I slid a small silver sword into a hilt on my bare back. I strapped a pouch around my waist that contained food, water, and a single
This was the first time in all my time in TWO that I was physically suiting up. The items felt weightless too, carrying everything made my body muscular and tone. I actually looked rather threatening, or until one looked at my Title.
I looked up, the only thing visible was my mana and health bar. 100 HP and 100 MP, and now that I thought about it, the game was actually rather simple. No complicated stuff or weird names. Gold coins were gold coins and Mana was Mana, nothing more.
Matter of fact, I grabbed a small pouch that contained one hundred gold coins, a hefty amount indeed.
My eyes surveyed the tent like merchant shop, no one in sight as I took what I needed. Takedo was gone, and since we both ran the place, that means I could take it right?
I thought of Takedo, the big burley man sittings down with me and helping me learn the sounds of the game. He taught me the difference between all the many ambient noises and what they meant.
Like a low hum meant an enemy was approaching from behind, while a single drum note was that they were in my vision. Little cues which had made me understand TWO just a little more, probably keeping me alive to this point. If not for learning that, I might have already been dead for eternity.
I swallowed hard as my hand drifted across the small table. The memories of swindling beginners to buy cheap items for more then their worth raced across my mind. Man it was fun seeing them confused.
It helped me forget what I was missing.
I grinned as I took a step into the sunlight, the rays grasping my cold skin. A small whip of wind made my brown hair quiver and my sword buckle click. I was different, I could already tell.
The feeling of actually having a future was crazy for me to grasp. The entire time on this beginner world I knew exactly my fate, not knowing it brought a slight pinch of excitement.
This is what DEV meant by adventure. The cruel thought of me dying for good mixed with the hope of finding a fate I want was seductive. He sure does know how to make a game.
I looked down at my shirtless self. Did I need to buy armor?
Then it hit me, or I hit it, a brick wall that slammed against my consciousness.
You had to be Level two to purchase items. I gripped the leather strap around my chest. A low lullaby of depression swept over me.
I stood quietly as the village around me sprang to life. People walked around with smiles and calm eyes. They were the few who did not seek adventure, the people okay with living out there life in a place like this.
I glared toward a small gate that led into the huge forest which covered all of this world.
I was nothing like them.
I took a step on the cobblestone street, my bare feet absorbing the heat they gave off. Another step was taken by me, and another, and another.
Then suddenly I was in a dead sprint toward it.
One of the knights held a hand out and called to me, "Sir slow down or-"
He stopped, a warm expression of his face. He knew as well as everyone else that noticed me. They knew I was going on an adventure.
The knight turned toward a few other generic knights at the gate, "Open it men!"
The small wooden poles slowly began to rise until the opening in the wall was visible. A clear path was made for me as more villagers saw me. They all did not say a single word, instead they clapped.
I hid my face as I struck my feet on the stone, pushing harder as I came closer.
A wave of cheers came from the dozens of people witnessing me.
I slammed on the breaks, just shy of the exit. Only one more step and I would be out. I stood panting hard, my eyes wide and my hands shaking. Then I noticed my entire body was shaking uncontrollably. The cheers died down, and the two shiny knights who flanked each side watched carefully as my focus was elsewhere.
The forest stared back at me, the idea of beasts crawling about awaiting my arrival stained my mind.
"Hurry up kid." A light force on my back pushed me forward. It was Takedo's voice. I swirled around, no one even remotely close to me.
My eyes fell on a small human boy next to his mother, he had orange pupils that watched me closely. He seemed amazed, as if I was his idol. I closed my eyes and turned back around.
When they opened, they were filled with determination.
I will live.
I will achieve greatness.
I will destroy all of the 100,000 worlds.
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My memory flashed back to a year ago.
Warri my best friend sat next to me on a fallen log, it surprisingly comfortable for being wood. I picked at the green moss which covered it.
"Say Warri, what are we gonna do?"
Warri was a tall muscular elf with the generic pointy ears and a set of long golden hair. He picked blue as his eye color and put a scar across his neck. He always loved to have scars on his character. Even though he wasn't human, he still resembled how he looked on Earth.
A wooden bow was in his lap and an arrow in his right hand. He twirled it with ease. The Sun setting in the background.
"I honestly don't know. The update was bullshit, I'm sorry Enji..."
I laughed and punched his shoulder, "Don't get sappy Warri, maybe DEV will notice and fix it."
Warri leaned back against the huge trunk of a tree. We were situated in the forestry that took of all of Begin!, the first world.
"How long will that take, I mean with Sasha's -Shadow Stalk- ability she can see the exit off this world. Today four hundred people already moved on."
Damn, I felt the pain in his voice, the want he had to leave this place. Hell, I bet the rest of the party felt the same way. I was worthless, literally dead weight that was holding them back. If only I never picked that class. What would have been different?
Today would mark day thirty of being stuck on Begin! and there was still no update. I could tell the others were itching for adventure, I could see it on their faces. I knew they tried to hide it because they did not want to leave their childhood friend behind. If it were anyone else, I'm sure I would feel the same.
But it wasn't, it was me, and no matter what I did I could not go back. You could only change your class at Level ten, something impossible for me.
Impossible.
Warri stopped twirling the arrow, "Don't stress too much, the more you think about it the worse it gets. I'm sure we can hold out a little bit longer."
He patted me on the back.
Ping!
I heard a slight noise behind my ear. What did that noise mean?! Warri quickly turned around, I joined him in haste.
"What did that notification say Warri?!" The elf held a hand up as he notched an arrow in his bow, "Be Quiet." He hissed at me.
We slowly backed away from the tree we sat on.
Was it a Slime, or was it a Goblin?!
I swallowed hard and took a few more steps back as Warri pulled the string back.
I fell to the ground.
What the hell?!
I tried to quickly get back up but I noticed that I couldn't feel my legs.
"Warri, I-I-"
Warri smiled, "I get it Enji. The pain you must be going through right now. It's High Elf poison, works quickly to make the person numb."
What...
Warri planted his foot and turned the tip of his arrow toward me.
"I'm sorry Enji, but I have to do this for all of us. We love you, you will always be are dearest friend. But things are different now. We cannot sit and watch as hundreds of people pass us. Remember when we played games back on Earth. We always would get games on day one and play them first. We alway did that, it was our thing ya know. But you are hindering us, all of us. I understand it wasn't your fault, but it wasn't ours either."
Tears sprang from my eyes. This wasn't happening. No way was this real.
"Are you under a spell Warri?! Did something happen?! Did you get black mailed by one of the others?!" I smiled, "Are you scared?"
Warri sighed, "Shut up Enji! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS THINK THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON WITH ME?!"
He edged closer, "Ever since we were kids you thought I was always hiding something from you. You seem to find an excuse for my actions. You are way to pure for this game Enji."
He glared at me now, the sun finally gone from sight. Darkness fell over the forest.
"We actually have our lives at risk, and we can't have a happy go lucky guy like you. Sorry but we want to thrive, sitting here like idiots is far from that."
He was just being rash, no way would he actually just leave me here. We always had our fights, but we always apologized in the end. This was just another of his usual outbursts.
THUD.
I glanced at my right shoulder, an arrow stuck deep in my skin. I howled in pain.
"Leave the party now!" He boomed as he took another arrow from his quiver.
After rolling over and blood spilling onto the dirt, I spoke, "I can't! You know I cant'! I have to be level t-"
He kicked me in the face, his leather shoes connecting with devastation.
Fuck, fuck!
I groveled in pain, gripping one of the outcropping roots to transfer the feeling. It was true, I had to be Level two to leave a party, even if you could join one at Level one.
It was not my fault, none of this was. I just wanted to play a game. I just...
My head aimed at Warri, "I just want to go on an adventure..."
THUD.
Another arrow dug into my knee, but I still couldn't feel it. I punched the ground, the sensation still unnatural.
"Save it Enji, I'm sorry, just stop fighting it. We made our decision."
We?
No, no way would Sasha agree, or Marlo, they loved me. Oh, and Sasha had that crush on me in seventh grade. Also Garret was my partner in tennis. We won so many doubles together, no way would he agree.
We all had history together, and they wouldn't just throw that away,
Right?
I thrust my hand out, "-Fireball-"
Warri looked at me in fear.
"That's one of Garret's spells, did you try to kill me?!" Warri shook his head, "What the hell, I wasn't gonna kill you, I was just gonna injure you."
Warri bit his lip, "I guess I was wrong, you did change. I get I hurt you, but to try and kill me..."
I was only trying to protect myself...
"Warri I-"
"Don't. Don't follow us."
For a split second I saw the arrow fly off the bow, then, darkness.
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I took a step onto the ground, the leaves under them crunching as I made my way into the forest.
I will find my friends, and if they were still alive, I would kill them. No matter how many lives they had left.
I will kill them, and once that was over, I would find a way to destroy this fake universe. I will erase the very thing that turned my friends on me.
I will be the one to summon the extinction of 100,000 worlds.
But maybe, just maybe,
a few adventures wouldn't hurt...