In a white Space, a little light appears.

  ?Hello, what’s your Name?“

  The little Light began to speak. It’s voice was clearly of artificial origin, while at the same time trying to project a lighthearted emotion.

  “Lorelei.“

  An crisp and clear voice resonance, seemingly belonging to a young woman.

  ?Oh, I don’t know you. What do you look like?“

  Curiosity leaks from the Voice. At the end of her Question, opposite of the light, a silhouette appears.

  “As I do right now, but with better Skin Condition.“

  Said silhouette tales on the form of a blond girl, nearing the age of adulthood. A bit tall, athletic and with eyes coloured like the deep blue sky.

  ?Were do you hail from?“

  The previous curiosity declined, taking on a tone of an everyday conversation.

  “Garmidia.“

  A crisp and clear answer, as if already prepared beforehand.

  “What is your profession?“

  Once again, the tone morphed, much more expecting, and… with more dignity.

  “Warrior.“

  As firm as the previous answers, the voice resounded again.

  “How do you fight?“

  Rather neutral this time, as if asked offhandedly, like a normal follow-up question.

  *inhale* ?… defensive.“

  For the first time, the girl hesitates a bit. Taking a breath and thinking about it, but her answer didn’t change.

  “Oh? Well then, Lorelei, welcome to ——— New Journey Online…“

  In the white space, lines began to appear clearly, as if they are inside a cube. As the artificial voice pauses, the cube falls apart and vanishes, revealing both figures high in the Sky. Under them are vast forest and pins visible, mountain towering high in the distance. Dozens and dozens of streams and ke are leading all over the nd.Lorelei, as the girl is called, transforms into a ball of light. Then, the first Light made a swoosh sound and moved in a chaotic way. As if pced in a rollercoaster, both lights go up and down, left and right, until ending in a big vilge, nearing a city in size, pced inside a vast Forrest.

  “…3!“

  The light presenting Lorelei appeared in a tiny hut, outside of the city walls. Said walls have a two metre stone wall and four metre wooden barricade on top of it. Luckily, she seems to have gotten quite a good hut, close to the gate.

  “Please select your starting equipment.“

  The voice resonates again, in an mischievous tone, making Lorelei involuntarily smile. Opposite to when she was in the the white room, this time, she is in full control of her body. Before her is a Menu with an equipment selection. On the top corner is written ?defensive“. Clicking on it reveals some details.

  Fightings style: Defensive-inclinedIncreases: Endurance, DefenseSlight Increase: Health, Magical Defense, WisdomSlight decrease: AgilityDecrease: DexterityRestrictions: Light Weapons, Two-Handed Great Weapons, Sprinting Skills, Active Evasion SkillsFighting Style inclination doesn’t have a list like csses to choose from. The starting Profession are always Warrior, Mage, Priest and Ranger. But one can say any random word, then the word will be searched through an extensive database, not visible to pyers. If a fitting word is found, it will be used an corresponding pros and cons will be given the pyer. Some words have many synonyms in the database, every with different values, other are more of a kind, and if it is close enough, it will be used.

  So at least was it at New Journey Online, the first part. With the third part, which stirred up great hype, some got interested in its predecessor. I was also one of the persons who pyed it, but I was less driven by curiosity and more by my younger siblings. Who have an attention span rivalling a goldfish. Soon, I was the only one still pying it.

  It was different from full dives we have today, but still a VR Game. One wasn’t put into a coma state or simir, but had to actually move one’s body. No, that’s wrong. One had to move the headset and whatever the controller was for the hands. Be it’s sticks or gloves.

  It was fun on its own, and very funny. Luckily, I was even able to make some friends, with which I filmed a stable party. Since we are all registered as friends or family, and pre-purchased the game with the corresponding game ID, we should at least all get on the same server.

  Enough of that! Equipment and then out fighting Monster! Hmm, Greaves, Buckler and Shortsword. Shortsword should be a Light Weapon, but I don’t find any other sword I can choose. Or rather, ?Defensive“ forces me to take a defensive oriented starter gear.

  Last would be the Soul-bound Item Pouch! It staring capacity was a bit decreased by a mechanic. The more extravagant the starting gear, the less space. But one should be able to get the lost space back by solving some trials. In my case, the first and easiest should suffice. At least when the beginner guide was right. I count on you, Beta-Tester!

  She quickly equips the Items, Buckler on the left, Shortsword on the right. Through artificial Trainingsprogramms and having spare time, she could equip the sword on her left hand and still stable dish out damage, but she wants to be quick. There were already first lights appearing in other huts. If she could, she would sprint to the gatekeeper for the quest, but her current limit is power walk speed, even a bit slow.

  “Excuse me, I should be allowed in when I kill some Rabbits, right?“

  “Hmm? Oh, yes missy, that right. How do you know?“

  “One of the gift for Traveler’s to view some information before we even arrived. But how many did I need to kill again?“

  “Five. You can also exchange drops for a higher market rate over there, but only for the first five.“

  “Thank you!“

  Lorelei already initiated a conversation from the distance. She knows of her unfair advantage of being a view seconds ahead of other, without even feeling a twinge of shame or guilt. First come, first served! The. Number. One. Rule. of MMORP‘s. So move faster Legs!

  To the right of the gate is a gravel path, wide enough for two person to walk side by side without one having to give up space and step on the grass. That is were she saw some white tufts of fur. Beta-Tester said that the Rabbits in the Beta were at the end of the big road leading away from the city and had the huts on the side. Some people already realised that they will be pced elsewhere, but it doesn’t stop a big part from rushing in the opposite direction then the Gatekeeper. Now, Lorlei is two metres away from the Path and sinister the tiny pin.

  Dammit! An Ranger! Hope that works!

  ?Come here you little Rabbits!“

  A loud sound of beating wooden pnks reverberates for a view metre with the cry of Lorelei. One, two, Three! Three Rabbits rush at her, one gging behind. All have a gray-whiten fur, bloodshot eyes and a tiny horn. The first one jumps and gets bashed away with the shield. Lorlei spins on her heel, as the rabbit attacked her right side, and spins further and a bit back. While Rabbit one got pushed away, it was nearly hit with an Arrow, but due how it spun mid-air, it soon vanished in the knee-high grass, seemingly hiding. Rabbit Number two is going for the legs, not imitating a jump until close. Or so the pn.

  Lorelei stabs downwards, with the weight of her whole body behind her attack. Number two was pierced through the skull and dies. The Perpetrator is now on her knees and supporting her upper body with the Shortsword. Three is following up with a jump at her head, but meets the buckler. But instead of getting parried back, it slides over the dyed shield, nearly falling to the ground again, but at the opposite side of the pyer. Before that happens, the shield vanished under its feet, leaving the rabbit only with a tilt to its left and a free fall. And the experience how it feels having an Arrow whooshing past were its head would have been.

  Not even having time to recover from the shock, or even nd, a bde finds it way at the vulnerable stomach, this time not killing the creature instantly. Said bde finds its way downward with force again. Number one jumps at the Pyer again, attempting again what three failed, but at Lorelei’s exposed right side. Having moved her sword to catch a creature falling from her left and now stabbing it downward, she is at her knees and her right arm crossing her stomach, having both hands now pointing to her left.

  If successful, the tiny horn would pierce her shoulder. Sadly for number one, the woman beings to lean back while moving her shield arm forward, bancing herself out. Gliding past her shoulder, chest and arm, Number one nds securely again, this time sprinting to make a run for it. And a bonk resounds, letting the rabbit stand there in daze. Daze. An abnormal status condition Lorelei didn’t expect to inflict so easily.

  Depending on how smart the rabbit is (not very smart), it could either have a negative adjustment on the next action or even forgot about it. Luckily, the stupid things turns around after one and a half seconds and jumps at Lorelei again. The st shall be first, and the first st. Like very devout believers, number one was the first to come and the st to go.

  ?Phew, that was hectic. I could do better with more time! Argh!“

  Lorelei quickly put two furs, one sb of meat an a rabbit brain (? That wasn’t on the drop list?) inside her pouch. The meat was packaged as the picture form the guide, but the furs are weird? Anyway, two more rabbits!