《The Cheater's Game》


 1:Fall and Rebirth

    "Come on, guys, we''re ready!" San said, gripping the longsword artifact he had gotten from the previous Dungeon Seer. Margins Decider, a crimson blade that could cut through anything like butter.


    "You betcha!" Konto, a businessman from southern Japan, readies his katana.


    San pushed open the large gates; the smell and heat of smoldering, azure flames filled the room. Chains that held catalysts for blue flames to burn hung from the ceiling, with pillars adjacent to each other on both sides, a red carpet leading to the throne that sat in front of them, and the reflective marble floors beneath their feet.


    Behind the throne sat a large window, letting in the sunlight from the world they once knew.


    In front of them sat a man with short black hair and an azure crown made of flames that burned fiercely on his head. His eyes were like a predator scanning its prey. His skin, pale and flawless like that of a deity. He wore a fur coat that was black over his shoulders, along with black pants and a dark blue shirt.


    "So you''re the finest of humanity?" His voice sounded deep and menacing. Like thunder on the horizon of a shoreline.


    "You bet!" Hailey, a mage wearing a green witch''s hat and a forest green cloak.


    "We''re here to defeat you and put an end to your terror once and for all!" Jasmine, a knight with long silver hair and green eyes, spoke, her armor leaving no room for openings.


    An archer, Marlon stayed in the back, his bow ready. He remained silent, using the dim lighting to his advantage.


    Gavin, a man carrying a hulking greathammer over his shoulders, puffed, a bit of steam coming out of his nose. "I''m ready alright!"


    Finally, Ezra, a man from South Korea who was an assassin, readied his two daggers, choosing to not say anything.


    The man chuckled. "What is it you mortals called me? Disaster Zero? A name sullying the reputation of both me and my fellow Disasters."


    He extended his hand, the coat over his shoulders flying out dramatically. A sword made of flames appeared in his hand. The heat is beginning to increase in the room.


    "You shall all fall here and now. For I am Spark, the Lord of Fire!" He yelled, his voice causing the room to tremble.


    "Cooling spell!" Hailey slammed her feet onto the ground, an esoteric circle appearing beneath them and cooling them down. A small grin played on her face. "We''ve come prepared!"


    Her confidence was short-lived, however, as she saw Konto suspended in the air, his katana dropping to the ground with a sudden clang.


    "What...? When did he get there?"


    Hailey thought, the sight of Konto, a man whom she had loved for a while now, was just dangling in the air by a fiery blade.


    Before Marlon could pull the strings of his bow, his body ignited, burning him to ash.


    No one could process what was going on. Ezra and Jasmine yelled out loud battle cries, but they too were burned to nothing.


    Spark swung his blade, causing a massive wave of fire to engulf everyone. Hailey screamed, not only out of physical pain but also at the sight of her friends and her love getting incinerated in front of her. Luckily, her pain was short-lived.


    All of this happened in under fifteen seconds.


    San, the leader of the group, stood in shock as a sudden wave of hopelessness washed over him. He blinked, and Spark stood in front of him.


    He couldn''t win. He turned around to escape but felt the searing pain of a flaming blade impale his chest. "Is this seriously the best humanity had to offer?" Spark said, throwing San to the side and watching as he slid across the ground.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    San coughed blood, his wound cauterized and part of his organs burned. "You bastard...! Why do you do this?"


    "Why? Because you humans are so weak." He said, the flaming sword disappearing.


    That struck something in San. "These people have lives! Families! Loved ones to cherish, and yet you treat them like bugs?!"


    Spark raised a brow. "So?" He grabbed San by the neck, lifting him into the air.


    Something snapped in San. His once simple, comfortable life, now ruined. All because this guy viewed humans as something to rule over.


    San Omoris felt Spark''s grip tighten, kicking his feet as all he could do was remain helpless. However, with his final breath, the final words he could mutter were, "I''ll kill you."


    Spark chuckled, dropping him to the ground. "You''re welcome to try." He raised his foot into the air, everything going black for San.


    Gasp!


    San awoke on something soft. A faint wind blowing as the sound of grass blowing filled his ears. He stared up at a bright blue sky, spots of clouds floating slowly.


    Immediately, he sat up, hyperventilating as he frantically looked around. He found himself on rolling hills of grass and flowers.


    He looked at his hands. His skin was dark, which was the same as before he ended up in this mysterious land. "Is this heaven?" He spoke to himself. However, he immediately caught the fact his voice sounded feminine.


    "Wait, what!?!" He yelled out, looking around for a reflective surface, but none were in sight.


    As his head shook from side to side, he had hair slap his face. He looked down, seeing he had dark blue hair that faded to purple around the end. He had to brush his bangs from his face; it had already become annoying to him. The wind wasn''t helping at all either.


    He looked down at his body. He was barefoot. His form was slender and not as robust as a male''s. He had already inferred, but he had to do ''the test'' to confirm his suspicions.


    He gulped, reaching down and touching the center of his pants and cupping it.


    He was in fact a girl.


    As much as he''d like to dwell on that, the sudden transportation to this world was already strange enough.


    "I''ve read about this... I''ve been Isekai''d!" He yelled out into the open, no one around to hear him.


    "I wonder, do I get some rad ability?" He said, rubbing his chin as he wondered what he''d get. Usually there was some sort of goddess or something to normally grant these things, but he was just on some hills.


    Suddenly, a bright blue interface with a purple outline appeared.


    [Congratulations. You have been reincarnated. I am a system. An AI meant to assist you in various tasks.]


    The display then flickered away once he had finished reading it, as if it knew.


    "Oh, like in those anime where¡ª" He stopped when he saw the interface appear.


    [You are the first person ever to receive a System. No one before you had had one. Though the idea persisted in your society, akin to video games, no one has attained such an ability in real life.]


    "Real life? I assume that this is all real then? I really got reincarnated?" San tilted his head.


    [Correct. I am not your main ability, however. I am an extension of your main ability, Player. Which allows you to not only view but also interact with the world around you like a video game.]


    [A second extension of your ability, due to your nature, is called Cheater, which allows you to manipulate things you normally can''t. However, you must get stronger to unlock more abilities.]


    "Alright, alright. I need time to process all of this. If I really am in a different world, where''s the nearest town?" He asked.


    [Before I tell you, input your new name.]


    "Well, my parents did say they would name me Lia if I were a girl, so... new body as well." He stroked his chin.


    "How about Neolia?" He asked, the system making a small pinging sound before it disappeared.


    [Name change successful. You are now known as Neolia. As for the nearest town, it is about a day''s journey from here. Are you willing to walk?]


    He sighed, nodding.


    [Head southwest.]


    He began to head in that direction. Now, with a new identity. He, no¡ªshe is now known as Neolia. A new sense of purpose stirred within her. The purpose is to get revenge.


    She went southwest, to the town of Herandfel.

 2:A Hero(?) Has Arrived!

    In the presence of King Neville, the royal assistant couldn''t help but feel nervous about the news he was about to give. He stood before him, seated on a lavish throne made of ivory and silver.


    Neville looked down, his gaze already scrutinizing the young assistant. "Speak to me, Laurence."


    The assistant cleared his throat. "Well, our adventurers have failed to clear Demonic General Valio''s encampment once again."


    The king gripped the arm of his throne. "Curse the Sentinels above!"


    Laurence gasped, "Sir!"


    Neville covered his eyes, the rings on his hand gleaming in the light. "Forgive me for my outburst, Assistant." He said, mumbling a few words about asking for forgiveness from some higher power.


    "At this point, defeating Demon Lord Amon is seeming less and less realistic." He clenched his fist. "They''re encroaching on territory. Not only that, monster sightings and attacks have increased."


    Laurence spoke, albeit sheepishly. "Sir, if I may suggest. Why don''t we summon a Hero? They''ve helped countless kingdoms before us."


    The king sighed, not wanting to resort to this as he felt as if his armies could defeat at least a general, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Very well. Get the mages to perform the summoning ritual."


    ---


    San, now going by the identity of Neolia, walked into a rather bustling town.


    "Get back here!"


    "Haha! You can''t catch me!"


    "Lily, make sure you are careful not to trip!"


    Kids were playing, and shopkeepers were trying to sell out their wares. From weapons to food.


    Neolia smiled at this slightly. It reminded her of her hometown in Illinois, before all the monsters and stuff.


    As she walked, she was suddenly caught up in a bright light beneath her. "Wait, what?!"


    People paused when they saw the spectacle. Most looked in awe while others looked in joy.


    Neolia''s body began to glow before the light became blindingly bright. When it dimmed, she found herself in a lavish throne room, sitting on a red carpet.


    [Summoning complete.]


    [Due to the summoning, you have been granted the ability of Earth magic.]


    "Greetings, wandering soul." The regal king, Neville, spoke, signaling Neolia to stand.


    When she stood, she looked around her. Obviously confused.


    "This is the second time I''ve been transported somewhere..." She thought as she turned her head back to the king.


    "Uhm... Greetings?" She said, not sure how to respond.


    The king slowly nodded approvingly. "Heroine. I welcome you to the humble kingdom of Berwin. May I have the honor of knowing your name?"


    Neolia took a small breath. "My name is Neolia."


    "Neolia..." The king tested the name. "A fine name for one such as yourself. Unfortunately, I have not summoned you for a small chat. We have a problem."


    "Let me guess, you want me to defeat a Demon King, Lord, or something along those lines?" Neolia asked, raising an unamused brow.


    His eyes widened, not expecting his problem to have been found out so quickly. "How did you know?"


    Neolia grinned a little bit. To her, back on earth, when she read certain fantasy manga, these kinds of things were a sort of trope. ¡°Well, just a bit of divination.¡± She said smugly, crossing her arms and smirking.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡±By the Sentinels! Despite your almost peasant-like appearance, you have already proven to be quite useful as a Summon.¡± The king rubbed his chin.


    ¡±Liege, shall I bring in the Divine Priestess?¡± Laurence asked, already taking a few steps back, ¡°To determine her magic and class type?¡±


    The King nodded, sending Laurence away to get this so-called priestess. Once he returned, a woman with long, flowing golden hair walked into the room, heels clicking on the marble floor. She was blindfolded with a bright blue cloth and wore a silky white dress covered by a blue and golden robe.


    ¡±This is our Divine Priestess, Mona. She receives direct messages from The Voice of Divinity. She is one of the five priestesses on this expansive continent.¡± Laurence explained, Mona smiling at Neolia.


    ¡°Greetings. May I place my hand on your head, so I may determine your magic and class?¡± She asked, Neolia nodding in response.


    Mona then placed her hand on Neolia¡¯s head, her expression indiscernible by the blindfold. However, her eyebrows soon rose once she found out a bit of knowledge: ¡°She has Earth magic, quite common among magic, but... Her class is Undefined.¡±


    The king''s and the assistant¡¯s eyes widened at this revelation. ¡°Undefined, you say?!¡± Neville asked, the priestess nodding in response.


    ¡±Is that... bad or something?¡± Neolia asked, seeming a little embarrassed.


    ¡°Not at all! That means you¡¯re able to emulate the attributes of any of the basic summon classes!¡± Laurence said, causing Neolia to tilt her head.


    ¡°Basic? What does that mean?¡± She asked, but the king seemed to be pondering.


    ¡±Do not worry about such trifling matters; they will come to you in time. For now, Laurence will show you to your room, and the first thing tomorrow morning, you will meet your companions before you set off on your quest.¡± He said as Laurence ushered Neolia out of the throne room.


    As they left, the priestess stayed behind, looking up at the king. ¡°You know, the Voice of Divinity gave me a small message. She said to be careful about this summon, as this one is unpredictable."


    The king stroked his chin, nodding. "As long as they''re loyal and are an asset to us. I see no problems."


    ---


    Neolia currently laid in her room, pondering what she could do in this new world now. "Great, so am I stuck in a basic story plotline now or something?"


    She then thought back to it. "What''re these class things?"


    [Notice: There are 6 aspect types. These are Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Light, and Dark.]


    [Each aspect has the basic classes: Dagger, Sword, Spear, Fist, Hammer, Greatsword, and Greataxe. Undefined classes are classes that are either able to mimic certain traits of these classes, i.e., not being drawn to a singular weapon type, so you may use different weapons such as a sword and dagger, or are so unique in nature that they align with none of the basic classes. Take someone with a shield or gun.]


    "Ooh, that makes more sense. So, what''s the difference here?" She asked, wondering about what the different aspects meant for the same class.


    [For instance, a Water Spear class known as Tide Former is in direct contrast to a Fire Spear class, Servant of Iblis. Classes are either inherited by a summon or taught from summons to non-summons.]


    [Due to you being Undefined, you have the opportunity to make your own class, corresponding with the Earth aspect. You may switch your aspect by interacting with a shrine, to which a Sentinel will strip you of your original magic and bestow to you a random one, for a price, of course.]


    [Of course, despite their aspects, classes do have abilities that do extend beyond their normal means. For instance, a fire-based class can control lightning or even weather. As an example.]


    "I see..." Her eyes began to close. "I''ll give the magic switch some thought." Neolia then shut her eyes, drifting into a dreamless sleep.


    The next morning, she woke up to the sound of knocking at her door. She sat up, looking around the lavish room. She laid on a queen-sized bed with a nightstand next to it.


    Across from the nightstand were drawers with a mirror that had an ornate design as the frame that was made out of a dark brown wood.


    Neolia got out of bed, her feet planting comfortably on the fur carpet. She sniffed herself and tilted her head back a little bit. "I need a shower... and some new clothes." She said as she walked toward the door, opening it.


    In front of her stood a maid with short black hair and with serious eyes of the same color. "Greetings, Lady Neolia. My name is Amy, and I will be your personal maid from now on." Her expression remained stoic, as if she were trained to do this.


    "Oh! Uh, cool!" She smiled, "Do you know where a bathroom may be?"


    Amy then tilted her head. "You mean the royal bathhouse? I shall take you there, and I have a dress for you as well."


    The two exited the room, and Amy led Neolia to the bathhouse. It was indoors, located below the castle they were in.


    The pool was massive with heated water, a small wooden bucket, and a washcloth. "This thing is huge!" Neolia said, immediately taking off her clothes and resting inside.


    After having washed herself off and getting cleaned up, Neolia exited the bathhouse with a dark blue dress similar in color to her hair.


    "Let''s go, Lady Neolia; you must meet the nobles and four generals." Amy said, leading her to a room with an oak door. Once opened, a room filled with various men and some women greeted her. Sitting on chairs, playing betting, and some even talking to what appear to be slaves.


    King Neville was there as well. He stood behind a wooden podium, signaling Neolia to come. Once she walked past the variety of nobles that stared at her. Some of the men''s lustful gazes sent slight shivers down her spine.


    She stood next to the King, her hands at her sides as she stared into the crowd.

 3:Snap and Control

    Neolia stood before the various nobles in the room, hands to her side, which was seen as a bit improper.


    Neville gestured a hand over to her. "This is Neolia, our summon in these desperate times. The Priestess has told me they are of the Earth attribute, coincidentally having Earth magic as well, and they are of the Undefined class."


    One noble stood up, a sly smirk on her face. She had gray hair in a bun, seemed to be in her mid-60s, and had blue eyes. "You expect us to think we''re safe with something like that?" She said, pointing a fan at Neolia.


    A small vein appeared on her head, tilting it to the side. "I assure you, ma''am, I am very capable."


    "Alright," she said sarcastically, "You don''t even have your arms in the proper position for a lady; a bitch like you could never protect a kingdom like this."


    "Maybe she should just be a prostitute." A male noble said.


    "Heh! Look at how flat she is; I don''t think any man would want her, but I''ll be generous and take her as a servant." Another male said.


    This struck something in Neolia, then, without warning, the interface appeared in red.


    [Current Fate Objective: Kill them all. Being unable to do so will result in a 45-year penalty. You have 20 minutes.]


    Neolia seemed perplexed and a bit nervous about this message.


    "The hell is a Fate Objective?!"


    [A Fate objective aligns with your deepest desires at a random moment. You know you wish to kill them; thus, a Fate Objective has been activated. Note: These are rare despite them being random.]


    [Your reward will be added abilities to Player and Cheater. As well as 16,000 exp.]


    That was a lot for Neolia, but to kill them? Right here and now? She checked the timer, already at 16 minutes.


    Neville placed a hand on her back and handed her a sword. "Display some skills for them to prove your worth."


    "Yes, woman. Entertain us." A particularly fat noble said, caressing the thigh of a young, black-haired woman with fair skin and blue eyes. She seemed very uncomfortable.


    Neolia grabbed the sword and grinned. "Very well. I''ll show them!" She said, running forward and jumping into the air.


    She landed on top of the fat noble, causing the chair to fall back. Neolia then reverse-gripped the sword and drove it into his skull, killing him.


    The nobles gasped as they watched Neolia withdraw the sword from the man''s head, walking toward the door and locking it.


    [The Voice of Chaos seeks to enter your mind. Accept?]


    "No." Neolia said, starting to walk toward the nobles, who began to stand up and scramble around the room. Neolia dashed forward, and one by one, their screams were cut short.


    By the time it was finished, only one was left. The noblewoman who had made the first snarky comment backed up against the wall, tears forming in her eyes. "Please! I''ll give you whatever you want if you spare me! Artifacts, money, political power!"


    Neolia grinned, her eyes starting to glow a bluish purple. "Trust me... The king will have no choice but to let this slide." She said, raising the sword.


    "No... No¡ª" The woman screamed, which was cut short and followed by the sound of flesh tearing.


    All that was left were the bodies of dead nobles, the servants, and the king.


    Neville stood in shock, surprised Neolia acted on such an impulse. "Neo-"


    "Shut up." Neolia said, a small grin forming on her face. "Supply these servants with money, and only let me off with a warning." She turned toward the king.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Besides, don''t you need me? Who else do you have to rely on to save your kingdom? Only me and whoever you''re going to place me with." She said, holding the sword at her side.


    The king bit his lip and clenched his fist slightly. She was right. They didn''t have enough resources to expend on another summon, let alone send another armory to Demonic General Valio''s camp again. That, combined with the looming threat of Amon, keeping her around would be the correct course of action.


    "Very well. I''ll only let you off with a warning." He said begrudgingly as he walked toward Neolia. "For the safety of my kingdom, please do your best. I will send you off with the four generals, as well as the Divine Priestess."


    Neolia grinned, basically having the king in the palm of her hand now. Whether she had to play a hero or villain, she would take revenge for her fallen comrades back on earth.


    The king signaled her to follow, to which she did. As they moved through the winding corridors, the display popped up again.


    [Fate Objective complete! Producing rewards...]


    [You have reached level 13! You were initially level 1.]


    [With this, you have gained the following abilities: Respawn, Save State, Save Timeline, Eyes of The Admin, Summon Object (level 1), and Change Weight.]


    As she read the display, she looked back at the king, and her eyes widened. She could see every bit of information about him.


    He was 53 years old, went by the name Neville Berwick, was classless, and had two kids. He was a widower as well.


    Neo closed her eyes, as she could see every bit of information on every single thing. From people to the material of the ground beneath her feet.


    She then had an idea; sneakily, she used Summon Object to create a blindfold, which she put over her eyes.


    [Activating X-ray.]


    She could see perfectly from the blindfold as if she weren''t wearing it at all. Plus with the benefit of not being bombarded with constant information and detail.


    Neville led her into a room with banners on all four sides of the walls within. Sitting around a small circular table were four individuals. One woman, three men.


    "Neolia, these people are the Four Generals of the kingdom. Leah, Mark, Bengal, and Ray. Please, treat them with respect. The mission for the five, soon six of you, is to invade Valio''s camp. Failure is not an option." Neville said, turning around. "A carriage awaits outside."


    The group looked at Neolia. "Heya!" Leah stood up, happily walking in front of her. "Nice to meet ya!" She extended her hand for a handshake.


    Neolia''s eyes softened, as her bubbly personality reminded her a lot of Hailey. She shook her hand as the rest walked forward.


    Hailey was a short woman, about Neolia''s height. She had short black hair and black eyes as well.


    Mark had short green hair with green eyes and fair skin. He was pretty tall, having a noticeable scar on his face. "Nice to meet you."


    Bengal was an elf, having flawless skin, green eyes, and blonde hair that reached his upper back.


    Ray had short brown hair, fair skin, and blue eyes and stood quite tall, like the rest of the men.


    "Shall we head out?" Neolia asked, the group nodding in response.


    "Let''s go!" Leah said as they went out of the castle. Outside on the cobbled streets, a carriage with two people up front awaited them.


    The priestess stood next to the carriage with a small smile on her face. "Let us go." Everyone boarded the carriage and felt it begin to move forward. Neolia stared out the window, seeing lines of crowds cheering them on.


    They waved flags, tossed confetti, and some even threw money at them. Whatever this king did to keep people this happy, it was working. The carriage was accompanied by knights on horses and a small army of about 400.


    Neolia sighed, wondering what this adventure was going to bring. Still, one thing lingered in her mind, a few things actually.


    The first one being the Voice of Chaos. She noticed that the Divine Priestess also was talked to by a supposed voice, but the Voice of Divinity sounded much different from the Voice of Chaos.


    "What are voices?" Neolia thought as she leaned back.


    [Voices are the voices of higher beings. Not many, if any, can descend upon the mortal plane, as doing so would mean utter destruction from the universe. Thus, through Apostles, Vergers, Priests, Priestesses, and Prophets, shrines are constructed.]


    The interface disappeared, then reappeared.


    [Shrines, statues, temples, or relics are places where these gods'' essence may dwell, allowing their voices to be heard by those who they deem worthy or interesting.]


    [However, even though shrines have a far reach to beckon people, there are no current catalysts for the Voice of Chaos to reach you. Meaning at some point, they possessed someone nearby or simply had invaded your mind during your outburst.]


    "You''re telling me these gods can just invade people''s minds? Just like that?" Neolia asked in thought as she bounced slightly as the carriage moved across the rocky surface.


    [Correct. These gods are also known as Sentinels, and they play a huge part in this world''s religious and societal norms.]


    [Some are good, some are evil, and some are in the middle.]


    The interface disappeared. She was left now with more questions than answers. She just sighed and closed her eyes. She would find out one way or another.