Malcolm leaned back in his chair, spinning it gently as he stared at the ceiling. His mind was racing with thoughts, ideas, and plans. After a moment, he called out, "Veyl?"
"Yes, My Lord?" Veyl responded, its pages fluttering as it floated closer.
"What do you think of my apartment?" Malcolm asked, his tone thoughtful. "Should I buy a new house, maybe somewhere secluded?"
Veyl hovered in place, as if considering the question. "It is kind of cramped and small, My Lord. A change of scenery might do you good."
Malcolm nodded, his mind already made up. He had been thinking about it for a while now. His apartment was getting too cramped, especially with his growing collection of artwork and the occasional summoning of his creations. A secluded house far from the city sounded perfect—peaceful, quiet, and far from the dangers of the gates.
He recalled an article he had read from the Players Bureau Association. Gates tended to spawn frequently in areas with a high concentration of citizens. It wasn't random; it was deliberate, almost like an invasion strategy. While rural areas were safer from frequent gate spawns, the downside was that if a gate did appear and break, it would take longer for players to respond due to the distance.
Still, the idea of a house in a rural area appealed to him. His creations could roam freely without the watchful eyes of the public, and he could focus on his art and training without constant interruptions.
"Veyl," Malcolm said, his voice firm with determination. "I've decided to set a clear goal. I want to buy a mansion or estate far away from the urban areas. That way, everyone can roam free instead of being confined to your pages forever."
Veyl's pages fluttered with approval. "That's good, My Lord. It is good to have a clear goal."
Malcolm sighed, feeling a sense of relief now that he had a plan. "Let's study the world of players. I've been neglecting the latest information for too long."
He reached for his laptop, blowing the dust off its surface. It had been months since he last used it, but it was time to catch up. He plugged in the charger, pressed the power button, and waited for it to boot up.
As the screen lit up, Malcolm opened a browser and began searching for information. He looked up real estate listings in rural areas, noting the prices and locations. He also researched the latest news about gates, player rankings, and the Players Bureau Association's policies.
As Malcolm continued his research, a sudden thought struck him—his stepbrother. His father had mentioned him before, though the details were sparse. His father had been married once before, but his first wife had died in an accident. Afterward, he had remarried Malcolm's mother, and Malcolm was born. His father had tried to bring his elder stepbrother into the fold, but the boy had been stubborn, choosing to stay with his grandparents instead.
Malcolm had never met his stepbrother, and he understood why. The man likely harbored resentment or indifference toward Malcolm and his mother. Still, curiosity gnawed at him.
He typed his stepbrother's name into the search bar: Ryan James Cole.
The first results were articles from the Players Bureau Association. Malcolm's eyes widened as he clicked on one. His stepbrother was a player—a high-ranking one, at that.
Malcolm checked the rankings, starting with the F-Ranking list. There was no way his stepbrother was in the low tiers, but he wanted to be thorough. He scrolled down. No Ryan James Cole.
He moved to the E-Rankings. Nothing.
The D-Rankings? Still nothing.
Malcolm's heart began to race. He checked the C-Rankings and then the B-Rankings. Still no sign of his stepbrother.
"There's no way he's in the A-Rankings," Malcolm muttered to himself, half in disbelief.
But when he checked the A-Rankings, there it was: Ryan James Cole, Top 8 National Rankings.
Malcolm's jaw dropped. His stepbrother wasn't just a player—he was one of the best in the country.
And then it hit him. Luna Holler, the bubbly, enthusiastic woman who had visited him earlier, was ranked just above Ryan. Top 7 National Rankings.
Malcolm leaned back in his chair, his mind reeling. He had interacted with a top-tier player as casually as if she were an old friend. He hadn't realized just how significant her status was.
"I ought to adjust my manners in front of her from now on," Malcolm muttered, a mix of awe and nervousness in his voice.
Veyl floated closer, its pages fluttering with curiosity. "My Lord, is everything alright?"
Malcolm sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I just… didn't realize how big of a deal Luna is. And my stepbrother—he's a top player too. I had no idea."
Veyl's aura glowed faintly, its tone thoughtful. "It seems you're surrounded by powerful individuals, My Lord. Perhaps this is an opportunity."
Malcolm nodded, his mind racing. "Yeah, maybe. But for now, I need to focus on my own path. I can't let their achievements intimidate me."
Malcolm's curiosity got the better of him as he continued his research. He typed into the browser: Players who got disabled after a battle from the gate.
The search results made his eyes widen. There were actually many players who had lost limbs in battle, but they had resorted to bionic replacements. One player in particular caught his attention—a man who cosplayed as the Winter Soldier. Despite his flashy appearance, he was a serious player, and his bionic arm was a testament to his resilience.
Malcolm clicked on an interview with the player. The man explained that he could have reattached his limb with the help of a healer but chose not to because of the bionic arm's superior functionality. "It's faster, stronger, and more durable," the player said with a grin. "And if it gets damaged, it's easily replaceable—if you have the money, of course."
Malcolm's heart sank as he realized the implications. He opened a new tab and searched for bionic arms on the marketplace. The prices made his jaw drop.
A standard bionic arm with a 130% synchro rate cost 15 million USD. Malcolm checked his bank account balance: 300,000 USD.
He swallowed hard and searched for bionic legs. A pair cost 25 million USD, boasting a 120% synchro rate. Malcolm leaned back in his chair, feeling a mix of awe and dread.
"No wonder players prefer bionic limbs," he muttered to himself. "They're faster, stronger, and more durable. But who the hell can afford this?"
His mind raced as he thought about Luna's offer to provide him with bionic legs. If she was serious, that meant she was willing to spend an astronomical amount of money on him. The thought made him uneasy.
"If Ms. Luna asked for a favor in return, there's no way I could refuse," Malcolm said aloud, his voice tinged with worry. "That amount of money is enough to enslave me."
He dismissed the thought almost immediately, shaking his head. "No, there's no way Ms. Luna is like that… right?"
Veyl floated closer, its pages fluttering as if sensing Malcolm's anxiety. "My Lord, it's natural to feel uncertain, but Ms. Luna seems genuine in her intentions. Perhaps she sees something in you that even you haven't realized yet."
Malcolm sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, maybe. But still, 25 million USD… That's not something you just give away without expecting something in return."
Veyl's aura glowed softly, its tone reassuring. "Trust your instincts, My Lord. And remember, you're not alone in this. You have your creations—and me—by your side."
Malcolm nodded, feeling a small sense of comfort. "Thanks, Veyl. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how this plays out."
Malcolm leaned back in his chair and sighed, his eyes drifting toward the Adam and Eve poster. He rolled his wheelchair closer, reaching out to touch the artwork.
"One of my greatest art?" he muttered to himself, his tone skeptical. "Nah. Though I admit I put more effort into these, and it took longer to make them."
As his fingers brushed the poster, a holographic screen suddenly appeared before him:
[ Would you like to store Adam & Eve into the Infinite Canvas? ]
Malcolm blinked, startled. "What? Does that mean I can store all these?" He glanced around the room at the dozens of artworks hanging from the ceiling and scattered across the walls.
A grin spread across his face. "Yes!" he said without hesitation.
The Adam and Eve posters seemed to come alive for a moment, the figures smiling softly before disintegrating into particles of light. The particles swirled in the air before being absorbed into Veyl's pages.
Another holographic message appeared:
[ Adam & Eve Stored into the Demi-God Category. ]
[ +1 Page. 39 Empty Pages Left. ]
Malcolm's excitement was tempered by the realization that there were only a few pages left in Veyl. "Well, of course, there are only a few pages left," he muttered. "If I leveled up, maybe it would increase. But there's no way I can store all of these."
He looked around the room again, counting the completed pieces. There were at least 80 of them, each one a testament to his creativity and skill. Storing them all would require more pages than Veyl currently had.
Veyl floated closer, its pages fluttering as if sensing Malcolm's dilemma. "My Lord, as you grow stronger and level up, the number of pages in the Infinite Canvas will increase. For now, you'll have to choose which pieces to store carefully."
Malcolm nodded, his mind racing. "Yeah, I'll have to prioritize. But still, this is amazing. I didn't even know I could store my existing art."
He glanced at Veyl, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "Let's see what else we can store."
Malcolm rolled his wheelchair to another piece—a detailed drawing of a dragon soaring through a stormy sky. He touched it, and the holographic screen appeared again:
[ Would you like to store Stormwing the Sky Tyrant into the Infinite Canvas? ]
"Yes," Malcolm said without hesitation.
The dragon roared silently as it disintegrated into particles of light, disappearing into Veyl's pages.
[ Stormwing the Sky Tyrant Stored into the Mystical Beast Category. ]
[ +1 Page. 38 Empty Pages Left. ]
Malcolm continued this process, carefully selecting which pieces to store. Each time, he felt a sense of satisfaction as his creations became part of the Infinite Canvas.
As he worked, he couldn't help but smile. This was just the beginning. With Veyl by his side and his art now a part of his power, Malcolm felt ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.