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

Alex and Emma traveled through the city in her car, a luxurious vehicle that turned heads wherever they went. In Hillside, the city they lived in, wealth was a rare commodity, and those who possessed it stood out.

Their first stop was the laundromat, followed by a trip to the supermarket. Alex needed to stock up on essentials for survival, and it turned out Emma had some shopping of her own to do.

"You should buy these chips. They're fantastic!" Emma exclaimed, tossing a bag into Alex's cart.

"Are you trying to force me to buy them? What if I don't like them?" Alex retorted.

Emma chuckled. "If you don't, then I'll just come over to your apartment and eat them myself."

Alex couldn't argue with her logic. Emma had been kind enough to offer him a ride, so he accepted the chips, hoping they would be to his liking.

Lunch With Friends