Chapter 1: The Legend of K.L.
When word spread throughout the Circle that there was a bug in the game, the expectations of all players were at their highest. The five friends, long accustomed to being at the peak of virtual reality, could not help but succumb to the excitement. The head of the campaign announced that whoever found the bug would receive a share of the game's shares - something that promised to change their lives forever.
A new story began to spread among the players. The legend of K.L. - a bot that no one could defeat. The Internet was buzzing with forums, dozens of streamers and top players told stories about it, but everyone faced the same thing: K.L. was invincible.
"What do you think of him?" Alex asked as they watched a video of one of the streamers trying to grab K.L. in a virtual fight.
"Impossible to win," Kyle replied, looking at the screen with a smirk. "He's not just a bot. This is... something more.
They watched as the top players rushed to attack, using the best arsenals, strategies, and team tactics. But every time, K.L. was one step ahead, as if he predicted everything they did. His HP did not deplete, and every blow that was dealt to him was instantly restored. No one knew how this was possible. But it became a fact - K.L. was unplayable, he destroyed everything that came his way without making any effort.
But the strangest thing was that K.L. was not a standard bot. He was unusually aware of what was happening in the game, and could even interact with players on another level. He created illusions, changed the space, and even influenced the mechanics of the game itself. Players who fought him said that he not only refused to die, but also gave them hallucinations that merged with the reality of the game. K.L. was... alive?
"What's stopping us from finding the bug?" Jake asked, but there was no confidence in his voice. He was surprised that no one had destroyed this artificial intelligence yet.
And so, as always in the world of the Circle, the players turned to searching, but every step they took was cautious, as if their steps could provoke even more chaos. And the further they went in search of bugs, the more doubts arose. What is this world hiding, what unimaginable entities created it?
When the top players tried to defeat K.L., they met only his gaze, complete darkness and emptiness, which was impossible to penetrate. They thought they could win, but it all came down to one thing: K.L. was always one step ahead.
Jake sat in front of the screen, his eyes gleaming with greed. Every pixel on the screen seemed like a step towards a solution. He was almost certain that the bug the campaign manager had talked about was somewhere nearby. But it wasn't just a bug. For Jake, this was a chance. A chance to become part of something bigger than just a game.
"If I don't find the bug, I'll remain in the shadows. If I find it, I'll become part of the game itself." He thought, running through his strategy. For him, this was more than just a matter of honor, it was a chance to make history, to become the one who would leave a mark on the game and, perhaps, in real life.
At that moment, his friends logged into the game. Each of them was unique, with their own goals and motivations, but they were all part of a single team, just like in real life. In the virtual world, they became one, ready to look for bugs, fight mobs, and uncover the secrets that lurked in the darkest corners of the game.
Jake was completely absorbed in the game. His fingers glided over the keys, his eyes shining with excitement. There was nothing in his head except finding the bug that the campaign manager had just announced. This was an opportunity that he couldn't pass up. For Jake, this wasn't just about finding a bug – it was about seeking recognition, an achievement that could change everything. He was ready to go through all the trials and tribulations in order to be a part of something great.
He had called his friends as soon as he heard about the opportunity. They were all familiar with the game and understood its mechanics perfectly. All they had to do was find that one bug. They knew that no one else could do it. And now, with excitement and adrenaline rushing through them, they were ready to go to Jason.
Jasonia. Land of Mysteries.
The group agreed to search for the bug in Jasonia, though none of them knew what awaited them. It was a mysterious place in the game, rumored to be a territory that hid not only enemies, but also secret places that could be part of a story arc.
As soon as they appeared in Jasonia, they immediately felt the changes. The ground was covered in a dark fog, and the air was heavy, filled with unknown threats. Everything that seemed familiar now looked distorted and dangerous. There were many mobs here, and they did not always behave as usual. The strange balance between reality and the game made them feel like there was something more going on here.
"A story arc?" Alex looked around. "Jasonia looks... too real."
"Мун унго унгойищ?" Kim laughed. "дуда гьеб гьанчибе бухьун?"
But Jake, as always, was determined. He knew there was something important here. The bug wasn't just a bug. This was an opportunity. And they couldn't pass it up.
After several hours of traveling through Jasonia, the group finally reached the heart of this mysterious territory. The fog that covered the land gradually cleared, revealing an abandoned city. The houses looked slanted, and the streets were empty, only occasionally interrupted by the movement of strange creatures lurking in the shadows.
"This doesn't look like a normal city," Kyle noted, looking around at the ruined buildings and empty squares. "Something's definitely wrong here."
Jake, despite everything strange, kept his eyes glued to his monitor. He knew that this city held the key to solving the bug they were so desperately searching for. He opened up a map and pointed to a point on it that he calculated must be the beginning of the story arc.
"It's here," he said, pointing to the map. "We need to get to the central square."
The group headed in the indicated direction, but the closer they got to the center, the more tense the atmosphere became. With each step, new threat indicators appeared on the screen - the Ootsoro clan was already close, and they clearly felt the presence of players. But at this moment, no one paid attention to the mobs. All attention was focused on one place - the central square of the city.
When they approached the square, their gaze met, regardless of age - majestic ruins, in the middle of which stood a huge monument covered in strange symbols and seals. This place seemed to be the center of Jason's power.
"What is this?" - Felix came closer, touching the handle of the monument. He was slightly shocked, because the symbols that covered the monument resembled those used in magical practices, and not in a regular game.
"Дида лъаларо," said Kim.
At that moment, Jake's screen flickered, and a message appeared on his screen:
"You have found the starting point of the story arc. The arc cannot be canceled. Prepare to defend Jasonia."
The group froze.
"This is what we've been looking for," Jake said, glancing quickly at his friends. "This isn't a bug. This is... the story."
The seals on the monument began to glow with a bright, ominous light, and dark energy began to form around the plaza. Ominous shadows began to creep into the air, and mobs began to emerge from the dark corners.
The Ootsoro clan appeared before them, snow-white and icy, like a statue. The boy seemed to be carved from the whitest marble: his eyes, his hair, his skin, everything was snow-white. His body was covered in white scales, reminiscent of protective armor, and even his clothes were immaculately snow-white.
Kyle, with bewilderment in his eyes, stopped and looked at the creature.
— "Typical interpretation of racism," he said, a slight irony in his voice, until his gaze could not tear itself away from the figure in front of them.
Jake turned sharply, with chagrin in his voice:
— "Kyle!"
Kyle shrugged, his expression unchanged.
— "I'm black. I'm allowed."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Jake couldn't help but grin slightly. It was impossible to get bored with this friend, even when the world around him was collapsing.
The bots appeared like shadows from nowhere, a few figures hidden in the darkness of the night, their eyes as white as snow, shimmering like cold stars. Kyle, Jake, Alex, Felix, and Kim stood nearby, their weapons ready to fight, though they knew it would be no easy task against such foes.
At first, everything was silent. Only a light breeze rustled the leaves in the surrounding forest. Then the first sound was heard, like lightning piercing the air. One of the bots activated, raising its scaly armor and moving with astonishing speed. Its snow-white body reflected the light of the moon, and its eyes sparkled like cold diamonds.
"This is just the beginning," Jake muttered, pointing at the advancing enemies.
The bots were not mere puppets, they acted with a clear purpose, as if each of them were an individual element of a complex machine. The attack was synchronized, they moved with amazing coordination, like soldiers ready to destroy everything in their path.
At that moment, Kim, shouting, rushed forward, attacking the first bot with he long sword, repelling its counterattack. But the metal shield reflected he blow, and the bot with a quick movement grabbed her arm, trying to knock her down. He barely broke free from his grip, but this moment allowed Felix to make several accurate shots from a long-range weapon, which disabled one of the bots.
"We need to work as a team!" Kyle shouted, jumping up and attacking another bot from the sides. He knocked it to the ground, but he realized that the battle would not be easy with such opponents. His attacks were fast, but the bots had incredible regeneration, and their armored bodies were almost impenetrable.
Alex, firing his crossbow, aimed for the bots' weak points, their eyes and joints, hoping to weaken their movement. Jake, taking the lead, commanded them to attack simultaneously, creating a slowdown on the enemy so that everyone had a chance to strike. But even with such coordinated action, the bots did not give up and continued to rise up with each passing second.
In the midst of the battle, when it seemed that the situation was getting out of control, one of the bots, not yet destroyed, revealed something unexpected. It fell to the ground, and from under its scaly armor, a scroll slid out. It was not just a piece of paper, but a map covered in mysterious signs and coordinates.
Felix was the first to run to the scroll, unrolling it with difficulty while the others were still trying to hold the line.
- "Look!" - he shouted, holding the scroll in front of him. - "These are the coordinates! The location is indicated here... Alexander Sevar."
Kim, having killed the last of the bots, approached and looked at the map. Her gaze was filled with surprise.
- "Alexander Sevar... He is the one who leads the resistance against the Ootsoro clan!"
- "It seems we have found a trace that will lead us to the leader of the resistance himself," said Jake, pointing to the coordinates carefully written on the scroll.
Kyle chuckled and turned to his friends.
- "Well, there are more adventures ahead of us. It was not in vain that we came here."
The friends exchanged glances and nodded to each other. This was just a warm-up. Now they knew that their path lay in the thick of things - to Alexander Sevar, who could become the key to defeating the Ootsoro clan and saving the city of Jason.
A guy with long blonde hair approaches his friends.
- "I am Diego Salvatore, the son of K. L."
Felix checks the character associated with the game. And he doesn't find anything related to Diego Salvatore. A bug? It sends this information to friends.
– Щиб гьаниб гьедигӀан интересаб жо лъугьунеб бугеб? Kim said
To be continued...