Chapter 4: Such A Game
SIZZZZ
USER 20 DOLLARS IS LOOKING TO BUY CLOTHES. AVAILABLE CHOICES ARE...
CLOTH: LAZY TROUSERS
EFFECT: SLOWS YOU AND YOUR OPPONENT DOWN WHILE SPEEDING UP YOUR PARTNER.
PRICE: 100 ROLEX POINTS
CLOTH: LAZY SHIRT
EFFECT: INCREASES LAZINESS AND DROWSINESS. CAN SLOW ENEMIES DOWN.
PRICE: 150 ROLEX POINTS
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
"What the freaking hell is going on?" Vorden blurted out, startled. Out of nowhere, a floating screen appeared in front of him.
"And what are these garbage outfits?" He squinted at the options. "Lazy Trousers? Lazy Shirt? Did a sloth design this game?"
Still, he decided to test the system. He tried to select an option… and wasted five minutes just figuring out how to do it.
Eventually, he managed to pick Lazy Trousers.
DING
ITEM PURCHASED
REMAINING ROLEX POINTS: 249,900
DO YOU WISH TO EQUIP ITEM? Y/N_
"Sure, why not?" Vorden shrugged. This wasn't his first time seeing a screen like this since he entered this world.
INITIATING CLOTH ASSIMILATION…
BUZZZZ
CLOTH ASSIMILATION FAILED
EXPERIENCE POINTS TOO LOW
EQUIPPING ITEM MAY LEAD TO DIRE CONSEQUENCES
"Wait, what?" Vorden blinked. "What kind of pants require a level requirement?"
ALERT! ALERT!
UNOPENED BEGINNER CHEST DETECTED: SPECIAL VARIETY
CHEST HAS BEEN FORCIBLY OPENED…
ITEM 1: SKILL
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
ITEM 2: MAP
[SECTION A LOCATION AVAILABLE—FREE TO VIEW]
[LOCKED]
[UNAVAILABLE]
[UNAVAILABLE]
NOTICE: PLAYER HAS A PREDECESSOR. INHERITANCE AVAILABLE.
INHERITANCE
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
[LOCKED]
PLAYER HISTORY IS UNKNOWN.
ERROR! ERROR! ERROR!
UNKNOWN SKILL GAINED.
SKILL
[&+#-_#+(#;+#]
[-$-+#&-$;+#&¢±]
PLAYER EXISTENCE IS A MISTAKE.
COMMENCING ELIMINATION…
"What in the—?!" Vorden barely had time to react before a flood of information slammed into his brain.
"Elimination? What does that mean?" His voice cracked in fear. I just wanted to buy a pair of trousers…
ELIMINATION FAILED
UNABLE TO DESTROY ANOMALY
S…HSJJS…ZN…SJJSK…
STATUS RETURNED TO NORMAL
HIDDEN MESSAGE FOR HOST. DOES HOST WISH TO PLAY? Y/N_
Vorden wiped the sweat from his forehead. "This is getting out of hand…" He was relieved he wasn't about to be deleted from existence, but things were escalating way too fast.
"Fine, sure, I guess."
---
Immediately after he responded, his consciousness was pulled somewhere else.
Everything was dark. Shadows stretched endlessly in every direction.
"Haven't you grown up?" A voice rang out from the void.
Vorden squinted, trying to see the speaker. "Who's there?"
"Save your mom."
A figure emerged from the shadows—a middle-aged man.
Vorden's breath hitched.
"…Dad?"
Before he could process what was happening, his consciousness was yanked back into the room.
His mind was on the verge of snapping.
The father he had been told died before he was born had just appeared in front of him. And his mother, who supposedly left him, was actually missing?
It was too much to take in.
And before he could even think—
ROOKIE COMBAT INITIATED
The next second, Vorden found himself in an arena.
"It's my lucky day!"
A deep, booming voice made his skin crawl. He turned around—
And there stood a colossal 10-foot-tall giant.
"Looks like I got paired with a newbie," the giant said, cracking his neck. "Let's get this show on the road."
He raised a massive axe. His body was covered head to toe in heavy armor.
SWISH!
The axe came down, whistling through the air.
"THE HECK?!"
Vorden didn't waste a second. He turned around and ran for his life.
SWISH! SWISH! BOOM!
The giant kept swinging, unleashing a relentless onslaught. But Vorden was in no mood to fight someone ten times his size.
His main priorities? Running, dodging, and surviving.
"Fight like a man, you twerp!" The giant sped up, suddenly appearing at Vorden's side, swinging straight for his neck.
"Don't give me that 'be a man' stuff!" Vorden shouted as he narrowly dodged. "You're literally a hundred pounds heavier than me! Why would I fight you when I can run?!"
He jumped onto the axe, ran across the handle, and leapt off.
"Catch me if you can!"
And thus began the ultimate game of cat and mouse.
The giant attacked.
Vorden dodged.
The cycle repeated.
---
"Booo!"
"You're a disgrace to men everywhere!"
"It's better to die like a warrior than run like a chicken!"
"Come on, fight him head-on!"
The crowd in the arena hurled insults at him.
Vorden? He couldn't care less.
They didn't understand. If he died once, that was it. No respawns.
After what felt like an eternity, the giant finally started slowing down.
"You twerp!"
With a sudden burst of energy, he swung—this time, connecting.
CRACK!
The hit sent Vorden flying.
"GHU—!" He hit the ground hard, coughing up blood. His ribs felt like they had been rearranged.
"You really thought you could run away forever?" The giant sneered. "Don't worry, I'll make this quick and painless."
He raised his foot, ready to crush Vorden into paste.
So this is it, huh? Vorden stared up at the massive boot about to squash him.
I guess this is the part where my life flashes before my eyes… and I say something like 'Is this the end?'
His mind was surprisingly calm.
"We can't all be winners," he muttered under his breath, closing his eyes.
"Save your mom… mom… mom…"
BOOM!
The giant's foot landed.
The dust settled.
The audience went silent.
The giant scoffed. "Weak. So weak. All he knew how to do was run." He shook his head and turned away. "No way he survived that."
---
"…Chotto matte kudasai~ (Wait a minute, please~)"
The giant froze.
He turned back—
Vorden stood up.
His eyes were blank. Empty.
"Oh? You actually survived that? I'm impressed." The giant readied his axe. "But aren't you a little tired? You know you can't win. Just log out."
Vorden didn't respond. His gaze was cold, distant.
Then, he muttered in a low, dark tone—
"I am going to be the David that brings down Goliath."
NOTICE: PLAYER SEEMS TO BE FAVORED BY THE FOUNDED. FIRST EVER TITLE ASSIGNED.
TITLE: DAVID
[LOCKED]
FORBIDDEN SKILL
[&+#-_#+(#;+#]
[BER+(#;+#]
[BERSE(#;+#]
BERSERK
UNLOCKED.