Level Is Everything

Character Creation

「So, this is the Syder huh? 」

After checking the figures in the promotional video for the umpteenth times, Ryou finally decided to buy the Syder so he can play the game. Making an order through the air screen, he got the Syder delivered to his home at night. It was amazing at how efficient the online shopping was. Even though people saw Ryou as a poor person, he still has some money left behind by his family. They only considered him poor due to him commuting to school by bus, his simple choice of food for lunch, and seemed to only have one pair of uniform which he is using every day and now the color seemed to be a little faded.

Looking at the device on his hand, Ryou hesitated a bit.

「I never played a game before in my life. Will I be alright? 」

The Syder looked like a glasses with a dark colored lens. Such a small device can actually read synaptic transmission and delivered the same transmission the same way as the brainwaves. It is one of the reason to how Schneider was able to guarantee 99.99% realism. Putting the Syder on, he laid down on the bed. It was said that any position can be used when logging in to the virtual world, but laying down seemed to be the best since the body can rest at the same time although mental exhaustion still exists.

"Log in!"

As soon as he said that, he can feel that his consciousness to be fading for a few moments.

When he opened his eyes again, Ryou realized that he was floating in a white space and a man's voice can be heard running on his mind.

"Welcome players to the world of Aaru, where level is everything!"

「The system has detected that this is the first time the device has been used for logging in. Do you wish to bind the Syder? 」

"Yes."

In order to play the game, the Syder have to be bound to the user. It is to ensure that each person can only have one ID and no other person can use the Syder or steal the account. The binding process itself was matching the person brainwaves and record it in the Syder. If the brainwaves aren't matched, then the Syder can't be used.

「No character has been detected, proceed to the character creation? 」

"Yes."

Ryou then looked at the character creation that is displayed in front of him. His character is modeled after himself. Although some adjustment can be made, but it was within 10% deviation from the original body. When other game giving full control of character creation, Aaru only accepting 10% as the full limit. Schneider was asked why and he explained that further deviation from that will resulting in lower level of realism. After all, if you want to experience 99.99% realism, your avatar or character should be as close as 99.99% similarity to your real body.

Looking at the black haired teenage boy displayed in front of him, Ryou feel that he didn't need to adjust anything. After all he doesn't feel that he needed to hide his identity. Even if his friend found out about it, so what? Furthermore, the chance of him meeting them was abysmal due to how large the world of Aaru is. Ryou's physique was just average but the dispirited look on his eye makes his classmates loathe him. It was the eye that shows neither excitement or emotion about anything and he has been keeping that for almost ten years. Since the day his father, mother, and brother didn't come back home.

「Do you wish to make physical adjustment to the character? It is advised to keep the deviation 5% from the original body with 10% being the maximum allowed by the system. 」

"No."

「Please choose your in game name(IGN). 」

"Ryou."

It was normal in online game to have the same name as other player, that is why there is a unique ID that is used when a player is going to register a friend or sending a player versus player (PvP) invitation.

「Please choose your class. If you decide to not choose any class, you can take a class later by heading to the profession teacher or by triggering hidden class quest. 」

After that, Ryou can see a list of class that he can choose. The class listed alone reaches 90 not to mention hidden class that is spread through the world of Aaru. Some may decide not to choose any class right away but Ryou has decided from a long time ago that he will be an Archer. It was the profession that is displayed by a figure that he believed to be his father.

"Archer please. Maybe with this, I am one step closer to him."

「Please distribute your stats. 」

After finishing with the class selection, he is brought to the status point screen. Each character was given 10 basis points which can be distributed freely and they gain 3 free points every time they leveled up. Each class have some class bonus points added every 5 level which can't be distributed by player. Even though the gap of bonus points still exists, it was almost negligent due to the free points that can be freely distributed. One of Schneider aim when making the game was, the higher your level, the higher your stats; the higher your stats, the stronger you are, this is the game where level is everything. All in all, your stats distribution still mattered but the biased between battle oriented class and lifestyle class can be ignored up to some extent.

The stats are divided into six categories. Strength, Intelligence, Luck, Vitality, Dexterity and Agility. Strength (STR) determines your basic attacking power and carrying weight. Intelligence (INT) determines your magic power and magic defense. Luck (LUK) determines critical hit chance and drop rate. Vitality (VIT) determines your defense and health point. Dexterity (DEX) determines skill casting speed, hit accuracy, and basic ranged attack power for ranged class. While agility (AGI) determines your attacking speed and flee rate or dodging.

In another word, a chef with 99 points in strength is equal in power with a swordsman with 99 points in strength. Without counting the class skill and bonus point, people can't say that the chef is weaker than the swordsman. When fighting against monster, the chef can deal the same amount of damage as the swordsman. As each class was given a normal skill, magic skill, and ranged skill to maintain the balance it all comes down to who distributed their stats better than the other. Or to put it bluntly who have more stats than the other party and used it to their full advantage will come out as the winner.

"Alright, please distribute 10 points to strength."

「Distributing 10 points to strength, are you sure? Archer is a ranged oriented class which relying on dexterity and agility. 」

"Yes."

Although the system has given the warning, Ryou still chose to add all the stat points to strength. Maybe it was due to this is the first game that Ryou plays or there is a chance to gain more stats in the future to be distributed to DEX stats and early STR might be the better choice.

「You have finished with character creation. Proceed to the world of Aaru? 」

Without any pause, Ryou replied: "Yes."

Schneider voice can be heard once again before a bright light obstructing Ryou's sight and forces him to closes his eyes.

"Welcome players to the world of Aaru, where level is everything!"

When he opened his eyes again, Ryou is greeted with an unimaginable sight.