Alex found himself in the same white void as before. He was confused for a moment, bit really remembering what had happened. A small reprieve as the memories came crashing down on him like a shower of bricks.

Alex fell to his knees, dry heaving, his body reacting poorly to the experience. Quite an achievement in this day and age. At worse VR could only induce vertigo or dulled pained simulation. Alex really felt like his body was trying and failing to compensate for the psychologically damaging experience he just went through. Truly, a marvel of human technology designed by Traveler Games!

“I need-fuck-to, turn down, heugh, the p-pain receptors. God damn, that sucked.”

Something that Alex failed to recognize at the moment. Not that he felt he should have been complaining. He had set the game to Legendary Difficulty. He just hadn’t been expecting that level of pain in the god damn intro. He might need to rethink whether an extra paycheck was worth that level of realism.

It sold the downer tone the game was going for if nothing else.

Wiping the spit off his face, a rather impressive graphical design now that he noticed it, Alex stood back up. Can’t play a game if he stayed in a fetal position the entire time, now could he? The system recognizing, he was ready to continue, brought him another window. It appeared to be a summary of his previous choices.

You have selected the following settings for Death Galaxy:

Difficulty: Legendary

Race: Echo

Class: Destiny Outlaw

We will now begin generating your avatar and select the appropriate starting location.

A loafing bar began to load underneath the window. Numerous small software keywords being generated, or quality checked. Of which there was a lot of because Alex could hardly read the words that were flashing in and out rather quickly.

Well, guess there really was no going back now. He was stuck with Legendary Difficulty for the rest of the session. He could always opt-out later. Might as well give it a shot.

Right before the bar reached full capacity, another window appeared.

Wanderer, there appear to be several modifiers to your Avatar.

These modifiers are:

Difficulty: Legendary

Race: Echo

Class: Destiny Outlaw

Day-One Boon: (Legendary)

Traveler Employee Account

Please wait as Death Galaxy is updated to include these modifiers.

Uh, ok? Kind of wanted to play the game already but sure, he could wait a little longer.

The bar was full in seconds.

Well, that was fast.

The first window had changed. They were also rather significant.

You have selected the following settings for Death Galaxy:

Difficulty: Legendary (Permanent)*

Race: Echo (Android: Organic Model)

Class: Destiny Outlaw (Former Class: Nano-Biologist)

Day One Boons: Starting Class Skills, Starting Race Skills, Starting Equipment, Background Scenario, Legendary Quest.

*As a Traveler Employee, you may not change Difficulty, Delete Avatar, or Change Account.

Would you like to begin Wanderer?

Y/N

This... what the hell was this? He couldn’t change the difficulty. His Echo subrace was chosen for him. His class, which had a subclass he wasn’t told about, was also picked for him. And on top of all that, he was stuck with this character forever.

For a game that touted freedom and control, he was experiencing a startling lack of at the moment.

Alex let out a groan of frustration, brushing his fingers through his hair as the game was wearing down his patience. It was one thing to take his agency at times. Games demanded you hand over some control to the designers if you wanted to play their games. He got that.

What he couldn’t accept was have it happen on the back of what was paramount to torture in the can of a near-death experience. Then being told that such suffering was likely to continue because of a misinformed decision was insulting. No amount of money was enough to band-aid the experience.

Sure, others could argue he had been warned beforehand about how bad it would be. Alex would then ask them if they would like to experience lifelike disembowelment and be told not to complain about it.

...

Whatever. Life’s fucked Alex one too many times already. What’s another kick to the nuts, right?

Selecting yes, Alex saw the window disappear without any fanfare. While waiting for the scenery to change deep exhaustion snuck upon him. He became so tired; he couldn’t even break his fall as he literally fell unconscious.

The next moment, Alex was staring into a reptilian’s eyes.

“Android 413X what is your current status?”

Alex, master communicator and lexicon extraordinaire, bedazzled the female sounding lizard with his masterful use of language.

“Huh?”

“I repeat Android 413X, what is your current status?”

“...Who?”

A window popped in front of his face, preventing him from ruining his first impression any further.

Welcome, Wanderer.

Before you truly begin Death Galaxy, we will be running through your Background Scenario. The choices here will decide what leads to your Class: Destiny Outlaw and Race: Echo.

Due to selecting Legendary Difficulty, applicable progress will be maintained after completion.