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

Rorik and Elara stared at him with disbelief. Alex had transformed into a type of monster before their eyes, and the two didn't know how to react.

"D-Did you know about this?" Elara asked, her gaze shifting to Joseph and the others. "You don't look so surprised!"

Joseph and Mary had seen Alex's transformation before, and as vampires themselves, it wasn't as shocking to them. Emma, while aware of the vampires, had never witnessed the transformation firsthand. However, her familiarity with Alex both in-game and out mitigated her fear of it.

"Calm down, this is not what you think. We can explain," Joseph said, gesturing for peace.

While the group discussed Alex's Nocturnal transformation, Alex's mind was elsewhere. Despite having killed the Bloodied Vampire, the boss, there were no notifications appearing for him.

'Is it truly dead?' Alex thought as his gaze fell on where the Bloodied Vampire's body had been...

Toothless