Chapter 1: Prologue: Regression
Matthew jolted awake, heart racing, and took in his surroundings. This wasn't his penthouse. This was his old room. He looked around, taking in the plain living room with its old computer desk and worn-out sofa. The computer was his old one, sold years ago. He reached for his phone, only to find it was his old second-hand phone with a cracked screen. His messages were blurry, but the date on the phone read April 29, 2022.
April 29? He read the date again, feeling a knot form in his stomach. He tried to calibrate the date and time, but nothing worked. Panic set in as he slapped himself, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. The pain in his cheek told him otherwise.
How was this possible? Was it a dream? His mind raced with questions as he struggled to accept the reality of the situation. He rose from his bed and opened his old desktop computer, typing "current date and time in the Philippines" into Google. The result was the same as his phone: April 29, 2022.
He rubbed his face, trying to make sense of it all, when a knock on the door snapped him back to the present. "Oy Matthew! You have a delivery!" his mother's voice called out.
He couldn't believe his ears. His mother? He rushed to the door, flung it open, and saw his mother carrying a package in her arms. Memories from eight years ago flooded his mind as he realized where and when he was.
"Here, a package was delivered here for you. You know what that is?" his mother asked.
It was the packaging of the new gaming gear that would connect one player to a virtual reality world so realistic that one would mistake it for the real world. The VRMMORPG: Eternal Ascent was a game that would change his life forever. It was the game that made him a millionaire that made his name known around the world. The headgear cost 1600 dollars, three and a half months' worth of his father's salary. There's no way a person like him could afford such expensive gaming gear, but he won it as a grand prize after winning a tournament in League of Legends.
As he hugged his mother, Matthew made a vow to himself: he would get his family out of their financial struggles. He retreated to his room, opened the box, and started the game. He had no idea what was in store for him.
Eternal Ascent is a high-fantasy, faction-based VRMMORPG that was jointly developed and published by top American, European, and Asian companies. The game is known for its perfect virtual reality feature that allows players to utilize all five senses. It has become popular worldwide and offers lucrative opportunities.
Matthew scrolled through the game's introduction screen with excitement. "Please choose your faction," the game prompted.
The world of Eternal Ascent featured three landmasses: the eastern hemisphere, the western hemisphere, and a place known as the Abyss between them. The eastern hemisphere was the land of Aedes, where Daemonians lived. They evolved in a dark and cruel place and developed claw-like hands and talons for feet. The western hemisphere was the land of Elysium, where Seraphims lived. They were blessed with light and beautiful features akin to an angel.
It was an angel versus demon-themed game, a battle for realm supremacy. Matthew chose the Seraphim race because it was his race when he started playing the game.
"Please choose your class," the game prompted.
There were ten main classes in the game: Warrior, Archer, Sorcerer, Cleric, Assassin, Lancer, Berserker, Technist, Muse, and Fighter. Without hesitation, Matthew selected the Sorcerer class. He was an expert in every class, but the Sorcerer class was special to him, and it was his main class, so all the more reason to go for it.
The character customization panel appeared, and Matthew spent fifteen minutes finalizing his avatar. A 180-centimeter tall muscular man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail stood before him. Matthew nodded his approval at his new appearance, and his outfit consisted of a brown beginner's jerkin, breeches, shoulder guards, vambraces, and boots, giving it a medieval appeal.
"Please create a name for your character," the game prompted.
Matthew named his character "Espector," the same in-game name from his League of Legends account and Eternal Ascent.
"Name confirmed."
"Neural link...100% synchronized."
"Transporting you to the world of Altrea, where great adventure awaits. Good luck and happy gaming!"
The game system teleported Matthew into the game world, and watery blue light rippled around him, engulfing him in its pillar. His vision began to turn white, and a smile crept across his face. This was it. Everything he once had in the game eight years in the future, the wealth, power, glory, and fame, he was going to go through all the effort to achieve it. Again.