Nexgenesis: The System's Sin and Sovereignty

First Step into Nexgenesis

“As expected of the best tech company in the world…”

Virtual Accounts were like the personal homes of someone possessing a virtual ID. The tech companies that register your Link Gear usually provide these accounts. The look, the size, and the functions accessible through your ID, everything varies and depends on the quality of the main virtual account one has.

‘And having one of the best ones, even though it’s in its most initial stage, is nothing less than an advantage over a great number of the common population.’

Mobile Link Gears, like the one I was wearing, were devices one could only use to a certain extent, achieving a specific rate of [Synchronization] with the Otherworlds, and having certain limitations. But that only applied to the common Link Gears.

‘A premium one from Hyperlink XII, made with cutting-edge, new-generation technology, was in no way inferior to some of the better VR-capsules.’

Just like this Virtual Account of mine, my experience with the entirety of this virtual world is going to be special!

“Oh, is that the place?”

This attractive one-room space was comparable to a luxury hotel apartment where everything looked expensive and shiny: a kind of place I never thought I would see in my life. 

A shiny chandelier on the ceiling illuminated the entire room. In the center, there was the most comfortable-looking couch I had ever seen, and, most importantly, a glass orb sat in the right corner of the room.

That was the terminal I needed to use to access everything, so I first walked up to it. 

“The instructions said I can control it directly with my thoughts— oh?”

Virtual Accounts are usually completely dark or colorless endless spaces where you just float around and interact with a few system interfaces, but this one was different.

—Ooooooooong!

There was a dedicated place, this orb, to access the main interface of the virtual worlds. Not that it mattered in any way, though. The virtual accounts themselves only served a minor purpose. And for me specifically, they meant nothing right now.

<Welcome to Otherworld Junction…>

With a voice that rang throughout the room, a complex-looking system interface opened up before me.

“First, we will set the [Core Otherworld], and second…”

There were a few things I had to do before starting the game itself, so I finished them as quickly as I could. Finally, with everything done according to how I wanted it to be, I looked at the icon floating before me.

“Nexgenesis Online…”

Created by [NuralinkLabs], a former clandestine organization made of a collaboration between the best independent geniuses of the current era, this VRMMO overtook the world like a storm with its hyper-realistic graphics, the lifelike NPC Artificial Intelligence, as well as the 'vastness' of its completely independent Otherworld.

[Ding!]

[Do you wish to start your journey in the Nexus of all Origin?]

The creators of the game only made three AIs with unbelievable self-learning ability, gave them a plane of existence, and, after Eons of learning and self-development, what the [Three Great Gods] created was the world of Nexus. 

The Origin of the world that has now become the second reality that affects the real world directly.

“If I have to say so myself, both the real world and this unique Otherworld have become intertwined with one another.”

That's why, as I looked at the red portal before me, the gateway that will become the start of my new journey, I knew this was the right path for me… for us.

“Yes.”

—Ooooooooooooooong!

I got sucked inside the red portal the moment my response was registered—.

[Registering new identity into <Akashic records>.]

And started falling into an endless-looking spiral gate of red, gold, and black.

[Initiating character creation…]

Then, while still endlessly free-falling, a new status window opened before me, asking me if I wanted to alter the color of my hair, skin, and eyes.

But I just pressed 'No.' 

There was no need to change anything about my looks that my mother liked so much. She loved my pretty golden eyes and long hair, and that much was enough for me.

How a person looks doesn't confirm anything about them or their character anyway.

[Character creation complete.]

[ “What shall we call you, otherworlder?” ]

After the character appearance window, it was finally time for a nickname selection.

“Hmm…”

Names also didn’t matter that much since, from what I know, most of the NPCs will only call us players "otherworlders" or "adventurers." 

Only the famous players and ones who had a high enough reputation among the natives were called by their nicknames.

“Let’s go with this, then.”

I loved my name since Mom was the one who gave it to me, so even though it was common to use names other than real names as nicknames… I just went with my own name. 

—Ooooooooooooooooong!

[World of Nexus welcomes you, otherworlder Rayanne.]

While the system had messed up the name a little, it was fine. It didn’t really matter all that much anyway. 

My body sped up while falling down in the endless warmhole, and a bright light was now visible at the bottom of this endless pit.

[< May Fate be on your side. >]

And when I passed through it, I was blinded and lost my consciousness once again.

…

[The land is vast, and through it is woven the grand tapestry of life…]

And then, the prologue was played.

[We, who live in the here and now, use the artifacts, Runes, and wisdom of the past still breathing in history and ruins to trace the footsteps of the Divine.]

Some scenes common to everyone starting their journey in this new world were played before my eyes… However, it seemed like a VR movie was being played before me. 

[You are a pioneer, appearing with the wind from the east, and though brought to your knees time and again, you brave ever onward…]

In the world of NO, there was neither a pre-assigned class that one could choose from the start, nor was there a set starting point for the players. 

Everyone started from a random beginner-level hunting ground in the wild, with practically nothing but an inventory with only twelve storage spaces. 

Everyone would only have normal clothing, nine stat points, no skills, and a map of the area they are in, with the nearest village marked on it. And it was the same for everyone, regardless of the kind of Link Gear they use.

[And, like the wind, some of you will simply fade away.]

Every single person who starts playing the game must first clear their tutorial quests, get used to this world, and only after reaching the village can one try to get the Class they wanted, learn skills to aid in their adventures going forward, or buy equipment with the money they earn through hunting and quests.

[What is the purpose of your life?]

After hunting each <F> rank monster, there is a chance they would drop a copper coin and some loot. Same for the <E> rank monsters. 

<D> ranks very rarely drop silver coins, <C> ranks drop equipment as well as silver coins, and <B> ranks drop silver coins and equipment. 

Starting from <A> rank monsters… which are rare beings to begin with, there is a certain chance that the <AA>, <AAA>, <S>, <SS>, and <SSS> rank monsters will drop gold coins, Artifacts, as well as special drops. 

But hunting isn't the only way to earn money here, as I said.

[Will you trust your life to the swing of your sword? Will you peer into the depths of the magical arts and seek to master your craft? Or will you choose not to fight at all?]

Each copper coin is worth around 10 Credits, which is quite a lot, if I say so myself, while Silver is around 1,000 Credits, and a single gold coin, depending on the market conditions, can go from around 10,000 to 24,000 Credits each. 

The coins of this world are also special since they could only be exchanged on the main game forums for other kinds of resources from our world. 

That’s why almost all players, along with a main hunting class, also possess a special subclass of either production type or distribution type Classes like workers, traders, merchants, or guards of important characters.

[All options can be found here.]

The NPCs of this world, especially named NPCs and nobles of each country, have much more influence over their world as well as our own original world than any other game world does.

[All options exist within you.]

It is said that this world is practically endless, just like the secrets and opportunities that lie here even after more than a year of its launch.

[Now, take your first step.]

Everyone starts equally here, but not with the same luck, and though the first-comers might have had some advantages with the common, simple, and visible things, there is a certain chance they still have not discovered everything about any common place around here.

[Explore the unknown, your future, and your potential.]

New places are still being discovered all around this world. Players have still not found any way to travel to the other continents aside from the well-known and costly methods. 

Much is still unknown to us Otherworlders who are not part of this world, who have been blessed or cursed with immortality.

[This is the mission given unto you, the children of the Divinity born— fallen-upon this land.]

“This is my start.”

Becoming a ranker and climbing the Nexus rankings will certainly be a secondary goal as I go forward, but before that…

“What could this place be?”

I have a fucked up debt to pay back. I will have to earn a shit ton of money first before thinking about the rankings and stuff.