BigToad

Alex Mercer was a legendary thief known for his audacious heists and cunning skills. However, his criminal streak comes to an abrupt halt when he is finally apprehended and sentenced to prison.

In the midst of his imprisonment, a revolutionary virtual reality massively multiplayer online role-playing game (VRMMORPG) is launched, called Eternal Realms, captivating the attention of the entire world. The prison authorities, seeking to introduce recreational activities for the inmates, decide to allow select prisoners to participate in the game as a means of passing the time.

Eager to escape the monotony of prison life, Alex eagerly takes up the opportunity to join the immersive virtual world. To his surprise, he discovers that his notoriety as a master thief has caught the attention of players within the game. They started offering him IRL means to reduce his prison sentence in an exchange on a daring quest to retrieve valuable treasures scattered throughout the virtual realm.

With a hidden class known as the "Shadow Hunter," Alex possesses unique skills and abilities that make him an invaluable asset to the players seeking rare and precious items. As he delves deeper into the virtual world, he finds himself entangled in a complex web of alliances, rivalries, and dangerous quests that blur the line between the game and reality.

As the stakes rise, Alex must navigate treacherous dungeons, confront formidable adversaries, and outwit both in-game challenges and real-world dangers. Along the way, he forms unexpected alliances and confronts his own inner demons, questioning the choices that led him down a path of crime.
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For anyone wondering about the romance, it will take a long time as this is not the focus of the book.

MMORPG: Shadow Hunter

"What type of monster do you think is doing this?" Jhin asked.

The two were in that clearing, and a strange sensation enveloped them. Alex was fully focused on the surrounding area, trying to see if there were any strange movements, yet there were none.

"I don't know, but we will find out, eventually. Let's split up and search for any clues in the area."

The villagers had spoken about shadows, of not being able to see what did that, but Alex was confident in finding the answers. He started searching through the area, looking at the ground.

At first, there was nothing unusual in the area. A few marks belonging to animals: birds, rabbits, wild cats, and even tiny footprints Alex believed belonged to goblins.

But nothing strange. These were common things to find in a forest like that one, so there was no need to worry about that.

'Fuck. Will I not find a single thing?' Alex muttered.

A New Cult?