Few years ago an acquaintance was listening to an audio book and I overheard the first couple of chapters. I've been trying to figure out what book it was. What I can recall is that I think it was a VR world. The MC was a teen male, around 16 years of age?
Anyway, he gets into the game world on his 16th(?) birthday using some sort of VR pod. While in the starter town he somehow annoys a beggar(?) who curses him.
I think the curse was that he would always respawn in the same place he died rather than a spawn point. He figured out how to leverage the curse to his advantage rather than fail because of it.
Does this sound familiar to anyone? Can't ask the acquaintance as I no longer have contact info for them.
**Edit: It's the Disgardium series, thanks u/SupprMrMike