from the police.
Isn’t a detective inspector a pretty big deal?
He’s a solidly built, athletic-looking handsome guy.
Decked out in leather armor, wielding a one-handed sword and a small round shield.
For a level 18 warrior, his gear seems kinda lackluster, but maybe it’s not his real gear since we’re in town/street.
His gaze is a bit intimidating, but if it comes down to it, I could restrain him with Ms. Ant.
VRMMO is the kind of online game where you dive into a virtual reality world, just like in anime or light novels, right?
Unfortunately, it looks like it’ll take some more time to become a reality, but there are already theme parks where you can have a simulated experience.
A famous one is Destinyland’s popular attraction, “Death Game Online.”
Like its name suggests, it has a setting where you get trapped in a VRMMO world, and you can adventure around the theme park.
Being local, I’ve been there about 3 times.
Even though it’s a world of swords and magic, players can only choose to be magicians, which is a little ridiculous, but the show is flashy, and I had quite a bit of fun.
Once you put on the virtual device, which are goggles and gloves handed out at the entrance, it looks like you can use magic inside the park.
You just aim with the gloves to lock onto a target, recite a magic spell, and magic activates in exchange for MP.
At first, speaking out loud felt a bit embarrassing, but once I got used to it, it became pretty fun, and I went wild casting spells.
You can buy MP recovery potions in the park with real money.
They come in small bottles, about 50cc, filled with regular sports drink.
Maybe it’s also to prevent heatstroke, but many people just tossed the drink away without even touching it.
Each one costs a hundred yen, but if you get carried away and buy a bunch, you’ll burn through your entry fee in no time.
Since there are no HP recovery potions, you heal with magic, but since healing others gives you a ton of experience points, the act of passing by and healing injured players became common.
If even a little HP goes down, relentless heals come flying from everywhere.
At first, I kept thanking them for healing me, but nobody was listening, huh.
Since the projection mapping projected on the buildings inside the park and the 3D images displayed in the goggles are linked in real-time to create magic effects, using fire magic in a dark place looked really intense.
When you use magic in certain spots, smoke, fireworks, fountains, and all that get synchronized, and little kids were super happy, spraying magic everywhere.
As monsters go, there are detailed robots placed all over, and staff members also play monster roles.
Ghost-type monsters only attack with the 3D images shown in the goggles, no real thing at all.
Players can attack each other with magic, but physical attacks are totally forbidden──rules say so explicitly.
No real injuries allowed, after all.
It’s set up so you can go back to the real world after a certain time or by clearing a specific quest, and experience points can carry over to the next play.
There are about 3 guys in the class so hooked they bought annual passes, but if I had the money and time, I’d go more too.
But even if it looks fancy, all the tech they use is basically worn-out, and calling it a VRMMO is like saying crab sticks are actually crabs.
”I’ve played death game online before.”
When I said that, Mr. Kondou leaned in, clearly interested.
”I knew it! We’re trapped inside the world of death game online.”
What is this guy even talking about?
Is he somehow unable to tell the difference between reality and the game?
Seriously, adults don’t normally say stuff like that with a serious face, even if they’re just a weird kid on radio waves.
”Actually, I also played that game with my family. Never thought it’d turn out like this.”
Damn, this guy’s got it all wrong.
The death game online’s just an attraction to simulate the VRMMO death game, not the real deal.
Well, that attraction is pretty clever, you know.
When I first played it, I got a little worried halfway through, so I sneaked off with my goggles.
If someone gets summoned during the attraction, they’d probably get the wrong idea.
”You look pretty young, still a minor, right? Maybe your parents are worried sick right now?”
I think that’s probably true.
My family’s probably worried because I suddenly disappeared.
I’d like to tell them I’m okay, to ease their minds, but if they found out I was summoned to another world, they’d just worry more.
”We’re gathering allies to end this death game. I want you to join us.”
Ending the death game?
I remember the setup of Death Game Online.
The final boss was some crazy mad scientist named Haruhiko Warui, who was plotting to conquer the world in a VRMMORPG.
That’s what you hear at the start of your first playthrough.
If you find and defeat Doctor Warui, a special event triggers where the death game forcefully ends.
Players who end the game get a bonus: a pair of tickets for a 7-day trip in Europe.
Also, once Doctor Warui is defeated, everyone in the game gets a souvenir and a meal voucher for the park──pretty neat.
I was lucky enough to get a meal voucher and enjoy the most expensive dish in the park: a Kobe beef handmade hamburger and giant shrimp fry set.
It was okay tasting, but if I paid with my own money, I might’ve been annoyed.
Good meat only needs a pinch of salt, I think.
”Are you maybe looking for Haruhiko Warui?”
Just hearing that name makes Mr. Kondou’s face change.
It’s like he’s turned into Asura.
”I absolutely cannot forgive that guy. I’ll catch him and make him face the law!”
Damn… he’s totally believing in the story of Death Game Online.
In his mind, that story’s already real.
There’s no point in telling him now that this is the real other world.
Well, knowing the harsh reality that you can’t go back might not be happiness for him.
At least, as long as he’s searching for Doctor Warui, there’s hope for him.
”Sorry, but I’m not that strong, so I can’t be part of your team.”
”Don’t worry about that. You’re still a minor, so we’ll protect you.”
This guy is probably a good person.
The officer has to be way smarter than me.
If I was all alone, maybe I would’ve joined, but now I have important friends and a place here.
With the Alex incident and everything, I want to know more about the other Heroes, too.
If this guy’s with a team, the others probably aren’t bad, but… I feel like being around them would be too stifling.
Yeah, I should really pass on joining them.
”I have my own adventure. For now, I want to work solo.”
Mr. Kondo kept trying to convince me, but when he saw I was set on my choice, he handed me his contact info and went on his way.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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