The [Virtual World]
When my visions return, what awaits me are millions of people with the same confused and scared face as I am. I tried to look for Sergeant Rina and my unit when I suddenly fell on my knees.
My head started to hurt as f*ck as if a hundred needles is stabbed in my brain. My stomach is all in shambles. I was about to vomit today's breakfast when I heard Sergeant Rina's voice in my head forcing me to swallow it all.
"Swallow it, cadet! get your sh*t together!"
"Gulp!"
"Gather up! follow the bright green dot you see in your scouter, we have a mission to do" I force myself to stand up trying to find where Sergeant Rina's voice is coming from when it hits me.
The deafening sound of gunshots. The wail of thousands upon thousands of wounded soldiers being carried away from the battlefield. The unbearable stench of blood looming in the air. As I stand there together with millions of cadets I realized this is the place where I would die.
"Please! I don't want to die"
"Tell my wife I love her"
"Give this to my parents"
The feeling of death became stronger and stronger the more time passed. Like it has a mind of its own my feet became heavy unwilling to move.
Every second passed feels like an eternity. I was sweating all over my body, I was about to pass out due to fear when I suddenly felt a hand touch my shoulder. I looked up and there I saw light amidst the dark, the most beautiful face I ever saw.
I look absent-mindedly at that face for a while before I realize that it was Sergeant Rina.
"4!, 4!, 4!, Are you alright?!" She was looking at me with neither anger nor pity in her eyes but I could feel she was conflicted with something.
"We are human, It's normal for us to be scared but we have to power through! this mission doesn't only concern us, it affects all of us."
"If we cower here now, you, me and everyone we care about will die, do you understand me everyone will die!" the voice of Sergeant Rina snaps me back to reality, although my fear remains I'm able to move now.
I look around me and It seems that my squad is already accounted for except for me and this makes me quite embarrassed.
"All of us are here, let's move out! I'll explain the details on the way. Stay close!" Sergeant Rina said
"Yes Ma'am!" all of us shouted in unison.
"You'll have to ask your questions later, I need to put you all up to speed before we reach the west battlefront."
.....
"A year ago humanity's smartest mind, in the hope of finding a solution to our resources problem accidentally found access to this place, a new dimension which can provide us with everything we need to avoid our extinction." Sergeant Rina explain
"They develop machines such as the Scouters that we are wearing now that can teleport us in and out of this dimension," She said pointing at the scouter
"Sergeant Rina what if we lose our scouter or it gets destroyed during the fight does it mean we will be stuck here". Her explanation only explains the overview of things and it raises important questions that I felt needed to be addressed right away.
"Number 4 I said no question did I make myself clear? Let me finish first before asking questions." Sergeant Rina said with her face showing a bit of annoyance.
"Understood Ma'am," I replied, she didn't answer my question so I have no other choice but to wait.
"I'll continue, this dimension is much like our own but with some difference."
"The most simple way to describe it is to think about this place as a fantasy world where other species exist and monsters such as dragons are real."
"The plan is to build humanity's footing in this world-first so that order can be established before revealing it to the public that's why we build these massive strongholds." hearing her explanation everything makes sense why any information about [Virtual Reality] remains tightly sealed, just imagine the amount of chaos that it will bring if people know about this place, a world where the government has no power, a world with no law and order.
"We called this place [Asgard] one of humanity's remaining strongholds, all is going according to plan when...." Sergeant Rina suddenly stops speaking and her face shows a look of fear and anger.
"When [Asgard] is suddenly attacked by a giant army of Orcs that just comes out of nowhere. Their strength is unlike anything we have ever seen before. They slaughtered us like chicken!" Sergeant Rina can hold it anymore, she clenches her fist until blood starts to fall down her hand.
If you look closely at her face you can see enough anguish and pain to make your heart bleed.
It took her quite a while before she could compose herself.
We all feel the pain she is experiencing so none of as say's a word, we just follow her, waiting for her to continue her explanation.
.....
"We are caught unprepared, we have no choice but to use [Last Stand] hoping we can at least turn the tide around."
"We truly can't lose this stronghold, if [Asgard] falls no one in our battleship [Asgard] will be able to enter this dimension ever again. "
"Something like this already happened when the battleship [Olympus] fell. None of its inhabitants can access the [Virtual World] anymore.
"It doesn't matter even if they relocate to another place, they still can't enter this place. It's like their qualification is revoked. That's why we are forced to use these kinds of drastic measures that put millions of lives in danger."
"This might seem harsh but the people of [Olympus] are now good as dead so if you don't want that to happen to us we better protect this place." Amid Sergeant Rina's speech one of my squad member no.1 voice out his opinion.
"Mean no disrespect sergeant but if you guys yourself are nothing more like chicken to these monsters, what can someone like us do? Are we just going to die here for nothing?." No.1 asked, showing his angry about the whole situation.
I don't blame him as I can see where he's coming from and I know sergeant Rina seems to get it also as she suddenly stops after hearing No.1 rants.
So I thought.
Before any of us can react Sergeant Rina punches No.1 in the face sending him flying.
With her fist still clenched she said "I get your point, but you have no right to disrespect my comrade, and are you deaf? I said no question, if you do it again I will turn your head into meat paste" All of us can't help but stare in shock at sergeant Rina, the strength she displays is simply unbelievable.
None of us will dare to believe it if someone says that a fist that small can send a big guy like no.1 flying. I quickly thanked God that she didn't punch me back then when I first asked a question.
"It's not like this whole situation is hopeless. Why do you think they called this place [Virtual World]?" Sergeant Rina's question struck a chord. Why did they call it [Virtual World] when this place is as real as it can be. What is special about this place?
We wondered among ourselves when Sergeant Rina decided to continue
"The moment we step in this dimension, we humans also experience a big change. We obtain the power to gain unbelievable strength beyond our commonsense."
"The real reason they called this place [Virtual World] is this whole place is like a damn game where your life's on the line."
"Try thinking about your stats and even something ridiculous like a status window will pop-up"
I tried thinking about my stats as Sergeant Rina said and a status window did pop up.
Emmanuel [Synthesize Human] Lv.1
HP: 1000
SP: 150
Str: 5
Vit: 50 + 50
Int: 15
Agi: 10
Special Skills
Blood of Life: Doubles your vitality and regeneration.
"OK stories over, ask your question now, as we are about to arrive at the western battlefront". Although Sergeant Rina said that she already turned around and started walking.