A bright white light engulfed my vision blowing away my previous thoughts on murdering the Asian bitch. Reflexively, I moved my hands to shield my eyes but I felt nothing...
Wha-
Before I could complete that thought, I heard a voice.
[Linking complete.]
[Synchronization complete.]
[Recalibrating...]
Wait...what's going-
[Recalibration complete.]
[Rendering world...]
Eh?!
[Rendering complete.]
[Transporting player to world.]
Immediately, the voice completed its sentence the bright light vanished replacing the scene in utter darkness.
"Huh?", I uttered as I opened my eyes.
My blurry vision showed me a distorted blue sky. I rubbed my eyes with my previously non-existent hands before standing up and to my stark amazement.
"Oh...my...God...", I said in a bewildered voice when I took in the scenery.
We had spawned in a grass field surrounded by a mildly dense thicket. The sky stretched as far as the eye could see, the grass flowing gracefully in the wind, the trees were not too long but not too short either.
I marveled at the sight. Everything around me were all so realistic, I looked at my hands and legs, they were just like they were on earth.
Is this even a game...you sure we didn't get isekai'd?
Just as I thought that, a black-colored interface appeared snapping me out of my daze.
[Hello, player. Welcome to Untethered.]
[You have spawned in Wyvern Woods; would you like to see your stats?]
I stared at it for a while, rubbing my eyes to confirm its existence. It was still there after a few rubs, patiently awaiting my response.
Before answering I looked around, my classmates were sprawled across the ground like they were sleeping. I was the only one awake.
I scratched my head as I turned back to the screen,
Untethered...is that the name of the game...?
I lingered for a moment and then said, "Ok."
The interface suddenly changed in response, revealing my stats.
[Name:] Alex
[Epithet:]???
[Level:] 1
[EXP:] 0/100
[Skills:] Oversaturation, Memory Palace, Echolocation, Art of Learning, Ambidexterity, Martial Arts, Anti-Lip Sync, Invisibility, Manipulation, Technical Knowledge (depreciated)
[Aliases:] The Mastermind, The Fool
"Woah! Ahahaha! It's our real-world skills!", I exclaimed in excitement but then lingered for a moment, "I don't think this is all my skills though...and what is Oversaturation?"
Meh...
I glanced over at my stats and stopped at a certain category.
[Debuffs:] Partial Hearing, Myopic Vision, Anti-Lip Sync, Rizzless
I stared at the last debuff with a murderous expression.
It's like this game is making fun of me.
It sure is~, my inner voice chimed in, sigh...someone is going to become a perpetual virgin.
Like you are one to talk! How many bitches have you pulled?!
The voice chuckled and said, look kid, when I was your age, I had 4 wives and 20 children.
What the fuck?
I was bewildered, what was it even saying.
.....
I raised my head and glanced around; my eyes landed on one of my classmates who seemed to be the only one awake. He seemed like he was looking at thin air.
Whatever...he's always been kinda weird...
I sighed as I sat up and rubbed my head, so this is the game...wow...it's so realistic!
I looked at my arms and legs. They were all intact, hell even the school uniform as well. As I was taking in the scenery, a blue-colored interface appeared scaring the shit out of me.
"Kyaah!", I screamed calling the attention of Alex who grinned at me mockingly as if understanding my predicament.
The hell you smiling?!
I took a deep breath and turned to the anomalous object.
[Hello, player. Welcome to Untethered.]
[You have spawned in Wyvern Woods; would you like to see your stats?]
"...Sure", I said confused.
Then the interface changed, displaying my stats.
[Name:] Dave
[Epithet:]???
[Level:] 1
[EXP:] 0/100
[Skills:] Saturation, Appraisal, Ease of Learning, Persuasion, Seduction, Artistic Sense, Ice Affinity
[Aliases:] Davy Frosty, Master of the Arts
[Debuffs:] Dysfunctional Right Hand, Weakness, Ease of Learning, Gayshit
"Huh?", I blurted out as I stared at the last debuff, "What the...?"
"Yo Dave! You seeing it too?", Alex called out to me.
"What? Oh uhh...yeah", I said clearly shaken up by my last debuff.
"Must be your debuff, huh...", he said.
"No... not really.", I lied blatantly.
"Mmhmm."
I stood up noticing something strange on the interface.
"What's this 'Epithet' mean?", I asked him, confused.
"I think it might have something to do with the...Soul Name Theory."
"Soul Name Theory...?"
"Yes, the Soul Name Theory. It surrounds the concept of the name given to us by God while we were in heaven, stating that that's our real names...but meh it's a theory anyway."
"I see..."
I shook my head and then turned around, "This game is pretty amazing though...I mean take a look at all of this...it's so realistic...", I spoke in awe as I stared at a tree. The tree was extraordinarily tall, literally more than 14 foot tall but strangely enough the leaves emitted a slight barely visible grey line.
I heard Alex chuckle before speaking, "Video games have truly come a long way, but still...this is off the charts...truly sublime."
I smiled slightly as I watched a single blade of grass sway slightly in the wind, "It makes me kind of feel like staying here forever..."
Alex didn't respond.
I glanced over to him and saw a dark look on his face but then he sighed and said, "Yeah...once we get back it'll all be schoolwork again and listening to Director's nagging anyway."
"Yeah..."
"Pfft!"
We then burst into laughter.
"Anyways...", I glanced at the ground, "Why are our classmates still on the floor?"
"Dunno...", he said as he stared into the Wyvern Woods that surrounded us.
I narrowed my eyes and said in a slightly tense tone, "You didn't kill them right..."
He turned back to me with a bewildered expression, "What kinda hell conclusion is that?!"
I lingered for a moment and then shook my head. I turned to my stats which were hovering before me.
"Say...Alex this place was called Wyvern Woods, right?", I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah...?"
"Ah, ok.", I studied my stats for a moment and then said, "I think this may be our real-world skills..."
"It sure is.", he said with a grin, "Tell me what's yours?"
[Skills:] Saturation, Appraisal, Ease of Learning, Persuasion, Seduction, Artistic Sense, Ice Affinity
I turned to him and said, "Saturation...Appraisal...Ease of Learning...Persuasion...Seduction...Artistic Sense...Ice Affinity..."
Ice Affinity?
"Hey Alex-", I called out to him but he cut me off with a question.
"Saturation?"
"Yeah...? What's that?", I asked inquisitively.
He lingered for a moment and then said, "Check the description."
Description...?
I turned to the skill and thought...
Saturation...
[Skill:] Saturation: A skill every human being is born with that allows one to connect to spiritual entities as well as perform miracles. This skill allows you to absorb the World's Energy.
Miracles...? World Energy...?
"What does it say?"
"It says... Saturation: A skill every human being is born with that allows one to connect to spiritual entities as well as perform miracles. This skill allows you to absorb the World's Energy albeit with a bit of effort.", I read my skill's description out loud.
"Haha!"
Alex let out a low laugh, prompting me to raise an eyebrow.
"What?"
"I knew it...in this world we can use magic."
I widened my eyes slightly but then narrowed it, "How?"
"I dunno...but I think you should be able to use Ice Magic."
"Ice Magic...?", I suddenly realized, Ice Affinity!
I grinned and then smiled, "Haha!"
"Don't get a big head yet, we still have no clue about it."
"I know... I know", I waved my hand at him.
I lingered for a moment and then said, "Besides...what are we to do? Enjoy the scenery?"
"I don't think so.", Alex said as he looked at the tall Wyvern Wood trees.
I rolled my eyes, "Care to elaborate, Einstein? I mean they did say we are just playtesting...which means that the game is probably not even finished yet.", I said in a tone of finality but Alex retorted.
"No... this game, Untethered... is most definitely finished.", he said with a dark expression.
"What?", I asked confused.
If so then...why are we just play testing it?
"Ah...I see...we must be just testing it before it releases, right?"
"Maybe..."
"Then why us? Aren't there professional game testers out there?", I said in a slightly concerned tone.
Alex looked at me for a moment and then turned away, a grin spawning on his face. He stared at the sky before saying wistfully, "I wish I could say..."
"Huh?"
I wanted to ask what he meant but at that moment someone woke up.
"Yo Tiny Girl!", Alex said with a bright rainbow smile.
Woah! His personality did a complete 180!
I thought, slightly rattled. She glanced at him and glared sharply before turning to me.
"Dave...", she called out to me as she rubbed her eyes. I helped her up when she reached out her hand.
"Is this the game? How is it so realistic? Why's everyone on the floor? Are they dead?", she asked me a torrent of questions.
I opened my mouth to answer but Alex beat me to it, "No. They're resisting."
"Resisting...?", I asked confused as Viki glared at him, "I didn't ask you."
Alex ignored her and said, "They're resisting the recalibration system that connects our brain to the game. I adapted quickly that's why I woke up first."
My mouth twitched.
He sure has a big head...
I turned over to Viki who pulled out a pair of glasses from her shirt pocket. She was a girl of short stature and fair complexion. She had well...below average...goods but that was complimented by her cute face. She had a boyfriend by the way so don't get the wrong idea.
She jolted a little before staring into thin air, must have seen the game's Hud interface. Understandable reaction-
Then Alex chimed in as if hearing my thoughts, "Better than yours."
I irked at him before turning to Vicki who seemed to have a satisfied look on her face. She nodded her head and said, "I think what am seeing are...our real-world skills but...what the hell is Saturation?"
Oof! I forgot her vulgar mouth...
I shook my head and said, "That's a skill that will let us use magic."
She widened her eyes and then said, "So I'll be able to use air magic?"
So, she as Air Affinity, huh?
"I figured that out!", Alex said as he raised his hand to capture our attention before pointing at himself.
Vicki glanced at him and then glared, "No one cares!"
"Ouch!", Alex said with a hurt tone, placing his hand over his chest as if her words had stabbed him in the heart.
She smirked as a tone of satisfaction made its way to her face but Alex's next action broke her composure completely.
"You know I was being sarcastic...", Alex said with a deadpan expression.
Instantly, she exploded.
"You bastard! You think you're hotshit huh, wait till I wipe that look of your face!", she yelled as she lunged at him.
In response, I quickly held her back, "Stop! Vicki! Stop! You're just playing into his hands!"
It took several minutes to calm her down. Alex stared at her amused, further igniting her fury.
"Ugh...so irritating...", she said as she finally sat down and calmed down.
"I understand. Now let's turn back to the game."
She took a deep breath and sighed before turning to me, "Yeah...what's your Affinity?", she asked with a hint of curiosity.
I smiled and then said proudly, "Ice Affinity! Which means I'll be able to use Ice Magic!"
"Of course you would, you're Davy Frosty after all.", she said as she giggled.
I grinned but then stopped and turned to Alex, "Hey Alex, what's your affinity?"
He lingered for a moment before winking, "That's a secret."
"Motherfucker!"
Now it was my turn to be held back from tearing him apart.
After a couple of 'words of understanding' from Vicki, I calmed down and laid on the grass.
So beautiful...
I stared at the slow drifting clouds and then at the sun in the distance before turning to Vicki.
She looked just as she did in the real world. The modern uniform she wore stood out in the enchanting scenery. The uniform in question was our school's; it consisted of a pink sleeved shirt, a grey waistcoat with our school's emblem on it, a tie of the same color and a matching pair of grey trousers, or skirt for girls.
I have no idea why the shirt is pink though...
I chased away those thoughts and turned back to her.
She was deeply mesmerized by the beautiful and breathtaking scenery of the Wyvern Woods. I smiled as I watched her.
Ah...what tainted innocence...
"What are you staring at?", Alex asked with a raised eyebrow. He gestured over to a certain female sprawled on the ground, "That's your girlfriend."
A temple formed on my forehead, "I know dammit."
"Yeah...you should go cover her up...", he said with a hint of hesitation.
"What, why?", I said glancing at her direction.
As I twisted my head, Alex spoke,
"Her panties are showing."