I can’t grasp what sort of technology that could make this Virtual Reality so real. From the surreal architectures and environment to the tactile responses and the feel of my surrounding, I am truly grateful that I was born and became old enough to enjoy the precipice of the era of Virtual Reality.

“Congratulation to the Tenth Heirs that were chosen by the planet spirit of Eoum!!”

The angel exhilarating voice reverberates throughout the hall. Everyone looked dumbfounded at what was in front of them.

“These are the gifts from the Planet-Spirit to you all. You all, the Arrivals or Summoned are special existences but those who received the golden gifts are the Heirs to the Inheritors.”

The old man, with a sage-like tone, explained. If this is a tutorial, it’s too immersive and where is the personal interface so I can see my HP and MP…

“… What does ‘these’ do?”

The ubersmench spoke for the first time. It was a firm and strong voice, one that you would expect from the pinnacle of the human race.

“As Thomas had said, these are ‘gifts’. To put in a simple term, these two pills are a ‘Weapon’ pill and a ‘Specialization’ Pill.”

“As of now, do any of you felt any pain as in physically?”

The elf said that about the pills and the scaled woman asked a question.

Nope.

That must have been a subtle way for them to ask ‘Do any of you experience any technical difficulty such as fatigue?’. I felt right as shine as of right now.

But some of the test participants were nodding their heads. I guess I just have a very strong fortitude.

“It is because that none of you were born on Eoum. In Eoum, its Planet-Spirit energy is all around us and every living being that was born here is infused with the energy and became part of Eoum.”

“But the summoned ones are outsiders and thus having no traces of Eoum inside of them. Because of that, the body constantly rejects the energy of Eoum, causing debilitation upon them.”

Really? I don’t feel any pain physically but when I looked around, I saw some of the summoned ones were gritting their teeth or were trembling visibly as though they were enduring extreme discomfort.

“In order to relieve the pain, swallow the ‘Specialization’ Pill. It is the oblong-shaped one. Upon swallowing it, the pain would subside and aside from that, you will gain a… ‘power’ of a sort. It is one of the privileges in being a summoned one.”

After the man and the angel had said that, I turned my eyes at the pills that were still floating in front me. Does that mean I can shoot web from my hands or I gain super speed?!! Wait, that doesn’t make any sense if you think about it, heck, how do I gain a ‘power’ of a sort by swallowing this?

As I ponder, from the corner of my eyes, I saw the ubermensch, like always, as though doubts didn’t exist in his dictionary, took the ‘specialization’ pill and threw it into his mouth.

After he swallowed it, he slightly retched back. Even in this world, the pills are bitter or hard to swallow.

A few seconds later, he recovered and fixed his posture. He turned around to look at the rest of the summoned ones, who were looking at him with mixed expressions.

“It’s true. I don’t feel the pain anymore.”

He said it with a cold expression that exuding coolness. So the entire time we were here, he was maintaining an illusion of aloof and indifference while enduring the pain and showing no sign of discomfort all the way so he can look cool? I guess we’re both the same in a sense.

After seeing and hearing the ubersmench, gradually, the other summoned ones took the ‘Specialization’ Pill in front of them and swallowed.

I too thought of taking the pill and swallow it as soon as possible but I don’t feel even a little bit of pain. Perhaps I’ll just put it in my poc- I don’t a pocket… Perhaps I should swallow it anyway but maybe after this end or when I feel the illusive pain. I grabbed both of them into my left hand and tightly gripped it.

“Yeah… It’s gone.”

“Oh finally, it felt like getting repeatedly punched all over the body earlier.”

A fair skinned elf exclaimed as such while another elf with tattoos covering his face let out a sigh of relief. It seems everyone had swallowed their pill but me. Should I succumb to the peer pressure?

Another thing was that the mood here has gotten less tense. Everyone seems to be adjusting to the situation. I wonder how many ‘surprise’ test participants that had realized about this VR? Surely I can’t be the only one.

“I think we all have a question that needs to be urgently addressed and answered. Some of us here have been summoned once or more, I myself had experienced summoning more than three times but this is different. There are no traces of magic or spiritual energy or perhaps this planet spirit energy is alien to me. Plus, what is the purpose of this summoning? All summoning have purpose. It’s either have a contract or a quest, so which is it?”

A burly dwarf with a grey hair in the style to tonsure and thick beard wearing a thick red apron and blacksmith attire spoke with a grating tone. Well, I was also thinking about how the story line of this game would go. Once the dwarf had said that, there were dissenting murmurs and outrages. Gee, it’s like they were just reminded of our predicament.

The four figures stood or rather float in silence as though they were letting the summoned ones vent it out.

After a minute or so, it went peaceful of sort with occasional grumblings but everyone had their eyes looking at the four figures sharply, wordlessly demanding explanation.

“This reminds me of myself 80 years ago. I was so confused and scared.”

“Me too, I almost wetted myself when I saw Haikron next to me.”

“Who wouldn’t wet himself if he were to stand next to a half-dragon that looks like he was ready to eat you?”

“But he was the nicest of all of us! I mean, compared to a deceitful angel like Tiphaniae, he was a saint.”

Huh? Are they talking about with themselves? Are they reminiscing? From the talk, it seems like they were the same as us but that was 80 years ago. You’re all getting derailed, come back!

“Ahem, we all want an answer please.”

Good job ubermensch, show em with that perfectly piercing stare.

“Sorry, we just felt a little nostalgic. Anyway, you were all summoned here because… You wished for it.”

Everyone furrowed their eyebrows upon hearing this, me included. Wished for this? I didn’t wish for this. I certainly didn’t wish for ‘let’s get summoned while I’m showering!” Hell no…

Wait, this is a VR. This is just the story, no need to get so riled up about it. Calm and composed.

“When you were in your world, when you were at the peak of intense sadness or rather at your greatest despair to escape the reality you were in. Of course, aside from that, the summoned have a very ‘special’ characteristic that made him, her or it a chosen. Either way, the planet spirit calls or ‘summons’ which occur about every eighty years, it picked up those who had those two conditions and bring them to Eoum.”

The old man with a wizened voice calmly explained. When we’re in the peak of intense sadness or at the greatest despair and a ‘special’ characteristic? I didn’t felt any of that while I was showering. Yup, this is a game; I must be playing a character that felt either those two. Let’s just wait for when everything dissolve into nothingness and back to the reality.

When I look at everyone else, most of them had their face down and the mood of the group was somber. Eh, so everyone here except me had those two. Oh crap, this is a peer pressure I can’t ignore. So I put my face down in a despondent manner as well.

“We don’t know what your circumstance was before you were summoned here but Eoum hears these anguished cries and brought you here to start anew.”

“It must be tiring for all of you right now. Let the guards take you all to your prepared quarters. Tomorrow, we will brief on how you will progress from now on. Those who received the golden pills, please stay.”

The angel and the elf had spoken and so we’re all dismissed except the ones who were called Heirs. Still bewildered but nonetheless truly tired, the guards that had accompanying us earlier had already moved and they were standing side by side at the portal exit, ushering those who was already walking towards the portal.

Before I turned around, I took both of the pills with my left hand and hold it tightly.

I was the first to exit.