The sound of the doorbell filled Fenix with excitement. It was Saturday, the day he had been eagerly waiting for—the day his VR pod would arrive.

  After days of careful research, he finally settled on the perfect one. He poured over reviews, compared prices and features, and thoroughly researched every aspect. Confident he had made the right choice, he couldn’t wait to begin pying Haven Online.

  'And start my revenge,' he thought with a satisfied smirk.

  Admittedly, it wasn't solely for revenge; Fenix had a genuine passion for the game and its vibrant virtual world. Haven Online also served as a therapeutic outlet for his Pyrophobia (fear of fire), greatly aiding in his coping with the condition.

  As the delivery men set up the pod in his room, Fenix's mind wandered to his memories of pying Haven Online. Despite being stuck gathering pnts for that shady corporation in his previous life, he had always found time to explore the game's vast world.

  He also spent countless hours on forums, reading about other pyers' adventures, and watching live streams on KiloXA, a website where pyers could broadcast their in-game experiences and earn some extra cash.

  Because of that, he knew about many hidden and unique locations inside the game. If he had been more interested in grinding for levels, he could have easily become a top-ranked pyer. However, the idea of spending all day grinding monsters didn't appeal to him at all.

  Snapping himself out of his thoughts, Fenix noticed that the instaltion of the VR pod was complete. His anticipation grew as he looked at the sleek, futuristic equipment now taking up a significant portion of his room.

  In his past life, the idea of him purchasing such costly equipment for pying a game would have been unimaginable. After all, the VR pod alone had a hefty price tag of 35,000, not to mention the monthly medical assistance fee of 100. And let's not forget the cost of nutrient solutions on top of that - 200 per case.

  The mere thought of how much money he had spent left him with a strange feeling. He realized that his days of being frugal weren’t behind him yet. In his previous life, he would have never spent such a rge sum of money. Luckily, the pod came with a year's worth of nutrient solution, so he wouldn't have to worry about that expense for now.

  With everything set up, Fenix thanked the delivery men and saw them out. Walking back to his room, he couldn't help but admire his new VR pod. It was as big as a small twin-sized bed, with an elegant oval shape and a small hatch.

  As he approached the pod, Fenix couldn't resist running his fingers over its smooth, cool surface, admiring its refined, cutting-edge design. With a smile, he opened the hatch and felt a surge of excitement as he saw what y inside.

  There was a plush, comfortable mattress that was perfectly designed to cradle his body during long hours of gamepy. He also noticed electronic eyewear connected to the pod, ready to transport him into the immersive world of Haven Online.

  Small electrodes were waiting to be hooked up to his body, ensuring a seamless connection between his physical form and the virtual reality realm. He also saw small pstic tubes sticking out of the interior walls, part of the nutrient delivery system that would sustain him while he pyed.

  The pod was truly a marvel of engineering, effortlessly blending comfort with cutting-edge technology. It was worth every penny he spent on it.

  Fenix furrowed his brow as he looked at the tubes, struggling to recall their function. Then, he remembered from his research that they converted the nutrient solution into gas, which would be absorbed by his body while he was in virtual reality.

  Suddenly, a creaking sound caught his attention and he turned around to see Maya walking into the room. As she approached, her eyes widened at the sight of the pod.

  Fenix couldn't help but smile at her reaction - Maya had always dreamed of becoming a full-time gamer on Haven, but money had always been an obstacle. Just when she could finally afford it, her mother fell ill and she had to put her dreams on hold.

  But now, as she stood there staring at the pod, it was clear that her desire hadn't diminished one bit. A couple of days ago, Fenix had offered to help pay for her pod, grateful for all the times she had helped him in his previous life. However, she shook her head and insisted on paying for it herself.

  He tried to push, but she knew he was strapped for cash after purchasing his own pod. She reassured him that she would be able to afford it soon and convinced him to help her level up once she got one.

  Sadly, he knew she wouldn’t be able to get one, so he promised himself he would make sure she got a pod no matter what. He already knew how to do it.

  As Maya ran her fingers over the glossy surface of his pod, her eyes lit up with amazement, and she couldn't stop raving about how cool it looked. Fenix smiled, enjoying her enthusiasm as they chatted for a few minutes. Just as their conversation was flowing, her phone chimed, reminding her it was time to head to work.

  As she turned to leave, Fenix caught a glimpse of envy flickering across Maya's face. He heard her sigh wistfully before muttering to herself that she needed to start picking up extra shifts to save enough money for one of her own.

  After Maya left, Fenix double-checked that the door was securely locked before retreating into his room. It was finally time to py.

  He carefully climbed into the VR pop, and ensured all the wires were connected before closing the hatch and pressing the power button. A ding signaled the start of the game as a robotic voice greeted him through speakers inside the pod.

  [System: Do you wish to register this pod?]

  "Yes!"

  [System: Scanning.... This pod has been registered to Yin Fenix, Male, age 21, SS: 361-xx-xxxx. Is this information correct?]

  "Yes."

  [System: Which game would you like to py?]

  "Haven Online."

  [System: One moment please.]

  The seconds felt like an eternity as Fenix waited for the pod to process his request. He could feel a surge of excitement building within him. Suddenly there were a series of ten beeps that rang out for five minutes before the voice spoke again.

  [System: Would you like to begin the game now?]

  Fenix's pulse quickened as he answered, "Yes."

  [System: Internalizing...]

  Suddenly, Fenix's surroundings were consumed by an inky darkness, and a cinematic began to py, showcasing the magical world of Haven Online. The graphics were breathtakingly realistic, each detail carefully crafted to immerse the viewer in this virtual realm where anything was possible.

  Fenix vaguely remembered seeing this trailer before in his previous life, but this time he paid close attention, filled with excitement and anticipation for what was to come.

  As the cinematic ended, he found himself standing in a spacious white room, with nothing but a floating fairy NPC inside of it. She had cascading locks of vibrant orange hair that seemed to glow in the light, and delicate pink wings that fluttered behind her like butterflies.

  "Hello, my name is Marisol," the fairy spoke in a bubbly tone, her voice tinkling like wind chimes. "Welcome to Haven Online. Is there anything you would like to ask before you create your character?"

  Fenix shook his head and responded, "No, I don't have any questions."

  "Very well then, let us get started on creating the perfect character for you." With a graceful sweep of her hand, Marisol summoned eight distinct races for Fenix to choose from. Each one was unique and fantastical in its own way. It was clear that choosing just one would be no easy task.

  AN: I'll be updating Haven Online: Brewing Chaos every Sunday! If you'd like to read ahead, chapters 6-20 are avaible on my Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/momocatt.