"Coming in from the entertainment news, Drenstar Corporation has announced the launching of the server for the world's first virtual reality MMORPG game with a 99% immersion rating, Beacon online on Saturday, 1st of August,2130. The company which began the sales of the virtual reality headset and gears on the third month of the year announced to the public in a message from their spokesperson, Mr Andrew Rolain this morning that all servers would be online at 6pm on Saturday. Right now, gamers all over the world are pumped and raring to explore this new world. Joining us at the studio next is one of the beta testers for the game, we'll be back with you after the commercial break, do stay tuned"
Lots of people crowded around the gigantic LED screen listening to the broadcast from the pretty female news anchor.
Aside from professional gamers, many people are also excited by the launching of Beacon online.
As the first virtual reality game with a 99% immersion rate, it was just like another world, making it possible for any and everyone to play.
Standing quietly among the crowd of people and also staring at the screen was a young man in his early twenties, he has neck length dreadlocks, ebony skin color and a scar across his left eye. He was holding a take-out bag in his hands.
Godfrey stood silently watching the news with the crowd till the commercial break before turning around and walking away.
Many young people were feeling pumped and waiting for the the grand launch of the game, as a young man, it should be imaginable that he should also be excited right? But the reverse was actually the case...
"All these preparation just for a game, the world is still unstable after the great calamity and people are feeling excited for a mere game" Godfrey shook his head helplessly as he kept walking.
Given the current state of the world, it wasn't surprising he thought this way.
One might wonder, what is this great calamity?
The answer in one sentence was 'it was the darkest day of all humanity'
Godfrey couldn't help but recall records of history about the calamity
It happened over a century ago. That day started like any other day, that was until all sh*t hit the fan.
At first, the satellites in space suddenly detected in single asteroid appearing out of nowhere and heading towards the earth at an astonishing speed.
Though surprised, different government's armed satellites still prepared their canons to shoot down the asteroid.
Unknown to them it was just the beginning. Before the first could enter firing range, a second asteroid appeared.
Two turned to four, four turned to eight and before they knew it, it was like the gateway to an asteroid belt has suddenly appeared before earth.
All the satellites were destroyed after firing a few shots, and an asteroid shower was upon earth.
The world governments tried to evacuate people to safe zone, but soon realize to their horror that there was actually no safe zone.
Panic ensued everywhere in the world, people running helter-skelter, clinging to the smallest of hope to survive.
Asteroids rained down for a whole day nonstop, bringing death and destruction along with it.
Almost two-third of the world's population perished that day and every city in the world was damaged to a horrifying degree.
What took years to build were all suddenly destroyed in a single day.
The most frustrating part of it was that no one knew where these asteroids came from or how it appeared before earth.
However, humanity was a race well versed in adaptation.
After a few days of running around and general panic, people began gathering in different places to settle down and start all over again.
Country, race or color were forgotten as people from different race and countries gathered together to settle down and start rebuilding, resulting to what would be later known as Alliance.
Walking down the street towards the slum area of the Sliviot alliance, Godfrey couldn't help but shake his head again.
Godfrey was born and grew up in the Sliviot alliance as one of the inhabitants. But just like any human habitat, there was always a clear demarcation between the rich and the poor.
The Sliviot alliance is divided into three layers, the urban area, the industrial area and the slum.
The urban area is the area for the rich folks, expensive residential buildings, sharp and ever ready security personnels, the place was practically a luxurious world for the rich.
The industrial area is just as it's name implies, all the industrial company and various corporation in the alliance are located in this area.
And finally, the slum area can be said to be the place where the poor family lives, as well as the gathering place for petty criminals. Living conditions are terrible, security is almost non-existent and crime rate are through the roof.
But why would people live in such a place?
Only one reason; affordability.
Houses in the slum area were cheap and affordable, that's why most of the poor and average wealth family lives here.
Godfrey walked for a while on the dirt covered street and came to a stop before a single story building, he pushed the door open as the bell rang and let himself in.
The shelves and counters, coupled with the canned food, foodstuffs and other goods arranged inside the building marked it as a convenient store.
Wriggling his way through the almost cramped store, Godfrey soon arrived before the small counter at one side of the store.
"Good evening brother Freddy, what do I get you today?" As Godfrey arrived before the counter, the cheerful voice of a girl greeted him from behind the counter.
Standing behind the counter and waving at him was a petite young girl of around fourteen years old with blonde hair tied into a twin tail.
"Hello Sophie, can I have some broccolis, lettuce, meat and pastas and how's your mom doing?" John waved back with a smile as well.
Freddy is a name friends and people close to him calls, a nickname gotten from his name Godfrey.
"Mom's okay. She went out for a bit to get a few things and that's why I'm filling in. It's such a pain to stay at the store, Do you know I had to..." She immediately launched into a series of complaints.
However, her hands never stopped moving as she packaged his order for him.
Freddy gave a wry smile and only shook his head lightly.
"By the way, are you gonna play the new game coming out tomorrow?" She suddenly looked up and ask.
"Nah, I don't have time to play games, I have work and other stuffs to do. But maybe kelvin would play, his position in his guild is enough for them to get him the VR equipment" Freddy smiled a little as he mentioned the name kelvin.
"And even if they don't get it for him, I could still be able to get him the elite grade version" he spoke again.
"Ohh!, I'd have loved to play but mum said I'm too young for the game, me who's all grown up" Sophie pouted in frustration.
"I really wonder how you're all grown up, even I who's older than you can't say I'm all grown up" Freddy thought to himself.
"The game is designated 16+ so it can't be helped. Even if your mom let's you play, I heard that the VR headset can be able to determine age and prevent you from logging in" Freddy said.
"Well sucks for them. I'll be sixteen in a few months, and then no one can stop me" Sophie laughed complacently before handing a grocery bag to Freddy"here you go by the way, that'll be two hundred credits"
"Wow that sounds great, here you go" he replied and handed her his credit card.
After alliances formed, the world currencies were unified into a single system called alliance credit, or credit for short.
After swiping the card on the payment machine, Sophie returned the card to Freddy and grinned "thanks for patronizing our store, do come again"
Freddy also smiled as he received the credit card, before turning and heading for the door "see you later kid, tell your mom I said hello"
"I will, say hello to kelvin for me as well" Sophie yelled after him, however he didn't turn and just raised a thumbs up and then he exited the store.