"Thanks for the help Gayatri." Michael said to her as classes had ended.
"Yeah yeah, just don't try to piss them off. A normal human like you can never compete against a Player." Gayatri said to him dismissively.
"Yes yes princess." Michael said causing her to look at him in shock.
She then shook her head a bit while he looked at his watch.
"Good. I have time." Michael muttered to himself catching Gayatri's attention.
"You're going to the hospital?" Gayatri asked him.
"Yeah." Michael said to her with a nod.
"I see." Gayatri said before she walked away from him.
Michael watched her walk away before he also went on his way. He walked and reached a hospital, said hospital is very big, has 7 floors and looks quite expensive as he walked inside. He then went upto the 3rd floor and went into a room.
Inside the room, on a bed and connected to heart monitor is a woman who seems to be in her middle ages. She has light brown skin and black hair while the rest of her body is covered in the hospital bedsheet. The only sound in the room being the constant beeping of her heart monitor.
"Hey mom, here I am again." Michael said as he sat a few metres away from her bedside as he addressed his mother.
But she didn't give him a response and just lay there completely still with the only indication of her being alive being the heart monitor and the sound of her breathing. He sighed as he looked at her with sad eyes.
"It has been 6 years, mom. You need to wake up some time." Michael said with a sigh.
6 years ago, when he was 12 his parents had been in an accident, and not a normal one. Since he was at his house he was safe. One of the Players had failed in completing a Gate which caused the monster inside to come out. This monster in particular was a large one and kind of resembled a rhinoceros and like a Rhinoceros it started to demolish its surroundings.
His parents happened to be at that area going to shop when it attacked. The monster had rammed straight into their cars front, killing his father since it was his side that was facing the monster while his mother was knocked out and went into a coma but was severely injured.
Fortunately, Michael had two uncles and aunts. One uncle and aunt from each of his parents. They helped him financially while giving the necessary money for his mom's treatment. One thing he was thankful for was that he has a nice family and his mother and father have a tight knit relationship with their siblings so it has helped him and his mother in their time of need.
He had been living with his uncle from his mother's side until he was 17 as his uncle had told him that he had to get used to living in the outside world a bit earlier than most due to his circumstances to which he agreed. And he is proud to admit that he has gained a good amount of experience and knowledge in the outside world.
But the main problem for him was that his mother is still in a coma and he didn't know when she would wake up. They also didn't have the money necessary if she needed further treatment which was also a concern for him. He kept his head down as he looked at his hands before clenching them.
'Come on, I have to do something. Something that might help. I want to become a Player and get stronger and get more money! There must be some way to improve this situation.' Michael thought to himself frustrated as he is unable to do anything.
He felt frustration at not being able to do anything and while he didn't show it he was also frustrated about how he was treated by others and also wants to improve his own situation.
As he was thinking to himself a sudden light appeared in the room causing him to open his eyes and look to his left in confusion. Only for his eyes to widen when he saw a silver Door in front of him as his eyes widened and he stared at it in shock. His mouth fell open and closed when he saw it as he couldn't actually believe what is happening.
With shaking hands he went and grabbed the handle of the door and felt it on his hand. He then looked at his mother and then steeled his resolve and then opened the door and entered inside it as his vision was blinded by light as he squinted his eyes from the brightness.
When his eyes adjusted he was finally able to see around himself. He found that he is in some kind of Chinese palace like place as he looked around himself as he walked forward. He then looked ahead of himself and saw a man wearing Chinese armor with his head also covered by a helmet sitting on a throne.
"Um, are you the one who is going to give me a trial?" Michael asked him with uncertainty.
It was information given by the Players that once they enter a Door, they would meet an entity on the other side. They would assign the one who entered a trail and if they are able to pass it then they will be able to gain a skill from the entity.
"Yes, and for you to pass this trial you will have to fight me and must hit me once. If a human is able to land even one hit then I shall deem you worthy." The armored man said to him as Michael nodded.
"Okay then. Let's start I guess." Michael said to the man as he gulped a bit.
At his words the man didn't say anything and stood up from his place. It was then that Michael noticed 5 bracelets on each forearm of the man as they were glowing as he looked at them.
'What are those?' Michael thought to himself.
He didn't have time to ponder his question as the man immediately appeared in front of him in the span of a second as his eyes widened. He immediately twisted his body as he narrowly managed to escape the man's right punch before he deliberately fell on the floor to dodge the left punch before he rolled away as the man stomped the place and destroyed the floor.
Michael got up and bend down to dodge another attack but then he was lifted into the air from being kneed on his stomach as he coughed before he was elbowed on the back of his neck as he almost lost consciousness. Then he got a barrage of attacks before he was sent flying back as he hit the door and fell on the floor as he groaned before he coughed out blood on the floor as he became a bit dazed.
He slowly got up and raised his head and looked at the man as he walked to him as he got up. He raised his head and his eyes widened when he saw the man's fist right in front of his face. His life flashed before his eyes when he saw that before he used all his strength and moved his head to the right narrowly dodging the attack but the force caused his cheek to be cut as the wind pressure from it almost blew it away.
But he immediately grabbed onto the outstretched hand and was about to punch him when he felt an attack on his chest sending him flying back before he collapsed on the floor as he coughed.
'He really isn't giving me any leeway.' Michael thought to himself in pain as he slowly got up.
Then his eyes widened when he saw the glowing bracelets go back to the arm of the man and secure themselves on him.
'No way, those bracelets are the things he used to attack.' Michael thought to himself in shock.
But then the man attacked again as he grabbed his head securing him in place before shooting the rings onto his stomach causing him to cough as he was almost about to lose consciousness as he groggily looked at the man. But he then kept on punching him on his stomach again and again before finally stopping as Michael swayed a bit.
"I guess I was hoping for too much." The man said as he let go of his head.
He turned around and was about to walk away when he was grabbed on his shoulder by Michael which surprised him as he turned around and was met with a fist to his face. And though the force behind the attack wasn't much it was still a hit.
And it seemed that it was all Michael could do as he vomited blood before he collapsed on the ground and then went unconscious as the man looked at the downed form of the boy. It was silent for a few seconds before the man chuckled lightly, and soon after he laughed. He laughed for a few seconds before slowly stopping and then looked at Michael.
"You managed to land a hit, no matter how weak, on me despite being at the edge. You have resolve human. And so I deem you worthy of having my power. I shall be watching you and see how you progress in your world. You have gained my interest and favour, so don't disappoint me." The man said as he kneeled in front of Michael and place his hand on his head.
Then Michael was covered in a glow and then his bruised and beaten body was healed. The man then stood up and walked back and then raised his arms a bit and the ten bracelets on his forearms came out of his arms and flew to Michael and wore themselves onto his arms in the same manner that they were in the armoured man's before they disappeared.
"Well done Michael Wilson, you have been chosen to become a Player." The man said to the unconscious boy with a satisfied tone.