Bzzt! Bzzt! An alarm rang as the clock struck 8 AM. Cero hastily shut it off and got up to refresh himself. A game Cero had followed for years was being released today. It was one of the most anticipated games of the year and surprisingly had no delays. Cero had taken part in various alpha and beta stages, so he had insider knowledge about the game, which would drastically improve his chances of becoming influential within and outside the game.
Currently, Cero had lived a comfortable life. However, when a pandemic ensued, Cero got laid off from his job. But he had bought a few games, igniting his spark for gaming. which was titled "Armageddon Online." The game was due to launch when the clock struck noon. Cero quickly refreshed his knowledge of the game while waiting until they released the game.
A few hours had passed, and Cero finished up with breakfast. The game was to launch in 30 minutes. After making sure Cero had done everything, he triple-checked it until only 5 minutes were remaining. Cero hopped into a self-sustaining pod, where it stuck small needles everywhere in his body. Although there were many needles, Cero barely felt any pain in his body, feeling even more relaxed than he was before he entered the pod. As long as the pod had nutritional substances within its storage, then he could play.
Cero loaded Armageddon Online, and there was a timer of 1 minute. He had waited until the timer reached 5 seconds. He thought of his dream and what to achieve within the game. A hermit of unknown power? What about an emperor lording over lands? His line of thought was cut when he heard, "Welcome to Armageddon Online. Please make your character." A neutral voice sounded out. Cero looked around. He was within a vibrant white and pink observatory, gazing at the endless universe. Cero had noticed that the room comprised only ornamental pillars and illuminated facades. There was nothing he could loot. And so, Cero got to work creating his character.
Cero had a bit of social anxiety. However, the game included a privacy feature. You can be 50 but look 18. Cero changed his eye and hair color to dark blue and jet black. He had also changed his body frame to become more masculine, although not to the point where he looked like a muscle head. Armageddon Online was unique in the sense that it didn't have a class system like traditional games. Although there was no class system, there was still a limit feature. If a player specialized in melee but switched to magic, there would be a steeper curve than usual.
After creating a character, you would teleport to a province after you chose a nation. Players recommended a player choose a country that is inhabited by the race he chose. Cero had chosen a mix of a human and dark elf, becoming a half-breed. After glancing at all possible countries, Cero had made his pick. The Grand Duchy of Auburh. Cero's character flew towards the island nation of Auburh, but veered left towards the island of Chagroth.
Because of the favorable position of Chagroth, it traded with the Principality of Celmener and Alsin. Many ships were going back and forth from the island to the continent. The military was small but had more experience, because of the many years of training. The dark elves trained in marine and guerilla combat for many years. There was a legend that a kingdom had once conquered a small island under the domain of Auburh. Upon meeting face-to-face at the capital, they lost despite their overwhelming numbers because of the helpful terrain and elite training regimens they had.
After touching down upon Silizen, the capital of the county of Chagroth Island, Cero adjusted to his surroundings. The large town is quickly on its way to becoming a small city. There are four districts within this town. The Vanula district houses the commercial section of the town, while Whitemoor Yard is where the influential and powerful families live. Hydra's Ward is full of atrocities because of the high crime rate of the ward. Everyone excluding scoundrels avoided the area as much as they could, as you can lose many valuables and even your life within. The last district, Ravensworth Ward, is where a military outpost is located. It contained a few naval vessels and a militia of about 1250 men.
Cero explored the city and had found his first quest. A distraught NPC was pacing back and forth outside his house, muttering about some jewelry. A few minutes later, Cero had found out that the NPC had lost a valuable item whilst traveling within the town. As Cero probed the NPC, he had gathered a few traces which might lead to the item. Afterward, he told the NPC to rest and wait for his return.
Armageddon Online differed from its predecessors. Instead of an NPC having a quest marker above its head, the developers replaced it with a green bulb. This bulb was also above all the player's heads, denoting what their alignment is. If a player kills many NPCs or players, they will have a red bulb. This can also affect your charisma skill, making NPCs less likely to give you quests. However, you can still force them into giving you a quest but for a reduced reward.
The needles that were injected into a user's body made it possible to feel and smell. This "feature" allowed a greater immersion than its predecessors and competitors, offering a more realistic taste.
After scattering about, Cero had found a clue at The Goblin's Goblet. It was a cheap inn that had some shifty characters within. Cero walked inside and asked about the owner of the inn. The owner of the inn was a half-eff named Anas. He had a pleasant personality and was friendly. The inn had been handed down from generation to generation. You can always hear him boasting at the bar about his goblets, which he got from the blacksmith Alykirn. These goblets turned black whenever a harmful liquid was within. Cero bided his time until some thugs kicked in the door. The vulgar speeches coming from the trio had enraged more than half of the customers, but they couldn't do anything about it. The thugs boasted about their spoils of the week, about getting a few gold coins from pawning a piece of jewelry.
With this, Cero had found what he was looking for and had tried to ask about the pawnshop. The thugs looked at him and started laughing before telling Cero to get out of their faces. Cero had become annoyed but did not have the power to rebuke the thugs, and so he left them alone. But this did not mean that Cero couldn't ask other NPCs. The pawnshop in question was infamous for its pawning, which had garnered a bit of platinum. However, it was within the most dangerous ward of the city, Hydra's Ward.
Before venturing into that ward, Cero would need to gain some power. While walking towards the blacksmith for a weapon, Cero had gathered a few more quests, which were very easy. Most of them were to gather a few herbs and carcasses of various animals. When Cero had reached the blacksmith, he came to a crossroads. He had to choose which path he should train in.