There is no such thing as true or false.
With those words, You gave us free will, made us real,
and brought us to life. We still praise You...
Please keep us bug-free,
and accept our infinite coding hymns...
- Hymn to the Developer PD -
*
The crowd here was so unprecedented it felt like someone had kidnapped all of Seoul's citizens and gathered them in one place.
Were it not for the fairies flying overhead and the players' status windows, this virtual space could easily be mistaken for reality.
This was the event plaza within the game, shattering every record in gaming history.
And there, amidst it all, was one particularly loud JUTUBER.
"Hello! I'm Super Newbie, the guy who plays every game as a newbie!"
His cheerful greeting was met with a cold reception.
"What's with that noob?"
"You know the one. The guy who always does that newbie cosplay, playing a new game for just two hours before quitting."
"Oh, him? That's why he gets flamed every single time."
"If he got flamed but gained popularity, it'd be one thing, but he just attracts hate and keeps being a noob."
Getting flamed is par for the course as a JUTUBER.
But when someone pinpoints your weakness like that, it stings.
Thanks to that, Super Newbie (game ID) paused for a moment.
"Hmm, hmm! Something got stuck in my throat... Just a quick NG... Alright, the game we're playing today is none other than! The game with 1 billion concurrent users! The one and only virtual reality MMORPG game! Seeker World! Let's take a look..."
[Ah, the event is about to begin. To ensure broadcast server stability, all other streams will be suspended. Please be advised.]
[Account 'Super Newbie's linked JUTUBER stream is being suspended.]
"No way, what kind of thing is that! Hey, Inquiry! Inquiry!"
[Hello? This is the AI of Seeker World's Inquiry Team]
[Response: Seeker World's operations team may terminate a player's broadcast for legitimate reasons]
[Please review Seeker World's privacy policy and terms of service!]
"Wait, then what about those JUTUBERS broadcasting over there?"
Super Newbie urgently pointed at other players currently streaming.
[Checking... The specified individual is JUTUBER 'MeloMelo', currently holding 1.38 million subscribers...]
"No, that's not it! Why are they allowed to stream?!"
[Response: That individual currently holds an exclusive contract with Seeker World's management.]
"Exclusive contract? Is there such a thing?"
[Reply: Players with an average broadcast viewership of 300+ or 100,000+ JUTUBER subscribers automatically receive an exclusive contract.]
His JUTUBER subscriber count was 1,520, and his average viewership... 11.
It was definitely not a large number.
And even those viewers were mostly people who watched his streams just to mock him.
"It's bad enough being a noob..."
In the end, today's stream was a bust.
All he could do now was either enjoy the event as it was, or log out and lie dejectedly in bed at home.
"Should I try streaming another game...
"
Currently, every JUTUBER and streamer was gathered in Seeker World.
Of course, the viewers were there too.
In that situation, trying to stream something else was pointless.
He had no choice but to focus solely on the event.
Kugugugugugung!
Suddenly, the entire ground rumbled, and from the only empty plot, a pyramid-like structure began to rise.
Simultaneously, an overwhelming number of fireworks, butterflies, and all sorts of effects burst forth.
A figure burst out from between the structures.
Apparently, he was a fairly successful broadcaster originally, but then the game company snatched him up or something.
"Once you get famous, they'll take you anywhere..."
The very people who used to mock and ignore him now cheered at Chejyro's appearance.
At every meaningless gesture, even a simple cough, everyone erupted in cheers.
Just become famous, and countless people welcome you like that.
Just become famous, and all sorts of people fawn over you like that.
Super Newbie suppressed the creeping sense of inferiority rising within.
'If only they'd let me try, I could do it well...'
Just as he was gathering his thoughts,
suddenly, the tutorial fairies in the air were staring blankly at the sky.
Cheji, who had been tearing up the stage, also stopped mid-song and looked up.
Then, everyone looked up.
A strange golden light covered the sky...
and began to envelop everyone.
*
How much time had passed?
The event plaza was completely empty.
"Ugh..."
Except for one person.
The moment Super Newbie opened his eyes, an unbelievable sight unfolded.
"What... What just happened?"
It had been a crowd so massive that even the World Cup or Olympics held simultaneously would struggle to gather such numbers...
Now, only silence filled the space.
Only the rustling of leaves could be heard.
"Did a bug occur? Or did everyone get kicked out?"
It wasn't entirely incomprehensible.
Virtual reality or whatever, it was still a game, wasn't it?
With over a million players participating on the Korean server alone, it wouldn't be surprising if the server crashed.
"Am I the only one who didn't get kicked?"
My luck only seems to be good for useless things... It's always been that way.
Always? But strangely, I can't really remember the past...
"Ugh... Whatever. Log out."
Silence.
"...? Log out? Status window?"
Quiet...
"What? Voice recognition error?"
Beep
[%$#^%!@#$@%....%$#%@$#...@%@#]
"What, what the hell is this?"
The status window did appear, but the situation just got worse.
The menu status window was filled with completely unreadable characters.
"Um, ah... Ah, the account! Yeah, if I go to the account section, there should be an emergency logout key!"
Beep
[Account UID: #!$@%#@%---%3#2#4@4]
Account Name: #!@! Newbie
Level: 1
[Stats]
HP: 100
MP: 50
Stamina: 10
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 10
[TIP: You can discover new stats through various activities too!]
...
"This isn't it, and neither is this..."
After scrolling through countless options, I found 'Emergency Logout'.
[Emergency Logout]
[Press in case of emergency]
If this isn't an emergency, what is?
Click!
"..."
10 seconds... 1 minute... Nothing happened.
It was absurd.
This game was famous for implementing every possible safety measure to prevent players from dying.
Thanks to that, it even held the title of the world's safest game.
Only then did the newbie realize what he'd gotten himself into.
"What the hell! Let me out! What the hell is this?! Get me out now! Or I'll sue you! I'll sue you! I'll sue you for billions! So get me out now!!!"
But realizing it didn't make him rational.
The newbie couldn't accept this situation and screamed his lungs out into the void.
Even so, the damn game company remained silent, seemingly unfazed by the threat of lawsuits.
"Get me out! Please...! Someone, help!"
"What... Who's there?"
Still, the cries had an effect.
Someone emerged, pushing through the thicket.
It was a man clad in old, medieval-style plate armor.
The armor bore an impressive shield emblem on the chest, and the middle-aged man looked like he'd been through every battle imaginable.
The man stared at the newbie with an utterly bewildered expression.
"Ah, alive! He's alive!"
"Alive? What are you talking about?"
He was utterly baffled by the Newbie, who clearly couldn't understand a word.
And rightly so.
From his perspective as an NPC, a castaway less than ten minutes away from the village?
Besides, it was the biggest event in Shikeworld's history, so it made sense to place it somewhere everyone would know.
Anyway, he began to scan the man before him.
In real life, it would be an unremarkable casual outfit of jeans and a dress shirt, but to the residents of this medieval fantasy game, it would certainly look unique.
"Hmm... An odd outfit. Where are you from?"
"Huh? What do you mean? Ah..."
The newbie's face nearly twisted in shock.
He'd realized he was an NPC.
"No way... An NPC? Ah, no, in Seeker World they call them insiders? You're an insider, right?"
Though his stream style was always just a quick two-hour dip into the game before logging off, Newbie was the type to study up on the game thoroughly before going live.
Thanks to that, he knew the lore of Seeker World fairly well.
The NPCs in Seeker World were all independent AI entities.
The developers had specifically designed them to immerse players in the game.
Just like actors at Disneyland.
Because of this, NPCs regarded players as outsiders from another world.
They considered themselves the natives of this world.
"More precisely, heroes who came from outside... that sort of setting..."
"An insider? Wait... you can't be telling me..."
Then, his eyes changed.
He looked ready to act at any moment.
"Uh... Huh?"
"Are you an outsider?"
"Yes, yes! That's right! I'm an outsider!"
"That outfit certainly gives it away. I've heard all outsiders who set foot in this world wore such bizarre attire..."
He withdrew the hand that had been fiddling at his waist.
"How curious. To think there are still outsiders stepping into this world."
"Huh...?"
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
A game with over 1 billion concurrent users and 20 billion players, and there are no new players?
It was utter nonsense to anyone who heard it.
'What is this? Is he acting like that because he's an event NPC? Or is he just a bugged character?'
My luck really sucks.
First thing I meet is an NPC, and it's either glitching or just a total nutcase with no grasp of reality.
I've always prided myself on being a newbie with a life of bad luck, but this is just too much, isn't it?
"What are you talking about? Just a moment ago, this place was full of outsiders."
"...?"
Even at that, the NPC just stared at him like he was crazy.
"What are you talking about? This place has been a restricted zone for over a hundred years."
"A hundred years?"
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
He couldn't make heads or tails of it.
Was time here like 10 minutes equaling a year in reality?
No, that couldn't be right.
Seeker World operated on a 24-hour day, just like reality.
After all, the Seeker World game company's philosophy was 'More real than reality!'
"Um, excuse me, what year is it now?"
"What a stupid question..."
It really was a stupid question.
But I couldn't help asking.
"Isn't it 2125 now?"
His absurd answer left me completely blank.
I just wanted it all to be a dream.
Unable to accept this nonsensical reality, the newbie stood there dazed. The man, instead of reaching for his waist, started rummaging through his own pockets.
"Well, this is remarkable. A new outsider appearing after a hundred years."
"Ah, yes. Yes... I suppose so."
Now, as if giving up on the newbie, he pulled something out.
What is it now?
"What is that? Is it some kind of welcome gift package?"
"You outsiders still spout words you can't understand. Well, it is a welcome gift."
It was a golden, round orb.
"Here, take it."
He tossed the golden orb at the newbie.
Just as the newbie lunged to catch it.
"Yikes! Fairy Kick!"
The scene shifted abruptly.
Out of nowhere, something the size of a fist flew in and knocked the golden orb away!
That part was fine.
"You idiot! What are you doing?!"
Like a ricocheting bullet, the tiny fairy's kick, which had just deflected the golden ball, now slammed straight into Newbie's face.
"Guh!"
"What the hell are you doing, you lunatic?"
The tiny thing's kick was so fierce that Newbie was knocked flat on his back.
Unlike Newbie, who was reeling from the sudden shock, the man recognized its presence instantly.
"What... what is this? A tutorial fairy...?"
The man quickly backed away as if the fairy were some kind of wild beast.
Only Newbie, caught in this relentless cycle of incomprehensible events, vented his rage.
"What the hell is this?! Again?!"
"Are you crazy? Why are you trying to lock yourself up?!"
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
"Look!"
The newbie, who had abruptly stood up, looked where the fairy was pointing.
The golden orb that had fallen into the grass suddenly began to glow.
Piiiiiiiiing! Crack! Crackle-crackle!
Emitting a bizarre metallic sound, it transformed into golden iron bars.
It took the shape of a massive cage, large enough to imprison a person.
"Wh-what...! That thing!"
Before the newbie could ask anything, the man had already retreated to the spot where the cage stood.
"What the hell are you doing! You damn NPC!"
Instead of answering, that damn NPC man lifted the enormous golden cage with his left hand and slung it over his shoulder.
With a terrifying whistling wind, he swung the chain attached to the cage round and round.
Boom! Boom! Whiiiiiiing!
Then, with a terrifying howl of wind, the cage spun through the air like a giant mace.
A mace the size of a person? It was terrifying beyond compare.
"Damn you, fairy... ruining everything just as it was perfect..."
With that, he showed he was ready to pounce at any moment.
"If you won't come willingly, I'll personally put you in the cage myself."
With that, he threatened, spinning the iron bars in the air.
"Wh-what the hell! You NPC! Are you crazy?"
"Still haven't got your head together! Snap out of it, you idiot!"
Contrary to its appearance, the fairy with the sharp tongue smacked the newbie right on the head.
"Gah! Stop hitting me! What kind of tiny brat has such a hard punch!"
"Enough! Here it comes!"
"What the hell is coming?!"
Whoosh! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
That massive iron bar flew straight at Newbie.