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

They were on some type of ocean main questline, similar to the one Alex and Fried Bacon would be going at. So, perhaps they could work together? That was what Alex hoped for.

After watching them for a while, the group seemed like good people, and Alex was willing to at least talk to them to see if they would be willing to work together. 'I want to know more about that door so this is a win-win for us,' thought Alex. He had a mission with Fried Bacon that required more people, so why not bring them with them? The group consisted of only three people, so five should be alright.

But before going to meet them, Alex decided to follow the other mana threads he was seeing to get the treasures. The threads were thin and when he went to check them, it all consisted of chests with items he would not use.

'At least I can sell them, or use them to level up my weapon,' realized Alex.

Water Elemental