A week and one mass release later, Regressor's First Rule saw it's epilogue. 369 chapters, an average of 17.69 views per chapter, averaging 1568 words per chapter and one collection. As he was about to shut off his computer, a comment popped up on the last chapter.
[Writer-nim? Are you there?]
Another one popped up.
[Your novel was great...I've read it for three years, and it's sad to see it end]
Mason will never admit it, but reading this made him tear up a little.
[I will promote your novel on some of the forums, don't be sad and work hard! Fighting!]
At that moment, Zen sent him a message in Discorn.
[I've submitted the novel for a competition. I think we might first place, but we'll only know tomorrow]
[Really? What competition is that? Send me the link!]
[It's a small competition, it's not well known. I'll tell you the results tomorrow.]
With that, he immediately went offline.
"I guess I'll find out tomorrow." Mason smiled sadly.
("You don't have to console me like that.")
The laptop was stowed away and he went to sleep.
---
Mason woke up and headed to school like normal. He got on a bus headed to his school, moving to a corner in the very back of the bus and listened to some music.
"Yo, someone's being edgy in their corner." A slightly well built guy crashed down on the seat beside him, and a girl sat on the seat in front of him. They were Keith and Haley, the friends he had made last year.
"It's nicer to be in the corner. That way no one's behind you."
"No one's gonna jump you! You're behind me, are you going to strangle me?"
"...maybe."
"...well, if another vehicle crashes into the bus from behind, you'll feel it."
"You too, apparently."
"I give up."
The bus ride went normally, until Mason received a text from Zen.
[Delete the novel]
[Delete it now! Don't ask]
Mason moved his fingers to type back, but his surprisingly stiff fingers slowed down before stopping, and his strangely heavy eyelids shut as he nodded off, alongside everyone else in the bus.
Suddenly, the bus stopped, jolting everyone awake. Before anyone could react, the bus driver got up and turned to face them unnaturally. He opened his mouth stiffly, as if not used to moving his body.
("This is weird...")
Mason's head whipped around, and noticed that the public bus was in school grounds, with around 7 others lined up side by side. He was starting to get a really bad feeling.
The bus driver's mouth opened, and a string of gibberish poured out. He cleared his throat and tried again. A polite but emotionless tone sounded out.
"Ahem, can you all understand me now? Good. Welcome, the gods have chosen all of you to become 'Players'. Rejoice! Giv-"
"I'm not sure what ******* medicine you ate this morning, you old geezer, but I'm leaving." A senior Mason recognised stood up and walked towards the bus driver imposingly, "I have an important project to submit. You can take you player bu-"
*Crack*
The senior stopped, before falling back dead. No external wounds could be seen, but the glassy eyes and still chest told the story for him.
"AAAAH-"
*Crack*
Several high pitched screams of fear were cut short by that dreadful cracking noise, and more bodies hit the floor. The driver raised is finger gun to his lips and blew off some imaginary smoke.
"Now listen u- huh? I killed too many? Fine. They are still going to die anyway."
The bus driver turned to address someone nobody could see and snapped his fingers. The previously dead students got back up.
"What? I thought I died?"
"Spare me the blabber, kids."
The bus driver snapped again, and all the students were muted. Their mouths moved but words did not form.
"Listen. This is not a dream. This is not a game, this is not a movie and it is definitely NOT a novel. It is your world's turn to entertain us, so dance till you drop."
("Novel? Uh…..")
He thought about the message he just received from Zen. His eyes shook.
("Novel...bus...no, it can't be!")
A blue screen popped up in front of everyone. Of course, they could only see the one before them.
("No...") Without having to read it, he knew what it would say.
A green button on the interface read [Spare] while a red button read [Kill], with the words [Scenario #1: Kill or be Killed]
The rather vicious 'introduction' he himself concocted for the novel.
There were a few lines under each button to explain. Simply put, if you chose [Spare], you would only get "50 Coins", while if you chose [Kill], you would receive much more. An ordinary weapon of your choice, a random combat skill and temporarily receive something called the [Reaper's Authority], but you had to kill at least one person, or you will have to pay with your own life.
"Just so you brats don't know what to do, here's a sample."
All the glass windows on the bus flickered like screens, and displayed a kendo dojo opening class. The teacher was a man in his forties, while there were around 10 students in a row, all teens between 12 to 17. They were all kneeling in the Seiza position.
"Sensei ni...Rei!" A female student, who seemed to be the oldest, announced. The clear sound reverberated through the room.
The kneeling students and teacher exchanged bows, when suddenly they looked up. Only indistinct noises could be heard, but their gestures and lip movements showed mass panic.
"Everyone! Calm down!" The sensei bellowed, instantly silencing the students.
He stood up and strolled towards them, "As long as we all choo-" He didn't even finish his sentence before unsheathing his sword with an audible rasping of steel. In a flash he ditched his Shinai and lunged forward, drawing the live blade that appeared by his waist, mercilessly cutting down the child before him. A bamboo sword clattered to the ground. He immediately followed up, hacking at the two students beside him. The other 7 immediately retreated while screaming. Some of the younger students turned their back to him, heading for the door.
The Sensei swung his sword at the empty air before him, but instead of the anticipated empty whistling of wind, something out of a Wuxia movie happened.
[Soaring Slash]
Two brilliant crescents formed from his sword's edge, flying towards the group of teens.
Two of them fell, bleeding heavily from their backs as their friends could only watch.
"UUOOOOOOOO!"
Apart from the oldest one, who was staring off into space wide eyed, the remaining four students let out strange battle cries as they charged forward.
[Soaring Slash]
A large crescent blade flew towards them.
They raised their bamboo swords to block, but the sword waves cleaved through them, and wounded them fatally. They tumbled to the ground groaning and bleeding out.
The still standing female student blinked in shock as the panting Sensei charged towards her. It seemed like he couldn't use the skill anymore.
Her body trembled, before her eyes turned blood red. A sharp katana appeared in her right hand, while she gripped the bamboo sword with her left.
[Berserk]
"UWAAKKKKK!"
A raging cry echoed throughout the room and the bamboo sword flew forward like a javelin. The Sensei ducked, but that allowed the student to close in. She raised the blade above her head and slammed it down on his head, killing him instantly. She continued to brutally smash his body with her sword until her arms weakened, and she calmed down. She knelt down, and began sobbing. Tears flowed from her now clear eyes, forming a scene of despair in the macabre background and the glass window screens faded to black.
At this moment, Mason knew that fiction had just become reality.