Chapter 2: Positions are Free

The price of the highest-end VR device was 1.3 million won. A decent mid-range device was priced at 950,000 won.

Both were significant expenses.

But since I was buying one, I decided to go all out and order the highest-end model.

The device consisted of light glasses, wristbands, and a mat with built-in noise reduction. As someone whose first

thought of full-tracking was sensors attached all over the body, I was a bit anxious. It felt like, can this really be enough?

Origin Rift. The VR game that everyone called Ori for short was a 6v6 AOS genre. It was famous for its realistic and stunning graphics.

“Wow…”

From the login screen, I realized I had worried for nothing. The device accurately recognized my movements, and the graphics were as overwhelming as the rumors said.

{Choose your race.}

The main avatar setting screen. Each time I swiped through the races, the background changed accordingly. Humans had a magnificent castle, Orcs a burning battlefield, and Dwarves a deep, dark mine.

The game stated that race had no relation to stats. It was just about choosing an appearance that suited your taste.

Still, my choice was already made.

{Are you sure you want to choose Elf?}

After agreeing, I chose a position and pressed the matching button.

Honestly, I didn’t know exactly what each position did. All I knew about Ori was from a couple of videos. So, I chose based on what sounded good. Tracker, Coordinator. The system would choose one for me.

Matching was successful, and it was time to choose a character. Again, the only criterion was following my heart. The moment I confirmed my character, there were immediate reactions in the chat window.

○Butcher Unit(Executor): ??????

○DdanDdanDdunDdun (Protector): Ah.

○Seaweed Ring(Supplicant): What are you doing?

I turned on the voice-to-chat feature and responded to the unwelcoming atmosphere.

○Elf Cho Eun(Archer/Tracker): Is there a problem?

○42-Year-Old-Unemployed(Coordinator): F*cking hell, it’s just a normal game

○Seaweed Ring(Supplicant): Why are trolls so bold these days

Trolls? The game hadn’t even started yet.

○Elf Cho Eun(Archer/Tracker): Please let me know what I did wrong. I’m new to this game and unfamiliar with many things.

○42-Year-Old-Unemployed(Coordinator): What a f*cked up concept

○DdanDdanDdunDdun (Protector): If you’re new, shouldn’t you have done the tutorial;;

Tutorial? I think there was something like that. However, I didn’t have time for a tutorial. I had already waited too long while waiting for the VR device to be delivered.

○Elf Cho Eun(Archer/Tracker): I’m sorry. That seems to be my mistake.

○42-Year-Old-Unemployed(Spellsword/Coordinator): Whatever, just go for a quick surrender. It’s just a normal game anyway

○DdanDdanDdunDdun(Warrior/Protector): …

○Butcher Unit(Executor): Sigh… Hey. Let’s switch positions. Executor is like a ranged DPS. Tracker Archer can’t jungle.

{Butcher Unit is requesting a position change.}

○Elf Cho Eun(Archer/Executor): I appreciate your kindness.

○Butcher Unit(Rogue/Tracker): Yeah;;

○Seaweed Ring(Priest/Supplicant): The concept is weird

There was a bit of a commotion. But everyone, including the Destroyer who had been silent until the end, finished selecting their characters. And as soon as the game started.

The air changed. Or rather, that was the feeling.

What came into view was an endlessly stretching, lush forest. The trees were so huge they seemed to touch the sky, and thin rays of sunlight streamed through them. Through the gaps in the branches, a calm pond was visible, surrounded by wild field flowers.

It was a place that reminded me of the place I had lived in for a long time.

○Seaweed Ring(Priest/Supplicant): You really are new. Many people are amazed at first.

He was talking about me looking around.

○Seaweed Ring(Priest/Supplicant): Follow me. We need to level up as much as possible in the early game.

The ground was covered in moss, so footsteps were barely audible. Only the occasional sound of long grasses brushing against each other could be heard.

Rustle.

Compared to the silence that had been going on, it was a loud, rustling sound. I immediately turned and aimed in the direction of the sound.

As soon as a faint silhouette came into view, an arrow was already flying towards the target.

Thud.

The arrow didn’t stick but disappeared as if absorbed, but I could confirm that it hit and dealt damage.

Now, I took in the enemies that had fully revealed themselves from behind the bushes and vines. An Orc with a crossbow and a human Priest. The Orc was also aiming his crossbow.

Whoosh.

With a slight turn of my head, the opponent’s arrow grazed past me. I didn’t wait and launched a counterattack. One shot. Two shots. The game’s adjustment made the process of nocking the arrow extremely simple.

The light from our Priest landed on me, making my movements even faster. To the side, then slightly upwards. Light orbs and arrows that missed me parted the grass.

Evasion and attack were indistinguishable. Even while crouching or turning, arrows were constantly fired at the enemies. Only the order changed slightly.

When the human was bothersome, I targeted the human. When the Orc was threatening, I focused on the Orc. Making the right decisions in the ever-changing battlefield. It was a sense thatremained like an instinct to me.

Here and now, I was.

So free, and I felt like I could do anything.

{Elf Cho Eun has scored a Double Kill!}

○DdanDdanDdunDdun(Warrior/Protector): Ooh

○Butcher Unit(Rogue/Tracker): ??

○42-Year-Old-Unemployed(Spellsword/Coordinator): What? How?

The Priest who was assisting me nearby also added a word.

○Seaweed Ring(Priest/Supplicant): You said you were new;; Why did you lie…

○Elf Cho Eun(Archer/Executor): Everyone. Praise can wait until after we secure a complete victory.

○Seaweed Ring(Priest/Supplicant): The concept is seriously too much;;;

After taking down the opposing Executor and Supplicant a few more times, the Priest and I were moved to the location where the other four were fighting.

It was a more serious-looking battlefield with walls and fortresses scattered around.

In front of various objects and fortresses, sometimes engaging in small-scale battles, sometimes in battles where all six members gathered.

And the result was displayed largely in front of us.

{Victory!}

○42-Year-Old-Unemployed(Spellsword/Coordinator): Nice

○DdanDdanDdunDdun(Warrior/Protector): I feel like I didn’t do anything, but we won;

○Butcher Unit(Rogue/Tracker): If you’re that good, just ask to be Executor from now on… Anyway, thanks for the carry.

○Seaweed Ring(Priest/Supplicant): Good work.

Listening to the expected praise from my teammates, I looked down. My fingertips were trembling slightly.

It was exhilarating. I felt alive.

That sharp and intense energy that could only be felt in the midst of battle. The dopamine that hadn’t been filled no matter what I did for over two weeks now filled my head.

I immediately started the next match without a break. The goal was to reach the number of games required to play ranked games.

***

《Tsukishiro Miya》

《The strongest magician appears on the battlefield!》

《Origin Rift / 3782 viewers》

Blooming Core was currently one of the most popular VTuber groups in Korea. Miya was a second-generation VTuber belonging to that group.

Her avatar, commonly referred to as a ‘skin,’ was a cute demon with small horns and wings. Fittingly, her voice was fresh and bubbly.

-Hami

-Hi, Miya~

-The background music is weird

-This is the Ori matching sound ᄏᄏ

“Hi, Miya~! Thank you to everyone for coming to watch today!”

The broadcast waiting screen disappeared, and Miya’s avatar appeared on the side. At the same time, a notification that the match had been accepted was heard.

– Ori again from the start today?

-When will the Ori reign end…

-Ori addiction

“Unfortunately, Ori ends today! Because I’m going to Diamond today!”

– ?

– ??

-?

-If I said you still haven’t come to your senses… that wouldn’t be right, would it?

“You guys aren’t going to give me a break! Did you forget that I ended yesterday with one win in the promotion series?”

Is there any meaning to it?

– Info) This is Miya’s third promotion series…

-Is this real?

“No. It’s different this time. It’s really different!”

In fact, Miya knew that constantly playing Ori wasn’t ideal for broadcasting. There was always a demand for communication broadcasts among VTubers, and many viewers even saw games as an extension of communication. In that respect, it was best to only occasionally play games like Ori that required intense concentration.

Still, Miya was in the fairly high Platinum tier among VTubers. In addition, because she showed many interesting reactions even during Ori, she was able to attract a significant number of viewers even while broadcasting Ori. ‘Even I think skipping Just Chatting for three days in a row is a bit much…’

Just Chatting, where she usually spent some time communicating before games. She had skipped it and started Ori as soon as the broadcast started for three days in a row. She had barely managed to appease the viewers by declaring a ‘Just Chatting All Day’ where she would only communicate for a whole day this week.

The reason Miya was doing this was because her personal desires slightly outweighed her broadcasting duties.

As an ‘Ori-obsessed girl’ who was serious about Ori, she couldn’t resist the temptation of Diamond rank being so close. That’s how desperate she was.

While lightly bantering with the viewers, the character selection was almost complete. The assigned position was Coordinator. She picked her main character, a magician, and glanced at the chat window.

-Legendary troll appeared;;

– That’s not right

Sigh, why is this happening? Miya is working hard, she needs to rank up quickly…

-Breaking news) One loss in the promotion series secured

“Why, guys? What’s wrong?”

Sensing the unusual atmosphere, she quickly checked the selection window, and there, Miya finally found it too.

○Elf Cho Eun(Archer/Destroyer)

“What the! Who goes Destroyer with an Archer!”