New TECHNOLOGY ARISES! New sites, online posts, and blogs were filled with different comments and opinions regarding 'Ancients', the new online virtual reality game that is speculated to have the full-dive experience. A digital world that seems real. A new world. It was said that this technology was the latest product of the military introduced to civilians. However, no one knows if this news is real.

A mysterious company, Dream, suddenly appeared and introduced new equipment to dive into the unknown. Malls, stores, and even online stores are filled with this virtual reality gear -  a dream dive. This high-tech gear was cheap and only cost less than Php10,000. Many bought it on its first day of release due to their fear of being unable to play the Ancients. During the first day of sale, online stores were loaded with orders, shops were lined with thousands of people before the crack of dawn. Luckily, our protagonist Juan already lined up at midnight. He was at the 10th spot at the very front with his sleeping bag and pillow. 

Brrrrr brrrrr brrrrr -phone vibrates

"Yow Dex" - Juan answered the call

Dexter or Dex for short is Juan's best friend since childhood. They are neighbors and classmates from daycare nursery to high school. In college, Juan took Materials Science and Engineering with his government scholarship while Dex took Accountancy with varsity scholarship. Dex stood 5'10 ft and has an athletic build due to his being in basketball varsity. However, being the hunk himself, he is a geek inside. Similar to Dex, Juan also has an athletic build. He got it from his love to jog and doing exercise. Sometimes, he also goes to the gym. Both of them love to read light novels and mangas, watch anime, and play games, especially role-playing games. However, Juan also has a passion for agriculture and science stuff. 

"Have you bought the new gear" - Dex replied

"Yup! I'm on my way home to open the box" - Juan excitedly replied

"I also got mine today, let's meet up after logging into the game. Hopefully, there's only one server and beginner spawn point" - Dex

"See you in the Ancients" - Juan said as he closed the phone.

Upon reaching his home, Juan excitedly opens the box and reads the manual. The dream dive is a helmet kind of virtual reality gear. It fully supports the head, comfortable to wear, and lightweight. It was almost to the point you barely felt anything. It has an emergency battery for unexpected electricity cut-off and a slot for mobile internet. Together with the helmet is an internet sim card provided by Dream for a stable internet connection of all drive gear. According to the manual, the Ancient was played inside the dreams. The gear accesses the subconscious of the mind to operate the game while the conscious part of the mind relaxes during sleep. 

"This is a state-of-the-art gear!" - Juan shouted! 

Following the instructions in the manual. Juan plugged the gear into the electric outlet besides his bed. It is currently 6:00 pm and time for dinner and the Ancient will go live at midnight. He still has time to prepare for bed and relax his excitement.

During dinner, he ate a lot together with his family. They are not rich and not poor. They are what you call middle-class families. His family of 6 is composed of his father, mother, two older sisters, and a younger brother. His father is a public-utility jeepney driver, his mother is a common housewife, his oldest and youngest siblings are both project managers and his second sister is a teacher. Juan himself is a researcher (a kind of combination of a scientist and engineer) in his field. His family knew about his hobbies and asked about the new trending game worldwide. 

"I already bought and set up the gear inside my bedroom" - Juan answered.

"Wow, it was just released today right?" - asked his brother.

"Well, After work yesterday... since it is Friday... I went straight to the mall and bought some camping supplies, ate dinner, watched movies to pass the time, then camped outside the mall. Hehe" - Juan answered truthfully. 

The whole family looked at him simultaneously and his mom shouted: "Juan! for God's sake, you know you can order online right?"

"I was so busy at work I forgot to order online. Hehehe" - Juan smilingly answered

"Take care of yourself! Thank the Lord nothing bad happened to you" - His mother.

Juan knew that his family loves each other very much. Even though he loves his family. His mother has a tendency to be overprotective but he loves this part of his mother. 

"By the way, I also bought every one of you with your own dream dive. It is in the living room now" - Juan told them. 

He suddenly received a spank on the back of his head from his father. While tending to his 'aching' head, he heard his eldest sister tell him "You should save your money. Keep some for emergency use". 

Juan just smiled and nodded. He knew he still had some savings left. He jokingly told himself that money should be expended to boost the economy. He believes that money should be used first for necessities, then next is happiness, last is savings for emergencies.

After dinner, he helped his family set up their own dive gear. 

11:59 PM

Juan wore the helmet and proceeded to sleep. Inside his dream, he saw a big screen in front while everything else was creepy black. he did not know where he was but one thing for sure is - he is inside the Ancient!

Only 30 seconds remaining before his dream dive. He stared for the whole 30 seconds without blinking at the big screen until his view became a bright blinding white then what followed was something he can't comprehend. He was standing in the sky! Under him is the aerial view of his neighborhood!

-To be continued-