After their adventure in the imperial palace, Ares and Frost decided it was time to log out of the game. But just as they were about to do so, Frost stopped Ares in his tracks because she received an urgent message from her friends. They had discovered a brand new, unexplored 10-man dungeon with bountiful rewards. Excitedly, Frost asked Ares if he was up for raiding the dungeon, to which he eagerly agreed. They made plans to tackle the dungeon the next day, but not before making the necessary preparations. With that settled, Frost logged out, followed by Ares.
As Ares lay in bed, his mind couldn't help but wander to the intimate moments he shared with Frost. His face flushed red as he reminisced about their kisses and intimate encounters. Coincidentally, Frost was going through the same thoughts, her face resembling a ripe tomato. Her heart raced wildly as she buried her head in her pillow, trying to calm herself down. Eventually, they both drifted off to sleep, their dreams filled with shared memories.
The next day, Ares excitedly went to school and couldn't resist sharing his heroic acts of rescuing the princess and meeting the emperor with his friend, Fatty. Fatty's eyes widened in disbelief and envy as he exclaimed, "Damn you, Ares! How could you leave me out of such an epic quest? You actually got to meet the princess and the emperor! Nobody has ever met the emperor on any server, in any empire! You're too cool, dude!"
Ares defended himself, "Hey, I tried calling you, but you were offline. I had no choice but to ask Frost for help."
Fatty, with a mischievous grin, replied, "Okay, okay, enough with the excuses. So why do you have that satisfied look on your face? Did something happen with the princess? Or maybe with Frost?"
Ares stuttered, trying to hide his embarrassment, "W-What nonsense are you talking about? Nothing happened!"
Fatty's grin widened even more, "Ohhh... okay, if you say so."
Ares had the strong urge to smack Fatty, reminding him of the steamy moments he shared with Frost, including seeing her in compromising situations. But he held himself back and changed the subject, asking Fatty why he decided to come to school that day, knowing he usually skipped.
Fatty responded, "Why? Because my parents are home today, and if they find out I skipped school, they'll kill me in cold blood. Besides, my bench partner happens to be the prettiest lady in college!"
Just then, Ares remembered something important. He said, "Oh, right! Frost told me that her friends discovered a 10-man dungeon. She invited me. Are you interested?"
Fatty's eyes lit up with excitement as he exclaimed, "Yes! Count me in!"
As they entered the classroom, their discussion about the game continued, filled with laughter and anticipation for their upcoming dungeon raid.
After their conversation, Ares made his way to his bench partner, Park Sejong. Taking his seat, Park Sejong initiated a conversation, surprising Ares since Park Sejong had always ignored him in the past. Park Sejong asked, "So, are you a swordsman in Mythology?"
Ares, taken aback by the sudden interest, replied, "Yeah, how did you find out?"
Park Sejong chuckled, "Oh, you kicked the asses of a whole group of 10 guys alone with just a stick. I happened to be passing by and witnessed the whole action. Makes me wonder how you play in the game."
Ares, feeling a sense of camaraderie, grinned and said, "Well, I'm already level 20, so I'll catch up to you in no time. Which server are you on?"
Park Sejong smirked, "Ohh, nice. I'm on the Asian server. So, you've been playing for about a week now?"
Ares nodded, "Yeah, almost a week, but not quite."
Park Sejong chuckled again, "Well, you're about two months and one week behind me. The game has been launched for two months and one week already, and I started playing on the day it launched."
Ares, determined, replied confidently, "I'll still catch up to you, don't worry."
Park Sejong shrugged, saying, "Good luck. So, what's your game ID?"
Ares blushed slightly, "It's Sword Sovereign."
Curious, Ares asked, "And what's yours?"
Park Sejong replied nonchalantly, "Just Sejong."
Ares widened his eyes in surprise and exclaimed, "Wait, don't tell me you're the guy who triggered the worldwide announcement and caused the server to undergo an update!"
Park Sejong simply shrugged, leaving Ares in awe of his bench partner's impact on the game.
Just as they were discussing, their teacher entered the classroom, signaling the start of the class. Park Sejong couldn't help but think to himself, "Sword Sovereign, Ares Blade Heart... Huh? I've never heard that name before, but I have a feeling this guy is going to make a splash in Mythology soon enough."
The classroom buzzed with murmurs about the news of the game, especially the announcement of the gaming pod by the Director of the "Black Rock Spectral Virtual Tech AI Corporation."
There was an interview video featuring the Director of "Black Rock Spectral Virtual Tech AI Corporation," a renowned company with branches across the globe and significant investments in various industries. In the interview, the Director made an exciting announcement:
"Hello, my beloved players! I'm thrilled to share some incredible news. Our company has developed a state-of-the-art gaming pod, where you can immerse yourself in the game for an extended period. With our gaming pod, you can stay inside for at least 2 to 3 days, and a maximum of 4 days, without any discomfort and with your body in perfect condition. To enhance your experience, we have introduced a bio booster solution, which not only keeps your body healthy but can even make you stronger. Please note that the VIP grade solution, offering the maximum benefits, will be available at a higher price point.
Furthermore, we are working on implementing a time dilation function. Soon, one hour in the real world will equate to two hours in the game. This means that you can enjoy playing for a total of 8 in-game days, while only 4 days will pass in the real world. This exciting feature will be available in the next update.
In addition, our main celestial AI, governing the world of Mythology, has undergone significant upgrades. As a result, you may notice subtle differences in the behavior of NPCs and there won't be any differences between the behaviors of NPCs and players. Our AI strives to provide an immersive and dynamic gaming experience for all of you, creating a world where every action matters.
Thank you for your continuous support, and get ready for a whole new level of gaming adventure with Mythology!"
The interview left players buzzing with excitement, eager to explore the possibilities offered by the gaming pod, the time dilation feature, and the enhanced AI system. It was clear that the gaming landscape was about to change, promising an even more immersive and captivating experience for all players. Everybody was excited but when Ares noticed his bench partner, Park Sejong's face turned dark as if the world had collapsed upon him.
Park Sejong held his head, deep in thought, "Why are they launching the gaming pod so early? According to the previous timeline, it was supposed to launch six months after the game's initial release. It's only been two months. Could it be because I triggered the evasion of the dark force a month earlier? Is this butterfly effect caused by me?"
Lost in his thoughts, Park Sejong contemplated the situation and realized he needed to establish a guild very quickly. He had already recruited top players from his past life on the Asian server and now needed a guild creation token. As he mumbled to himself, "Guild creation token... Guild creation token," Ares overheard him and offered his assistance, saying, "Hey, do you need a guild creation token? I have one."
Park Sejong's jaw dropped in astonishment as he stared at Ares, thinking to himself, "Wait, did I hear that correctly? This guy has a guild creation token? It's only been two months. The first guild creation token was supposed to show up after three months, and guilds were created after four months into the game. How does he have a guild creation token already? I have to ask him about this."
Park Sejong, still in disbelief, managed to ask, "How do you have a guild creation token? If you really have one, I can buy it from you at a high price, whether it's with real-world money or in-game gold coins. Name your price."
Ares, surprised by Park Sejong's reaction, replied, "Sell it to you? But I was planning to create a guild for myself outside the imperial palace. Princess Vera said she would help with the construction and provide manpower and materials."
Confused, Park Sejong questioned, "Princess? Imperial palace? What are you talking about?"
Ares answered, "The Imperial Palace of the Val'Shara Empire on the Asian server, and Princess Vera."
Now, Park Sejong's confusion turned into shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He grabbed Ares by the shoulders, shaking him slightly, and asked if he was telling the truth. In Park Sejong's previous life, he played the game for two years but never heard of any player reaching a high enough rank to create a guild outside the imperial palace.
Ares, with a surprised expression, confirmed, "Yes, it's true. I met the princess and the emperor. I've made quite a name for myself."
Park Sejong's mind was racing, and he couldn't hide his emotions any longer. He muttered to himself, "What? How is this possible? This guy has accomplished feats that were unheard of in my previous life. Who is this Sword Sovereign? And why haven't I heard of him before? Something doesn't add up..."
Ares, witnessing Park Sejong's confusion and frustration, became concerned. He had no idea of the inner turmoil Park Sejong was experiencing due to his past life's knowledge and expectations.
Park Sejong, still grappling with his thoughts, managed to regain his composure He realized that dwelling on the discrepancies between his past life and the current situation wouldn't lead to any answers. It was time to embrace the new opportunities presented to him.
He looked at Ares for a while and said: "don't sell guild creation token to anybody else. Better don't let anybody find out about it. Or they might hunt you down. We will talk about it later. Oh add me in the game as soon as you log in"
As the classroom filled with murmurs about the latest news in Mythology, Ares and Park Sejong returned their attention to the lesson at hand. Little did they know that their paths would intertwine further in the game, and their journey together would hold surprises and challenges beyond their imagination.