Gray Zone
"Hey! Are you okay? Can you hear..." I heard the distant voice of Emma, and blacked out.
.
*Sirens*
"What happened again? You had just one job, and you failed twice, with casualties!" I heard an angry voice whispering.
"I'm sorry sir..." I heard Emma reply the angry voice respectfully, and I blacked out.
.
"Stay with me..." I felt myself on a moving platform, and heard Emma voice calling out, then blacked out.
.
"Charge again..." I heard an unknown voice call out, and suddenly felt high voltage electricity surge through my chest, and I blacked out for the nth time.
-
[Welcome to the world of Gray.]
I suddenly felt my body materialize, and I opened my eyes to the view of people running around with swords and spears, chatting and laughing amongst themselves, and some were even screaming out recruitment.
This was my world, Gray.
[You have randomly obtained the job, Crafter.]
[You have obtained the job equipment, SketchBook.]
[You have obtained the job skill, Print.]
[To summon your status screen, tap your left wrist.]
I was stunned when I saw the series of notifications flash before my eyes. 'What kind of stupid job is crafter? Am I supposed be an architect... Or worse, a bricklayer?' I thought to myself in distaste.
I reluctantly tapped my left wrist which had a small black tattoo of XXX, and a large transparent screen popped up in my line of sight.
*
Name: Kyle Donaldson
Race: Half human/Half grayman
Sex: Male
Age: 18
Job: Crafter
Titles: Cheater.
Level: 30 [0000/5400]
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Vitality: 150/150
Soul force: 250/250
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Strength: 74
Dexterity: 69
Agility: 56
Intelligence: 101
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Attack: 38
Defense: 19
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Skills:
Print: Prints a detailed sketch or drawing to reality, with the features and properties of your choice. [Active]
Cheater: Gives you smart mischievous ideas. +50INT [Passive]
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Equipments:
SketchBook: A perfect drawing book.
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[Exit]
*
"Better than I thought... Dope skills" I muttered to myself with a smile.
Gray Zone was a game next to reality, because there was no difference between NPCs and players, they could both feel emotions, pains, and the likes, with no restriction. The only way to differentiate the players from the NPCs, was by the small black tattoo on all the player's left wrist, which was the level of the player in roman numeral.
The world of Gray was a magical eastern one with no technology, and only made use of blades and magic. And players only got one active skill and one equipment, which would be related to their jobs, and their jobs are given randomly according to the hobbies of the player in real life.
Most, but not all the inhabitants of Gray were born with magic. The unlucky ones ended up in the slums no matter how hard they worked, just like I previously did. And the lucky ones became nobles and powerful men in the big cities.
Beyond the cities perimeter were dark forest ruled by the unchanging gloomy weather and dark clouds. And inhabiting in them were dangerous beasts and ancient ruins, which were older than the civilization of the graymen. In these ruins were magical relics and artefacts, which would be auctioned for gold coins in the big cities, and were used in making magic imbued weapons and equipments.
The currency here was bronze, silver, and gold. A hundred bronze coin equaled one silver coin, and ten silver coin equaled one gold coin. At the thought of coins, an interesting mischievous idea suddenly surfaced my mind.
I looked around to see if there were any secluded area, but the streets were crowded by players and NPCs alike. So I turned my back to the crowded street, and faced the brick wall behind, like I wanted to piss. I then willed for my job equipment, 'SketchBook', which appeared to be a black wide book and weirdly resembled an ancient thin grimoire.
The book was floating calmly before me, with a quill attached to it's side. I gently pulled out the quill, and the book suddenly opened and positioned itself like it was laying on an invisible drawing board, just the perfect position for me to draw with my current posture.
"Here goes nothing..." I muttered nervously, and began sketching marvelously on the book, I could move and change the position of my drawing, like I was drawing on a tablet not a book, and drew a perfect 3D sketch of a coin. Then I began painting it gold with the multi purpose quill, till I got a perfect 3D painted drawing, which looked no more or less like a real gold coin.
I admired the drawing for a while, with a self appreciative smile. "Print..." I muttered as I tapped the virtual 3D gold coin in my sketch grimoire, while willing it's material to be real gold, and it's size to be perfect. And a real gold coin popped up from the book, and I caught it amidst it's flight happily.
It's texture felt so solid and real, and it's scent... Sniff... It was the real scent of gold. But I noticed my soul force was decreasing rapidly, and if it was to get exhausted, then the coin would disintegrate to ash. I was thinking of what to do about it, when an interesting mischievous idea suddenly surfaced my mind.
I quickly unsummoned my sketch book, and began running to the main city gate, because I was just in the outskirts, where people like the old me lived.
Though this wasn't my city when I was a grayman, and I wasn't particularly sure about the city I was in, I could still find my way easily, because the outskirts were all the same.
I saw the main city's gate in a distance, and quickly made my way for it with all I've got, with people staring at me weirdly when I dashed pass them, like I was being chased by a ghoul queen.
When I got close to the gate, I came to a halt and wiped the sweats on my face. Then walked up to the guards at the gates with my both hands in my pants side pocket.
I didn't wait in the long queue of people who wanted to go into the city, and directly walked up to one of the guards, and casually flipped the gold coin to him.
"Get in lin..." The guards menacing voice was cut short when he saw the gold coin I flipped to him, and he skillfully caught it and examined it's authenticity with wide eyes.
"You can have a silver coin for me cutting the line, so give me a nine silver coin change, and I'll be on my way" I said calmly, and spat out to the side.
*Gasps*
The gate fee was five bronze coin, so giving them a silver coin would boost my image in their heads.
"Yes sir, thank you sir... You can always cut the line whenever you feel like sir" the guards tone made a three sixty degree flip, and he quickly fished out nine silver coins and handed them to me shakily, "Welcome to Theodore city" he added respectfully.
I casually took the nine silver coins from him and shoved them into my pants pocket nonchalantly. Then gave him a slight nod, and walked into the bustling Theodore city with calm steps.