SWOSHHHH...KABOOOMMMM...KLAAANNNN...
The only sound Andrew could hear was the game audio, he became so completely absorbed in the game which he had just started playing earlier today.
He had stumbled upon the white VR headset on his way home from school, now he's hooked.
[LEVEL 50 REACHED ___CONGRATULATIONS_____YOU HAVE EARNED THE BEAST SLAYER TITLE]
'Phewwww' Andrew sighed, relief and exhausted.
He was impressed with himself, he had been playing the game for 8 hours and he was already in Level 50. Not surprising, considering his skills and gaming prowess.
He took off the headset and prepared for a deep slumber. He lay on his bed and was asleep within seconds, sleeping like a baby.
Today was the best day ever for Andrew. Andrew always hated every single day at school but today was totally different.
Andrew, the class nerd and the school greatest bookworm was asked out by the hottest girl in school, Anna Xandros!!!
He was walking on air and couldn't wait to go to school the next day.
"Andrew....I love you" said a teenage girl with blue eyes and raven-black hair to Andrew.
"Anna..I love you too" Andrew replied with a soft voice, his eyes filled with obsession and love.
Andrew held her hand as they strolled through a beautiful garden filled with bright yellow flowers, happy chirping birds and a pleasant sunlight.
They arrived at a lagoon with soft breeze; the soft breeze caressing the water.
It was evident Andrew was dreaming, given the thoughts he had that night before sleeping.
They both sat at the shore of the lagoon and enjoyed the soft breeze and relaxing sound of the water.
"Hey...promise you won't leave me" Anna said, breaking the silence without shifting her gaze from the lagoon.
"Huh??"
"I won't Anna....I will never" Andrew answered, his voice childishly sincere as he leaned for a tender kiss.
Anna got the idea and also leaned for a kiss.
SKRRRR....TCHHHHHHH....
"Huh?.....what's happening?" Andrew was confused.
The beautiful face of Anna has started to pixelate and glitch.
The whole surroundings was also doing the same.
"Anna!!!" "Anna!!!"
Everything around Andrew started to pixelate and glitch.
The glitching all turned even and Anna's body had blended in with the sudden abnormality of the surrounding.
Andrew's scream weren't performing the magic he wanted, he kept screaming Anna's name but his voice was swallowed by the chaos.
Scared and sad, he felt lifeless, and tears began to roll down from his cheeks.
"Anna" "Anna" "Anna" "Don't go" "Don't go" "Don't leave me"
He kept whispering her name, his voice laced with depression and fear.
The glitching pixels started aligning and merging forming an oddly elongated door with a word boldy written "DREAM SURGE".
Suddenly a blue-black transparent prompt appeared in front of him.
[ WELCOME TO DREAMSURGE__A NEVERENDING VIRTUAL DREAM]
[CLICK (YES) TO OPEN THE DOOR AND BEGIN A NEW STYLE OF GAMING]
[CLICK (NO) TO QUIT AND GET REINCARNATED IN ANOTHER WORLD]
"Eh?"
Perplexed, he hesitated, unsure of what to do next.
"I must be dreaming" he concluded and wiped his tears. "This was the same game I played earlier today" he recalled.
"C'mon Andrew wake up..wake up!!!!"
He started shaking his head violently and hitting himself hard hoping to break free from this nightmare. He wanted to leave this trance-like state as soon as possible.
[ AUTO CLICK IN 10 SECONDS____MAKE A DECISION QUICK]
"Huh?.... I'm actually trapped in this dream?....10 seconds....no, I must be dreaming....I will wait ten seconds then I'll surely wake up in my bedroom" He scoffed, trying to reassure himself.
[10]
[9]
[8]
[7]
Each second was a rollercoaster of emotions for Andrew. All he wanted was a good teenage life.
[5]
"Just when things are going my way...just when my dreams are finally coming true...No!!!!!...A stupid dream won't ruin my already-getting perfect life..No!!..it won't"
[3]
"It won't"..'Never'....
[2]
[1]....[0]
The door creaked open, revealing a long, dimly lit passageway that stretched out into the darkness.
[WELCOME PLAYER ANDREW_221]
[STATUS: LEVEL 0____ZERO BADGES___ZERO TITLES]
[FIRST MISSION: KILL ELF LORD RAMOS]
[REWARD: 2000 COINS AND ELF SLAYER TITLE]
"Hmmm..... I'm actually stuck" he muttered his voice laced with disdain.
He stood up and decided to assess the blue prompt that appeared in front of him.
"Kill Elf king huh?"
Andrew in seconds accepted fate....he had watched a lot of isekai anime and heard stories of system awakening.
He didn't expect it to happen to him. The last thing he expected was to be trapped in a surreal nightmare especially in what is supposed to be a combat-battle type game.
He assessed the prompt and clicked on an option [REWARDS]
"Earn sword of terror.....no....armor of...no....demon monar... no....hmmm..
The Nexarion"
[ THE NEXARION______AN ITEM THAT SENDS YOU BACK TO REALITY____(OBTAIN)_]
"Obtain"
[ ERROR____CANNOT BE OBTAINED___REQUIREMENTS NOT MET_____REACH PINNACLE LEVEL TO OBTAIN ITEM]
"Pinnacle level??..are you kidding?" Andrew was pissed.
"A damn cursed VR isn't going stop me from living my dreams, never. A damn game can't stop me from being with Anna".
"Clearing dungeons, fighting monsters and demons, collecting items, levelling up...all this I can do just to be with Anna. The Nexarion is damn mine. Nothing in this world can stop me now" he vowed, his jaw clenched in determination.
Andrew decided to enter the passageway and begin his journey in a virtual game.
[ NYXIAN DAGGER IS YOUR ONLY ITEM POSSESSED IN LEVEL 0]
[ SET A COMMAND WORD TO MATERIALIZE THE DAGGER______ ]
"Hmmm....a command word?" he muttered.
"What a hassle" he lamented placing his left hand on his head.
"Command word...command word...hmm..show??..no...appear...no"
He kept thinking of the world while pacing back and forth in front of the door.
"Haaaahhhhh... thinking can be really tiring" he lamented.
"Hmmmmmmmm.....what word can I use"
"Yessssssss....I got it" he said with delight, pumping his fist in triumph.
"SURGE" he said in a low commanding tone.
[ SURGE ]
[SUCCESSFUL]
The dagger started materializing in his left hand slowly. After full materialization, he held the dagger and was amused and fascinated by the texture and designs.
With a deep breath, he walked into the passageway to complete his first mission. The door closed behind him signifying the beginning of a treacherous journey for Andrew.