《Infinity Saga》 Chapter 1
Chapter 1
A fierce looking young man with an intimidating, well-built physique complemented by his navy blue hair and his dark colored pupils stood in front of a beautiful woman. His face contorted in a look of complete concentration as he stared and re-read the words in front of him. ¡®This is harder than I really harder than expected. What if I¡ªnah. But maybe¡ªtoo obvious. What about¡ªno.¡¯ Those were the conflicted thoughts of the young man waged on for a few more minutes as his mind debated with itself, fully balancing his options. In front of the young man, a beautiful girl stood with an elegant posture. She was wearing a beautiful, ceremonial dress with intricate, flowery designs and a color as pure and as white as snow. Unlike the fierce image of the young man, the face of the girl was serene and soft as she patiently waited for the young man to make his decision. This young woman who introduced herself a while ago as Alyssa, is the interface designed to welcome each foreigners who wanted to begin their very own journey, assisting them with all her might and giving them all the time they need to create their decisions. Five minutes ticked by. The image of the girl began to shift, her gentle smile slowly disappearing as it turned to one filled with curiosity. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s just confused? Nah. He doesn¡¯t seem curious, it really looks to me that he knows what he was doing. Well, whatever it was, I don¡¯t really have much to do so I guess I¡¯ll just wait here. Not as if I could pressure him anyway.¡¯ Ten minutes followed suit. The young girl had shifted her weight, her smile long gone and had already changed to a look filled with boredom. ¡®Fifteen minutes? Really? I¡¯ve handled many indecisive players but how long will he stand there before making his choice?¡¯ And her internal clock ticked to a full thirty minutes. By now, the girl had already dozed into a fifteen minute nap, and was awoken by her internal alarm. However, when she opened her eyes, the young man still stood there, as unmoving as the gargoyles that guards the temples in the game. ¡®Is he a bot? I doubt it. The security system would¡¯ve detected it by now if he was. Argh! This guy is really testing my patience! But I won¡¯t yield! I¡¯ll show him my prowess as the greatest Alyssa, goddess of beginning and AI of Creation!¡¯ And then another whole thirty minutes expired. By this time, the face of the girl was beginning to turn red, her patience growing thinner and thinner as she literally glared at the man she now branded as an idiot. ¡®We¡¯ve been here for an hour?! An hour?! How complicated was the question I gave for him to take an hour into simply answering it?!?¡¯ Glancing at the window which was floating right next to her body, the young girl reconfirmed that the question was truly the first question she asked everybody who first arrived into her virtual realm.
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¡®This man! Is he deliberately doing this to infuriate me?!¡¯ the young girl thought. She was about to open her mouth to voice out her complaints when suddenly¡ª ¡°Hey. You, you¡¯re one of those fake humans, right?¡± this was the first time that she heard his voice and somehow, the coldness and harshness it possessed sent chills to her artificial body. But then¡ª ¡°What the hell did you just call me? Fake human? For your information I am a dignified Artificial Intelligence named Al¡ª¡° She was about to tell him how to address her properly and what her properties as a dignified artificial intelligence when the young beginner rudely interrupted her. ¡°So yeah, you really are a fake human! That¡¯s great!¡± the young man said, his face beaming with happiness. ¡°I told you I¡¯m no fa¡ª¡° however, she was not able to retort when suddenly, the man began to ramble to himself. Despite her capability to decipher most codes and all languages in existence, she cannot, for her own sanity, comprehend much of the man¡¯s ramblings except for a few snippets she was able to hear properly. ¡°My name is . . . . and . . . I don¡¯t really do this but . . . you should be thankful . . . man of novelty . . . old woman . . . dojo . . . large debt . . . stupid old man . . . and now I truly will swallow my pride and let you, a mere fake human, help me answer this absurdly difficult question.¡± The young man finished with his head held high, his hands placed in his side while his eyes were shut closed and a triumphant smile plastered on his face. The posture gave him the appearance of a child waiting to be praised. ¡°¡­¡± When he didn¡¯t received a reaction, he slowly took a glimpse with one of his eyes and was surprised to see the girl flinching as if she was short-circuiting. But then again, she really did short-circuited, if only for a moment. The odd gestures of the man, his strange accent as well as the absurd facts in his words exuded a level of eccentricity so high that her system overheated. ¡°Are you okay or was my true identity as a noble too much for you?¡± the young man, whose name the AI didn¡¯t even manage to catch, asked with such a genuine, concerned voice that one would believe his words if it weren¡¯t for the fact that they were too absurd. ¡®True identity? A noble? Is he perhaps . . ? Of course! That¡¯s the only logical reason for it!¡¯ upon her realization, the female AI¡¯s eyes widened and then stared at the man in front of him with caution. ¡®Now what do I do about this situation? Think Alyssa, think! Oh wait! Yeah! I got it! Now to choose the proper words¡­¡¯ Feigning a cough, the female AI, Alyssa, offered a smile to the young man in front of him. And then, with as much care in her voice, she said. ¡°Are you perhaps¡­mentally challenge? If that is the case, I will call on the assistance committee to¡ªumm sir, are you ¡­sir, please don¡¯t look at me like that! No! Don¡¯t! I will call security! Security! Security! Goddamnit! Why is there no security here of all places?!" Her choices of words were obviously wrong and as a result, she ended up being chased by a devilishly handsome yet equally scary young man. ¡°#$%$# #$%$ #$%$! Bwahahahaha!¡± somehow, she knew he was cursing but what scared her was the fact that she, an AI who knows all existing languages and their equivalent cussing, cannot translate what he was saying. Translation: (Come back here you woman and let me teach you some manners, Walker style! Bwahahaha!) "Eyla! Mina! Anybody! Please help meee~~" ¡°Come back here you XXXX! How dare you address me with such an impudent title! Come back here and I will XXXXX you!" "No way! No way! Ahhh!" "I finally got you! Hehehehe. Prepare to be trained, young lady!" "Mommy~~~!!!"
Millenniums ago . . .
¡°Tonight, we will go to war to protect our kins and¡ªhey, what the hell is the meaning of this?!¡± ¡°It is as it is, my liege.¡± ¡°Goodnight. Brother.¡± ¡°Sweet dreams, my love.¡± ¡°You traitors! Damn yo¡­¡±
Forty years ago . . .
¡°Where the f*ck am I?¡± ¡°$$$! $$$$$$$!¡± (Translation: Hey you! Who the hell are you and what the f*ck are you doing down here?!) ¡°I can¡¯t really understand what you said but how dare you impudent human talk to me in such a way?!¡± ¡°$$$$$$! $$, $$$$$!!¡± (Translation: Oh bloody hell! Boys, just go and shoot him!¡±) "Hey what''s that you''re pointing at me? Hey that''s annoying! Stop it! I said stop it! That does it! I''m going to bloody murder you all, I swear I will!" "Boss, he''s not affected by our bullet, is he some kind of monster?" "I don''t care, just continue shooting!" "Boss!" "Ahhh!"
Thirty five years ago . . .
¡°Argh! I hate this damned world! I hate these damned place! I hate this damned life! And I definitely hate this goddamned stupid excuse for a body!" "####! ####! ####!" (Translation: Hey you! Quit yapping! Somebody''s trying to nap here!" "Just kill me now and end this pathetic existence of mi--ow!--who the hell threw that?!" "####! ####! ###!" (Translation: Serves you just right, you idiotic foreigner! I don''t know nor care what your problem is but if you don''t shut up, I''ll come down there and XXXX you!) "Sheesh. Stupid, cranky old hags. Well you know what, I bloody hate you to! All of you!" "####! ####! ####!" (Translation: Oh, so you really are testing my patient, you stupid foreigner! I don''t care if you understand me but I''ll teach you proper manners, Walker Style!) ¡°Ahh! How the hell did you do that? No matter, get away from me! Hey! Stop that! Get away from me you smelly old hag!" "####! #####! #####! ####!" (Translation: I got you now, pretty boy! Bwahahahaha! Now taste the wrath of Lucinda the Magnificent!)
Twenty five years ago . . .
¡°Yo boya! Let me introduce you to my great friends. This is Maximus Walker, my nephew, Legarda Walker, my ex-husband''s illegitimate son and this one here is Fagoro Walker, some stupid old man who I somehow ended up adopting. Now they will be your new masters so treat them with respect." "Just how old are you--oww!--what was that for?!" "For asking a stupid question. But anyway, come greet them." "Good morning Maximum-sensei, Legarda-sensei, Fagoro-sensei." "Oh, what a polite young lad." "So he''s the foolish vampire you''ve talked about, I expected someone a bit more . . . promising." "Yes, for a vampire, he doesn''t seem to possess much potential." "Eh? You told them about--owww!" "Of course I told them what you are! Besides, what''s so good grand about being a leech anyway? Back in my day, I think I managed to slay five of your kind!" "Oh yeah, I remember that pale-face. Poor guy, we were surprised when he suddenly dissolved into ash after Lucinda-sama used her 8-limbed Mega Strike." "God have mercy in that poor man''s soul." "What?! You managed to kill a vampire? Is that true? Oww! What was that for?" "For doubting your master. But anyways, bring us some tea.¡± ¡°But master, you promised me that you''ll train me today!¡± "Oh I did? Well, I guess I forgot. And if you don''t bring me that tea I''m asking, I might as well forget all my special techniques." "Wha?!" "Now chop-chop and get start brewing!" ¡°My-my-my, even against a vampire as young as he and your age, you still haven¡¯t lost your touch.¡± ¡°As expected of the great conqueror of the underworld. Even vampires cower under her might!¡± ¡°Oh Maximus, Legarda, shush it with all your nonsense flattery. You two fully know how I hate blandishments, especially the ones so obvious.¡± ¡°#####¡± (Translation: These people are evil!) ¡°What¡¯s that, boya?¡± ¡°N¡ªnothing ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°Thought so.¡±
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.Ten years ago . . .
¡°B¡ªboya, you¡¯re home! H¡ªhow¡¯s work?¡± ¡°Nothing I cannot handle. Anyway, I bought you some medicine.¡± ¡°Tsk. I don¡¯t need that! It will only weaken me and destabilize my beautiful physique!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yeah!¡±¡±¡± ¡°What?! I even worked hard to get the money for these stuff! They¡¯re very expensive, you know?! So stop with your excuses and drink these all up!¡± "You shouldn''t have wasted so much money, besides, my body isn¡¯t trained to digest such a vile chemical.¡± ¡°Yup! Real men don¡¯t do well with medicines.¡± ¡°That, and our will is enough medicine for us!¡± ¡°Besides, if you have time to make us drink that stupid medicine, then you have time to train! Go! Go! G-cough!-o!" "Are you okay, Lucinda-sama?--ow!" "Of course I am, you should start worrying about yourself before you start worrying about me, you damned old geezer!" ¡°Grrr. How did it turn out like this!¡± ¡°Is he complaining, Legarda?¡± ¡°I think he was, what do you think Fagaro?¡± ¡°Oh my! He really is! Hey Lucinda, I think your disciple is complaining. I guess it¡¯s because your training isn¡¯t hard enough. Can we add our own brand of torture¡ªI mean¡ªexpertise?¡± ¡°Sure. That vampa¡¯s goin¡¯ to have to work extra hard now that death is relentlessly knocking on our doors! Sides¡¯, a few whips won¡¯t kill him. He¡¯s a vampa! A vampa!¡± ¡°¡±¡±¡±Bwahahahahahahaha!¡±¡±¡± ¡°#######?!¡± (Translation: How the hell did I end up with such sadists?!) "Ho-ho-ho, he''s using that ancient language of his, I guess we should add more weights, don''t you think so?" """Yes!"""
Five years ago¡­
¡°Stupid hag. Stupid debts. Stupid promise. You¡¯re so bloody stupid, you know that?!¡± ¡°Sheesh, boy, stop it. You know she¡¯d be mad if she sees you like this.¡± ¡°Get mad?! How can the dead get mad?! The dead can¡¯t do a shit, you know that?! That''s why I hate you humans, you all die so quickly!¡± ¡°The dead can¡¯t do anything, that much is true, but what¡¯s also true is that you¡¯re disgracing her last will by turning into something she abhorred the most.¡± ¡°Besides, she gave you something before she left, didn¡¯t she? She gave you a task, an absurd task, I know, but a task which she entrusted to you, her only heir.¡± ¡°Grampa Max I¡ª¡° ¡°No need for words, brat. We all understand, don¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Sheesh, who do you think I am? Of course I understand!¡± ¡°Besides, we won¡¯t be known as the Three Wise Men if we didn¡¯t, Max. Now come here you brat and give your gramps a big, warm, hug!¡± ¡°Silly you, I wasn''t trying to say sorry. I was--I was--waaaaah! I''m so sorry! I''m so sorry! Waaaaah!" "Hush-hush, it''ll be alright. I''m sure Lucinda-sama is watching all over us while calmly drinking her beloved chamomile."
A year ago . . .
¡°You old men are so unfair. Going away one by one and making me promise a lot of absurd things I doubt that I could do in this feeble body of mine.¡± ¡°But anyways, thanks . . . I guess . . . for everything. Now you guys go have some fun there with granny.¡± ¡°Hey, is that man crying?¡± ¡°Yeah. I think he is. Poor guy. . .¡± ¡°Who the heck do you think is crying you old geezers?!¡± ¡°W¡ªwell we assumed you were because there were tears falling from your eyes a¡ª¡° ¡°They¡¯re not tears! I¡¯m just sweating through my eyes, damn it!¡±
One week ago . . .
¡°I know! I know! I¡¯ll pay you already! Here!¡± a fat man finally surrendered and took out a bundle of cash from his pocket and handed it to the greedy hands of his employee. ¡°Thank you sir! Nice doing business with you!¡± the young employee said, counting the money. However, a frown appeared on his face, causing the fat man to sweat bullets. ¡°Hey sir, if I remembered it clearly, our agreement was that for every hour I work, I¡¯d get $10 and an extra $1 for every extra hour, right?¡± the dark eyes of the young man glinted sinisterly. ¡°Why yes, t¡ªthat is really the deal,¡± the pig-like man stuttered, easily yielding to the pressure his employee was exerting. ¡°Then please kindly recount the money. I mean, I guess it¡¯s fair since I risk my life with every hour I worked in here while you happily munch of your doughnuts, right?¡± the young man smiled dangerously. The pig-man gulped and nodded his head. ¡°Yes, yes, it is perfectly fair and justified. Of course I¡¯ll recount your pay,¡± the man said. However, he didn¡¯t even counted the money and simply took out more bills from his pocket. Taking out a whole hundred bucks, the obese man added it to the initial roll before handing it back to the greedy young man who he had sorely misjudged. ¡°Oh wow! What a lovely bonus! Thank you boss! I¡¯ll be sure to work extra harder,¡± the boy bowed his head before dashing out of the tent.
¡°Bwahahaha! That will show him not to mess with Uriel A. Walker!¡± the young man said as he walked towards his next job. After removing his work clothes, he was now clad in a simple, loose black shirt and a pair of grey jogging pants. Uriel A. Walker, also known as the money-grubber by those who knew him, laughed merrily as he added a whole hundred bucks to his savings. Of course, he knew that he was still a long way from paying the debts given to him by his stupid masters but still, a hundred dollars entering his savings meant a whole hundred dollars paid off from his huge debt. ¡°At this rate, I¡¯ll pay my debts and maybe even become a multi-billion¡ªbah, who am I kidding!¡± the young man grumbled to himself. Who knew how hard it was to earn money? Back then, when he was still a noble, all he needed to do was to ask and everything would be given to him, no questions asked. But trying that now, in this city? Well, Uriel could tell from his own personal experience that doing so would only end up giving more trouble than its worth. Sighing dejectedly, the young man who was so lost in his thoughts failed to realize that he was already walking to the shadier area of the city, the place where crime is rampant and where most murders are done. That was, until¡ª BANG! BANG! BANG! ¡°Ow! What the hell?!¡± Uriel exclaimed in anger as he felt bullets piercing his body. Looking at the source of the bullets, Uriel saw a bunch of men clad in tight fitting penguin suits as well as sunglasses¡ªwhich totally looked out of place considering the fact that it was still two in the morning. ¡°Who the heck are you and what the hell are you doing here?¡± one of the men, who Uriel presumed as the leader, asked him. ¡®Wait, isn¡¯t this scene a little bit familiar?¡¯ Uriel thought, trying to recall the last time he heard those words. ¡°Oh bloody hell! Boys, just go and shoot him!¡± the man said, commanding his other men to shoot. ¡®Now I remember! It¡¯s around the time when I¡ª¡° Uriel¡¯s eyes widened as he heard the gun shots echoing. Gritting his teeth and closing his eyes, he mumbled in a whisper. ¡®Shit, this is going to be VERY annoying.¡¯ Closing his eyes, Uriel concentrated on the sound of the ammos wheezing through the air. ¡®Hmm. Well this is rather easy, none of them know of gun-kata. Left, right, left again and then two side steps at the right,¡¯ Uriel¡¯s thoughts were calm as he began a strange footwork. But what surprised the men, aside from the strange movements he began to make, was the fact that not only was he dodging all the bullets they fired at him, he was quickly getting closer and closer to them. ¡°The hell is with this guy! Don¡¯t stop shooting him!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes sir!¡±¡±¡± But it was all for naught because no matter how many bullets they fired, none of it managed to reach its target. ¡°Sir I¡¯m out of ammo!¡± ¡°Same here!¡± ¡°What?! The f*ck?! Oh wait, sh!t! I¡¯m out of ammo as well!¡± Hearing those words were like music to Uriel¡¯s ears. ¡°Well, since your toys there doesn¡¯t to be working any longer, do you suggest that we could handle this in a civilized ma¡ª¡° Uriel was suggest that they just pay him and leave with their limbs intact, but then, a punch rudely interrupted him. ¡°Gah! We outnumber him twenty to one! Let¡¯s just beat him up boys!¡± ¡°¡±¡±Yes sir!¡±¡±¡± Angered at such blatant disrespect, the last of Uriel¡¯s patience was easily cut off and his eyes, which were once calm the calm black they usually were, began to turn red. One of the men in black suit was about to use a wooden bat he managed to pick up a few while ago and hit Uriel with it but was stopped by the sheer intensity that Uriel suddenly began to produce. With a smile more sinister than he usually used to threaten his manipulative bosses, Uriel glanced at the men¡ªkids¡ªbefore him. ¡°Twenty disrespectful, foul-mouthed kids without a single spec of manners. Wow, disciplining you guys would be very¡ªvery fun.¡± Cracking his knuckles, Uriel grabbed the hand of the man who was about to hit him with a bat, and used his elbow to break the arm holding the bat. Hearing a satisfying crunch followed by a scream of pain, all Uriel could hear in his ears was the beautiful, melancholic tune of carnage. Surprised at the sudden change of position, all the suited men could do was pray to whoever god there was to protect him from the demon incarnate who was smiling as he broke yet another bone of their brother. ¡°A monster! A monster!¡± "Please save us!" "Ahhhhhhh!" As the scream echoes through the streets, the policemen who were out patrolling simply mumbled to themselves. "Oh, it looks like Uriel managed to snag some more victims." "Poor souls. I''ll be sure to pray for them." "The Angel of Death had found its new victims, please have mercy to their souls."
At the same time, in a safe distance . . .
¡°That kid. Is he perhaps her last disciple?¡± A middle-aged man in his early forty¡¯s couldn¡¯t help but utter in awe as he watched the beautiful yet familiar footwork the young man did a few moments ago. ¡°Yes, he really is HER disciple,¡± he confirmed when the man suddenly began creating a carnage, breaking bones after bones with singe, precise yet ridiculously powerful strikes. ¡°The last disciple of the 8-Limbed Monster, Arachne,¡± the man said with a conniving smile. The man took a picture of the fighter before him and messaged it to one of his employees before calling her. "Athena, come and investigate the address of that man. After that, go and send him our latest game capsule. Yes, of course I know what I am doing." With the look akin to a madman, the strange onlooker began to laugh sinisterly. ¡®Truly interesting. Fufufufufu.¡¯
Author¡¯s Notes: After reading through the Prologue, my friend and I decided to just remove it because it revealed too much of our story and seemed to not fit to the storyline. Instead, we decided to post this Chapter. To all those who read the Prologue, well, let¡¯s just pretend not to have read that hehehehe. Sorry for that stupid mistake >___< Thank you for reading! Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Author¡¯s Note: If you can¡¯t understand the time, this chapter (at least most of it) happened 4 days after Uriel beat the men in the black suit and three days before Uriel and Alyssa¡¯s first encounter. ======================================================
Three days ago . . .
Gatou¡¯s Restaurant. A Japanese-themed restaurant who served middle-class workers from sunrise til¡¯ passed sunset. The restaurant is busiest at lunch hour where many workers crowd to get a taste of their delectable cuisine. And right now, all 20 employees of Gatou were working busily, fluidly doing their tasks like they do each and every day. ¡°Hey! Where¡¯s the noodles I asked to be boiled?!¡± the head chef, Yukiteru, yelled as he began to mix ingredients in a pot. ¡°I told Riel to do it! Riel, where¡¯s the noodles?¡± the man originally assigned to boil the ingredients and the sole woman of the kitchen, Akane, referred to Uriel, also known as Riel in the restaurant. Uriel, who seemed to have been in a daze a few moments ago, snapped out of his thoughts and looked around to find what was asked of him. However, dread filled him when he discovered the pot he was supposed to be boiling noodles in empty. ¡®Oh shit!¡¯ he thought in panic as he began to quickly unwrap some uncooked noodles and placed it on the boiling water. Mentally counting the amount of time it will need, he clenched his fist and yelled. ¡°Five minutes!¡± he cried out, expecting for the worse. And true to his expectations, a loud ¡®What?!¡¯ came from Akane and Yukiteru. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, I forgot to¡ª¡° ¡°Forgot?! You forgot to do your task? Oh shit, go outside and apologize to the customers now!¡± Yukiteru yelled. In a restaurant serving hungry workers with very tight break time schedule, time is truly of the essence. This holds truer for a restaurant which prided itself for serving their customers at record times without sacrificing the quality of the food. Uriel, fully acknowledging the consequence of his actions, went out of the kitchen to apologize. And as expected, instead of waiting for their food, the hungry workers complained and decided to cancel out their orders. As he watched the angry, completely dissatisfied men exit their shop, Uriel could only sigh at the certain deduction his daily wage would suffer through. ¡°You should know full well and reflect properly that the reputation of this restaurant was tarnished because of your actions!¡± Yukiteru continued to rant on once the rush hour was over. Uriel pretended to listen, nodding his head and saying an occasional ¡®Yes sir¡¯. The young man knew full well the impact of his actions but he also knew that Yukiteru was overreacting. ¡®It¡¯s not as if a single customer would destroy your business¡­¡¯ Uriel thought but resisted the urge to retort against his boss. The store owner and head chef continued on for a few more minutes before deciding to dismiss Uriel. Uriel bowed his head and muttered his final apology before removing himself from the man¡¯s presence. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for the pay, I would¡¯ve long stopped working in this shop. Oh wait, all my jobs are like that too,¡¯ Uriel thought, but none of his complaints could be seen through his perfectly indifferent fa?ade. After getting out of his work clothes, Uriel, who was about to take his leave and start his short break before his next job starts was stopped when a hand suddenly grabbed his back. Hateful of physical contact with humans¡ªsomething he never lost despite his master¡¯s countless training¡ªUriel winced at the contact and quickly slapped the hand away from him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± the sudden cry of a familiar, feminine voice echoed as soon as Uriel slapped the hand from his back. Surprised at the reaction, Uriel quickly turned around and saw Akane with an apologetic, almost crying, face. Most men would¡¯ve panicked at the sight of a girl at the edge of crying but Uriel is far from being similar to them. In fact, his training with Lucinda was enough to shape him into a complete equalist¡ªa man who doesn¡¯t only not discriminate against woman, but also treats them as if they were men themselves. And so, Uriel remained unfazed and simply raised an eyebrow at Akane. ¡°Sorry for what?¡± he asked. ¡°Umm, for you know, that and that and,¡± Akane began twiddling her thumbs and even blushed madly. ¡°Well whatever it was, I guess I accept your apology,¡± Uriel stated with his usual monotonous voice. ¡°O¡ªoh and is there something wrong? It seems to me that something has been bothering you lately,¡± despite the stuttering, the message of Akane was conveyed clearly. For the first time in a long while, Uriel¡¯s calm and indifferent expression was broken into one filled with surprise. ¡°W¡ªwhat?!¡± he choked out. ¡°I¡ªI said that there seems to be something wrong with you. Y¡ªyou¡¯re acting rather strangely a¡ªand you tend to always go in a daze, s¡ªsomething that I never saw happening before. N¡ªnot that I¡¯m watching you or anything.¡± Akane was already dying of embarrassment at her own stupidity. She should¡¯ve known not to open up this topic. ¡®Idiot! Now he¡¯ll know that you have some stupid crush on him!¡¯ However, the vampire turned martial artist interpreted Akane¡¯s word differently. ¡®Amazing! Seeing through me despite the subtle changes! What an amazing girl!¡¯ however, none of his thoughts managed to skim out to the surface. Instead, he simply directed a small smile at the blushing maiden. ¡°Ah. Thank you for your concern but I truly am perfectly fine. There¡¯s just something in my mind that¡¯s been bothering me,¡± Uriel explained honestly. ¡°Oh. A¡ªand what might be bothering you?¡± ¡®Ah! Stop digging your own grave Akane!¡¯ ¡°Nah. It¡¯s nothing big. Oh, perhaps you can help me with it!¡± Uriel exclaimed as a brilliant idea came to mind. ¡®If it¡¯s this amazing human girl, I guess I could make an exception,¡¯ Uriel thought. Despite living in a human populated community for about forty years, Uriel was still, and will probably continue to be a hater of the human race. He just loathed the fact that most of them were so wasteful of the potential they had. Because of that, Uriel doesn¡¯t talk much with other people except when he needed to extract money from them or when he deemed them worthy. And right now, seeing her great sensitivity, Uriel was truly impressed by the young girl bearing the name Akane. ¡°R¡ªreally? W¡ªwhat kind of help do you need?¡± Akane stuttered, ignoring the irritating voice inside her head. ¡®Great job Akane! Just look in his eyes and see how much he trusts you! Now remove that stuttering look and jump on him now!¡¯ ¡°Well. It¡¯s just that I need to find out information about this thing that appeared at my house and I wonder if you could help me figure out what it is and how I would be able to use it,¡± Uriel asked bluntly. ¡°W¡ªwhat? I¡ªI don¡¯t know what to say. I guess I can help you w¡ªwith it,¡± blushing furiously, Akane couldn¡¯t help but begin overheating. ¡®H¡ªhe¡¯s really asking me to go to his house! Could it be? Ahh! Akane calm down! Calm down!¡¯ Akane thought to try and cool down her system. ¡°Oh really? Then how does Sunday sound to you?¡± Uriel asked with a brilliant smile. A smile that seemed like the sun to the innocent Akane. ¡°S¡ªsure, Sunday sounds good,¡± as soon as Akane said it, the young cook and only daughter of Yukiteru began to immediately regret her decision. ¡®W¡ªwait! I have already have a commitment this Sunday! Oh no! What should I do? What should I do?¡¯ ¡°Uriel I¡¯m sorry I¡ªhuh?¡± Akane was panicking too much that she didn¡¯t notice Uriel thanking her before bidding his goodbye.
Three hours ago . . .
Akane was very nervous. Today was the day that Uriel would be bringing her to his house and somehow, the thought of entering the place called home by the mysterious man she began to secretly fantasize about was enough to make her blush. However¡ª ¡°Uriel-sama! Who¡¯s that chick? Is she your girl? If not, mind to introduce me to her?¡± ¡°Ah! What a beautiful girl! Uriel-sama¡¯s tastes is truly unparalleled!¡± ¡°Cheh! Uriel-sama! What¡¯s so good about that girl and why do you keep ignoring me?¡± Scary. The word which best describe the neighborhood where the man she was infatuated with lived in. All around her there were big men who looked like thugs, ugly men who looked like thieves, scantily dressed women who looked like prostitutes and ugly old people who looked like addicts. But the scariest thing that Akane realized when she reached Uriel¡¯s neighborhood was . . . ¡®H¡ªhe¡¯s the big boss here? A¡ªAkane what have you gotten yourself into? Run and save yourself now before it¡¯s too late!¡¯ Akane would¡¯ve truly ran away when she reached that conclusion but somehow, Uriel sensed it and grabbed her. She was about to scream when she saw Uriel¡¯s eyes. Those eyes which were once cold and unfeeling were now gazing at her filled with nothing but trust and admiration. With her blood rushing up to her face, the only thing that Akane could do was follow Uriel¡¯s lead.
An hour ago . . .
Akane¡¯s fingers twitched. Once. Twice. Thrice. ¡°C¡ªcan you please tell me what is it that you needed help with?¡± Akane asked once she regained her composure, hoping that she must¡¯ve misheard the man¡¯s words. ¡®Yeah. That¡¯s right. I must¡¯ve misheard him. He can¡¯t be that stupid, right? Right.¡¯ ¡°As I said, six nights ago, I returned home from work and found this strange machinations already installed in my house. Attached to it, I found a letter addressed to me by a strange man from the company, Circa and¡ª¡° ¡°Stop! Stop. Okay, okay, I get it now.¡± Akane rudely interrupted Uriel. Normally, Uriel would¡¯ve ¡®disciplined¡¯ her for rudely interrupting him while he spoke but since she was still in Uriel¡¯s short list of ¡®Humans that I¡¯ll try not to hit¡¯, Akane was saved from such an awful fate. While mumbling a few words in a very low voice that was even inaudible for Uriel despite his slightly enhanced hearing, Akane stood up next to the ¡®strange machine¡¯ and kicked it. And again. And again. And again. ¡°Hey. What did you do that for?¡± Uriel asked, not really following Akane¡¯s action. However, Akane simply gave him an innocent smile and said. ¡°Did what? This?¡± And another kick. ¡°Uhh. Yes?¡± Uriel mumbled reluctantly. Somehow, Akane, for some reason, was exuding the same strange and sinister aura that his deceased master, Lucinda, once possessed. ¡°Oh. Nothing, I just want to wake myself from my stupidity. And guess what, it worked!¡± Akane said and Uriel was surprised at the sudden shift of the young girl¡¯s attitude. ¡°Stupidity? I really can¡¯t follow what you¡¯re trying to say, Akane,¡± Uriel said, choosing his words carefully. He knew that people who had the same aura as his past sensei should not be taken lightly. ¡°Of course you can¡¯t! And you know why? That¡¯s because you¡¯re an idiot! Sheesh, I can¡¯t believe I liked a guy as idiotic as you!¡± Akane stated bluntly. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. However, Uriel began to tremble. ¡®No. I shouldn¡¯t. I really shouldn¡¯t.¡¯ he thought as he fought his bloodlust. ¡®But she called you an idiot! You, the wise disciple of Lucinda-sensei and the last Walker of this dojo, was called an idiot by this impudent woman!¡¯ ¡®She¡¯s still my boss¡¯ daughter.¡¯ ¡®I know that, but she should also be disciplined!¡¯ The internal battle of wills continued as Uriel trembled while staring at the seemingly two-faced red-hair named Akane. ¡°Why? Can¡¯t accept the fact that you¡¯re an idiot? Of course you can¡¯t. But anyways, since I¡¯ve already wasted my time coming in this place, let me teach you a few things.¡± Akane then gestured at the red machine bearing a capsule-shape the size enough to fit an eight-foot person comfortably within it. The capsule had a black padding that when lied on, would completely allow one to rest comfortably within. Hearing those words, the internal conflict within Uriel subsided by a bit and the oldest Walker began to listen to Akane(?)¡¯s lecture. ¡°First of all, this thing here is what you call a gaming capsule. Though its designed a bit differently from the other ones, I guess the function of this thing is the same as others.¡± ¡°And what would that be?¡± Uriel couldn¡¯t help but inquire. ¡°Please save the questions for later, you idiot,¡± Akane barked angrily at Uriel. The intense pressure that the girl gave off enough to shut off even Uriel¡¯s alter ego. ¡°As I was saying, the function of this thing might be similar to the other gaming capsules and that is, to connect you to the virtual gaming space. Now before you ask, a virtual gaming space is something akin to an alternate reality where you can play various virtual reality games. However, based on your illustrative story, this thing here would connect you directly to Infinity Saga.¡± ¡°And what is¡ªow! What was that for?!¡± Uriel growled but was quickly shushed by the demonic look that Akane possessed. ¡®And wait! Is that a demon?!¡¯ Uriel panicked when he saw what seemed like a demonic mask floating right next to Akane. True to what Uriel was seeing, a hanya mask really did appear behind the oblivious Akane ¡°I said save the questions for later, didn¡¯t I? Anyway. Let me continue. Infinity Saga is the best game there is. Period. Oh wait, my mistake, let me restate that. Infinity Saga is the best thing there is. It is an alternate world filled with magic and wonders where you can do whatever you want. You wish to be rich? You want to be a killer? You wish to become some slut? Then you can become like that in there. You wish to be a great cook, to conquer the world, to be a powerful lord? Nothing is unattainable there. But of course, like in this sick reality, you have to work for anything you desire. And much like this reality, each and every action you do can either give you a reward or make you suffer a dire consequence. Aside from that, all I could say is that if there is one thing I enjoy more than learning how to cook, then that would be playing inside Infinity Saga.¡± Akane narrated happily, complete with hand gestures and a face filled with pride and bliss. Once she finished, she somehow began to feel embarrassed but her alter-ego wouldn¡¯t let it happen. ¡°Now. Do. You. Understand?¡± she asked sternly. ¡°Yes, I understand. But I do have a question.¡± Uriel said with a respectful tone. Somehow, along the way in her lectures, Uriel began seeing Akane in a completely new light. Not only was this girl¡ªno, lady¡ªpossess the same, sinister aura identical to his grandmaster, she also possessed great knowledge and helped enlighten him. This not only solidified Uriel¡¯s good impression of the girl, it only earned him the vampire¡¯s respect. At least, enough respect that he will treat her as his equal, the very same way he treats other vampire. He will treat her courteously. ¡°And what is your question, you idiot?¡± Akane asked, raising an eyebrow. Though Uriel was still irked at her manner of addressing him, somehow, with Akane¡¯s new attitude, he could endure it and simply choose to go along with it. No matter how unexplainable that is. ¡°How do you know so much about this Infinity Saga?¡± Uriel couldn¡¯t help but ask. Akane laughed haughtily, and then, her eyes glinted sinisterly. ¡°That¡¯s because I, Akane Sato, am one of the best players to ever play the game.¡±
A few minutes ago . . .
¡°You sure you¡¯re sure about what you¡¯re doing, you idiot?¡± Akane asked and when Uriel nodded his head, the red-head closed the lid, mumbling a few things about a reckless idiot and a stupid idiot who¡¯d only end up dead inside the game. Uriel, on the other hand, was not really sure about what he was doing. Sure he was curious about the game and sure he had been mentally debating for hours on end whether or not to try and bite the bait of the strange man who sent this package to him, but never was he sure whether what he was doing was right or wrong. ¡®I could end up dead while using this thing. Master always told me how bad technology could affect one¡¯s body,¡¯ Uriel thought, thinking back on the last time he tried asking his master about mankind¡¯s mechanism. Lucinda Walker, Uriel¡¯s master, is not a great fan and is actually very opposed to technology. That is why Uriel, the man she ¡®raised¡¯ not only as a disciple but also as a child completely ignorant of the new things in the modern world, was afraid of approaching anything technological. In fact, in the dojo as well as in his house, the only thing that can be considered technological were the unused sockets, the light bulbs and the toilet flush. Aside from that, no other technology can be found in the house. There is not air conditioning unit nor an electric fan. No television. No radio. One cannot even find an iron or a washing machine inside the house. However, Uriel was stopped from his train of thoughts when he found himself experiencing the foreign feeling of falling asleep.
When Uriel opened his eyes, he almost panicked when he found himself seemingly floating in an empty space. Though he could move his body, all he could really do was try to wiggle around due to the lack of solid floor beneath him.
Physical scan . . . complete. All normal.
Mental scan . . . complete. All normal.
Connecting to main server . . . complete.
System Initializing . . . as the system adjusts to fit your bodily specifications, please try to move around and get used to the feel of virtual space.
As soon as he read the last window, Uriel was surprised when he felt the space beneath him solidifying. However, because he was still scared and truly unsure of what to do, he decided to simply stretch his muscles. ¡®This is strangely uncomfortable,¡¯ he thought. Compared to his real body, his body didn¡¯t felt much stretch no matter how much he tried stretching his body. Deciding that stretching was pointless and afraid of what consequences may exist when he tried to run around, he decided to just stand by and wait for the new window to appear. But then, instead of a new window appearing, an impossibly beautiful young girl, with beauty that rivaled against those of his past comrades, appeared. With a small smile, she began. ¡°Hello, voyager. My name is Alyssa, goddess of creations and beginnings and I welcome you to our world, Lasallia.¡± She said with a sweet voice accompanied by a radiant smile. Uriel, however, merely stared at her. Though unsure about what the term Lasallia meant, he guessed that it was the name of the world he would be ¡®connected¡¯ to. Used to such reactions, the AI, Alyssa, stifled the urge to giggle. She knew full well that all men and even some women who went through her domain, the domain where all traveling souls first meet their bodies, were enamored with her and her beauty. She was even more surprised by those few who were unfazed and unaffected by her beauty. ¡®I should really consider a change of title. What about . . . goddess of beauty?¡¯ she humored herself. Sadly, Uriel wasn¡¯t mesmerized by her beauty. He was staring at the woman who proclaimed herself as a goddess because he was conflicted as to whether she was real or not. In fact, if Akane didn¡¯t tell him about these so-called NPC¡¯s, glorified names for fake humans, on the short briefing she gave before entering the virtual realm, he would¡¯ve seriously thought that the woman standing in front of him was real. But despite Akane¡¯s warnings of fake humans, Uriel still doubted the existence of the beautiful woman before him. The young man snapped out of his train of thoughts when the goddess continued with her statement. ¡°I sense that you are of new arrival, correct?¡± Alyssa asked while Uriel simply nodded his head. ¡°If that is so, as the goddess, I am very much obliged to show you two paths you might want to take before entering our magical world. The first path, which I recommend, is the path towards a specialized space designed to be the same as your home. That place will serve as the place where your soul will return to if ever it was severed from your body, as well as the place where your body will rest if ever you wish to return to your home world. The second path, which most people take, is the path towards the creation of your first body, the place we call the Character Creation Room. In that place, with my aid, we will create a body of your specifications which you will need to access the magical world of Lasallia.¡± Suddenly, a blue window appeared next to Alyssa and behind her, a strange, dim light illuminated, revealing the path which ends with two doors. On his left was a door made of bamboo woods similar to that in his own house. Meanwhile the one in his right was made of what seemed like oak carved with intricate designs of five different creatures. The door was dyed with gold, making it more attractive than its counterpart. Looking at the goddess who was waiting for his answer patiently, Uriel turned his gaze at the window floating right next to her.
New user detected. Would you like to visit your Personal Lodge or would you like to directly head to the Character Creation Room?
Personal Lodge (Recommended)Character Creation Room
Re-reading its content, a single thought echoed in his mind. ¡®What do I do?!¡¯
Hiii! We¡¯re back with Chapter 2! As usual, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask! Any feedbacks and comments would also be appreciated! And yay! Thanks for those who favorited and followed this story! We hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Chapter 3
Chapter 3
¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that the Character Creation Room is a place where I create a game body which I would use when I entered this virtual world you speak of.¡± ¡°That is correct, Uriel-sama.¡± ¡°And if I choose to go to the Personal Lodge, I¡¯ll get to see a room styled like my house where I could read the beginner¡¯s manual? Correct?¡± ¡°Again, that is correct, Uriel-sama.¡± Alyssa stated with respect while keeping her head bowed in front of Uriel, who nodded his head as he finally understood his choices. Like Alyssa¡¯s statement, most players would ignore her recommendations because they do not see any point into entering the Personal Lodge where the Instructions Manual is conveniently hidden. The only way to get it is by snooping around the room, or by asking Alyssa to show you where the manual was. Only few actually take this course but based on statistics, Alyssa told Uriel that those who read the manual became far more capable than those who didn¡¯t. When he asked Alyssa how long it¡¯ll take to read it, the goddess respectfully answered that he won¡¯t actually be reading it as the manual will upload itself in his mind and would unlock the [Help] option. However, Alyssa had advised that Uriel should at least see and understand the basic stats as well as the basic advantages of a race. But¡ª ¡°Nah. You said you¡¯d go with me in the Character Creation Room, right?¡± Uriel asked. Alyssa, confused at Uriel¡¯s question simply nodded her head. ¡°Of course Uriel-sama. Not only is it part of my duty as the goddess of creation, I am also honored to serve someone as respectable as yourself,¡± Alyssa said. Uriel smirked at Alyssa¡¯s new attitude. The old woman¡¯s way truly never failed in disciplining people around him and by now, he, himself, is a master of utilizing it. (¡­Beat them up until their ignorant wills completely give in to yours¡­) It is true that the action is completely barbaric but in this world, what¡¯s not? ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll choose to go to the Character Creation Room for now.¡± Uriel finally decided after three long hours¡¯ in-game, equivalent to forty-five minutes in real time, the longest time somebody spent in choosing whether or not to enter the Personal Lodge or the Character Creation Page. Alyssa fought the urge to mumble the words ¡®finally¡¯ in fear of having to repeat that horrible experience and instead, put on a peaceful smile as she gestured the man towards his chosen destination. Uriel walked towards the door leading to the Character Creation Room and entered the room without any sight of hesitation. Once he entered the room, Alyssa materialized in front of him. Her posture of complete submission still present as she guided him inside of the room. The Character Creation Room was very different from the void-like space he was in before. The room was a lot smaller than the void but was still large in its own scale. The room was pentagonal in shape. Red, wooden carvings acted as the five walls of the room. Based on Uriel¡¯s inspection, the wooden carvings, from his left, there was a giant holding a gigantic axe, an elf using a scepter, a human holding a sword, a dwarf holding a hammer and a half-man, half-beast wielding a spear. All of them looked like veteran warriors and Uriel couldn¡¯t help but admire the craftsmanship involved in carving the wooden walls. ¡°Hey Alyssa, do you know who these carvings were based from?¡± somehow, Uriel felt that the wooden carvings were just created for decorations. His instinct told him that there was a reason why it existed here, in a place where soul meets body. Alyssa, however, was surprised with Uriel¡¯s question. The young man was the first person who actually took notice of the wooden carvings that served as the five pillars of the Character Creation Room¡ªand¡ª ¡°Those carvings are based from the five members of Alpha, a secret group who once served as the savior of Lasallia in the shadows. Not many knows of their existence and even I, the goddess of creation, could only guess what their works were. If you want to learn more about them, then I guess you should seek audience with my sister, Enigma, goddess of secrets, puzzles and mysteries.¡± ¡°Is that so? And how do I do that?¡± like a moth to a flame, the mysterious existence of Alpha easily caught the curiosity and attention of Uriel. ¡°How do you seek counsel with my sister? Unfortunately, I do not really know the exact specifications. Unlike most goddess, Enigma is¡ªwell, enigmatic. She only shows herself to those bearing great secrets and often, instead of gaining answers, one would only end up with even more questions when conversing with her.¡± Alyssa said. She, herself, had never interacted with Enigma as much as she did with other goddesses (AI). In fact, Enigma is even considered as one of the most anti-social of the goddesses, second only to Riva, goddess of death and rebirths and to Echidna, goddess of monsters and of beasts. And at least, those two had actual reasons for not interacting with the goddesses due to their busy work. Enigma, on the other hand, simply chose not to interact with them. Uriel simply nodded his head but Alyssa had the feeling that the young man before her had dropped the subject. ¡°Now would you like us to begin the creation of your character?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as he said that, the five wooden carvings began to creak and move around him. Surprised, Uriel was only pacified when Alyssa told him that it was fine and that he had nothing to be alarmed. True to her words, the wooden carvings simply began to change form and slowly, they somehow began to form flesh and later, even adapt most of Uriel¡¯s features. After a few seconds, the creatures, which lost all semblance of their wooden traits, all looked like creatures of flesh and blood as they stood around him like warriors ready for battle. ¡°Now please, select the race of which you want to venture Lasallia as. Remember, each of the race has its own unique trait which gives it an advantage over a certain situation and a disadvantage in another. So please choose best what race you think suits you best,¡± Alyssa said with a small smile. Suddenly, five windows appeared in front of his five look-a-likes. [tr]
Human
Humans rose from being one of the weakest races to becoming one of most influential ones. Capable of mastering any arts, humans are known for being well-balanced in spirit, body and mind.
Racial Skill: Adaptability (Growth Rate increases by 5%)
Basic Stat Distribution: Strength (10) Vitality (10) Agility (10) Intelligence (10) Wisdom (10) Dexterity (10)
[tr] [tr]
Elf Guardians of nature, elves are considered as the wisest of races due to their long lives. Masters of ranged combat and magic, these creatures prefer to fight at a greater distance due to their lower strength.
Racial Skill: Gaea¡¯s Touch (+10% to Ranged and Magic attacks)
Basic Stat Distribution: Strength (5) Vitality (10) Agility (10) Intelligence (15) Wisdom (15) Dexterity (5)
[tr] [tr]
Giant Physically strongest, giants were once held as the savage berserkers destroying everything in their path. Even now, despite becoming more civilized, these incredibly powerful men can still wreak havoc whenever angered, something which regularly occurs due to their low patience.
Racial Skill: Berserk (+20% to all Stats when life is below 10%)
Basic Stat Distribution: Strength (20) Vitality (10) Agility (10) Intelligence (10) Wisdom (5) Dexterity (5)
[tr] [tr]
Dwarf Masters of the forge, the dwarves are second to none in any crafts that exist. Preferring to live their life as master craftsmen, these creatures, when in danger, can easily overpower their opponents with the strength they possess from working at the forge and mines as well as with legendary grade weapons they built with their own sweat and blood.
Racial Skill: Vulcan¡¯s Sons (+15% to Dexterity when doing crafts)
Basic Stat Distribution: Strength (15) Vitality (10) Agility (5) Intelligence (10) Wisdom (5) Dexterity (15)
[tr] [tr]
Beastman Vanguards of the wild, beast man are usually more beasts than they are men. Relying on their animalistic instinct, these beasts are capable of springing up traps and luring their prey into the most undesirable positions. Diverse in nature, no same trick could be used in fighting against these wild folks.
Racial Skill: Animal Spirit (Additional stats and/or skills based on the animal chosen.)
Basic Stat Distribution: Strength (5) Vitality (5) Agility (5) Intelligence (5) Wisdom (5) Dexterity (5)
¡°Beastman.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± ¡°Beastman. Tell me more about this beastman.¡± Uriel said. Alyssa was surprised. In reality, she secretly expected that the man in front of him would have him waiting for hours before he¡¯d choose a race. However, it was clear that for some reasons, Uriel was curious to that one race. ¡°Okay. As written in the message window, beast man are vanguards of nature who are half men and half beast. This race is actually the race closest to monsters, their main god being Pandor, the god of the wild and husband of Echinda, goddess of monsters.¡± Alyssa began and saw that Uriel was listening to her intently. ¡°Anyway, because of that, the beastmen, like monsters, are very unique. They don¡¯t follow a single racial trait, as proven by their Animal Spirit skill which will change depending on the animal spirit you choose from. For example, if you choose a Cheetah as your animal spirit, then your racial skill will be changed to Speedster of the Wild and you will get a great boost in speed. On the other hand, if you choose your animal spirit as a Lion, then you will get the racial skill Lord of the Wild and will get an increase in Intimidation and Strength.¡± ¡°But what if I don¡¯t choose any animal spirit?¡± ¡°Good question. If you don¡¯t choose any animal spirit, then you will be what they call an Unblessed beastman. An unblessed beastman, as seen in their stats, are weak and don¡¯t have any exemplary skills. However, since you can choose your animal spirit here, you really don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is there any limitations to my choice of animal spirit?¡± ¡°Actually, the choosing of animal is actually very strict and there are a lot of rules regarding it.¡± Alyssa began to explain the rules regarding beastmen. First of all, you cannot choose animals that are extinct. So dinosaurs, sabertooth tigers and dodo birds are not allowed. Second, you cannot choose any animal considered as monsters in the world of Lasallia. This includes mythological creatures like dragons, krakens and hydras. Third, you cannot choose a species incapable of living in dry land. This includes all fishes, sharks, jellyfishes and the likes. Alyssa did not disclose the reason but Uriel felt that she was hiding something about that. Lastly, you cannot choose any reptiles, birds or insects. This means that crocodiles, snakes and spiders are not allowed. Again, Alyssa did not explain the reason about that. To sum it all up, one could only choose a mammal as his animal spirit. However, despite that, there is still a wide variety to choose from. There are the large cats like cheetahs, lions, leopards, jaguars and tigers. The rodents like mice, moles, rabbits and raccoons. And others like bears, foxes, hyenas and rhinoceros. ¡°You told me that I cannot choose a bird. But what about bats, can I turn into a bat if I wanted to be one? I believe that they¡¯re not considered as birds in this age,¡± Uriel said. He once made that mistake and remembered being laughed at by his masters. ¡°Bats? That¡¯s a good question. But sadly, no. The main reason why birds are a restricted race is because of their ability to fly. That same rule applies to any mammals that flies. However, if you choose those that glide, then that would be a different topic in itself.¡± She explained. Of course Uriel wasn¡¯t the first person to ask about the bats. There are, in fact, a lot of them but becoming a bat will bypass many of the game¡¯s mechanics and of course, there¡¯s something else about that specific race that Alyssa couldn¡¯t talk about. Or at least, Enigma warned her not to talk about it as it would disrupt the game flow. ¡°Oh, is that so. Then what about the humans? What can you tell me about them?¡± ¡°Huh? I thought you wanted to choose Beastman?¡± Alyssa asked, her eyes widening for a fraction. (Could it be that..? No. No. No. It can¡¯t be.) ¡°I never said I wanted to be a Beastman. I just wanted to ask it first because it seemed interesting.¡± Uriel said with a shrug. If Alyssa had blood running through her veins, she had paled. Thankfully, as a goddess, she didn¡¯t have blood in her coding and all she could do was resign herself to her fate. (Just stay strong Alyssa, this will only take a day at the very most. Just stay strong.) ¡°Hey, are you going to explain the humans or not?¡± (That does it. I will surely curse you once you leave this place! Ahhh!) This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Hiding her evil thoughts with a gentle smile, Alyssa began to explain all the things she could say about the Human Race.
¡°And t¡ªthat¡¯s what it means to be a giant.¡± Alyssa struggled to finish. Never had she been challenged to speak this much ever since the game was launched a year ago. No players had asked so much things to her. Sure there were those who were curious or ignorant or both, but none of them were as demanding or as inquisitive as this one. Aside from the race, Alyssa also ended up discussing the basic stats and what they¡¯re purposes were. To put it simpler, she decided to show Uriel a window containing the stats and was forced to explain each one in great yet simple details that Uriel commanded her to do. Yes, not even asked, he commanded her. The nerve of this guy.
Basic Stat Description
StatDescriptionEffect
StrengthA measure of how physically strong a character is.Increases physical attack damage, physical defense, weight limit and stamina.
VitalityA measure of how much life force a character is.Increases hp, hp regen., stamina and stamina regen.
AgilityA measure of how nimble and quick a character is.Increases attack speed, movement speed and evasion.
IntelligenceA measure of a character''s mental prowess.Increases magic attack damage, chances of learning new skill and magic defense
WisdomA measure of a character¡¯s spiritual prowess.Increases base mana, mana regen., and magic defense
DexterityA measure of character¡¯s skills in performing with hands.Increase chances of landing critical hits and influences results of handicraft works.
¡°Now that you know all about the races, would you like to choose one now?¡± she asked. (Please say yes! Please say yes!) She almost begged but her pride as the goddess stopped her from doing so. Of course, with this guy in here, her pride doesn¡¯t really matter much considering the horrible things he did to her a few while ago. (Gah! I shall not forget you! I shall¡ª) ¡°A beastman. I¡¯d like to be a beastman,¡± Uriel suddenly spoke, ending the goddess¡¯ internal monologue. (If he wanted to become a beastman, why did he not choose all the other races?! Why?!) She almost wanted to rip her hair out in frustration but miraculously, or rather through sheer will, she was able to fake a smile as she asked her question. ¡°A b¡ªbeastman? Really? Will that be your final choice?¡± As soon as she asked that, a window appeared right in front of Uriel.
You have chosen the race [Beastman]. Would you like to confirm your choice?
YesNo
¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, your race is now set.¡±
Race Confirmed.
As soon as he said that, all the other constructs of Uriel belonging to the unchosen races faded into darkness. When he glanced to the carvings, he confirmed that they returned to original form: that of the warriors. ¡°Now, I know this might be rude for you but as part of the system, I still have to ask this to you. What gender would you like your avatar to be, Male or Female?¡±
You have chosen the race [Beastman]. Would you like to confirm your choice?
MaleFemale
As soon as it appeared, a female version of Uriel with longer hair and a softer facial muscles appeared, standing at the same height as her male counterpart. ¡°Does my gender influence what happens to me if I enter that new world?¡± Sometimes, Alyssa wonder if this man was stupid or if he was actually perceptive. Most of the times, she thinks it¡¯s both. But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s a jerk. ¡°Now that I think about it, there is a minimal effect. But of course, that effect is the same as in your world, voyager. For example, females are protected by men who respect women but sometimes, they are objectified by NPC¡¯s who are programmed to be lewd and dark. Same goes for males. But other than that, no, there is not much effect.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I choose Male.¡± ¡°Hmm. Is that your final answer?¡±
You have chosen the gender [Male]. Would you like to confirm your choice?
YesNo
When he said yes, just like before, the unchosen gender faded and Uriel was left facing with the beast man version of himself.
Gender Confirmed.
¡°Okay. Now would you like to change how your avatar looks like?¡± ¡°Hmm. Does the appearance really matter inside the game?¡± ¡°Of course. Your appearance will determine how other players as well as the NPC¡¯s act towards you. It can either charm them in and increase your intimacy with them or intimidate them. Also, if you wish to increase muscle mass, then you will be gifted more speed in exchange for agility, same goes for decreasing it. Also, you only get to have three chances to change your appearance here, and the rest will be made in-game by fulfilling specific requirements or getting some skills.¡± ¡°Is that so? Well then, the first I want you to do is make this beast man look as close to human-looking as possible.¡± Uriel really didn¡¯t want to walk around looking like a beast. No, that wouldn¡¯t do well to him at all. Quickly, the once rough image of the beastman morphed and mirrored Uriel¡¯s. Most of the fur disappeared and even the claws were reduced to a respectable sharpness. All in all, the beastman still looked wild but now looked more human than a beast. ¡°Second, change the color of the pupils from black to crimson red,¡± he smirked. He missed the true color of his eyes and somehow, maybe he could perhaps revert them back to what they once were even if it¡¯s just in the game. As soon as he said that, the pupils of the avatar glowed and then became red. ¡°Last, increase the sharpness and length of his fangs by about three centimeters,¡± he said. (¡­Beast-man looking like a human, blood red eyes and sharp fangs, is he trying to look like a vampire?) Alyssa wondered as she made the final change. After it was done, she confirmed her suspicions. (But then again, why should I care about his tastes? It¡¯s not that it would aff¡ªwait, I guess I could use this at my advantage¡­I did warn him about being careful on what you looked like.) The goddess thought evilly, something she masked again with her radiant smile. Once the changes were finished, she announced. ¡°All three possible changes are finished. Any further customization of your character will no longer apply.¡± ¡°Now, let us give your character a name. Of course, whatever the name you gift your character won¡¯t affect your game play. However, please do refrain from using vulgar words in naming your character as doing so would leave you penalized.¡± As soon as she said that, two windows simultaneously appeared in front of Uriel as well as one at the top of Uriel¡¯s avatar.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Please name your Character
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
¡°Hmm. What about R-I-E-L.¡± Uriel thought and as soon as he said that, the window above his avatar¡¯s name changed to possess that name.
Riel
¡°That name is still unused and is available. Would you like to confirm your choice of name? Remember, it is a name given to your character and only extremely rare situations would be capable of changing it.¡± Alyssa asked Uriel.
You have given the name [Riel]. Would you like to confirm your choice?
YesNo
¡°Yes.¡±
Name Confirmed.
¡°Now that that is over, we only have to do one last thing.¡± Alyssa couldn¡¯t help but voice out her happiness. (Finally! I¡¯ll finally be free from the presence of this jerk!) ¡°And what is it?¡± Uriel asked. ¡°Hmm. Well, you¡¯ll have to choose the place where you want to start your journey.¡± As soon as she said that, a window appeared in front of them. The window contained the map of the three known continents in Lasallia. The continents are Nethereal, Aerneas and Solidus. Nethereal, also known as the uncharted north, is blackened in his map. Even after one year, the northern area is still considered unsafe and going there is very dangerous for all players. Aerneas, a continent found south of Nethereal and north of Solidus is a mid-level area containing a few blinking dots indicating Capitals and small Villages whose monster population are cleared and controlled enough that new comers would be safe entering them. Solidus, found south of Aerneas and at the southern hemisphere of Lasallia is separated from the two continents by a small sea called the Linear Sea. Solidus, because of its separation from Aerneas and the distance it had from Nethereal is a relatively peaceful continent with few lethal monsters. It is the place where many blinking dots exist indicating how many peaceful village safe for new comers it possessed. After explaining to Uriel how the map worked, the young man stared and even read some of the descriptions of the villages and capitals he took interest in. [tr] [tr]
Marina A fort village priding itself for the delectable sea foods they trade to other villages as well as their unparalleled net-weaving techniques.
[tr] [tr]
Isola A small, quiet village isolated from the rest of the other village. Self-sustaining but without much influx of cash, no nobles truly had interest in these lands which allowed it to live peacefully. However, bandits tend to run around their place, causing the locals to be wary from strangers.
[tr] [tr]
Gigamesh A place filled mostly with giants who decided that the life of violence is not for them. Due to these powerful giant¡¯s presence, the land is clear from most danger. Just be sure not to anger these gentle folks.
After a few moments of deliberation, as well as consulting Alyssa about her opinions on the places he chose, Uriel was finally able to give his answer. ¡°I¡¯d like to visit Isola. There¡¯s something about it that intrigues me.¡± Missing the sinister smile that appeared on Alyssa¡¯s face once she heard of Uriel¡¯s decision, Uriel simply stared at the blinking dot surrounded by heavy forests indicating the village of Isola. ¡°Is that your final choice?¡±
You have chosen the village [Isola] as your starting area. Would you like to confirm?
YesNo
¡°Yes.¡±
Starting Area Confirmed.
Character Creation Complete. You will now be merged with your Avatar.
Suddenly, Uriel¡¯s body as well as the body of his Avatar began glowing and in a few seconds, he found himself merging with the body of his avatar. ¡°Whoah,¡± Riel mumbled in awe as he felt strange. Unlike his virtual body, his avatar¡¯s body felt more¡­real. ¡°In a short moment, you will be sent to the Cursed Village, Isola.¡± Uriel¡¯s eyes widened when he heard the words that came out from the goddess¡¯ mouth. ¡°What do you mean cursed village?¡± Uriel asked, surprised. ¡°It is as it is. Anyways, once there, I truly hope that you¡¯ll get to enjoy my simple¡­gift,¡± with a sinister laugh, Alyssa began to fade away and suddenly, Uriel found the floor beneath him disappearing and¡­ ¡­he fell. ¡°Ahhhh!¡±
To be continued... Thank you for reading and we hoped that you guys enjoyed this chapter. Don¡¯t forget to review and share your thoughts, okay? That¡¯s all! Til¡¯ next time!