Chapter 2

　　“Installation is complete.”

　　“Yes, thank you.”

　　In a cramped studio apartment of less than 355 square feet, Han Simin gazed at the massive capsule that left barely enough space to walk. He smiled, satisfied.

　　“Nice.”

　　He was pleased. He’d finally bought it.

　　“Haaah.”

　　Of course, the process had been anything but smooth, and his future was still uncertain. This was a $15,000 virtual reality capsule, a gateway to Fantastic World and a marvel of cutting-edge science. The bruises all over his body and his limping leg were the price he’d paid to acquire it, all for the sake of getting the capsule in time for the game’s launch. He wiped away a tear as he recalled selling an item in The World for a whopping $24,000.

　　“I’m never doing that crazy shit again…”

　　The special ability he’d gained after his accident had certainly brought a ray of hope into his miserable life, but it wasn’t all good. The value of game items had peaked and was on the decline, and the process of achieving a 100% enhancement success rate was arduous. He had managed to succeed up to +10 without much trouble, but from the moment the success rate dropped to single digits, he’d had to contort himself into bizarre positions and time his enhancements perfectly. And that wasn’t all.

　　To succeed at a +15 enhancement, which had an abysmal probability of 0.03%, he’d had to climb onto a shabby old desk, do a three-fingered handstand, cross his legs, and click the mouse with his tongue. Even then, he was only guaranteed a 70% success rate, so he had no choice but to pray anxiously the entire time his character was hammering away. To others, he might have looked like an overpowered cheater with an air of nonchalance, but it had been a necessary evil.

　　‘Well, it all worked out in the end.’

　　Since the result was good, he decided to put the ordeal behind him. Once the virtual reality game opened, he wouldn’t have to abuse his body to make money anymore. His in-game character would do it for him, which had nothing to do with the real Han Simin.

　　“Hehehe.”

　　A sinister smile spread across his face. A quick online search revealed that the global interest from gamers in Fantastic World was no joke. The popularity of The World, which had held the number one spot for thirteen consecutive weeks, was nothing but a gentle breeze in comparison. The fact that the capsule cost a staggering $15,000 and the monthly subscription was $300, yet pre-orders had surpassed ten million units, said it all. Of course, this was partly because the capsule also served crucial functions in daily life, but any gamer would understand the value that Fantastic World held. Han Simin, too, had caught the scent of money and hurriedly scraped together the funds.

　　“I’m going to use my specialty to get rich.”

　　A rosy future unfolded before his sparkling eyes. After his military discharge, he had been aimlessly drifting, trying to escape a bleak future, when an unlucky accident gave him this ability. And just in time, a virtual reality game appeared as if made for him. It was as if fate was pushing him to rake in money by the bucketful. So, without a moment’s hesitation, he had announced his ambitions to his parents. The result of that was this tiny studio apartment.

　　“I will become rich and earn their approval!”

　　Tears welled up in his eyes. He recalled the firmness of his parents as they kicked him out, saying they didn’t need a son who planned to make a living playing games at the age of twenty-five. There was no room for excuses. All he could do was hope he wouldn’t be disowned during his forced independence. It was a sad situation. He shot a venomous glare at the capsule. He would succeed and return home in glory. Three hours until the launch. Everything he needed was ready: the capsule, the time, and a healthy body.

　　“Here I go!”

　　Han Simin climbed into the capsule, set an alarm, and closed his eyes.

　　[Fantastic World has now opened.]

　　A cheerful melody flowed into his mind, and a small hologram appeared before his eyes.

　　“Connect.”

　　The door to Fantastic World—the world’s first virtual reality game, independently developed and operated by Goggle Inc.’s artificial intelligence, Betago—swung open.

* * *

　　‘So this is it.’

　　His vision momentarily darkened, and he felt an unfamiliar sensation. The feeling that his body was not his own made him smile. Virtual reality. Another world. The day had finally come when he could experience a world that had only existed in novels. As he marveled at this scientific accomplishment and the advancement of technology, a clear voice reached his ears.

　　“Please set your name.”

　　The beautiful voice tickled his ear. It was the voice of the AI, Betago.

　　“Simin,” Han Simin replied.

　　“Setting complete. Would you like to customize your character?”

　　“Of course.”

　　Once his name—which he couldn’t use in The World due to duplicates—had been set, a full-length mirror appeared before him.

　　“Hmm.”

　　He had no particular complaints about his appearance. For Han Simin, who believed that money was the most important thing in life, looks were secondary. Besides, he wasn’t so ugly that his appearance caused him any inconvenience. His only complaint was that it reflected his real-life appearance too closely.

　　“Can’t I change my gender?”

　　“That is not possible.”

　　He frowned at the firm reply.

　　“But I like playing as a girl…”

　　It wasn’t because he was a pervert. Female characters started the game with about a 200% advantage. Since he would never meet these people in real life anyway, it was far more beneficial to create a female character who would receive favorable attention just by standing still, rather than sticking to his own gender. He couldn’t help but click his tongue at the news that it wasn’t possible. For Han Simin, who played games solely for money, this was not good news. So, he decided to find the next best thing.

　　“Can’t be helped. Then how much can I change my appearance? Can I get plastic surgery to look like a super handsome pretty boy?”

　　“That is not possible. Appearance customization is limited to things like hair length and removal of scars.”

　　“…What can I do, then?”

　　“Almost everything else is possible.”

　　Sighing at Betago’s witty retort, he lengthened his short hair. After extending it to just past his eyebrows, slightly covering his eyes, and dyeing it silver, his image changed dramatically.

　　‘Just in case.’

　　The greatest advantage and disadvantage of games was anonymity. No matter what you did, it was separate from your real self, allowing you to live a different life. Since that wasn’t possible, he had to take some precautions to prevent his real identity from being exposed, as all sorts of things could happen while playing a game. Not that he had many people who knew him in real life anyway.

　　“Customization complete.”

　　“Your starting point will be chosen at random. We wish you a pleasant journey.”

　　His vision flashed. The scene that appeared afterward was truly the beginning of another world.

　　2.

　　“Anyone looking for a party to hunt?”

　　“Recruiting people to go hunt rabbits!”

　　“Looking for party members!”

　　It was a massive castle surrounded by walls. The plaza inside was bustling with noise as countless players from all over the world eagerly prepared to set out on hunts.

　　“Whoa.”

　　Han Simin was amazed for a different reason.

　　‘Is it translating languages automatically?’

　　It was obvious that the ten million capsules hadn’t all been sold in South Korea. Each one cost a staggering $15,000. Even though the game was made in South Korea, the majority of players would inevitably be foreigners. The fact that he could understand them meant that translation was happening seamlessly. For any South Korean student who had been a slave to the education system for over a decade, this was nothing short of astonishing.

　　“With this, I don’t have to study foreign languages, do I?”

　　There was no need to learn. With the capsule, there were no language barriers. Marveling at this new reality, he started walking. The plaza, where hundreds of people were coming and going, was not a place he wanted to stay for long.

　　“This is more crowded than a downtown street during rush hour.”

　　On top of that, the residents of Fantastic World—the NPCs, each with their own personality and acting independently—were mixed in, making it truly a world of its own. Even after leaving the plaza, the situation wasn’t much different. Players marveled at the incredible realism of the new world and moved about with enthusiasm, whether to hunt, complete quests, or befriend the residents. The NPCs, in turn, were wary of the newly appeared players but also curious. The place was overflowing with vitality and life. Han Simin was intoxicated by the atmosphere.

　　‘This heartwarming atmosphere just reeks of money. I love it.’

　　The World was certainly the best PC online game and was famous enough to maintain the number one spot for thirteen consecutive weeks, allowing him to earn $24,000 for a single item. But comparing it to Fantastic World was like comparing a stream to the ocean. First of all, it was a game where you had to buy a $15,000 capsule to play. And the players enjoying it were overflowing with money. What would be the value of a highly enhanced item sold to them?

　　“Excuse me, where is the enhancement shop?” Han Simin asked, grabbing an NPC who looked like a local.

　　The NPC kindly pointed and explained the way.

　　Even so, the castle was so large that Han Simin wandered for a while before finally finding the enhancement shop. The shop wasn’t very large, but it was luxurious. When he cautiously opened the door, an interior that could have passed for a blacksmith’s forge came into view. And upon seeing it, his heart began to pound. It felt possible. He could do it. He wanted to enhance the weapons scattered all around.

　　The enhancement content existed in Fantastic World as well, and it was said that the higher the enhancement level, the more spectacular the effects. What if he could wield a weapon with a dazzling effect that was different from everyone else’s, not just on a computer screen, but in another world? He would attract more attention than someone driving a supercar. The image of his character shining brilliantly, along with the fantasy of selling items to become rich, flashed through his mind.

　　“Hehe. Character info.”

　　[Character Information]

　　* Name: Simin

　　* Job: N/A

　　* Title: N/A

　　* Level: 1

　　* Stats: Strength (5), Agility (5), Stamina (5), Luck (5), Magic (5)

　　The stats were pathetic, but he wasn’t disappointed. To him, a character’s level or stats were secondary.

　　“Games are all about gear! If I have the right items, leveling up is a piece of cake!”

　　In fact, in The World, he had quickly become a ranker by soloing monsters far above his level with his highly enhanced items. He didn’t think virtual reality would be any different. In the end, this was still a game. That was why he had rushed to the enhancement shop before anything else.

　　“What do you want?” As he was steeling his resolve, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the owner of the shop approached him. “Why are you here?”

　　His gaze scanned Simin up and down dismissively, and his tone was blunt.

　　Han Simin smiled. “I’m here to make a +15.”

　　His bold ambition echoed throughout the enhancement shop.

* * *