Years passed… the world began to change with every year passing.
18 years before the invasion:
Six locations have obtained taverns, built on the mountains of the world. Rain, Viktor, Kate, Isoc, Johnson, and Rolph were chosen to be the Guild Masters of those branches, I told them about the plan, explained to them if they wished to not be guild masters they can refuse but none complained except Kate who said that Rolph was too young, it was a plausible excuse but I told her that it will take years before he was allowed.
Rain wanted to be with Viktor so I allowed them to own two taverns next to each other… "Father! I don't want to leave you!" She said as she cried, I was saddened but I had to make changes, I adopted them after I came back from the launch, including Kate.
"No! I am not leaving my sister!" Viktor complained, to make them at ease I replied: "You won't be separated, I will create a portal where you can come to the island anytime, we will always be together".
Kate was worried but after she heard that she sighed in relief "Thank you father!". I smiled and gave them all a hug.
17 years before the invasion:
The game population reached 1.3 billion players, the highest leveled player was 122 and he was the only person who created his custom class, I remember watching him play with interest as this player knew every single step to be taken, "Rose, who is this man?" I asked Rose while watching this player play.
"Master, this man is the only variable in the game, his name is Alexandre, age 15, played during the start of the game and has a completion rate of 100% in every single event he participated in, completed many S class quests and rated Silver adventurer. Alexandre has never revealed who he was and never entered the ranking board in the game, every time he fought… he fought to survive and not to enjoy the game" Rose kept explaining this player achievement and how he knows every part of the game.
Interesting, "Send him a card"
16 years before the invasion
Training continued, as usual, every single person on this island was able to complete 10 floors on the tower except the kids as they were under 13. Isoc has proposed to one of the human soldiers, several months later he got married to her and decided to move to the tavern built on one of the mountains with her.
Many facilities have been created with the blueprints and the gold income kept increasing, leading to increasing the number of soldiers and training them with the others.
15 years before the invasion
The first soldier to increase in grade was Dragonborn, his story was interesting as he talked about his parents, I was shocked as I thought he was just something created from nothing but it seems like the guild gave them choices in joining the ranks. This Dragonborn was named Bolzru, his mother was a human and his father was a dragon who can change his form into a human. He was born normally but later on, in life he began to increase in size and strength leading to him being hated by the village, his father left his mother when he was a child while his mother died later by suicide.
"I lived in the streets, day and night trying to survive but my body couldn't help me… I entered the labyrinth and decided to live there until the voice gave me a choice to serve someone, I immediately agreed as I hated being alone" Bolzru talked about himself while tearing up, he was a good person, "I don't want you to kill yourself, I want you to live in peace, protecting the weak" I said to him as I was sitting the opposite side of him at night.
"Thank you, master" Bolzru wept as he spoke.
14 years before the invasion
11 countries have been banned from the game, resources, and products made by the Guild. They have tried to suppress the game and take some shares but it ended with them getting their entire country banned, shocking the entire world as several countries tried to fix the backlash but ended with being ignored.
The mafia and the yakuza have finished their tasks, both Marco and Haruto been brought to the island to train with the others. They were shocked at what they saw but it became the norm after a few months.
Kate has also found her soulmate, a good soldier. They got married with my blessing and lived on the island with Rolph.
I also discovered that I am unable to make Emma pregnant, it seems like guild masters aren't allowed to have their successors. I was depressed at first but then Emma talked about Rain, Viktor, and Kate. That was the saddest moment in my life as well as the moment where I changed to a better person.
10 years before the invasion
The second tower was found, conquered and placed on the island as a normal level tower. It also produced many types of monsters leading to many veteran soldiers to become grade 2.
The island was expanded with space and time, many skills have changed while the entire interface of the system has been updated with the work of Anima and me.
"So, should we make it into a monster rating to make it easier?" I asked Anima while coding several machines.
『After discussing this with your seniors, most of them were glad by your systems so they gave you the entire control to the system, I will only intervene if you break the Void laws』
I smiled and began to play around with the system, this took 7 months in total with the help of all the systems.
5 years before the invasion
The world defender force has been created out of all the people that gained the cards, they have been invited to several locations around the world to train, hints were given as it won't give us a warning which led the card owners to become serious.
The game has become the world only played game as it included everything in the world, Alexandre was still the highest leveled and best player in the game. He became known later on in the game when he decided to create several factions under him, at first he wasn't known but once they discovered who he was and tried to kill him in reality, he killed every enemy that came after him in reality before going back to the game. The biggest thing in the game was clans as they became large as small countries.
When the game launched, many complained about the pain and deaths but later on, when they discovered that they became stronger they accepted the game.
3 years before the invasion
I finally mastered the medic, gaining the medic pillar. After purchasing it I changed it into a system and gained the permanent medic class.
My doctor career has shocked the world as over a million patients with incurable diseases has been cured. I felt satisfied and donated to every organization that was legit.
Most of my companions growth's has stopped, Anima said that it is due to them being guild staff. Rain and Viktor grew together with me and my wife but when they wanted to marry I cried hard with my wife.
Age didn't matter anymore, I couldn't remember it as the time on the island and in the workshop differs, my age regressed to my twenties with Emma and it was part of the guild benefits.
Rolph who was my grandchild became a great man, he completed the beginner tower and also did half of the normal tower. I felt proud but he still had more space to grow.
Isoc looked young as usual but Johnson even though he also became young a very complicated thing happened with him.
"Boss, I remembered your words, I couldn't live alone… I wanted a family too! I got it in the end but it turns out to not be my own! How can I live like this!" Johnson cried as he kept hitting the ground.
Depression hit him, he tried to kill himself. "Ace! Don't stop me! I can't live without them… it hurts! It hurts being betrayed, lied to!" placing the gun on his head he kept screaming his pain. It was at night when I came into his room to check up on him after the words he said in the morning.
Using my speed hack and full speed I took the gun away and destroyed it before grabbing him by the neck in rage. "IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT?! TO ESCAPE REALITY?!"
My shout waked up everyone on the island as they rushed towards Johnson hut.
I threw Johnson out of the hut breaking the door with his body and left the hut looking at him. "AREN'T WE YOUR BROTHERS?! ARE WE STRANGERS TO YOU?! WHAT WILL WE DO WHEN YOU ARE GONE?!" I shouted at him as I beat him while he laid on the ground.
"Black castle! Come out!" I grabbed Johnson by the neck and dragged him into the black castle. "Take us to his house".
Minutes went by and we reached Johnson family house, I threw Johnson out of the door "Follow me" I said to him and walked into the house. Johnson stood up weakly as he followed me ignoring the shocked guards.
Kicking the door open, I woke up everyone in the house. "Get in!" I looked at Johnson.
"Who is here?!" An elder man came down the stairs followed an elderly woman and several young females.
"Look at your daughters behind them," I said to Johnson as his eyes were tearing up. "They weren't your elder brother children, I can confirm it… damn it, Johnson!"
"Johnson?!" The elderly man looked at his son with shock. The 4 girls behind the old man stood still. Michael walked down in his robe and looked at Johnson with shock "Brother…"
"Johnson, out of regret, your eldest brother took care of your children, your wife… their mother became weak after what happened leading to her becoming an empty vessel, she felt regret, depression and in the end became a person who has to be fed, washed and taken care off."
"Your daughters, when they discovered the truth became shocked, they hated your eldest brother and everytime he tried to help them, they ignored them and cursed him but your brother still took care of them regardless… you might think I am a bad person Johnson for making you go through this but I took care of them while you were on the island, your daughters were my nieces Johnson… damn it!" I punched the wall next to me and left the house leaving Johnson alone, I watched from far.
"Father!" The girls ran to their father crying. "I…" Johnson shocked, unable to move, droplets fell on the ground as he held his children. "Sorry… Sorry for leaving you" Johnson cried as he hugged his daughters hard.
The family watched as they cried, Michael aged face was full of tears "Brother, I am sorry for what I did…".
"Stop, I don't want to hear a thing from you" Johnson released his entire killing intent towards Michael making him freeze on his spot. Johnson looked at his daughters with his red eyes "My baby girls, do you want to come with me?"
The girls looked at each other and nodded "Yes father, take us with you". Far away I looked and a smile appeared on my face.
2 years before the invasion
Dungeons, labyrinths, and towers appeared on earth but no one discovered them other than us. Johnson lived in the tavern he controls with his daughters after deciding that he needs to stay with them isolated.
The farm on the island has expanded thankfully due to the increase of the space and time element. Blacksmithing finally reached the perfection of mortals, this shocked Anima as it was not possible to do this within a few years.
Several soldiers reached grade 4, Bolzru became a grade 6, many new faces were soldiers and thousands of races are now separated in the world safety zones created with my new creations, hidden from the public.
1 year before the invasion…
"Time goes by fast" I laughed as I was training in the newly built arena which sent random fighters everytime based on my attributes. "Ace! Focus!" Emma shouted as she laughed at my shocked face.
"Father! Keep it up!" Rain, Viktor, and Kate cheered.
"Grandfather! I want money!" Rolph screamed as he became crazy for gold as we opened interdimensional shops here.
My face tightened up, I sent a space destroying punch towards the enemy killing him in one hit. "Nooo!" I fell on the ground as I realized I wasted another training partner.
"Hahaha!" The crowd laughed formed from soldiers, guards, workers, servants, trainers, and merchants.
I smiled and stood up before removing the dust on my shoulder. "Brat! I will beat you!" I jumped from my spot appearing with a split of a second next to Rolph and grabbing his shirt.
"Haha!" I laughed as I looked at his scared face.
Time is never scary, what's scary is not using your time well.
"Master, everything is prepared" Rose appeared next to me and said in a calm voice.
I guess the day has come… "Let us go".