《New Era on Titanus》 Chapter 1: Lucky Me It all started a week ago when Roy got the message. Zhadow: ¡°Bro, I¡¯m done with this garbage. Are you still playing that D2 lag-fest? The bugs, the glitches¡ªit''s just not worth it.¡± Roy stared at the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard. He wasn¡¯t exactly bored, but something about Underworld kingdom had lost its charm. The grind had become a routine, a mindless series of steps to get to the next reward. The thrill of slaying monsters and hunting loot had faded, replaced by a sense of obligation rather than excitement. His fingers still moved reflexively through the same patterns¡ªcreating new characters, running through the same levels, killing the same enemies¡ªbut his mind had long since wandered elsewhere. It wasn¡¯t just the game. Life was starting to feel like that too. The late-night gaming sessions were no longer the escape they once were. They had become another thing he had to fit into his busy schedule. It wasn¡¯t like things at home were easy either. His job at the private security firm had its own set of pressures¡ªlong hours, the constant need to stay alert, and the ever-present worry of what might go wrong. And when he wasn¡¯t at work, he was at home trying to juggle the demands of a growing family, household chores, and Sara¡¯s increasing complaints about how little he helped around the house. There was pressure building up everywhere he turned, and the game he once loved had started to feel like just another thing demanding his attention. Maybe Zhadow was right. Maybe it was time to let it go. Kalaman: ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been thinking the same thing. But you know how it is¡ªit helps me kill time. At least I made 30 $usdt off that last event win.¡± Zhadow¡¯s response came quickly, an edge of frustration in his words. Zhadow: ¡°30 bucks? After all that grinding? Man, that¡¯s nothing. We¡¯re playing to earn something real. Forget this game.¡± Roy rubbed his face with his hands. Zhadow was right in one respect: the money wasn¡¯t worth the time invested. And the feeling that the game was more work than fun? That had been gnawing at him for a while now. But even so, it wasn¡¯t just about the money, was it? He wasn¡¯t a teenager anymore, driven by the promise of in-game currency or rare loot drops. Sure, the thrill of winning was nice, but it didn¡¯t scratch the itch like it used to. Kalaman: ¡°I¡¯m not in it for the money. It¡¯s just a way to unwind after work, you know? The job, the family... I need an escape, not a job.¡± Zhadow didn¡¯t respond immediately. When he did, his tone softened. Zhadow: ¡°Fair enough. But listen, I found something better. A new game coming out. It''s called New Era on Titanus. Trust me, it¡¯s worth a look. I¡¯ll send you the link to the Discord.¡± Roy hesitated. Another game? Another shiny object to pull his attention away from everything else? But then again, he¡¯d been thinking about shaking things up, trying something new. Maybe New Era on Titanus would be different. Maybe it would be that thing that reawakened the spark he had once felt about gaming. Kalaman: ¡°Alright, alright. Send it over. I¡¯ll check it out.¡± For the next few days, Roy threw himself into research, something he often did before committing to anything new. It wasn¡¯t just about jumping into a random trend. He liked to know what he was getting into. And this game, New Era on Titanus, was unlike anything he had seen before. What first caught Roy¡¯s eye was that it wasn¡¯t built on the standard blockchain of the time. Most of the blockchain games he had dabbled with relied on the Ethereum chain, which was notorious for its high fees and slow transaction times. But New Era on Titanus was built on a new system¡ªthe L3 Ethereum blockchain, named Titanium. From what Roy read, it promised to fix the two biggest problems plaguing crypto-based games: high fees and slow transaction speeds. That alone was a game-changer in his eyes. Roy had played his fair share of blockchain games in the past. He had tried games that promised players the ability to earn cryptocurrency by completing in-game tasks, winning matches, or trading rare assets. In the beginning, the novelty was exciting¡ªbeing able to exchange digital loot for real-world value was thrilling. But after a while, the games had started to feel like scams¡ªmoney grabs disguised as ¡°play-to-earn¡± experiences. The marketplaces were flooded with bots, lagging servers, and the overwhelming sense that everyone was out to make a quick buck, rather than creating something fun or meaningful. But New Era on Titanus felt different. The more Roy dug, the more it seemed like a legitimate project. They weren¡¯t just slapping blockchain technology onto an existing game; they were designing something from the ground up. The game wasn¡¯t just a cash grab¡ªit was an ecosystem. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! And it wasn¡¯t just about the blockchain. The game promised a full 3D experience with immersive visuals that, from the description, sounded like something out of a sci-fi movie. No more pixelated avatars or laggy, outdated servers. The developers had created a world that was fully rendered, crisp, and detailed. The idea was to make the game feel like a real-world environment. But that wasn¡¯t the most interesting part. No, the most fascinating part was the hardware requirements. This wasn¡¯t just another ¡°click-and-play¡± game. New Era on Titanus required special equipment: a 3D headset with built-in speakers and a microphone, and gloves that synced with the player¡¯s movements. Roy¡¯s curiosity spiked. He remembered the early days of VR, the promise of virtual worlds where you could truly experience the game, feel the weight of your actions. But back then, the tech had been rudimentary, clunky, and limited. Now, it seemed like they were pushing things further than ever before. These gloves and headsets weren¡¯t just for immersion¡ªthey were designed to prevent bots from being used in the game. It was a whole new level of anti-cheat technology. That alone made Roy think twice. If the game was serious enough to invest in cutting-edge tech to prevent cheating, maybe it wasn¡¯t just another bubble ready to burst. As Roy continued reading, he learned that New Era on Titanus would also have its own economy based on NFTs. In-game items, land, and even buildings would be minted as NFTs¡ªeach item could be bought, sold, or rented. Some of the rarest items in the game could even be exchanged for cryptocurrency. It was an economy within an economy, a fully realized virtual world where players could build wealth and trade goods just like in real life. Roy had dipped his toes in the Web3 space before, dabbling in NFTs and even trading some utility tokens. His earnings had been modest¡ªranging from $50 to $300 a month¡ªbut it was enough to pay for his gaming gear upgrades. And maybe, just maybe, it could be more. This wasn¡¯t just about earning cash; it was about being part of something bigger. A growing virtual economy with real-world implications. It felt like the next step in the evolution of gaming. Roy wasn¡¯t naive. He had seen the scams, the rug pulls, and the failed promises. He wasn¡¯t going to let himself get caught up in another disaster. But this? New Era on Titanus felt different. The developers were transparent, the community was growing organically, and the project had real backing. He could see potential here, and for the first time in a while, the idea of playing a game didn¡¯t feel like a waste of time. A few days later, The Rumble kicked off. It wasn¡¯t your standard tournament or event. The Rumble for Beta Access was a lottery-style event that took place within the game¡¯s Discord channel. A huge wave of people had already entered by the time Roy decided to join in. Thousands, maybe more. The odds were terrible. There was a thrill in the randomness of it all. Each round, a few unlucky players would be eliminated, and others would be spared. It wasn¡¯t based on skill or strategy; it was just pure luck. Roy wasn¡¯t expecting it to last long. It was a lottery, after all. He was a little skeptical, but he figured it would be a good laugh. So, he kicked back in his chair, cracked open a beer, and let the game unfold. He was half in it for the entertainment. The game just started and It was when Roy saw his discord pseudonym flash up on the screen that it hit him. ¡°Kalaman died jumped into a lava pool¡­the lava was hotter than expected¡±. Roy stared at the words for a long moment. It was almost laughable how quickly he¡¯d been knocked out. First round. He¡¯d known the odds were against him, but still, a small part of him had hoped. Not for the beta access¡ªhe wasn¡¯t about to get all dramatic about it¡ªbut for just a little more time in the game. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. He knew better than to get worked up over something so trivial. It was just a lottery, after all. But still, the disappointment lingered, like an itch you couldn¡¯t scratch. He stood up from his desk, stretching his stiff muscles, and grabbed another beer from the fridge. Walking into the living room, he flopped down on the couch beside his wife, Sara. ¡°What are you watching?¡± he asked, trying to shake off the nagging feeling. Sara smiled, her eyes glued to the TV. ¡°A documentary about how two insects fight for dominance.¡± She paused. ¡°You look... frustrated. What¡¯s up?¡± Roy shrugged, his lips twitching into a half-smile. ¡°Nothing. Lost the lottery. Got eliminated in the first round. No big deal.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s a lottery, Roy. One in 10,000 chance. What did you expect?¡± Roy chuckled, setting the beer down on the coffee table. ¡°I know, I know. I¡¯m not mad. Just a little unlucky.¡± Sara shifted her feet onto his lap, making herself comfortable. ¡°Well, you can be unlucky, but the garage is still a mess, and the basement looks like a tornado hit it. Don¡¯t forget that.¡± Roy groaned, rubbing his temples. ¡°Now? It¡¯s 10 PM, I just lost a lottery, and you''re telling me about cleaning?¡± Sara just raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yep. You¡¯ll feel better if you do it.¡± He rolled his eyes, but he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll get to it tomorrow. Just¡­ not right now.¡± Sara leaned in, kissed his cheek, and turned her attention back to the TV. ¡°Good. Now shut up and watch my show.¡± Roy leaned back in his chair, taking a deep breath. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯ll watch your drama.¡± The night dragged on. Roy didn¡¯t think about the game again until much later. At the same time on the discord, the Rumble kept going, eliminating participants left and right. Round 124: ¡°The Archpriest casts judgment, sending sinners from heaven to earth. players: Spongebob, ImBuTmAn11, Kalaman, xXxrubiosxXx, Lowerthenyo, 11478753985 are back" Players left: 3578 Round:413 ¡°Mordred stabbed Zombiesis in the back¡± ¡°Mordred found himself a legendary hammer¡± ¡°Kalaman finished gracing the Sacrificel circle with Mordred bound in his center, and then the surprise began¡± Players left:1 ¡°Kalaman is the winner congratulations!!!!!¡± ¡°Winner Winner Chicken dinner!!!!¡± 1. Kalaman 2. Mordred 2. 3. Zombiesis 4. Sr.Lambada 5.OrcaDan Sirius (Mod): ¡°Congrats to the winners! The last 5 won the beta access! Please PM me your details so we can send you the hardware and get you set up!¡± Roy won against all odds after element in the 1st round he won, but at the time he knew nothing about it passing the time with Sara watching cheap drama on TV. Chapter 2 - Web3 Can Be Scary Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Chapter 3- Getting the package Wednesday arrived like a silent storm, sweeping over the Miler household with little fanfare. The rhythm of their everyday lives¡ªschoolwork, afternoon activities, and dinner¡ªcontinued unbroken. However, Roy couldn''t escape the gnawing feeling that something unsettling loomed beneath the surface. His Discord messages kept flooding in, and although he continued to sift through the various spam, friend requests, and business proposals, a part of him couldn¡¯t shake the anxiety that clung to the situation. There was nothing obvious to tie it together, just an overwhelming sense of impending chaos. The early morning hours of Wednesday felt eerily calm, as though the world itself was holding its breath. Roy¡¯s alarm clock blared with the sharp tone of the workday¡¯s beginning, and as always, it took him a moment to rise from his slumber. Sara was still curled up beside him, her peaceful form a stark contrast to his mind, which was already swirling with thoughts about the mission ahead. Liya was in her room, likely still lost in the blur of sleep, her soft breathing the only other sound in the house. Roy rose from the bed, feeling the familiar weight of exhaustion press against his bones. He dragged himself to the bathroom, splashing his face with cold water in an attempt to shake off the remnants of sleep. The brief jolt of coolness against his skin helped, but only just. After brushing his teeth, he made his way downstairs, the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeting him as he entered the kitchen. He poured himself a cup, the warmth of it offering a slight comfort against the early morning chill. Leaving the house early before Sara and Liya was up was unusual for Roymostofthe the time he needed to get to work after dripping Liya at school or if it was night shift he went out after they got home. The streets of New York suburbs were empty at this hour, but for today''s drop assignment he needed to drive to the company office at Mannhetten and not the upstate site. His commute to work was boring as ever though it was a bit easier this morning due to the lighter traffic. Roy set his Tesla to autopilot and pulled out his tablet, skimming through the morning¡¯s headlines as the car smoothly made its way toward the office. Yet, despite the mundane nature of the drive, his mind kept wandering back to the events of the previous evening. The Rumble event. The surprise victory. The deluge of messages that had filled his Discord inbox, most of which were unsettling threats from strangers, made him question the security of his online life. The idea of beta access was tantalizing, but the attention it had attracted¡ªunwanted and strange¡ªwas beginning to feel like a burden. Roy¡¯s thoughts strayed back to the military, to the years he had spent on high-risk security details after leaving active service. But now his post-military career had taken him in directions he hadn¡¯t expected, and he had grown comfortable in the routine of his current work. While Sara had become the primary breadwinner, Roy had found solace in the predictability of his shifts as a security officer for a private company. The job wasn¡¯t glamorous by any means, but it paid well, and it offered the quiet life he¡¯d grown accustomed to. No surprises. No drama, but once in a while his boss knowing what history and experience his employee has, sends him on a higher profile mission to species things up and Roy takes the extra money and the routine break as a good thing. Arriving at the office building, Roy parked his Tesla and walked toward the entrance. The morning was still cool, and he zipped up his jacket as he greeted the night shift security guards. It was a quiet, nondescript building¡ªnothing to draw attention to, just a safe, insulated place to work. The office was on the second floor of a shabby building in the heart of New York City, tucked away from the prying eyes of the busy streets. Roy waved at Beca, one of the secretaries on duty that morning, before heading toward the small office of Ben, the company head of operations. ¡°Morning, Ben,¡± Roy said, walking into the office. He didn¡¯t waste time with pleasantries. He needed to get the package and get on with his day. ¡°Morning,¡± Ben replied, looking up briefly from the paperwork sprawled on his desk. ¡°You here for the Toronto package?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Roy answered, keeping his tone professional. Ben nodded and handed over a small, nondescript bag. "Here you go, the envelope inside. Make sure you follow the anti-surveillance routine before boarding the bus. It¡¯s not a high-priority drop, but it''s always good practice. Let us know once it''s delivered and you''re back. We¡¯ll need confirmation that everything went smoothly.¡± Roy took the bag, feeling its weight, and slipped it into his backpack. ¡°Understood, sir.¡± ¡°Good boy. Now get going, I¡¯ve got a lot of work to do,¡± Ben said with a dismissive wave, his attention already drifting back to the stack of paperwork in front of him. Roy nodded and turned to leave, making his way to the street outside. It was time for his counter-surveillance routine¡ªsomething that had become second nature after years of military service. He started with a walk through the bustling streets of the city, weaving through crowds, moving from one busy intersection to a quieter alleyway, then back to the crowds, always scanning his surroundings for any sign of unusual behavior. After half an hour of this routine, he felt no indication that anyone was tailing him. Feeling confident that he was clear, Roy made his way to the bus station on 42nd Street, where he caught a bus bound for Toronto. The trip would be long, but nothing he hadn¡¯t done a dozen times before. However, the nagging feeling at the back of his mind wouldn¡¯t go away. The unsettling messages from his Discord, the strange threats from faceless strangers¡ªit was all starting to weigh on him. The bus trip to Toronto was uneventful. Roy kept to himself, lost in his thoughts, checking his phone intermittently for any updates on the Rumble event. The more he read the messages, the more he realized just how deep the rabbit hole of Web3 gaming could go. But there was no time to dwell on that now. He had a job to do. Upon arrival in Toronto, Roy dropped the envelope at the pre-advised address and checked in with his company, confirming that the package had been delivered successfully. After finishing work-related business it was time for pleasure. He ordered an Uber to take him to the downtown Marriott Hotel, where the recipient was supposed to pick up the package. The Uber ride was uneventful. Roy donned his hat and COVID mask, his face obscured, in an effort to stay under the radar. He arrived at the hotel, his nerves beginning to tighten as he prepared to execute his next move. Inside the hotel, he approached the reception desk and asked for the location of the mailroom. A quick inquiry with the staff, and he was directed to the back of the building. At the mailroom, Roy requested the ¡°Kalaman¡± package, offering the shipment number to the clerk. After a few moments of hesitation, the employee disappeared into the backroom, taking what felt like an eternity to return with a cardboard box in his hands. Roy accepted the package, slipping the employee a generous tip before heading to the restroom just across from the mailroom. There, he opened the box and quickly transferred the contents into his backpack, ensuring that nothing was left behind. The package now empty was kept with him. He exited the restroom and made his way back to the lobby, keeping his eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. It wasn¡¯t long before he saw two young men approaching the hotel entrance. Their worn baseball bats were the giveaway¡ªRoy instinctively knew they were here for him. They looked like they¡¯d come prepared for a confrontation, and from the looks of it, they were about to make their move. Roy didn¡¯t want to risk a scene in the hotel lobby, where security cameras would catch everything or even the security personnel code detain him. He quickly decided to move outside, hoping to grab the initiative and surprise his attackers. The two men recognized him immediately, their eyes narrowing as they saw him. Roy braced himself, instinctively readying for what he knew was coming. The first attacker swung his bat wildly, but Roy was ready. He tossed the empty cardboard box at the man, distracting him just enough. As the bat connected with the box, Roy surged forward, throwing a well-timed jab and cross combination that sent his assailant stumbling back. The second attacker was quick to respond, swinging his bat in a wide arc, but Roy ducked just in time, narrowly avoiding the blow. The fight escalated quickly. The second attacker managed to land a glancing blow to Roy¡¯s ribs, the sting of the impact sharp but not crippling. Roy moved in closer, using his momentum to land a brutal headbutt to the man¡¯s nose, the sickening sound of cartilage breaking ringing in his ears. With the second attacker on the ground, Roy didn¡¯t hesitate. He followed up with an uppercut elbow shot to the chin, sending his opponent crashing to the pavement. With both attackers incapacitated, Roy made his escape. He sprinted toward the street, his heart pounding in his chest. The Uber was just a few yards away, and he didn¡¯t waste any time getting inside. As the car drove off, Roy finally allowed himself a deep breath. He had made it out unscathed¡ªmostly. His ribs ached from the blow, but nothing serious. The adrenaline was starting to wear off, and he could feel the exhaustion catching up with him. Back in the Uber, Roy couldn¡¯t help but replay the fight in his mind. It had been brutal, but effective. The attackers were probably regretting their decision to confront him. He would make sure to file a report with his company, but he didn¡¯t expect much to come of it. What mattered now was getting back to the bus station and heading home. Once at the bus station, Roy discreetly switched shirts in the restroom and took off his hat and mask. His heart rate slowly returned to normal as he boarded the bus back to New York, the weight of the day''s events sinking in. As he sat down, his mind wandered back to the attackers. He couldn¡¯t shake the thought that someone had tipped them off. Had it been the mailman? The thought gnawed at him. ¡°I should go back and get that tip back¡­¡± he muttered to himself, the words sounding more like a promise than a thought. The world of Web3 had taken him further into the unknown than he had ever imagined, and he was beginning to understand just how dangerous it could be. The promise of beta codes, the lure of early access¡ªeverything seemed innocent enough at first. But now, Roy was discovering that there was more at stake than just a game. And he was tangled right in the middle of it. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Chapter 4: What is in the Package? The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.