THE CHOSEN ONE (WHO COULDN'T KILL A RABBIT)

"(Narrator: Alright, let me introduce this guy. His name is Lance Belmont king of his prestigious private academy in Los Angeles. Genius, popular, athletic, and most importantly? Filthy rich. His father's name is... it just says "Belmont" on my script. That's it. Just Belmont. Anyway, they're loaded. Lance is an only child, but here's the catch his mother, Mifune, is Japanese, and she runs that household like she's saving the nation from laziness. No maids. Walks to school. Normal lunch money. And Lance does ALL the chores. Every single one.Because of this, Lance has had a complicated relationship with anything Japanese ever since he was old enough to complain about it. His personal conclusion? "All Japanese people are nerds." Solid logic from the academy genius.Recently, however, something has shifted. After accidentally watching one anime and falling down a rabbit hole of online games and general nerd activity, Lance has been slowly, tragically, and irreversibly becoming the very thing he mocked. And now now he has gone and purchased a Super VR capsule, convinced that throwing money at a skill-based game will make him the strongest player on the server. It will not.)

The character creation screen loaded up, crisp and blinding."Pick a username." 

"How about... Teddy003_Handsome." I typed it in without hesitation. Perfect.

"Select avatar." "Woah it looks exactly like me. Okay, gender: Male, obviously"

"Select sex.""...Wait. Didn't I just aren't those the same thing? Why are they asking both?" I stared at the screen."You know what, I'm a minor and I have zero experience with whatever this is implying, so I'm just going to move on."

"Select your avatar type. Choose one: Furry. Teddy. Or purchase the MECHA SUPREME ULTRA STRONG ROBOT.

"I looked at the Furry. I looked at the Teddy.

 I looked at the Mecha robot, gleaming and enormous and powerful.

"...I'm buying the Mecha."

⚠️ SYSTEM ALERT: Troll behavior detected. As punishment, you have been reset to Human avatar.Note: This game is 100% skill-based. All pay-to-win attempts are penalized. This was clearly stated in the Terms of Service.Consolation prize: You have been equipped with the Armor Bear set. Stats Movement Speed: LOW. Defense: LOW. HP: LOW. Attack Power: LOW

"AHHHHH JUST SHUT UP ALREADY!" I slammed my fist into the air.

 "I just want to PLAY this game! The game that every single nerd at my school is obsessed with! Just let me IN!"

The loading screen dissolved."...Oh."The world materialized around me in stunning, overwhelming detail. The grass looked real. The wind actually moved through the trees. Somewhere in the distance, birds were calling. The sky had clouds.

"Woah. This is... actually insane."

"Hello there~! 

"I spun around. Floating in front of me was a small glowing robot, blinking cheerfully.

"I'm Ichihihihi......hihito the Robot! I will be your guide"

"I'm sorry. You're what?"

"Ichihihihi......hihito."

"....So your Ichito the Robot?"

"No. I'm Ichihihihi......hihito the Robot."

"...Okay."

"Anyway~! You can view your items, build stats, level, and equipped armor using that blue button over there." The little robot gestured cheerfully. "Welcome to the game!""I think you're bugging." I stared at it.

 "So Ichito. What do you actually do in this game?"

"It's Ichihihihi......hihito. And I'm glad you asked!"

 The robot straightened up proudly. "You can get a job, work for a boss, earn a salary, and then spend that salary on food and water for your survival.

"(Narrator: This game is hyper-realistic. Dangerously so.)

"...Is there more?"

"Yes! You can also become an entrepreneur, purchase property, enslave monsters murder is fully permitted, but you have a limited number of respawns. Once your respawns run out, you are permanently dead. However, you can earn extra respawns through Skill Coins."

"Okay"

"There is also a full skill system! Skills range from F-Tier to S-Tier, though the actual damage difference is minimal. For example, an F-Tier skill deals 3,677 damage, while an S-Tier skill deals 3,723. The real value of S-Tier is the extended range, the special effects, and most importantly looking extremely cool."

"Sure"

"Skills are tied to your magic affinity. Your magic type determines which skills you can learn. There are over one thousand magic types available, so every player's build will feel unique! To discover your affinity, visit the Sorcerer Shop NPC. You may specialize as a Mage, Swordsman, Fighter, or Gunner"

"Okay I think I get it"

"There is also a rank system! Ranks ascend from Chicken, Pig, Bull, Wolf, Bear, Tiger, and Lion, all the way to the rarest and most powerful rank Dragon. Dragon-rank players are extremely uncommon. Ranks are earned through stars, which are awarded via achievements, 5v5 matches, duels, and missions. The in-game currency is called Misho Coin. Skill Coins are a separate currency entirely. Potions can inflict curses, poisons, buffs, or restore health. Armor can be forged. Weapons can be crafted. Mining, looting, and trading are all available as progression paths. Guns are expensive"

"I GET IT."

(Narrator: He didn't get it so he ask for repeat that conversation lasted exactly 17 minutes, 40 seconds, and 34 milliseconds. For an academy genius, this kid has genuinely zero survival instincts. The author's hand is cramping just writing him.)

Ichihihihi......hihito beamed."Wonderful! Your first mission: kill 3 Rabbits and collect 3 Blue Clawflowers. The rewards are some Misho Coins and crafting scraps for forging your first weapon it'll be a weak sword, but it's a start.

 Guns are expensive. Also fair warning even a rabbit bite hurts."

"Got it. Easy."MISSION ACCEPTED.

I walked.And walked.And walked....I walked nearly 10 kilometers before checking my minimap."

"...I was on the complete wrong side of the map.

(Narrator: He turned around and walked another 13 kilometers. In silence. In a haptic suit that simulates every blister.)

On the way back, I spotted two Blue Clawflowers growing by the roadside and quietly pocketed them. One step closer.Then I found the Rabbits.They were tiny. Round. Fluffy, with big glassy eyes and little twitching noses.

"Aww." I crouched down. "Okay, I could never actually"

One of them bit me.

"AHHH! WHY DOES THAT HURT?! WHY CAN I FEEL THAT?!"

Then I noticed the others. All of them. Turning toward me with those glassy little eyes.The swarm hit me like a furry, adorable avalanche.

☠️ YOU HAVE DIED.

Respawns remaining: 2 All collected items have been dropped.

"...My flowers."I stared at the respawn screen."

I have to walk 13 kilometers again."(Narrator: He did.)

The second attempt was not going better."AHHH IT BIT ME AGAIN"SHING.

The clean sound of a blade cutting through the air. The rabbit in front of me stumbled and scattered.

"Ha." A voice from behind me. Dry, unimpressed. 

"You can't even kill a rabbit."

I turned around. Some player mid-level gear, relaxed posture, clearly had been watching this for a while."Shut up,"

 I said. "I'm a noob. Obviously." I paused. 

"...Hey. If you're a pro, can I borrow some money? My character is going to starve."

The player stared at me."Not even a thank you for saving you?"

"You'll get a thank you when you give me the money."

"First of all," she said, "I'm Bull-rank, which is genuinely considered high-tier around here.

 Second I'm broke by choice because I hate doing missions. That's why I'm out here hunting my own food instead of buying it from the shop.

 And third" they pointed at me, " I am absolutely not giving a single Misho Coin to someone this ungrateful."

"Fine." I threw my hands up. "I'll just log off then. I'm hungry in real life anyway.

"I reached for the logout button.Pressed it.Nothing happened.I pressed it again....Nothing.I pressed it seven more times.(Narrator: Nothing.)

And then, somewhere in the back of my mind, a thought began to form. A realization. A terrible, dramatic, shonen-protagonist kind of realization.

The logout function wasn't working.I was stuck.In a hyper-realistic world where I could feel pain.Where I had just been defeated by rabbits.

Where I had no money, no food, two flowers, and an Armor Bear set with every stat at minimum.I looked up at the sky the impossibly detailed, too-real sky and something clicked deep in my competitive, sleep-deprived, 2AM brain.I was summoned here.

I, Lance Belmont, have been chosen.I am the one destined to- 

A blinding white light filled my vision.

And standing in the light, holding a broken VR capsule door in one hand and a broom in the other, was my mother,wait mom."Mifune-sama?"

"I thought you were dying in that refrigerator gadget." Mifune looked me up and down, completely unbothered by the fact that she had just physically broken open a multi-million dollar VR capsule.

 "You weren't answering, so I broke the door." She held up the broom. "Wash the dishes. The sink is full."

"But"

"Now, Lance."

"...Ugh."(Narrator: The Chosen One went to do the dishes.)