Closed Beta That Only I Played

Chapter 2: 1st Closed Beta (2)

In fact, it was the 3rd VR adaptor that I accessed for the first time. I’ve never touched the old-style 2nd one, let alone the popular VR adaptor.

While glancing over the manual provided by the seller, I connected it to the computer.

“Hum. I need to download it directly?”

After connecting it, I switched to the computer and accessed the homepage of ‘Forgotten Legend.’

As soon as I accessed it, I clicked the first closed beta execution bannet, then entered the meaningless twelve alpha-numeric number that came along with the message.

When I was done, I clicked the 2nd generation popular VR adaptor at the lower end of the computer screen when asked which VR type I wanted, and started downloading the 2nd one immediately.

“Wow, this is indeed a piece of junk!”

I could not help but complain because it took more than seven hours to complete downloading it. The 3rd generation VR adaptor that I had would take only ten minutes, and I wouldn’t need to hook it up to the computer like this.

Since the closed beta of the game ‘Forgotten Legend’ would open at 10:00 AM tomorrow, I didn’t care too much about its long download.

So, I confirmed the downloading time with my eyes, then surfed the homepage of ‘Forgotten Legend’ here and there.

What about the studying that I was busy with until a moment ago?

Well, I already forgot about it because I was so thrilled with the new game that even my heart pounded.

9:50 AM the next day.

“Alarm set at 12:20 PM.”

<You have set the alarm at 12:20 PM.>

My lunch time is always 12:30 PM.

So, I set the alarm ten minutes before it because I should not let anybody catch me playing games.

Then I lay on the bed at 10:00 AM exactly and put on the 2nd VR adaptor on my head.

I vowed one thing, though. action

“It’s vacation time anyway. Only two weeks of the closed beta of Forgotten Legend. For the two weeks, I’ll completely devote myself to playing the game so that I won’t think about it again during the remainder of the vacation.”

Fortunately, I was in a good situation because it was verified that my private tutoring or going to a private academy didn’t produce good results. Of course, I might have to receive private tutoring if my grades were not good because I had no private tutoring. In that case, I should be ready to fill my free time with tutoring except for my eating and sleeping time like I did before.

Anyway I opened my mouth quietly while laying on the bed.

“Execution.”

<The VR adaptor is now in execution mode.>

In no time I heard the mechanical voice in my ears.

At the same time, a new screen appeared, which was a white background with no high ceiling that I had seen a moment ago.

“It’s set to default, but nothing’s here. Change the background.”

<Background has been changed.>

Since I didn’t like the white background, I chose a different background.

Now there were ten available backgrounds, so I chose an island background.

Although it was blocked by water everywhere, it was lush with green grass and trees inside.

“Hum. This one is better than the others anyway.”

When I made the selection, the white background quickly turned into an island, which I liked.

But I quickly turned my eyes elsewhere because I had already enjoyed the landscape through the 3rd VR adaptor more than enough, whose resolution was much clearer and more varied than this one.

<Confirming your downloading details.>

<This is the downloaded details that you own.>

[Forgotten Legend (Execution available)]

It was the only download created as a result of the default setting.

“Execute Forgotten Legend!”

I immediately shouted “Execution!” because I would not have enough time to play the game for the next two weeks, aside from my eating and sleeping time.

<Forgotten Legend is now in execution mode.>

The island background quickly disappeared and a huge battlefield appeared, along with dozens of burning castles and numerous people who looked like ants.

But I immediately shouted, “Skip!”

I didn’t have to know about the background of Forgotten Legend, nor was I curious about it.

Even one second mattered to me.

Then the giant battlefield disappeared and the blue sky and a giant wheat field emerged.

A message appeared before my eyes.

<Thanks for participating in the first closed beta of Forgotten Legend. The first closed beta of Forgotten Legend will be open for two weeks, and you will see part of the Valten Empire, the Forest of Peace and part of the cursed land. You will be restricted to only a few skills and items that are released here, and your maximum level is up to 100.

If you send us any ideas on the improvement in the closed beta at the end of the two weeks, we’ll take them into account for our future direction. Thank you.>

There was a message about the upcoming opening of the second closed beta.

Then the game started immediately.

<User Juyoung Hong, recognition of your body, iris and thought has been completed.>

<You can set up your character.>

“Basic.”

Anyway this game will reset to the default after two weeks, so I didn’t change my appearance as created by body recognition.

<Please select the ID of the character.>

“...”

I used to use my real name Juyoung Hong when I was engaged in the role-playing games because the character in the game was my alter ego that reflected me in the real world.

I felt so proud of the character with my name in the game as it kept growing, but it sometimes put fetters on me...

In the game world where the players enjoyed indefinite freedom called anonymity I sometimes could not do it as I pleased because I alone was bound by reality.

That’s why I created the type of ID that could not be separated from me, Juyoung Hong in the real world. Just like Dr. Jekyll and Hyde.

But the new ID had an opposite character because I wanted to shine very brightly in the game, which was the opposite of me in the real world.

“lumen.”

<The ID of your character has been named ‘lumen.’ Do you want to continue?>

“Ugh?”

The Latin word lumen meant light, sparkle, shine and brightness.

The reason I chose this ID was because I felt I could not be a brilliant man, nor was I sure of it in the real world. So, I wished I could shine in virtual reality.

<The starting point is the Cotum Region of the Valten Empire. Have a pleasant trip for the next two weeks.>

Then I felt I sunk into the ground, but I didn’t care because I felt the same thing in various games. I was rather excited about what kind of world I would find myself in.

***

Tok, tok.

I lifted my feet and strongly trampled on the ground, then folded and released my fingers repeatedly.

“Hummm. I was worried because it was a 2nd generation popular interface adaptor, but it’s not that bad.”

I didn’t feel awkward whenever I trampled on the ground and clasped and unclasped my hand.

Of course even the 3rd generation interface adaptor felt a bit different when compared with a more high-end adaptor.

“Good. Let me start surfing.”

When I was downloading yesterday, I roughly confirmed some of the information on the ‘Forgotten Legend’ homepage. And I decided on some sort of occupation that I could take on in the first closed beta.

Well, there is only one occupation that I always choose in almost all role-playing games, let alone ‘Forgotten Legend.’

It’s none other than a character that can carry out a distant battle or heavily arm itself with that skill, because I feel that the best attack is the prerequisite to winning the battle.

Besides, such a character can give the opponent a bashing first, if possible.

So, I usually played as elemental wizards. Accordingly, their physical build was not strong enough. But I didn’t care because I was not the type of gamer that got a kick out of challenging strong monsters or opponents.

“Check status bar.”

I opened the status bar first.