《Natural World》 Prologue- Alexander Rothshield Karnage: This is the last concept of a novel I''ve reserved, and the last prep before returing to Falling Star of Evolution. Arelan College, Stargaze City- A handsome youth tousled his hair, and gazed outside the window ignoring both teachers and classmates. An indifferent look plastered on his face, an aloof and proud aura surrounding him. Alexander seemed like a young prince from a movie, despite this, his class also ignored him. Alexander Rothshield, a 20 year old youth like any other aside from the fact that he was never interested in VRs or any type of video games. Although he was handsome and his body was well built and kept in shape, surprisingly Alexander was not popular in the college he attended. The reason for this was precisely because he was never interested in Virtual Reality technology, it was a hot topic for people his age and because he wasn''t interested, he had become alienated from the rest of the class. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. However, Alexander didn''t mind this. He preferred the solitude of his existence and was sure one day he would find a like minded soul who he could enjoy normal activities with. In Alexander''s eyes, a VR was merely an illusion that people used to escape to. He could understand why crippled people would join in as they wanted to experience a normal life again, but couldn''t understand why grown men and even women would squirm to play it. He didn''t understand why their eyes would light up when they spoke about it and why it would be a constantly discussed topic. He even went so far as to claim it was a form of mental illness. It wasn''t that he hadn''t tried it, but he did indeed try to play one a few years back and was fed up within the same hour. His reason being....it was too easy. Chapter 1- Hateful Stargaze city, Lunaria, Earth. Year 2025. Alexander sat at the back of the classroom in his usual seat like any other day, his grey eyes wandering out the window. He glanced at the birds in the sky, a nest in the tree, students down below. However nothing seemed to interest him, and he hadn''t put anything in his eyes for too long. The aura he gave off was a bit lonely, but there was a sort of pride and solitude emanating from this loneliness. He didn''t seem to be out of place, and he was the kind of guy that fit the image of a lone wolf. He didn''t seem at all disturbed that no one ever came to talk to him or try to be friends and was already used to it. Even though he was never interested in VRs, the people in the class never spoke ill of him or judged his choices and as such there was never any bad blood between them. His classmates had already understood that Alexander was this sort of person. At most they would greet him like any other classmate, but it would never go beyond that and Alexander quite enjoyed that. It was currently a free period and the students were huddled around in their separate groups discussing the hot topic Natural World. A free period was like God''s gift to these enthusiastic gamers and they couldn''t wait to talk about the speculations made about the new game Natural World. "Seriously man! You really think those Beta Testers would tell us everything?.. I mean come on, your smarter than that bro! I, Daniel, have never heard such a foolish question" A burly classmate with a pony tail and insomniac like eyes, couldn''t help but admonish his sturdy looking friend seated beside him. "The fat one speaks the truth, naturally they would keep the knowledge beneficial to themselves a secret. Any knowledge revealed by a Beta Tester should be common knowledge known between Beta Testers" A dark skinned student fixed his glasses as he stated his opinions, despite having on headphones with loud music; he could read the lips of his friends and knew what they were saying displaying his incredible intelligence. "..O-Oye who are you calling fat Michael..I told you It''s w-water weight" Daniel stated in a wronged tone inciting laughter from a female group not too far away. "As expected of a noob, believing everything he hears" An asian student seated in front of them turned around and laughed as he chewed on a stick of candy and gazed at the sturdy looking man with a bit of provocation. This student was a bit short and had a mischievous child-like grin plastered on his face. His slanted eyes narrowed a bit more as he gazed at the sturdy looking man. "...Ugh..Shut it Zheng" The sturdy looking fellow beside them couldn''t help but grow red like a tomato in shame. It seemed he had said something without thinking leading to the group''s anger. "My family has a saying "A noob has but one cycle of life, to exist" I think that one was for you Jason" Zheng laughed as he teased the sturdy looking fellow a bit more. The sturdy looking caucasian man, Jason, got even redder as he stood up with a "Hmph" with his fists tightly clenched, but Zheng had already arrived at the door. "Hahaha! See how slow you are! If you weren''t an advanced muscle-brained noob, you would have predicted I would run! Hahaha! The beasts of Natural World will surely be safe in your hands!" Zheng flew out the classroom leaving the class in roaring laughter. Alexander had gotten used to these four, they were a pretty good bunch of friends and from the conversations he''s overheard; they seemed to be guild mates in previous VRs. Alexander wasn''t one to eavesdrop but being as silent as he was, and as noisy as they were it wasn''t hard for their daily conversations to enter his ear. This group was aptly named the "Four Horsemen" because of their different personalities and because they were all from different backgrounds yet strangely they melded together quite perfectly. This group was particularly responsible for a lot of the laughs in class and as such had quite a reputation. The interest only lasted for a while before Alexander once more shifted his gaze through the window, passing the day slowly by... Time continued to pass while the conversations filled the air along with delicate female laughter. Alexander''s eyes traced the laughter to a black-haired beauty that sat at the front of the class. Her smooth and silky long black hair resting on her delicate shoulders had become the only thing that could attract Alexander''s gaze for a few moments. However, there was no longing or lust in his eyes. There was absolutely nothing as he gazed at the back of the girl, and his gaze once more moved on to something he considered more interesting. As if she felt someone was staring at her, she turned around a beat slower and saw Alexander gazing outside as usual. She had a straight nose, and a perfect line of milky white teeth, light blue eyes like the reflection of a clear shore. An exceptionally beautiful woman would be an understatement. This young woman was Valeera White, the without a doubt most beautiful girl in Stargaze College, Stargaze City. As she gazed at the seemingly uninterested Alexander, a complicated gaze flickered in her eyes, there was also a tinge of regret and also a bit of sadness that she suppressed. She bit her lips and took a breathe before she once more turned back to her friends and continued laughing and chatting. *Chatter* *Chatter* *Open* Suddenly the door opened as a man about 35 years old with short hair and glasses stepped inside, he was dressed in formal wear and carried himself in a scholarly manner. It was obvious this man was a teacher, this was Mr. Igor and the head teacher for this class. "Ok! Ok guys! Settle down now!" Mr Igor commanded as he entered in a seemingly flustered manner. As the Class Teacher had arrived, the class gradually became silent and the students all showed focused expressions. Had it been any other teacher they would misbehave for a bit longer and chatter for a while but Mr. Igor''s temper was quite known and no one wanted to suffer at his hands. Being the Class Teacher, he without a doubt had quite a few means to make life a living hell. "Ok! Today we are going to be doing things a bit differently!" Mr. Igor suddenly had a weird expression on his face as he said this, for some reason he threw a bit of a glance at Alexander before continuing. The class seemingly had no idea what was a bout to take place but they knew if Mr. Igor didn''t start class off immediately, he probably had something else in mind. Sometimes they wouldn''t have much to do, and sometimes they would get heavy assignments so they had no idea what to expect. "...Our school had a bit of a meeting with the government, and it seems they would like to try a new kind of program. I can tell you now that you all will enjoy this to no extent!" Mr Igor suddenly had a bit of pride on his face as he declared this. "With the introduction of the new VR, Natural World. Our class has been drawn from a random lottery to participate in it''s opening day. This means for this entire year, you will have no classes" Stolen story; please report. "Natural World has become so influential that economists believe that if we do not have outstanding players among our government that we will fall behind the rest of the world!" "Therefore in almost all institutions across the world, classes of students are being sent up and their progress will be recorded" "Naturally, this isn''t something you can decline. For one year, institutions across the world will have their students play Natural World and the one year that school has been missed will be funded by the government for those who choose to participate in this endeavor" "The future of Natural World is boundless, and as such our government must have a hand in this" Mr. Igor fixed his tie as he did a short fist pump knowing he would be hailed as a King for this deed. "Oooooo!!!!" "Sir! Are you being serious?! Woo!!!" "Oh my God! I''m calling my cousin!" "Mr. Igor! Mr. Igor! Mr. Igor!" The class immediately flew into an uproar, cheers could be heard from other classrooms so it had become obvious this wasn''t a joke. "What?!!" Aside from the happy cheers from the classmates, only one person couldn''t accept this. This was naturally Alexander, the class spun around and all threw weird gazes at him. Valeera looked at him, and didn''t seem surprised. A young man seated behind Valeera with short spiky hair and pierced ears, looked at Alexander and had a look of ridicule in his eyes, a sliver of a smile on his lips. This person was Jeoffrey Goodwin, a classmate of theirs. Mr. Igor seemed to have predicted this, he looked at Alexander sternly and opened his mouth. "Alexander, you must also be a part of this. If you cannot show versatility then you will no longer be a pupil of Stargaze College. Your parents have already agreed to this and I contacted them immediately because of I expected this reaction" "They will directly cut you off from your trust fund and no longer fund your school tuition if you do not comply" Mr. Igor stated firmly Alexander''s face distorted in hatred for a second, he took a deep breathe and his emotions instantly became steady. As if he had never heard anything in the first place. "I understand" He only said a single sentence and took his seat. With his head lowered, no one could see the expression on his face. Mr. Igor was shocked, he had expected insults and at the very least a bit more pleading from Alexander. His change in attitude left Mr. Igor speechless, and a bit wary as he knew it would never blow over so easily. Mr. Igor was in fact, Alexander''s uncle. A fact very few people knew, and no one was more well acquainted with Alexander than he was, that''s why he was sure this would never blow over so easily. Alexander was by all means a good student, he was extremely quiet, never caused problems and always had remarkable grades. Perhaps maybe two decades ago Alexander would be popular in his class and would be every teacher''s favorite student, but because of his dislike for VRs and the fact that the times had changed he had remained an oddity. In this new age, teachers got involved with students in various different VRs and naturally the teachers got closer to the students who played VRs. Mr. Igor sighed as he knew Alexander had a temper and he would probably find his own way to damn this program to hell. Also, he knew one of the major reasons Alexander also hated VRs, and knew this was akin to placing a bomb in Natural World. However, because of Alexander''s parents encouragement, Mr. Igor decided to get his class into the program no matter what to force Alexander to play them. His parents had decided that since VRs had become a big part of culture, Alexander''s personal demons shouldn''t stop him from enjoying something so miraculous. The truth behind why Alexander hated VRs only few knew, in truth Alexander had once enjoyed them to some degree. The one who had introduced him to VRs was none other than Valeera White, the college''s most beautiful girl. At one point, she was a friend of Alexander. The two did grew up knowing one another and doing everything together, till one day Valeera acquired a capsule. She urged him to get one and after a week of harassing she had gotten her wish and Alexander had bought one as well. At first everything started off extremely well, but Alexander loved doing physical activities as well. He would never give them up completely and as such his gaming time was only a few hours every other day. So he would only play whenever his friend, Valeera, asked him to come online. Slowly, Alexander started noticing Valeera started calling him less and less to join her and as such he had logged on one day and using Map-Finder, he traveled for a few hours all to surprise her. What Alexander didn''t realize, was that he himself would get a surprise. Valeera had already distinguished herself in an amazing guild and seemed to have a quest friend already. Apparently, she had long out-leveled Alexander and because of her love for VR gaming she unknowingly started grouping with someone else to become stronger and see more of the VR content. The person whom Alexander saw, was the older brother of Jeoffrey Goodwin, Jeremy Goodwin. He wasn''t angry that she had found someone else to level with, what he became angry about was that Valeera started ignoring him for this person and their activities had cut down by a large amount. Alexander knew that he would never be able to catch up to her as she had suddenly become famous in a huge guild and was being cultivated into a strong player. While Alexander was still questing in one of the beginner areas, she had already been conquering dungeons with her guild mates and the leader of the guild, Jeremy Goodwin. As he stood from a far and saw her with her new guild mates and quest buddy, Alexander stared at her for a bit as if engraving the moment in his heart. Whether she had checked her "Online Friends" or felt someone gazing at her, she had turned around and met Alexander''s heartbroken eyes. The later never touched another VR again. Valeera had tried to get into contact with him several times afterward but he either rejected her calls or had his butler turn her away at the door. He didn''t care about anything she had to say. In Alexander''s mind, he had already lost his best friend.....and the girl who he had loved since he was little. She had chosen VRs over him and Alexander had his own morals and values, neither was he an idiot. Weeks had gone by and she did not contact him, only when he had seen her with Jeremy did she suddenly started calling him frequently, he would never forget the guilty look on her face. When Valeera met him again in Stargaze College, she was astounded when she realized that even though he noticed her; he passed her straight as if the two had never met before. Just like this Alexander made his way home with a heavy heart. As he recalled Valeera''s face and the youth that sat beside her, he remembered the scene of her and Jeremy Goodwin chatting happily and his hands gripped so tightly that his fingernails pierced into the palm of his hand and a stream of red leaked down from his fingers. Alexander was naturally tall, and as he made his way through the college gates, the cheers of fellow schoolmates sounded like someone cursing his name. His distorted face and towering figure made the students part a bit fearfully as he made his way forward. "You want me to play?...Fine I''ll play" Chapter 2- Vow of the forsaken Alexander''s Mansion, Stargaze City, Lunaria, Earth. A young man stood in his room, his eyes increasingly became colder as he read a letter written by the government addressed to him. He was now certain that it wasn''t a joke and VRs had seriously become a part of the curriculum, and also a way of everyday life. Mr. Alexander Rothshield, you are hereby requested to come into the nearest Global Tech branch to receive your VR capsule-helmet for the upcoming "Natural World" in accordance with the Lunaria Government''s terms and conditions....... As Alexander continued to read, he became angrier and even more angrier as if his gaze could cut steel. Finally seeing no way out but to play the VR, Alexander decided the next morning he would go receive his capsule. Alexander turned off the lights and lay in his bed, but his eyes were wide awake. The "order" to play Natural World had undoubtedly raised old wounds. ** *Vroom* The sounds of hover cars speeding by filled the air as Alexander was currently waiting outside a branch of Global Tech nearest to his location in the heart of Stargaze city. He wasn''t alone and quite a few students were in the line in front of him. Alexander hadn''t fallen asleep until the early hours of the morning as his mind constantly kept going and his heart was in turmoil. Naturally he had reached late and was at the back of the line compared to these gamers who couldn''t sit still. "Next in line please!" The line continued slowly moving along as a few beautiful sales reps dressed in tight-fitted red dresses called the avid gamers one by one to receive their VR capsule-helmets. The sales reps were all beautiful girls that wore make up and modifications that made them look like elves promoting the spirit of the game. The games received pamphlets, a set up manual, a Natural World copy map as a souvenir as well as a few suggestions from the beautiful and kind sales reps. After waiting in line for two whole hours, finally the line was almost deserted and only a few people were in front of Alexander, when all of sudden a commotion broke out at a desk not too far away. "I don''t want this one! I want a normal one! Why should I have no choice but to choose between an orc, a goblin or an undead?! Ugh! They''re all ugly, how am I going to play with my friends!! They''ll all laugh at me!! I don''t want to be on the opposing faction! It''s not like they can join me either because this is a unique type of helmet and there aren''t any others! It''s the only one of it''s kind!" The voice was that of a distressed female and sounded a bit spoiled and tomboyish. Alexander glanced over in curiosity, and noticed a girl wearing casual jeans and a tube top, with a muscular bodyguard standing directly behind her. Despite her casual wear, she seemed to be from a rich family as her clothes were all designer and the car parked outside was one similar to one of Alexander''s hover cars, and naturally he knew it''s cost. The girl''s features were hidden behind her dark shades and the stylish hat she wore but anyone could tell she was a great beauty that had just begun blooming. However, her current expression was anything but graceful. "Err...I''m sorry miss, there are no more regular capsule-helmets in stock...the only ones remaining are for students taking part in the government program..Miss I can assure the capsule-helmet in your hand is very expensive and the only one of it''s kind...or..If miss waits a week or two then we can manage to get one but it might be a bit expensive...." A beautiful sales rep tried to calm the young girl who only seemed about 15-16 years old. "Price isn''t an issue, but I can''t wait two weeks! The game launches tomorrow! All of my friends will get a head start on me!" The young girl seemed wronged and was a bit pitiful to look at. Her parents had bought her the unique special capsule thinking it would have more features as they only wanted nothing but the best for their daughter. Not thinking of the cost they immediately purchased this capsule for her, it was the only one of it''s kind and they went through quite a lot of pains and it cost quite a lot to acquire it. "Miss while I will certainly try my best to acquire a helmet-capsule for you at the shortest time possible, I''m sorry to say a wait will still be required. Can''t miss play on the Evil Faction for a short while?" "Miss You know this is a very rare and valuable opportunity, the expansion for the Evil Faction will drop sooner than you might think and right now is the best time to play on the Evil Faction as you won''t have any competition over quests and other valuable opportunities. Miss I personally know quite a few young men who would kill for this opportunity" The beautiful sales rep tried her hardest for the little miss to see the opportunity she was given, but no matter how she phrased her words and tried to convince the little miss, she was as stubborn as an ox. "Miss...Maybe we should go try another location?" Seeing the distressed sales rep, the muscular bodyguard with a drop of sweat on his brow beside the young miss tactfully tried to diffuse the situation. *Stomp* *Clank* "No! We can''t get it anywhere else! They''re all out of stock!" The young girl stomped on the bodyguards shoe hatefully as she cried big tear drops. However, her tear drops stopped when she noticed the weird sound coming from the bodyguard''s shoe. "Ahh! You''re wearing steel-tipped shoes again!" *Wack* "Urgh!" The enraged young miss punched the bodyguard''s stomach, surprisingly making his huge sturdy body tumble backward making everyone speechless. The fact that such a tiny girl could make such a frightening looking man topple over was too hard to believe. The bodyguard immediately climbed up and cleared his throat as if nothing had happened and seemed quite used to it. "Ahem" Suddenly Alexander stepped forward as he saw an opportunity, clearing his voice he immediately got the young misses'' attention. Being in a foul mood she angrily stared at Alexander before coldly looking at him. Although he was incredibly handsome, and normally she would pay attention to such a face, today was not a good day. Seeing a big smile on his face made her even angrier. "...You are?" This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "My name is Alexander, Young miss I couldn''t help but overhear you needed a regular capsule-helmet...I think I can be of some help" Upon hearing Alexander''s last words, the girl''s expression immediately changed to delight, the bodyguard hastily moved to the young misses side and had become a bit wary as he did not notice when Alexander appeared. "..Y-You can really help me?" The young miss asked hopefully as if making sure she didn''t hear wrong. After noticing the capsule helmet in Alexander''s hands, her eyes shone with stars. "Yes, actually. I''m not really a big fan of VRs and I was forcefully drawn in to the government program due to some reasons. It doesn''t really matter to me which capsule I use to complete the assignment...would miss like to trade? But little miss should know that the capsule in your hands is worth a considerable amount of money. Can you tell me how much and I''ll give you the rest in a cheque?" Alexander was very interested in the console in her hands, the words "opposing faction" struck a chord that attracted him greatly. "No way! How can I let you do that! You''re doing me a great favor! No extra payment is necessary!" The little miss quickly grabbed the box from Alexander and shoved it into the bodyguards hands before giving hers to Alexander as if afraid he would change his mind. "Thank you so much! So much! I''ll never forget this big brother!" the little miss gave him a quick kiss on his cheeks and a tight hug before the bodyguard quickly separated her. To this little miss, Alexander''s handsome face had suddenly become the most handsome man in the world. The beautiful sales rep gave a deep bow to Alexander before taking this chance to slip away, naturally because he had saved her from quite a bit of peril and she did not want to stick around. "Little miss we need to go otherwise you''ll miss your flight! Your older sister will not be pleased, you''ve already overstayed the time she gave you!" The bodyguard urged seriously, in truth he was quite wary of Alexander. "Ahh! Vincent let''s go quickly! Thank you so much big brother Alexander! Risa will never forget this!" As if her sister''s image came to mind, Risa visually paled as she scampered out the door. Before Vincent became a bodyguard, he had been in the military and was actually quite a frightening man.Being a combat experienced veteran, his senses were much sharper than the average human as well as his danger detection.Yet still, he had not detected a single trace when Alexander approached the little miss. Without a doubt, he had completely and utterly failed his job. Although it only seemed as if someone had started a conversation with the little miss from the outside, to this war vet, it had an entirely different meaning. He couldn''t help but feel a chill run down his spine as he gazed deeply at Alexander''s smiling face. ''Perhaps this particular capsule was made for this man...and it found itself right to him'' The bodyguard thought silently to himself while wearing a rare stern expression and dragging the little miss into the car. "Vincent? What''s wrong? Why do you seem so serious all of a sudden? Maybe a punch of joy will fix your face!" The little vixen released another punch squarely in the man''s stomach. As the little miss was in an exceptional mood, she did not hold her punches! "Urgh!" However this time he didn''t tumble over and still firmly held her arm carrying her into the hover car. Only when the car had started and they left the area did he sigh a breathe of relief. "Oye Vincent what are you doing?!" He quickly grabbed the capsule-helmet from the little Misses and opened it after making sure it was just a helmet he sighed once more and his face looked a bit older as if he had exhaled a few years. "To dare open my gift before me from big brother, Maybe another fist will set you right!" "Urgh!" Vincent knew this little girl''s background was no joke and he definitely wouldn''t take any chances where her security was concerned. Thankfully Alexander seemed not to have any ill intentions toward her, and this was simply a misunderstanding. "Ahh!!" Suddenly Risa screamed, making Vincent jump around in fright! "Little miss! What''s wrong?!" The bodyguard asked cautiously as he looked around the street wondering if he had failed his job yet again. "Ohh...Nothing I just forgot to tell big brother Alexander my gamer ID..I wonder if we''ll ever see him again" As she thought of this, the little miss got a bit more quieter. *Sigh* ''To think a single college student has me this jumpy, I must be really losing my edge. Maybe I should think about retirement and play Natural World?'' Vincent just happened to glance at the rearview and once more saw Alexander''s face...which seemed to have a smile but it was too far to tell and the angle he stood at made it hard to see clearly. "I have a feeling....people like him don''t keep a low profile" Vincent muttered under his breathe. "Huh...Did you say something Vincent?" "Nothing, little miss" *** ..... .... Alexander held the capsule-helmet in his hands as he solemnly gazed at it...A few thoughts rushing through his head. A burning hatred rising in his soul, as the memories of Valeera White and Jeremy Goodwin floated to his mind. The years of neglect he suffered at the hands of every single people just because he was not a fan of them. "I''ve never told anyone what they should and shouldn''t do, I''ve never ridiculed people for the things they like? Yet I am ridiculed and made fun of? Yet I am abandoned and forsaken?" "Who are you people to decide that a mere game should determine one''s future? Who are you people to force me into this? Since you love this "Natural World" so much.....I''ll make it anything but natural" "I''ll make it disappear...I''ll burn the lush forests, I''ll destroy the cities to rubble, I''ll poison the rivers and seas, I''ll kill and take everything apart" "You want to make this your false heaven, well I will make it your personal hell!" Alexander solemnly made this vow under his breathe as his eyes flashed with unrivaled frost, he had truly been angered. This was something he could never accept. Chapter 3- Beginning Author''s note : I know the chapters are a bit short, obviously this isn''t professional work . Hobby writer. >.> Arelan College, Stargaze City. Alexander sat in the living room area of his dorm room peering out the window, a red box sitting in his lap the size of a helmet; as he read a small manual in his hands. His dorm room wasn''t anything special and had the necessities of any dorm. A kitchen, a coffee table, a few chairs, a bathroom as well as two separate rooms. As Alexander looked at the box in his hands, a light flashed in his eyes as a different range of emotions filled his heart, yet his eyes remained as cold as ever. ''So this is what all the trouble is about..'' In truth, he was quite happy he managed to acquire this particular helmet. As he read a few things he found out it would have some races and classes that other Evil Factions will not be able to access when the expansion drops. He wouldn''t be impeded nor would he be forced to work as a group with his classmates, even though the chance of that happening was quite small he didn''t want to take any chances. As he thought about these things, he opened the gallery door and lit up a cigarette as his eyes scanned the college below. Alexander wasn''t much of a smoker, but he would have one now and again as it helped him calm his nerves. *Open* As Alexander was thinking these things, the door opened and someone walked in. Alexander shifted his gaze and didn''t seem surprised to see the figure. The person was incredibly slim and short, and had an extremely delicate face. He wore a baggy hoody and track pants and an extremely thick glasses hiding all of his features and one could barely make out his appearance. However upon seeing this person, Alexander shifted his gaze back to the outside as if he had not noticed. This person was undoubtedly Alexander''s roommate, Eclaire Vanderson. This guy was extremely quiet and never spoke a word to Alexander aside from when it was absolutely necessary, not that the latter minded. Alexander figured he was probably someone with low self-esteem that kept to himself and never bothered him either. He had no idea what to think of this roommate of his, he would always act in a flustered manner whenever Alexander''s shirt was off and would refuse to enter the dorm until he dressed himself, as such the latter stopped taking off his shirts. He would get angry for the smallest things, like if one forgot to clean the counter and a bit of salt or sugar was left on it, or if left the toilet seat up or left a few hairs in the bath tub.Between men, such things shouldn''t even be looked at and it made Alexander feel as though he was living with a woman. Even though he said nothing, one could tell how angry Eclaire was by the way he cleaned the dorm, heaving and throwing stuff all over. Purposefully slamming the broom or mop around, Alexander didn''t want to get involved with this sort of weird person and kept to his side of the room and always made sure to clean the bathroom and clean up after himself. Once Alexander learned to cleaned after himself properly, Eclaire calmed his crazy actions down and even made him tea once. "....You got your helmet capsule?" Eclaire suddenly asked Alexander in a quiet tone. Alexander turned around with wide eyes, before he turned to face outside once more. Alexander at first felt a little shocked at the fact Eclaire initiated a conversation with him but regained his composure. "Well..In a manner of speaking" Alexander pointed at the red box to show Eclaire, inciting a surprised expression. Eclaire looked at the white box in his hands and then back at Alexander''s red box, and even though he was a little curious; he still didn''t ask. "Well I''ll be going ahead then. Oh....and make sure to clean up the ashes if they get inside" Eclaire quickly entered his room and shut his door. "Understood.....mom" Alexander replied slowly as he watched the door shut. Once his door was shut Eclaire would never come outside until tomorrow morning, seeing his roommate enter his room; Alexander flicked his cigarette butt out the window and locked the doom room and entered his own room. He took a look at the clock noticing the time was 7:15 pm, he quickly ate some pies he bought on his way back and took a hot shower. ''I guess it''s time to see what the hype is all about...If I remember correctly, all students would log on at 7:30'' he thought to himself as he removed the helmet from the box. Alexander briefly glancing through the manual and instructions, he swiftly threw on his helmet and laid down in his bed. *** As soon as Alexander threw on the helmet, all he could see was darkness, after a soft whirring sound Alexander''s conscious faded. A robotic feminine voice along with a few windows shortly appeared- Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!
Welcome to Natural World!
Specialized helmet-capsule detected!
Opening [Evil Faction] menu!
Please Select race!
Alexander immediately looked at the several portraits that appeared before him, each displaying a picture of a particular race belonging to the [Evil Faction]. The races that appeared before him were races you would usually find in the [Evil Faction]. Such as Undead, Orc, Dark Elves, Ogres and Goblins. As well as a list of classes one could choose from the races. Such as Warriors, Hunters, Barbarians, Rogues and Mages. There was a particular portrait that caught his attention- However, he noticed one that was separated from the rest of the group, colored in a golden portrait. He had read about this on the manual and knew it was a special option offered by the helmet. Surprisingly this last [Evil Faction] option, was a human. Alexander stretched his hand and touched the portrait revealing it''s information.
[Dark Human Cultist] [No Class Specified] Dark Humans, belonging to the [Evil Faction]. They are not to be underestimated as they are able to traverse in cities of the [Holy Faction] as they are humans themselves. However, although they are humans and do not possess fangs and claws or powerful might, one must be cautious when dealing with these [Dark Humans] who tend to be more aggressive than a orc, more greedy than a goblin and more cruel than the undead!
After thinking for a short while Alexander immediately chose the Dark Human race. This was precisely what he needed, someone from the [Evil Faction] that could enter the [Holy Faction] cities.
Do you wish to alter your appearance?
"Keep everything the same!" Alexander stated.
Appearance unchanged. Please choose a name!
Alexander didn''t need to think and chose his own name. "Alexander"
Name already taken, please choose another!
''Hmm..'' Alexander furrowed his brow, as he suddenly recalled his old gamer ID and decided to go with it. "Lets go with....Osiris"
Name accepted! Welcome to Natural World, Osiris! Please choose beginner city!
Alexander didn''t need to think about this as he already knew which city he wanted to go to. The class of students were supposed to meet Mr. Igor to confirm they all got their helmets, as well as to collect their gamer ID''s for the government. "Hellfire Station" Alexander firmly stated.
Choosing "Hellfire Station" as starting point! Dark Human Osiris, please enjoy "Natural World" Good bye!
Suddenly the screen blacked out once more, as Alexander seemed to be sucked into a black hole. Chapter 4- Dark Cult Unknown Area, Natural World. In a flash the world of darkness surrounding Alexander changed, as he looked around him to get a better understanding of his environment, he noticed he was lying down in a makeshift bed of hay.
-You are now in the Dark Human Cultist Hideout!
He noticed it was still quite dark with the exception of a single candle on a table burning beside him, he seemed to be in a dungeon cell of sorts with the exception of the fact that the rusted door was wide open with no locks. The dungeon had a musty and soil-like smell and the sounds of dripping water could be heard, it seemed to be underground. Now and then gusts of wind would blow through the corridor giving it an extremely ghastly feel as a natural fog flooded in the corridors. Alexander noticed his clothing was actually a dark black robes that was rather plain and he wore black sandals on his feet. He checked himself in a puddle of water and noticed his face was basically the same as he requested and felt pleased. "Status!" Alexander immediately called as a menu opened before him.
Status Window
Name:OsirisAlignment:[Evil Faction]
Level:1Class:Cultist Initiate
Race:Dark HumanGender:Male
Titles
None
Honor:0Notoriety:0
Health:100/100Mana:100/100
Strength:5Intelligence5
Stamina:5Agility:5
Damage:1-2Defense:0
Taking a brief look at his status, he realized there wasn''t much to see and decided to get moving. Osiris immediately made his way towards the broken prison door as he lifted his black hood to cover his head, he could hear the faint voices of others and he quickly made his way forward toward the sound. Suddenly a powerful but old voice echoed out in the underground ruins shaking everything, as clear as day Osiris heard every word.
"In the name of darkness we shall move forward!" "Killing and killing, nothing shall escape us!" "No mercy for the innocent! No justice for the righteous!" "In the name of the Dark Gods! The Dark ones will rise!" "We are the Dark Cult!"
Osiris continued his steps along the murky corridors and finally reached a large door. Osiris wasn''t scared at all by the gloomy atmosphere and directly knocked on the door. *Knock* *Knock* *Knock* The door opened and a man about 40 years old appeared, he was similarly dressed in a black robe garment like Osiris'' and his features were hidden except for a scar on his face running along his left eye. "I was wondering when you would show up! Little brother where have you been?! It''s long started! Quickly get in before the Cult Leader notices you! Remember this favor I, Raz, have given you!" the man quickly urged Osiris as he yanked him inside the door and quickly closed it. Osiris noticed the black robed man, Raz, had his name and health bar dyed red and would usually be hostile to regular players but was incredibly friendly towards him. Osiris knew this man was an NPC, yet still nodded and spoke to him as if he were a real person. He had read the game manual and knew the NPC''s were interactable and could be offended, which would lead to him losing content so he decided to treat them as human beings. "Thanks a lot brother!" Osiris sincerely thanked him as he was pulled through the door. "Quickly little brother! Get in line!" Raz urged as Osiris looked a bit out of place. Osiris looked around and realized there was exactly 30 more people in the room, all dressed in similar black robes and sandals. He had only just noticed their was a symbol on the black robes of a moon half colored in red and the other half black, he noted it was probably the Dark Cult''s symbol and quietly noted it. Osiris noticed aside from the Cult Leader, and the Dark Cultist Raz who opened the door, the rest were young and around his age. He also noted, that they were in groups of 5s forming a circle, with the exception of 1 group missing a person.
-A potent killing intent has locked on to you!
Osiris noticed the Cult Leader was staring at him and he put on an awkward smile. ''Seems like I''m supposed to be over there'' Osiris hurriedly joined the group of 4 cultists who gave him nods at his arrival. The cult leader stood at the front on top of a Tree stump that grew out from the broken floor, he was surprisingly dressed in white and seemed to be incredibly pale, a gruesome aura emitted from his body making people shiver. His eyes were cold and possessed a terrifying green light, however a tinge of warmth could be seen as he looked around the room. "Now that everyone is here, we may continue" his cold aged voice filled the room and no one made a sound. "Focus on the corpses in front of you! Do as I do!" The Cult Leader then placed his hand on the corpse of a dead man and a black light issued out from his palm as it entered the creature. "Corpse Drain!" With a blur of light, the creature turned into a blood orb which he then collected. "The trick is to feel the mana in your palms and picture that you are peeling the shell off of a boiled egg" The Cult Leader made sure everyone understood the process and watched over them. It was only then Osiris noticed there were a few human corpses around, roughly 30. The corpses weren''t there before and this shocked Osiris, but he didn''t think too much about it and immediately followed the white-robed man''s instructions. Placing his hand on the corpse of an elderly man in front of him, Osiris followed his actions word for word. "Corpse Drain!"
-You have gained +5 Notoriety for your desecration of a corpse!
-You have learned a new Ability! [Corpse Drain Rank 1] -Low-Rank absorption, Absorb the essence of dead corpses, grants a minor health regeneration boost on success. Can only be used on human corpses.
The Cult Leader upon noticing Osiris'' success on the first try was surprised, but then showed a small smile and a light flickered in his eyes as he oversaw the remaining cultists. After a short while, the rest of cultists all got the hang of it and finally they all turned to face the Cult Leader. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "Good! It seems everyone has the hang of it! Now comes the real challenge! Exactly a few miles from here is a city called Hellfire Station. Everyone is required to kill ten humans and return with their blood essence! You must now prove you are worthy to walk hand in hand with the children of the Night! If you fail this quest, you will die. You have exactly 2 days!" The Cult Leader firmly stated A killing intent rested on the initiates present making them tremble, some were a bit scared out of fear while others trembled in excitement. The different array of personalities were easily shown and Osiris noticed quite a few of these fellow cultists were insane and seemed not to fear death at all.
-The Cult Leader has issued a quest that cannot be ignored! -Kill 10 humans within the walls of Hellfire Station and return with their blood essence! - 0/10 ...- 10 remaining. -Time remaining: 48 hours. -Quest Conditions: Complete before time ends, do not die, do not get caught.
Osiris read the quest and couldn''t help but laugh, usually in a VR one would have to kill critters or level 1s, and he himself had to kill people. Osiris knew this quest wouldn''t be easy, he had to kill humans within a human society where there would be high leveled guards and players. Thinking up to here, Osiris felt his back cold with sweat. He could lose all his advantages if he failed this quest and it was the first quest he had gotten. ''This isn''t going to be easy at all....Could it be that I''ll have to kill players wandering outside to get it?....No..it distinctly said they have to be within the walls of Hellfire Station'' Osiris thought to himself as he scratched his chin. Seeing the group a bit panicked, The Cult Leader gave a smile. "I never said you were going to be all alone, our brothers and sisters are scattered widely throughout many cities across the world. However, finding them can be a bit of a troublesome task. If you believe someone is of the Dark Cult, to gain their favor all you need to do is say "A dark night without clouds" the other will reply "Surely, it is beautiful!". "These are one of our secret terms known only by us to identify one another, now that you have some help it is up to you what you do with it! Now go little fledglings! Spread your dark wings and bring home the essence! Now take a dagger and go!" As the Cult Leader said those words, he vanished into thin air! Roughly 30 curved daggers fell to the floor where he once stood. The surrounding cultists all grabbed a dagger and broke into chatter! However, Osiris wasn''t going to get sidetracked by it as he had his own reasons to hurry. He had to meet up with the students from class, or more precisely, his uncle Mr. Igor. So he picked up a dagger himself, and checked it''s stats. [td3]One-Handed Dagger[/tds][td3]None[/tds][td3]3-5[/tds][td3]Standard - White[/tds][td4]Description: A cursed dagger, commonly used by low level cultists and bandits with bad taste.
Dark Cultist Initiate''s Cursed Dagger[/td1]
Weapon Type:
Enchantment:
Damage:
Rank:
"It seems this test won''t be easy!" "Huhuhu! Brothers! Let us complete our tasks and become full fledged cultists!" "Indeed! Hellfire Station will be covered in blood!" "Brothers let''s make our way to Hellfire Station! What are we waiting for?! Let''s kill! kill! kill!" Osiris was the person behind this voice in his attempt to make them go faster! "Ooooooo!" "He''s right! Kill! Kill! Kill!" Luckily he didn''t have to wait long, after psyching themselves up they immediately fled along the corridors heading to the surface above, daggers in hand. The cultists immediately started dashing out of the ruins, Osiris calmly followed behind them as he had no idea where to go. Osiris noticed a light up ahead and smiled, it was a pale beautiful light which could only come from the moon. He quietly admitted to himself that he was currently enjoying the VR, but this was a secret he would keep to himself. After all, he started off as a human cultist and was enjoying their way of life which was creepy on several levels.
-You have left the Dark Cultist Hideout!
-You are now in Aridian Forest
"Brothers don''t worry about monsters! They wouldn''t dare come around these parts because of the elder brothers of the Dark Cultists!" A cultist initiate shouted out loud. "He''s right! Charge straight to Hellfire Station! From here till Arokan Forests is completely free of monsters this time of night! We can directly make our way there!" Finally as Osiris left the [Dark Cultist Hideout], he noticed the outside was a lush forests and had many plants that were not of Earth. The environment itself seemed otherworldly and extremely beautiful, a complete contrast from the dirty polluted Earth. Osiris had to admit the people who made this VR indeed had a huge imagination as well as a grand budget. He could understand why people would give up real world activities for this sort of immersion, but a sour taste came to his mouth bringing him back to reality. A few images from the past immediately damped his mood. As if on queue, Osiris also noticed there were a few skeletons hung on polls that belonged to humans, and the Dark Cult''s symbol -The half blood red moon- was all over them. Clearly it was a warning sign of sorts. True to what the other cultists said, they had not encountered a single monster and cleanly made their way to a cliff in about 15 minutes.The cultists all gathered together, not a single smile could be seen on their faces; as if they had completely became other people. Instead, a chilliness emerged as the looked down the cliff. Below the cliff, what they saw before them was a city filled with lights. Smoke rose in the air and it seemed as lively as any other civilized town, completely unaware of the people staring down at them. Osiris smiled as he noticed a particular group standing at the gates of Hellfire Station, a bunch of young adults surrounding a familar silhouette. His uncle Mr. Igor, and his classmates from Arelan College. "Well brothers, it seems we''ve arrived" Osiris'' voice sounded a bit...excited, rousing the other cultists as a killing intent soared from each one of the cultists. A smile slowly crept unto their faces as they looked at the "meat" below.
-You have arrived at Hellfire Station! -Caution! As a Dark Human, any minor offences can lead to the discovering of your [Dark Cultist] Affiliation which is then punishable by death.
Chapter 5- A chest by any other day Author''s note: Please enjoy and leave a comment to show luv :3, Please keep in mind this isn''t going to be finished Outer area of Hellfire Station, Natural World. Osiris calmly looked at the face of his uncle, and a thought suddenly occurred to him. "This bastard has a hand to play in making me play this damn game, I should definitely make him one of the ten" Osiris mumbled. A cultist beside him , who looked pale and coughed a lot sensed Osiris'' killing intent and smiled. Although she seemed a bit sickly and pale, she still looked terrifying with her emotionless smile and sharp cold eyes. None of the cultists were normal, even if one looked like a humble lamb; they were without a doubt a bloodthirsty demon! "Seems little brother....*cough* *cough*...has already found a target?" she asked with a slight grin. "Definitely...you see that 30 year old looking guy with short black hair and glasses?" Osiris pointed at his uncle, the cultists'' followed the direction of his finger and then gave acknowledgement with a nod. "That bastard is mine" Osiris claimed without courtesy. "Well since we''re calling targets! I call dibs on the Bartender at Roasted Boar Inn! I owe him for last time, hehe. Henry, don''t you have someone to pay back?" another cultist took his opportunity to call his mark as he nudged a cultist beside him. "Indeed! The sexy seductress waiter at the Roasted Boar inn is mine! How dare she refuse my advances! Last time we both had to leave because of them!" A perverted looking cultist, who''s name was Henry, also laid his claims. The sickly and pale cultist woman thought for a bit, as she clapped her hands together as if she remembered something. "I remember this one time..*cough*..this guy...wait...what did he do again? Nevermind, I''ll kill him anyway and jog my memory". The sickly cultist was certain she would kill him and called her mark. "I owe a guard at the watch tower a visit as well for outing my identity in another city. I was nearly killed ''cause of it... Brothers, remember to be safe and don''t get caught in the act so they can''t identify us and make posters. If they make posters of us, it will take quite some time before we can return to a human city. It will make things very complicated" another black-robed cultist, who seemed to be quite intelligent reminded them. The cultists nodded their heads as this was indeed something they had to keep in mind. Although most cultists were people without fear and tended to be quite insane, they could still be logical and see the bigger picture while taking the necessary precautions. Osiris also noted this, as a player this was very vital information. Especially since he was of the [Dark Human] race. "Okay it''s time! Everyone change your garments and let us prepare to carry out our mission. Time is of the essence after all. Brother Osiris, these clothes belong to you as you had reached late and did not get them" The perverted looking cultist, Henry, handed over some plain civilian clothing "Also here, take this with you. It''s an [Inventory Satchel] to hold your valuables. This one is particularly made for our uses and can hold dead corpses in it as well, hehe." Henry also gave him an [Inventory Satchel]
-You have received an [Inventory Sachel] and can now store items!
-You''ve received civilian clothing from another cultist!
[td3]Chest[/tds][td3]None[/tds][td3]0[/tds][td3]Standard - White[/tds][td4]Description: A plain farmer''s cotton shirt, very dirty and a faint ketchup smell persists
Plain Farmer''s Shirt[/td1]
Armor Type:
Enchantment:
Armor:
Rank:
[td3]Legs[/tds][td3]None[/tds][td3]0[/tds][td3]Standard - White[/tds][td4]Description: A plain farmer''s leggings, mud still remains on it''s lower parts
Plain Farmer''s Pantaloons[/td1]
Armor Type:
Enchantment:
Armor:
Rank:
[td3]Head[/tds][td3]None[/tds][td3]0[/tds][td3]Standard - White[/tds][td4]Description: A plain farmer''s hat, it has a hole on top; not suitable for wearing during rainy days
Plain Farmer''s Hat[/td1]
Armor Type:
Enchantment:
Armor:
Rank:
Osiris stored his Cultist Robes in his [Inventory] which also had zero stats and armor and equipped the two-piece farmer set. He looked around and noticed the rest of cultists had also switched to similar plain civilian clothing. "Brothers we need to split up here and go our own ways to attract less attention. Some of us here have been seen on a few posters before, if we stick together it will only make things more difficult" The smart cultist said as he glanced at the rest. All the cultists agreed, and after changing their clothes immediately decided to leave and split up. Osiris looked on as the cultists, who were now dressed as civilians all split up and went different directions. He understood this was probably how the quest was supposed to go, it seemed as though he would have to find his own way and not have help from the fellow NPCs. Osiris was sure now that Natural World didn''t give anything easily. Almost everything had a string attached. He then gazed towards Hellfire Station which was barely a minute walk away and could still make out the familiar face and silhouettes. A grin surfaced on his face as he begun walking towards the small beginner city. As he continued walking, he suddenly noticed something and halted his footsteps. His eyes rested on his uncle, Mr. Igor and noticed they were in fact behind the city gates. "Wait a minute...those guys are trapped inside the beginner city''s gates? From the way it looked before, I thought they were already outside. It seems they haven''t allowed them to leave as yet." Osiris started pondering. He noticed the time which was always on display said 7:30 pm, he was supposed to be among the other students but suddenly had a thought. "If they can''t leave yet....Haha...this is a golden opportunity. Most likely if I enter the city I wouldn''t be able to leave until the gates open. I can probably enter but....Why would I give up this chance?" Osiris laughed as he suddenly changed course and went left of his original direction. "Maybe I can get in a level or two and make this quest easier, the gates should open at 8:00 pm. I don''t need to report on time, reporting is enough already. Uncle can wait, besides, he shouldn''t rush his death. He''s an easy kill after all." Osiris speedily flew around the forest, keeping the time in mind so as to not waste the opportunity. However, his face suddenly turned into a frown. He had already been running around for 10 minutes looking for a few creatures but couldn''t find any. It was dark, quiet and there was not a single creature that could be found. He was certain the spawn points hadn''t started yet. "I thought maybe there would be a few creatures around, it seems they took this into consideration. Hehe, I''m not in luck" Osiris laughed in self-depreciation as he decided to leave and head towards the city. However, soon as he had given up suddenly a flash of light caught his eyes as he turned his head back and noticed something. He narrowed his eyes and was absolutely astounded, there was a cave not far from him and inside of it.....there was a glowing white chest! He actually saw a chest and the game hadn''t even started! Osiris couldn''t help but smile delightedly as looked around and noticed it was a den of sorts. "This...should it not be a spawn location? Maybe a group of monsters should spawn right here!....No, not maybe...Definitely!" As he suddenly looked around at the terrain, he made this judgement. It was perfectly suited for a large amount of creatures to spawn here, aside from the open area there was actually a cave with a chest. Osiris believed, there should be either a group of monsters here or a low level boss that guarded this treasure. However, luckily neither was present! Although the manner in which he had found this chest seemed to be quite easily done, that was only because there were no monsters and he was able to wander around unhindered. Finding this chest when the game started would probably take at least half a day if one were to leave from Hellfire Station and fight their way here judging from the difficulty alone. In actuality, he had walked around the forest for 10 minutes unhindered and not having to watch out for monsters made it seem that way. As he looked at the cave, he smiled. He was sure a boss would be here simply because of the height and width of the cave. Whatever it was also seemed to be quite powerful as the cave wasn''t naturally made and seemed to be dug by claws of some type. The cave wasn''t too deep and seemed to be made only for sleeping, otherwise he would have never noticed the chest. Osiris walked up to the chest, a huge grin on his face and begun to open it. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
-Chest is locked!
"Damn...seriously?" Osiris laughed as he watched the shining white [Standard] chest and suddenly felt to throw it off a cliff. "Let me guess, the key is on the boss...*sigh* well at the very least I know where to find it" as Osiris thought this, he suddenly felt a bit hopeless. Natural World truly didn''t give any free meals. Him being outside of the start-up zone was already a miracle. Just as he was about to turn around, he suddenly noticed a skeleton sitting inside the cave..low and behold around it''s neck was none other than a white key! He walked over and immediately took the key from around the skeleton''s neck.
-You have acquired a [Customized Standard Key]. -Remaining use: 1
Osiris immediately became overjoyed, but as he stepped up toward the chest and inserted the key...
-Gaming content locked!
"Tch! Fucking hell!" Osiris screamed out, normally he could control his emotions to a degree but this seriously agitated him. "Well..at the very least no one will get this chest" He consoled himself in this manner as he turned around and left after storing away the key, taking himself towards Hellfire Station. As he was currently cursing in his mind over and over, a notification suddenly popped up-
-You''ve taken too long to arrive at Hellfire Station! -Porting automatically!
"Eh?" Suddenly a white light engulfed his character, forcing him to close his eyes as he disappeared. *** Beginner City, Hellfire Station. Suddenly a blinding pillar of light descended at the front gates of Hellfire Station garnering the attention of all players, it seemed as though the NPC''s could not see the light as they continued acting as normal. "Hmm is it starting?" A muscular man asked who was surprisingly dressed in a white beginner''s Priest robes. "About damned time" A scarred face man, with red hair dressed in a simple black leather tunic and pants stated, he seemed to be a Rogue as he had a simple rusted dagger at his waist. "Yaaaay! I''ve already waited so long!! Ahh!" a cute girl in her teens, who seemed a little mischievous jumped up and down, before tripping on her Mage robes inciting a laughter from the crowd. "Little Rissa, Relax....If I remember correctly, it should start at 8:oo pm and it''s 7:45. Global Tech wouldn''t make such an amateur mistake" A burly looking warrior stepped forward as he picked up the little girl by her hands making her steady. "Okay big brother Joe! Also...Don''t call me Little Rissa in public!" The embarrassed cute teen agreed as her face seemed to be steaming from shame. ''It shouldn''t be like this'' The warrior, Joe, thought as he ignored her and intently gazed at the pillar of light as if expecting something. He was a Beta-tester, something he had not told anyone and knew that this was something a bit unexpected. He wasn''t the only one, if one was keen enough they would be able to tell who was a Beta-Tester simply because they all had serious expressions on their faces as opposed to the other people present who had excited expressions as if expecting the game to start. When the light faded, a figure walked out. He was incredibly handsome and had a bit of hidden arrogance in the walk he moved his body. His steps seemed like a predator and the air he gave off was a cold biting air of hostility. This was without a doubt Osiris who had been boiling in rage over the white chest, suddenly appearing in the city he was a bit pleased as he didn''t have to walk all the way back but ultimately the hate for the white chest had made him very angry. So in the face of all these people with questioning gazes, he directly ignored them and didn''t have any intention of smoothing things out or answering any questions. Osiris walked straight to Mr. Igor''s direction. Mr Igor, who had also noticed the bright light was astounded as he noticed the familiar face, he could also tell that Osiris was very angry. He had seen this boy from a child till he grew up into a man and could naturally read his moods very well, although to others he just seemed like a cold person on the outside; he could tell that Osiris was angry. ''Could it be? He truly hates VR''s this much? The game hasn''t even begun....why is he so angry?...Maybe I should have a talk with his mother and get him out of the program..'' Mr. Igor contemplated as he felt a bit guilty. Osiris noticed that most of the students were here and only a few were missing, namely the "Four Horsemen", Valeera and Jeoffrey Goodwin. "Uncle....I''m here to report my gamer I.D." Osiris calmed himself down a bit and stated flatly as he looked his uncle in the eye. Osiris noticed that his uncle chose a sub-class called a Scribe, and had a quill with thick writing paper in his hands. It felt quite natural seeing him with this sub-class as it matched his role as a teacher. ''Handsome Scholar?'' Osiris inwardly laughed at his uncle''s gamer ID. Mr. Igor was surprised, as he expected more complaints as Alexander was the last to report his name and the other students were already more or less walking around the beginner city to kill time. He then took a glance at the name hovering above Osiris. "Ahh...It''s Osiris, gotcha. You''re a bit late, the other students have already signed their names. Are you....okay?" Mr. Igor asked as a bit of worry could be seen in his eyes. "No..not at all..can we go somewhere and have a private discussion?" Osiris suddenly asked as he looked down at the floor a bit of sadness in his eyes. "Certainly, nephew" Mr Igor said in a gentle yet strong tone. ''It seems he can''t handle this after all'' Mr. Igor thought as he felt a bit more guilty. ''Good I can kill him immediately, he''s finished with the rest of students'' Osiris thought to himself in a bit of glee. Mr. Igor nodded his head seriously, as he was just about to lead the way to a more private area when a voice suddenly interrupted them. "Well well well...Look who it is. Wearing farmer clothes in all his glory. Hahaha! I didn''t know you could become a farming NPC!" an annoying voice, which held hostility that wasn''t hidden at all suddenly cut in. Osiris didn''t need to turn around to see who the voice belonged to as he already knew, but still turned around anyway. It was none other than Jeoffrey Goodwin, who wore a wretched and mocking smile on his face. Judging by the rusted beginner gear he wore, Jeoffrey had chosen the Barbarian class and had a rusty two handed axe strapped to his back. Beside him was Valeera White, whose appearance was unchanged, the "Four Horsemen" who were having a inner "feud" and couldn''t be bothered with others and a few other classmates who had wandered around the beginner city to find any clues or hints from the NPCs about their upcoming trials. However Osiris didn''t mix words with Jeoffrey, neither did he even so much as glance at Valeera. "Number 2" was all Osiris said, as he once more turned around to leave with Mr. Igor walking behind him. The burly Warrior who had seen the entire thing smiled wryly to himself. ''What a foolish Barbarian indeed, he noticed the difference in attire and still chose to offend this man? Doesn''t he recognize no one else is wearing Farmer''s clothes? What''s more he has the entire set, aside from the beginner gear we can''t access any other types right now...Where did this guy get those Farmer clothes?...This guy is not ordinary at all'' This was Joe''s personal judgement, which seemed to be shared among other Beta-Testers who also seemed to come to the same conclusion and looked at Jeoffrey in pity, then back to Osiris in curiosity. Valeera just calmly looked at Osiris, no one could tell what she was thinking. "See big sister? It''s good you decided to stay with us right? This guy can never show you the heights of "Natural World" only my brother has the strength and means to do that!" Jeoffrey arrogantly stated as he puffed his chest in pride as if he was speaking of himself. Valeera didn''t answer him and only stared at Osiris'' departing back. Her concentration was broken as her friends came and nudged her on the shoulder making few jokes. *** At the back of Roasted Boar Inn. Mr. Igor, also known as "Handsome Scholar" was currently accompanying Osiris at the back of Roasted Boar Inn. It was completely deserted as all the players were at the front gate awaiting it''s opening. "Alexander this is should be private enough, what did you want to talk about that is so serious that you had to drag me all the way here?" Handsome Scholar asked as he looked at his nephew. "Oh nothing really, do you see that tree over there?" Osiris pointed at a tree not too far, as he said gravely. Handsome Scholar turned to look at the tree as he nodded and replied. "Yes, I see it. It''s certainly a nice tree, but what does that ha--" however, before he could turn to look at Osiris.
You have received damage -29
You have received damage -31
You have received damage -33
"Good I''m glad you like it, I''ll bury you under it. Hehe" Osiris said as he let out cold laugh. Being a sub-class with no attacking or defending capabilities, Osiris'' voice was the last thing he heard before he disappeared in a ball of light. Chapter 6- Master Black Behind Roasted Boar Inn, Hellfire Station.
-You Have Killed An Innocent. +5 Notoriety.
-You Are The First To Commit A Murder. -Title Unlocked! -You Have Gained The Title "Kane" +10 Notoriety +2 Agility
Osiris smiled as he gained the stats and title, a smug feeling arose in his heart. "I suddenly feel much better about this entire ordeal, Haha" "Corpse Drain!" Osiris immediately used corpse drain to start his quest.
-You Have Gained [Blood Essence] of a Human! -1/10
The corpse turned into a shriveled and sunken state, barely having any resemblance of a human. "It seems I only got "Notoriety" for the first corpse while using [Corpse Drain]" Osiris noted quietly. He immediately stored the body in his specialized [Inventory] and let out a sigh as he wiped the sweat off his brow. Although the body would not take long to disappear, being a player''s corpse, he still didn''t want to take the risk. Just as he was about to relax and plan his next target-
-You Have Been Spotted! Kill The Player Before They Alert The Guards Or Nearby Commoners!
Suddenly Osiris felt a cold shiver as he saw this notification! Turning to look, behind him he could see half off someone''s face peeking from around the corner....Black long hair, sky blue eyes wearing Mage attire, with an expression of unconcealed shock.....Valeera White had suddenly appeared out of nowhere! She held a list in her hand, she had probably intended to give to Mr. Igor and had seen the entire thing! Suddenly, Osiris'' lively pupils dilated as an unfeeling look appeared in his eyes. He immediately dashed towards her, her eyes opened wide in confusion as she had yet to understand what actually happened. Naturally PKing wasn''t allowed straight away, and the game had only just begun so this scene had confused her! Osiris knew that he could not be caught no matter what, or his game would end right here and he''d have to suffer with a mediocre class! The thought of that made his blood run cold, he could not do what he wanted to do with a mediocre class! No matter what he had to gain this advantage the special helmet offered. ''Well she doesn''t like me anyway and betrayed me in the worse way possible! At the very least she can help me pass this quest in recompense!'' Within those grey, cold and diluted pupils, a bit of hate was visible which was not at all concealed! Seeing this look, Valeera was stumped and her eyes visibly shook with an emotion he could not describe. ''Why did he kill Mr. Igor? Isn''t that his uncle? Wait...Why is he looking at me like that? What''s with those eyes....He''s never looked at me like that'' Valeera thought to herself as mix of emotions appeared in her heart. "Please, die for me.." Osiris said slowly in a low voice. His voice sounded exceptionally terrifying under the moonlight, so much so she had not noticed his cursed dagger had already approached her! He did not give her time to react nor understand, his cold eyes revealed even a bit of joy. He was completely unaware of this. as he plunged his dagger straight through her chest without her raising any resistance. Although he did find this strange, he absolutely did not care at the moment nor did he believe that she could resist. Osiris, was quite clear on his own prowess and her abilities.
-You Have Dealt Damage -15 -You Have Dealt Damage -23 -You Have Dealt Damage -25 -You Have Dealt Damage -21
''He....killed me?'' She still could not believe it as she became an orb of light that disappeared.
-You Have Killed An Innocent! +5 Notoriety!
"It seems this is my real damage, it seems sub-classes like uncle take more damage" Osiris'' emotions were running high and adrenaline was pumping in his chest, however this was not the reason he did not show a reaction to killing Valeera. It wasn''t that he was emotionless, It was because Alexander......was accustomed to it. As he looked at her corpse, he didn''t stop to admire it and immediately collected the essence using [Corpse Drain].
-You Have Gained The [Blood Essence] Of A Human. -2/10
It was only then, did his pupils returned to normal displaying his vitality. This reaction seemed strange, no matter how one looked at it.
-You Have Been Spotted! Kill The Player Before They Alert The Guards Or Nearby Commoners!
"Again?!" Osiris cursed as he looked at shadow in the alley, his pupils suddenly flickered and lost it''s light once more as it was about to change, the person''s voice sounded out. "Haha, it seems you have adapted quite well to what I taught you, but you still lack training...Hmph!" an old man suddenly showed himself, he had long grey hair and a single eye, a broad smile was plastered on his face. Tattoos covered his skin, and one could see that it was the tattoo of a Chinese dragon that was wrapped around his entire body with only a few parts showing. He wore dark black leather, which was indeed of the Rogue class but there were a few alterations that Osiris noticed which lead him to believe it was a special class much like himself. One word to describe this man, terrifying. The red gleam in his eyes would make anyone shiver, although he was old; he gave off a looming dangerous aura. This wasn''t an effect from the game, this was his natural presence which was somehow simulated in the game. "M-Master Black? Is it really you? What are you doing here?" Osiris looked at the man and revealed an astonished expression. His diluted pupils faded instantly , returning to normal. "A little birdie told me you were being forced to play this. Haha, naturally your master will accompany you now and again to see your progress" the old man laughed as he suddenly threw a corpse next to Osiris. "Can you believe this little guy saw you kill that girl and flew in the opposite direction to inform the guards? He didn''t even try to avenge her, Hmph! How spineless!" The old man seemed to be troubled as he stroked his beard. Osiris looked at the corpse and noticed it was Jeoffrey Goodwin, covered in rusted mail armor. Seeing this he couldn''t help but laugh. Getting killed by Master Black was probably a frightening experience, what was even more frightening was that Jeoffrey wore mail armor and Osiris did not hear a single sound when he died. "Master are you working on a special class too?" Osiris suddenly asked in his curiosity. "Indeed, I have unlocked the Assassin class" the old man calmly stated, the smile on his face widening. "Already? Well...it''s not like that''s completely unexpected" Osiris was shocked, his master was also working on a special class! Classes all had specialized versions. The Main Classes being : Hunter, Rogue, Barbarian, Mage, Priest and Warrior. The specialized classes, delved deeper into the true meaning of a class yet focusing on particular aspects. Hunters - Marksman, Beast Tamer. Rogue - Thief, Assassin. Barbarian - Blademaster , Bruiser. Mage - Fire Mage, Frost Mage, Arcane Mage. Priest - Holy Priest, Discipline Priest and Shadow Priest. Warrior - Paladin, Swash Buckler. These were not all classes available, and just a few examples. Natural World claimed to have several other hidden classes and unlocking them would be up to one''s own fortune. "Well run along, don''t let this old man keep you. Most likely this lad has some friends that will come looking for him soon" Master Black said as he chuckled and stroked his grey beard. "Yes, Master! ...and thanks again!" Osiris bowed before the old man, took his ID tag and immediately fled as he knew that some attraction would unavoidably be drawn to that area. Since he did not kill Jeoffrey, he could not use [Corpse Drain] on the corpse, neither could he store it in his [Inventory]. Gazing at Osiris'' fleeing back, the old man''s eyes flashed with warmth as he chuckled to himself. "It seems like just yesterday he had asked me to teach him to be an Assassin, now he''s already growing so fast. His execution of the "Ghost Mantis" though it was not flawless, he''s shown remarkable prowess. He even killed that girl without batting an eyelid, truly a precious disciple...Now if only he could contain his emotions a bit more.." Master black remarked Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. Master Black knew Osiris tended to be a little dramatic at times, but could only shake his head. He knew once it was time to get down to work, Osiris would totally change; after all it was he himself who made this "Change" a second a nature to Osiris. "Well, I should probably go see what my Grand-daughter is doing now, she was the one that told me he would start here after all. I wonder what he would think if he knew who she was? Sigh...If only my Grand-daughter wanted to become an assassin, although she wouldn''t have been as remarkable as he is, she could have still became a force to be reckoned with. Too bad she has a quirky personality and has Mysophobia.." The old man grumbled and then quietly laughed as his silhouette vanished. *** Alexander''s Mansion, 5 years ago..... A 15 year old boy, with dark black hair and grey eyes sat within a dark room, his eyes blood red and his face distorted in utter hatred. This was Alexander Rothshield. A week had passed after Alexander had found out his friend, Valeera had her own life with other people and no longer had time for him. She had even found another guy who seemed to be her sweet-heart. These images played over and over in his head, a bitterness that seemed like a barren desert made his lips become dry and his shoulder length hair had become disheveled. He had not left his room in over a week and the images of Jeremy Goodwin played in his head over and over, engraving the face in his heart as his hatred bore fruit to killing intent. His parents were always busy, and he lived in this mansion all by himself but he had never once felt so alone. Valeera would visit and they would play VRs, or sometimes do physical activities like swimming, hiking or just a simple walk. He sat on his bed, blankly staring at the floor and not moving a single inch. *Woosh* A gust of wind blew from the window, making the luxurious curtains fly about. Alexander knew his window was locked, and that gust of wind should not have entered his room, yet it still did. Alexander could feel someone in the room, although he could not explain it, he felt as though he was being watched. However, he did not move and just stared at the window. Suddenly, out of nowhere an old man appeared..No, the old man was already there. It''s just he had only now noticed. He had silver-greyish long hair, a single eye with a green pupil and his body was covered in tattoos. This was Master Black. He had just happened to be passing by and sensed the powerful killing intent, it made him curious and he decided to go investigate. He gazed at Alexander, and pondered. Although Alexander was shocked, he was not in a stable state of mind and did not react. ''The killing intent is coming from this kid?...His body is very athletic. The kids of today all have average constitutions, this is a rare find. Good muscle mass, first rate flexibility, a natural born killing intent..This kid was born to be an Assassin, even more so than me..'' the old man thought. "Kid, do you want me to take your pain away?" the old man asked with conviction. His cold and unfeeling eyes rested on Alexander which him shiver. Alexander felt as though he was being stared at by a panther, or a snake ready to strike. Although he was a bit skeptical, what did Alexander have to lose? It had already been a week and he could not sleep, his inner turmoil left him tired and wary and filled with emotions that he had no outlet for. "....Can you really do that?" Alexander asked, his voice sounded hoarse and it broke a few times. The old man was inwardly shocked. ''What''s wrong with this kid? Could his parents have died or something?...No, Love? Hmm, this is why assassins denounce love. It can destroy us from the inside out'' The old man thought. "Yes, If you are willing to do as I say then you will never have to face such emotions again" he confidently stated. "Then yes--" Before he finished speaking, the old man had already appeared behind him and chopped him lightly behind his neck. Alexander immediately passed out. *** The next time Alexander opened his eyes, he noticed he was lying down on a bed. He looked around and noticed it was a wooden sort of hut. *Muffled screams* Alexander was surprised and turned to look beside him as this noise had caught him unaware. In the room, directly in the corner, there was a man tied to a chair. A table was in front of the man which had a few items on top of it. "Who are you? Where is the old man?" Alexander asked as he looked at the man, who''s eyes were sharp and cold but was filled with fear. Alexander got up and was about to walk up to take the gag out of the man''s mouth, but his eyes drifted to the table. There was a letter, a stack of old and cut out newspapers, and a knife. Alexander immediately read the letter. It only said a few words- "The rope isn''t tied firmly, the man will free himself soon. Kill him or he will kill you. Read the papers for a bit of incentive." Alexander''s hands trembled as his pupils widened. If any other martial artist had see the writing on that letter, they would be shocked for a different reason. The letters were written as sharp as knives, and as precise as a surgeon. Such peerless writing couldn''t be seen just anywhere, and only one who was either born gifted or one who had complete mastery over his body could achieve. Naturally he was the latter. "Is...he serious? Did the old man do this...He wants me to really kill him?" Alexander couldn''t help but feel fear. The only time he had ever felt anything close to wanting to kill someone was when he remembered Jeremy Alexander looked at the man, and the man looked at Alexander. Both had fear in their eyes. However, once the man noticed Alexander was scared to kill him; he suddenly had a bit of hope and couldn''t help but sneer in his mind as he covertly tried to free himself. ''This guy wanted to raise a young assassin? Good ..it looks like he hasn''t killed anyone yet, I could probably buy myself some time and get out of here before that old man comes back! I''ve already offended so many people, it''s not strange they hired an assassin to come after me..Might as well kill this fledgling and flee!'' The man with sharp eyes thought as a cold glint flickered in his eyes Alexander had taken a few breaths and calmed himself, and picked up the papers and begun reading. Slowly Alexander''s expression started changing the more he read. ''Rapist? Murderer? ....A fetish for other people''s wives and girlfriends?'' This stroke a chord in Alexander as he suddenly remembered Jeremy and Valeera. Although Valeera was not his girlfriend, his feelings for her did not lose out and he indeed felt as though someone stole her from him. He wasn''t delusional, he understood it took two to play that game but still, he had developed a pathological hate for men that coveted other men''s women. The more he read, the more repulsed he became, this man was the scum of scum. The King of scum himself. Alexander who''s face was previously filled with fear, slowly started becoming more and more gruesome as his face darkened and no one could tell what he was thinking. The man who was paying close attention to the boy suddenly felt a cold shiver run down his spine. When he noticed Alexander''s eyes, the man suddenly tried even harder to free himself as sweat formed on his brow. He thought he would have a few more minutes to try when a cold voice entered his ears. "So you like other people''s wives and girlfriends?..." Alexander walked over to the man and pulled out the gag. "Did you enjoy it?....I''m curious, I''d really like to know" As he continued to talk, his eyes kept growing colder like a frozen tundra. "I..I have a family! I have kids!" The man knew the weakness of people that had never killed before, he read a few stories about people who shared personal facts with their captors in order to try and dissuade them and in some cases it actually worked. "...Don''t worry, I''ll send them some money. I''m quite rich..." Alexander pulled out a dagger unknowingly at a quick pace and stabbed towards the man''s chest! *Stab* *Stab* "Ahhhh!!!" The man screamed as he watched the blood run down his chest and fall onto the dirty floor. As Alexander had never killed someone before, so his strikes were a bit sloppy and didn''t really do much damage. It also seemed as though from the start he wasn''t aiming for the heart. "Y-You! Glug... person wasn''t me! Glug It was somebody else!" He screamed out desperately in pain as blood came from his mouth and chest rapidly, in a hope to deceive the young boy. "It seems you have quite the energy left, hold a few more!" Alexander said in a murderous rage as he stabbed the man all over his body repeatedly! Being a health junkie, Alexander knew quite a lot about the human anatomy and chose to stab everywhere but the vital areas! "No!! Stop! Glug!..Urgh..uh" The man''s words became slurred and slurred until he couldn''t speak anymore and his head drooped down, finally succumbing to the blood less and never to speak another word. Alexander had stabbed the man a total of 13 times, before dropping the dagger and realizing what he had done in a fit of rage. Just when he was bout to lift the man''s head to examine him, he was once more chopped in the back of the neck and passed out. Naturally this was Master Black. "Never ever watch your first kill in the eyes, this kill is always special in "that" way...Sigh I said kill him, not flay him like a fish" Master Black''s voice suddenly sounded out with a bit of praise and also a bit of helplessness. "Honestly...I was expecting a bit more resistance..or at the very least, you would kill him humanely. I didn''t think you would turn one of my safe houses into a bloody mess, otherwise I would have given you a turkey bag to stifle him with" Master Black sighed as he suddenly disappeared with Alexander passed out over his shoulders.