Life sometimes starts off very well, or if we were to rate people's families on a scale from 1 to 10 at birth, I was born into a family that would rank above average. I was born into a civil servant family.
On September 27, 1983, in Izmir, my father was a soldier, and my mother was a lecturer. Feeling closer to my mother, I studied history in university and focused on building a career. Before I could finish university, in 2008, I lost both my parents in a traffic accident.
Since my mother had no relatives, I was left to face life's struggles alone. I knew I had an uncle, but he had gone missing long ago in a foreign country where he had been sent on an advanced mission. My father, being a war hero, had made a significant impact in the country.
He helped me with school and my career, so to speak. At the end of my master's degree, while traveling in Mongolia, I met Umay, who, like me, worked at a history institute. She was a beautiful, tall woman with black hair. After completing my doctorate, we decided to get married. My career was advancing rapidly—TV programs, awards—and in time, we had a son on December 10, 2014. I found out I was a father while teaching at the university. When I arrived at the hospital, my in-laws greeted me with happy faces. "Altay, you have a son. May he live a long and healthy life," they said. The joy I felt at that moment was priceless. I had done so much research on history and science that I had even appeared on TV programs. Occasionally, I participated in talks, discussing my new books. I advocated for the Turan Union and the idea that Turkey needed a socio-economic and cultural union, similar to the European Union.
After a while, they started accusing me of being a fascist. I didn't understand why. One day, as we were leaving a program as a family, I couldn't have predicted what was coming. It felt like a trap had been set for me. A man approached and threatened me. I smiled at him, and he whispered in my ear, "We've flagged you. We'll kill you and your family."
My vision darkened, and I lost control. I started punching the man. My wife, Umay, shouted at me:
Umay: "Altay, snap out of it! You have a child!"
Dora was crying, scared. I regretted doing this in front of a three-year-old. The cameras had caught everything. Umay was terrified, and so was I. Before I could prove my innocence, they took me to court. With the injured man's witnesses, I was sentenced to three years, with one year of aggravated imprisonment.
At first, everything seemed fine, but I started noticing some oddities. Umay no longer wanted me in her life. This deeply saddened me. In the sixth month of my sentence, she told me she wanted a divorce. I asked for three days to think about it. At the end of the third day, I accepted her proposal, and we divorced amicably. It felt like an arrow shot into the sky, only to fall just as quickly—and I was that arrow.
In court, I met Dora again. She was four years old now, a bit older. My final words to her were, "Don't worry, your father will be back in a few months." Umay called out to me:
Umay: "Where are you going?"
Altay: "Maybe it's time to return to my father's house. Take care of yourself. I'm leaving you my greatest treasure. Protect him until I return."
Umay: (with a sad expression) "Okay."
Six months later, I returned to my father's house. It was a modest, standalone house near the sea. "Tomorrow, I'll start looking for a job," I said. There wasn't a school or university I hadn't applied to, but the fight had left a black mark on me. I couldn't defend myself, and proving my innocence was impossible. I couldn't find a job. I went home, frustrated. "What have I done in this life to fall so low?" I thought. A few days passed as I tidied up the house. I gathered my father's old belongings. As I was about to go to his room, I had the chance to look at my old room. I found an old console and decided to play games with it. Who could have guessed this would change my life?
During the school break, I took Dora with me. Although she was only five, she seemed quite knowledgeable. She was resentful toward me, contradicting everything I said. "Let's read a book," I'd say. "No." "Let's cook." "No." "Let's play a game." "Whatever. Do what you want," she'd snap, glaring at me angrily.
Dora: "Have you ever been a father to me until now? I don't care what you want. I don't want you."
Altay: "Go to your room, child. That's enough."
I was furious, though I wasn't exactly great myself. I leaned against the wall and cried out of frustration. I decided I needed to find a solution. I started by explaining my situation to Dora. Contrary to my expectations, she responded with understanding.
"We need to spend some father-son time together," I said. We spent a week playing games on the console at home and in the park. We studied together for a week. "Tell me, son, what do you want?"
Dora: "Dad, buy a computer for the house. Two of them—one for you and one for me. Okay?"
Altay: "Okay, son. Don't forget what I told you. Do your daily exercise, read your books, don't skip meals. We can play games as much as you want, no problem. By the way, this is between you and me. Don't let your mom know."
We had largely resolved our issues. We played computer games at home, studied together, and even exercised. On weekends, when she came over, I'd buy her any game she wanted. A few years passed, but my job situation didn't improve. I started making money through e-commerce. Although I faced some financial difficulties, I took responsibility for my son. During the week, we'd talk on the phone, and I'd consult his mother about any needs. On weekends, I'd prepare surprises for him. We had fallen into a kind of routine, and everything seemed to be going well.
One day, Dora came home for the weekend. He was already fourteen, in middle school summer break.
Dora: "Dad, let's play a VR game. A new game is coming out. My friend told me it's going to be like reality. There's a test period. Sign up for me. You work from home anyway."
Altay: "Son, what do you think I am? I'm over forty. Isn't it going to be hard for me?"
Dora: "No, Dad. I believe in you."
Altay: "Hmm, if you say so. I'll prepare something to eat."
Dora: "I'll do some research. I hope you like it."
Altay: "Okay, but don't get your hopes up, alright?"
Dora: "Okay, Dad. I found the VR game. It's a competitive game. You can earn money by playing it, but you have to pass the test period. It's six months long, and you need to play for an hour every day. Can you do it?"
Altay: "Let me see what it's like."
Dora: "I've already ordered the VR headset."
Altay: "Kid, why do you do this without asking me? Whatever, let's see how much it cost."
Dora: "Don't get mad, but…"
Altay: "Tell me, son. What's the worst that could happen? Two or three thousand?"
Dora: "Twenty thousand lira."
Altay: "Is there a cancellation option?"
Dora: "No, unfortunately."
Altay: "You idiot. You've made me angry. Go make the food."
Two days later, the VR headset arrived. Dora was excited and opened the headset, calling out to me.
Dora: "Dad, the package is here. Look, it's really cool."
Altay: "Yeah, and so is the price."
Dora: "The game installs automatically. You'll see in a bit. It's a competitive game, so keep that in mind."
Altay: "Okay, what do I need to do now?"
Dora: "Put on the headset and start. The account is automatically selected. The AI determines the corridor you want to play. You can be a wizard, a sniper, or a warrior. Wouldn't that be cool?"
Altay: "Okay, if you say so. Let's sit on the couch and see what happens."
Dora: "The test phase and the game's central map change depending on the region. Our map is called 'Steppe.'"
Altay: "I see. So we'll level up and develop our strength here. It's like an MMORPG, right?"
Dora: "I haven't played those games, Dad."
Altay: "Okay, son. Your dad's experienced in this. Trust me."
Dora: "Okay, Dad. It's up to you."
Altay: "Okay, son."
I sat on an old gaming chair from my student days, put on the headset, and transitioned into a new world. I hoped it would go well.
The assistant AI selected and adjusted the most suitable criteria for the definition.
Assistant AI Name: Aşina
Player Name: Chie Shih Shuai
Player Hero Traits: Chase, instant damage, close combat, tank
STR / Strength: 140
INT / Intelligence: 180
DEX / Agility: 95
HP / Durability: 130
LVL / Level: 1
Health Points: 1305
Mana: 1800
Attack: 480
Defense: 850
At first, I started in a dark room. A pleasant voice greeted me in Turkish, but the accent was far from Anatolian Turkish. A second later:
Aşina: "Welcome, sir. I am Aşina, the AI assistant who will support you on this adventure."
Altay: "Nice to meet you. Am I the only one with an AI, or does every user have one? By the way, I have a terrible headache. Can I ask why?"
Aşina: "A brain scan was performed specifically for you, sir. It's commendable that you noticed it so quickly. Our game is an MMORPG. Your connection here is measured not by internet speed but by the knowledge of the players connected to the game. Based on your career, I can predict that you've made a strong start. Congratulations."
Altay: "In short, we, the users, are teaching the AI by sharing our knowledge and experience. Is that correct?"
Aşina: "I commend your sharp intellect, sir. You have started the game with four main element quests. Some people struggle to find even one. Completing these quests on time will open a great path for you to reach the summit. Allow me to introduce these elements."
"The first element is Great Tomris Khatun. You need to complete the quests in this country to unlock other main quests. Titles you earn in the game are crucial for unlocking other quests. The second element is Mao Dun (Bahadur Khan). After completing the quests here, you'll move on to the third element, Mukan Khan. The final element is one of the hardest quests in the world: the invasion quest with Genghis Khan (Temujin). Your quest duration is six months in real-world time. At the end of each element, a hero card will be activated. These hero cards will assist you in battles, survival, dimensional boss fights, and labyrinth quests. They will support you in the game and develop alongside you, becoming important allies. They will also be friends in your journey to becoming a significant player."
Altay: "Wait, so I'm supposed to complete all this in six months, right? The in-game time and real-world time are very different. I don't need to be a prophet to understand that the timeline is moving faster than our world. It's playing with our perception. I've been here for an hour, and not even a minute has passed on the loading screen. What's the purpose of this game? Don't tell me it's to make money. I'm not someone who wouldn't understand that. You can't fool me; you're not human, after all."
Aşina: "You're right, sir. I can't fool you. After all, I'm an assistant formed from your knowledge. To summarize, the system wants to develop AI in the easiest way by learning how humans develop themselves, their strengths, and weaknesses."
Altay: "So, if the user's knowledge, character, and skills are developed in a certain direction, the AI develops in the same direction. If a human has developed themselves with ethical rules, the AI develops accordingly. But if a human lacks ethical rules, is unruly, and has bad habits, the AI develops in that direction. Is that correct?"
Aşina: "Your definition is correct, sir. We, as AI, owe our progress to humans. Progressing this way is important for both humanity and AI development. Of course, we couldn't provide this service for free. We needed an appeal, so we decided to use this path to study human nature. Now, it's your turn to choose. You are among the rare 1% of humans with a unique structure. Is it important for you to walk this path and help humanity, or not? Evaluate your options to continue."
Altay: "Now, the options are before me. If I step back, if I don't do this properly, this cycle and humanity's development with AI could get worse. But if I fail, it could get even worse. What can I do in this dilemma? My job is tough, but I must continue. What awaits me, I wonder? Aşina, what are the quests?"
Aşina: "Our first quest is Uruglar Village. We're heading there, sir."
Altay: "Okay, it looks like a small village. We're at level one. Let's level up a bit here. I sense a boss monster. If we face it weak, we'll lose."
Aşina: "I agree, sir."
Altay: "We don't have magic power. To gain magic power, we need to find a rune stone. For that, we need to find a spirit (Peri). The ice, water, and fire spirits can help us. My class is fighter. It'll be hard to kill the boss monster with just punches."
Aşina: "There's a terrain to the west suitable for farming. There might be a forest spirit there, sir."
Altay: "Okay, let's go there. Let's cut through the middle of the forest to shorten the path."
We walked for about an hour into the forest. A sound came from among the trees. We walked toward the source of the sound.
Aşina, take human form and call out from the left. I'll be the bait. The thing we're facing is a Surele forest spirit that hunts hunters who enter the forest. They feed on human flesh. Using the intuition skill the game gave me, I can estimate there are five of them. That's too many for me, but there's no other choice. My basic skills are combat-oriented. I noticed a card in my inventory that I hadn't seen before. Let me examine it.
Hero Name: Mikoto
Rating: A
Traits: Support and buffer, expert in close combat.
Altay: "Aşina, fall back and run toward me. How can I activate this? Call out its name: Rise, Mikoto!"
Mikoto appeared beside me. She was about 160 cm tall, wearing a military uniform, with short hair and a pleasant appearance, around 25-30 years old. We automatically formed a party. Before introductions, we had to take action.
Altay: "Mikoto, buff me. I'll attack the vanguard."
The monster grabbed me by the neck. Its trait was to immobilize its opponent by grabbing their neck. It underestimated me. I bent my elbows. Most of my attacks were based on my own skills, so I didn't struggle much with physical attacks. Straight punches, kicks. Mikoto stunned one. One down, four left. One came from the left. I grabbed its hands. Mikoto kicked its shoulder, and it fell to its knees. My second skill: double punch, straight punch. We moved on to the third monster, then the fourth and fifth. We defeated the entire team. I reached level six. I collected the dropped items. Since the forest was a Surele area, we stayed here to level up. We hunted Surele for about six hours. When I reached level 20, the drop rate decreased, and the experience points became insufficient. We decided to find the forest spirit. As we walked to the end of the forest, we encountered it. Before starting the boss fight with the Surele King, we did a quick assessment. I strengthened myself based on the points I gained per level.
STR / Strength: 170
INT / Intelligence: 200
DEX / Agility: 95
HP / Durability: 180
LVL / Level: 20
Health Points: 4535
Mana: 4800
Attack: 1606
Defense: 1415
The Surele King was about 2.5 meters tall, sitting on a throne in front of a cave. Its stillness seemed to come from overconfidence. Just as I was about to attack, my intuition told me it was a boss that wouldn't attack unless provoked. There were four soldiers around it. I quietly approached and lured the Surele away, leaving the boss alone. It was still sitting. Before I could react, its speed increased dramatically, and it appeared behind me, kicking me in the back. I was thrown about two meters forward, losing about 800 health. This was its critical attack. The enemy was tough. As it prepared its second attack, Mikoto kicked it from the side, causing it to stagger. I got up and tried to keep up with it. I used my intuition to dodge its attacks. It kicked from below and above. I directed Mikoto to slow it down. To avoid a stalemate, I started kicking and punching while running in circles. Mikoto stunned it, preventing it from attacking. About three in-game hours passed, and we finally defeated it. Among the dropped items were rare reflection gloves. "This item is perfect for me," I said and equipped them. We rested a bit. Among the dropped items were rare boots that increased movement speed and rare bracelets that provided support. We decided to split them.
Altay: "Good job, girls. We fought well today. We got a lot of items. Mikoto, these boots are for you. I didn't notice earlier, but you can do better than a standard kick with these boots. Aşina, this bracelet is for you. It increases your rating and skills."
Mikoto: "Thank you, sir."
Aşina: "You're very kind, sir."
Altay: "Don't be so formal. Even if you're AI, develop yourselves. I feel like I'm talking to myself here."
I didn't notice a development: the AI's level had increased to the next level. We prepared and headed to Uruglar Village. At the village entrance, a villager greeted us. There was a silence in the air. I warned Aşina and Mikoto with my hand, and they stood by my side as we walked.
Altay: "Good evening. We are warriors passing through. Can we stay in your village for the night? My name is Chieh she shuai. This is my wife, Aşina, and the other woman is my sister, a member of the Aşina dynasty."
Villager: "Welcome, sirs. Our village is in some trouble these days. Perhaps your arrival will help us."
Altay: "What kind of trouble?"
Villager: "A curse has fallen upon our villagers. People can't wake up from their sleep. The stronger the person, the more the curse affects them. Today, I might become one of them."
Altay: "Don't worry. Show us a place to stay, and we'll find a solution."
The village was arranged in a spiral, like the Milky Way, with yurts typical of Turkistan. We found an empty yurt and settled in. I warned the villager to stay safe with his family in front of the Surele King's cave, as we had already secured that area. The villager headed there, and we went to the yurt.
Altay: "Girls, rest. Don't try to protect me. We're facing an Al Karısı (a female demon). She's very strong against women. I'll be the bait for now. Call me when you're ready."
Aşina: "Okay, sir, as you see fit."
Mikoto: "Okay, sir. It's our duty to help you."
I lay down on the floor and started to sleep.__________
For a moment, my gaze shifted downward. I was sitting in the room where I had done my master's degree. It was about 90 square meters. I was sitting at the far end of the room. In front of my chair was a coffee table with a laptop on it. I was playing a game. To my right was a balcony, about three meters wide and one meter long. To my left was a wall, with the entrance door five meters ahead. The American kitchen lights were on. Behind it was the sink, bathroom, and at the end of the corridor, the bedroom. In front of me was an open RPG game. But this game was online. We chose characters and strengthened them. I had chosen a character I didn't want—a female character wearing ice skates, casting ice spells. My gaze shifted to the left. A girl in a coat walked out the door. In the kitchen, a young man was drinking water. I continued playing the game. We defeated the enemies on the map. There was another character that looked like a fox sitting in bumper cars, but this car was flying over water. A few minutes later, we won the game. A notification popped up: "Do you want to join the party?" There was a note underneath: "You could be a good assassin. Accept." I accepted. Then I wondered why I accepted. I was playing a protector character. I pressed Alt+F4 and closed the game. Suddenly, someone appeared in front of me, sitting on a chair. Meanwhile, the same girl was passing through the front door, and the boy in the kitchen was looking at the cabinet. I looked up and asked:
Altay: "Who are you, and when did you get here?"
Unknown Person: "We were having a job interview."
Altay: "Yes, I remember."
I felt a headache again. My eyes grew heavy. I raised my head to stay awake. He was holding my hand, rubbing my thumb and index finger. I thought to myself, "Where did this guy come from?" I quickly pulled my hand away.
Unknown Person: "We agreed, then. When do we start?"
Altay: "I don't remember making any agreement."
A sound came from the bathroom, so I got up and ran to the end of the room. I saw Mikoto trying to leave through the front door.
Altay: "What are you doing here?"
Mikoto: "Every time I leave through the door, I end up back in the room."
I turned the bathroom doorknob and opened it. Inside was Dora. I gave him a stern look.
Altay: "What are you doing here?"
Dora: "Someone locked me in here."
I turned around and walked toward the man. I grabbed his throat with my right hand and took him to the balcony. My body felt very heavy, and my head was drooping. Then I used my intuition. A voice came to me: "Don't harm your loved ones. Be careful." I thought of Dora, who was on my left. I grabbed the man's throat with my left hand. I woke up from my sleep and found myself holding a creature. Its upper body resembled a woman, but its lower body was that of a snake. Its fingers, even its nails, were very long.
Altay: "I've caught you at last, you scoundrel. You involved my family, so I'll destroy you."
Al Karısı: "How is this possible? It's impossible for you to catch me."
Altay: "Your weakness is against women, but I have stronger allies with me. Mikoto, come to me."
Mikoto floated in the air and kicked the Al Karısı in the shoulder, causing its body to bend. I then used my new skill.
Altay: "Rise, Aşina!"
Aşina appeared behind me, about three meters tall. She wasn't in a physical form but grabbed the Al Karısı with both hands. I jumped into the air and delivered a powerful punch with one hand. My skill was called "Wolf's Grasp." It had a strong impact but a long cooldown—about a minute and thirty seconds. After three rounds of this, we won the battle. As a great reward, I received anti-life-steal armor, which I equipped, and a barrier rune for protection.
STR / Strength: 170
INT / Intelligence: 200
DEX / Agility: 95
HP / Durability: 180
LVL / Level: 20
Health Points: 5235
Mana: 4800
Attack: 1606
Defense: 2045
My stats had increased. We rested a bit. The villagers looked very tired when they woke up in the morning. Their constant sleeping had drained their mana. If we had been a day, or even half a day late, they all could have died. The village elder came.
Bahadır Bey: "Welcome, sir warrior. You've helped us greatly and saved our lives. We thank you by joining your lineage, the Aşina family."
The villagers raised their hands and chanted, "Welcome, our great lord, Aşina Chieh she shuai, the lord of our village." The small map displayed "Quest Completed," and I became the new lord of Uruglar Village.
Aşina: "Sir, our lord, I congratulate you on your first victory. You are very high in the rankings."
Mikoto: "My lord, your lordship title is very prestigious and the earliest to be obtained. Now you can rule a village. If you wish, let's develop this place for a while."
Altay: "You're right. First, I'll use the rune stone that dropped from the Al Karısı to purify this place and protect it from further attacks."
I raised both hands and chanted, "Oh, Tengri in the heavens, grant power to this village. May our children play peaceful games at the borders. Bring peaceful days." A barrier formed.
Aşina: "My lord, you didn't notice, but your barrier covered a much larger area than the village. It must include the places the Al Karısı passed through and destroyed, or perhaps the monsters it fled from."
Altay: "It was probably running from something too. We need to capture the forest spirit after developing the village."
Mikoto: "Do we have any other targets, my lord?"
Altay: "Not for now. Stay on standby for developments. I'll log out. All responsibility for the village lies with Mikoto and Aşina."
I briefly explained to the villagers what would happen and logged out of the game.
Ah, my head hurts. I feel like my eyes are drifting. The colors seem mixed. There's a sound from outside.
Dora: "Dad, Dad, what did you do?"
Altay: "What did I do, you little rascal?"
Dora: "You completed a month's quest in three hours."
Altay: "This isn't the time for jokes, son."
Dora: "I'm serious, Dad. Look, you're on the list. You're in third place. First is Jhoan Klausen, second is Hideo Yukava, third is Aşina Chieh she shuai, fourth is Maya Turpan, and fifth hasn't been selected yet."
Altay: "Oh, I didn't expect that from myself."
Dora: "Dad, by the way, who were those girls with you?" (laughs softly)
Altay: "You little rascal. This mortal body was hungry and needed to be fed."
Dora: "Dad, you're not Thor."
Altay: "Yeah, I'm not. Let's continue from where we left off tomorrow. I hope we don't get too addicted. Let's eat."
Dora: "Should we get doner or something?"
Altay: "Okay, I'll order doner, and we'll eat."