Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey
Chapter 340: Battelground [1]

Sunday night, a time I set out for the sake of my sanity.

I was currently about to play a game virtual reality game.

It was trend in market and I thought I should also give try.

The name of this game is [Battelground].

To play this game I even bought a VR glasses, That was in a box in front of me.

All I had to do is just put VR glasses on and go to sleep and I would automatically found myself in [Battelground] VR game.

Virtual reality is an illusion of original world, so in [Battelground] all the skills, rank, strength person hold will not be diminished.

Virtual reality has it's own set of rules One couldn't be hurt, wounded, or killed in the Virtual Reality.

Which meant that many heros or hunters were able to battle each other there without having to risk their lives and keep the destructive force of their duels out of the real world. This application was the primary use of the Virtual Reality… well, in a sense.

At the dawn of it, the Virtual Reality was mostly used by the larg Clans all over the world and the world government to train elite Hero that served them, but it was quickly deemed as only being marginally useful.

There monster to inside of this Virtual Reality, However, Compared to orginal monster and beast they were nothing that great. The illusory monsters lacked the will and mind of actual abominations, after all.

So, the Dreamscape had failed to become a successful training tool and was thus largely abandoned.

It had, however, unexpectedly found incredible success in the entertainment segment.

[Battelground]

This game changed the whole virtual reality in no time.

The duels in the [Battelground]

VR became very popular, and that popularity simply exploded once the company behind it came up with the idea to integrate a broadcast function into the simulation pods, thus making these duels available to a much broader audience — the mundane humans.

Today, [Battelground]VR was a whole industry with both amateur and professional leagues, famous celebrities, and passionate gamers all vying for supremacy in the virtual arena.

As I gazed at the sleek black box containing the VR glasses, excitement bubbled within me. I had heard so much about Battleground and its immersive gameplay experience. Now, I finally had the chance to try it out for myself.

With eager anticipation, I carefully opened the box and retrieved the VR glasses. They gleamed under the soft glow of my bedroom lights, beckoning me to don them and enter the virtual world of Battleground.

Slipping the glasses over my eyes, I felt a surge of anticipation as the world around me dissolved into darkness.

***

Lucas found himself standing in a boundless, black void. All around him, countless stars burned with ethereal light, an inconceivably complex weave of strings connecting them together.

…There was, however, no logic or sense in the pattern. He didn't feel any meaning hidden in the beautiful weave of the strings of light. It was just a pretty backdrop, and nothing more.

A fake.

Other than that, though, the simulation was pretty realistic. He looked down and saw his naked body. The Virtual Realty recreated his appearance to the sma… uh… in great detail.

'...Huh.'

Lucas shook his head in ashtonoment

"Welcome to the [Battelground]."

...And then Lucas made his appearance.

'What next? How do I fight people?'

The pleasant voice promptly responded:

"Before proceeding further, please choose an alias."

He blinked a couple of times, then scratched a back of his head.

'Oh, right. An alias…'

After some though, Lucas come up with a quick name.

"Nobody."

That would be a good alias… he could already imagine how funny it would be, to hear something like "Nobody has defeated the enemy!" or "Nobody has won!".

His thoughts, however, were interrupted by the voice of the Virtual Realty:

"Alias "Nobody" is taken. Please choose another."

"Uh…"

He did not expect that. What would be a good alias? Lucas pondered for a moment, then a mischievous grin spread across his face.

"Darkheart."

The voice responded with approval:

"Alias registered. Welcome, Darkheart."

Yeah, Lucas selected his own family, He just couldn't come up with new name and he also like the [Darkheart] word.

So he didcide that he would go along with that.

With his alias chosen, Lucas was ready to dive into the world of Battleground. He flexed his virtual muscles, eager to test his skills against other players in the virtual arena.

"Let the games begin," he muttered to himself, excitement coursing through his veins as he prepared for his first battle. With a mental command, he summoned his weapons, armor, and black face mask that looks like demon to his his identity, Now ready to face whatever challenges awaited him in the virtual realm.

A moment later, the black void disappeared, and he was suddenly somewhere else.

A loud voice thundered from somewhere above:

"Challenger Darkheart has entered the [Battelground]!"

Lucas was standing on the floor of a vast oval arena. It was covered by sand, which had long ago turned red from all the blood spilled between these ancient walls. The merciless sun burned in the incandescent sky, and the smell of sweat, blood, and death assaulted his nostrils.

'How... realistic.'

A little disturbed, Lucas looked around and saw tall amphitheater stands rising high above the blood-soaked arena. Those were the spectator seats.

Rows upon rows of seats rose high into the air, providing ample room for the spectators who had come to witness the bloodshed below. The stands were filled to the brim with cheering fans, their voices echoing off the stone walls and filling the air with an electrifying energy.

Above the arena, the sun beat down mercilessly, casting harsh shadows across the sand below. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and blood, a tangible reminder of the violence that was about to unfold.

Obviously, this illusory environment wasn't very original, but on the other hand, it was a classic. More advanced environments could be unlocked and explored as he progressed through the game, but for now, Lucas found himself in the midst of a traditional battleground, ready to prove himself against his opponents.