BATTLE PASS - FIRST PART

After a brief darkness my eyes are struck by the radiant image of a herbal version of the VEESEL building with magical cherry trees next to a water fountain that is shaped like a whirlpool coming from the ground and endless with the ability to change colors.

The blimps in the sky have the logo of the virtual reality game WORL EPIC ONLINE written on them and on their LED screens they have the ranking list for the next event called THE LAST PLAYER STANDING.

I lean my body against the wall of a black glass building.

[WELCOME TO YANG CITY ] the hologram below the fountain. 

—Yang city eh, I don't remember staying in this city, I thought I was in Ying city.

I find it incredibly silly the fact that the most important cities of the central island are called Ying and Yang city also known as the twin cities but more than twins I would say that they are counterparts since they have different aspects.

The glass doors of the Vessel building (famous building in NEW YORK) the same that is used as a guild open every 2 seconds letting out a couple or several players at a time which look desperate, which is normal at this time by the ranking shown in the airships.

I slide my right hand in the air to reveal the main menu and observe my place in the leaderboard although this is not something that fills me with much excitement for my performance.

On second thought I think I could have done a better job but based on my academy duties and my other job at WEO as an item collector I guess that's the best I could have done.

On the other hand the hype this year for the ranking event is much bigger than last year's Christmas event which was based on collecting items, that Christmas I got good money as I focused on collecting and reselling the items needed to complete the quests so the users can get unique items, if I compare the money I got there is a good half a percent difference,

Recapping the hype is due to what this event offers.

—Hey Farid Farid guess what happened?

I see a beautiful girl in front of me on the street, she's rocking her hand very excited with a bright smile on her face.

Today she wears a short yellow skirt that with a simple breeze the air could lift and leave in plain sight all her intimate clothes, long leather boots, a cream shirt with bulging sleeves and a belt with the scabbard next to her thin silver sword. 

—What's wrong with her, why is she so cheerful and why the hell is she saying my real name in public? Haven't I told her not to call me that when we are online?

I ignore her to check my player status.

USER —FAR — CLASS - THIEF 

RANKING

N° 1050 

Above the same section of the ranking there is a small table revealing the time limit for the completion of the user ranking. 

 [00.05 minutes left for the event to end . 04:55 pm ]

 —well, I guess I'll wait for another event like this, I'm comforted to have earned good money by completing the missions for others... although...

Something stopped me from speaking as if a stone in my mouth prevented me from articulating any more words

—But so much effort for nothing.

With an aura of disappointment I tilt my head on the metal column on which I am leaning and look at my reflection in the window of the store. 

I feel bad because I was really looking forward to participate in the tournament since they were promising a large sum of money which would help me to help my mother and sister...

My reflection in the mirror looks happy, it has a smile on that dead fish face, 

—But what am I complaining about, if I had agreed to the duels I would have climbed the rankings much faster than just collecting and farming, although I didn't make this decision because this team I brought with me wouldn't have helped me much, so it's my fault.

I only have a black leather breastplate, black gloves, the classic brown pants and a red shirt. 

The wind of this place plays with my locks of hair.

—Farid —I hear my name again while I descend on the ground by inertia, when I realize I have the female body on top of me. 

My back hits the ground abruptly as I am crushed by about 60 kg. I immediately take my hands towards the body of the idiot on top of me with the intention of pushing them off but there is something strange because I am feeling something very strange.

My vision is blurred but this doesn't limit my curious hands to manipulate what I'm touching making several pressures to this elastic and soft object, is it a slima?

—Kya! —When I hear that scream I know that I have committed a serious fault and that I have to run away from this place.

My blurred vision clears up only to be met with a shameful and furious look directed at me.

"Shit, she'll kill me.

 Is the first thing that comes to my mind after touching her breasts, that although they are digital, nothing in her is far from reality, good figure, flirtatious brown eyes, long black hair with blonde tips, diamond face, pink lips and white tes, height of 5.41 ft. 

I immediately become nervous.

She stands and turns away from me, her cheekbones bloodshot and her brown eyes are engulfed in a swirl of negative emotions as she covers her chest with her thin arms. 

Silence envelops us for a few seconds, my hand as a natural reaction makes a pressing motion to the air, she seeing this throws a murderous look towards me.

—I justify my actions avoiding looking her in the face.

I sit down on the floor —you know, you could be more careful when you do that, I don't want to look like a pervert, besides I told you several times not to, don't you remember Eve —I stand up while she keeps looking at me with disdain.

She approaches me with a firm step, without warning she knees me in the stomach adding.

—Now we are even— she waves her hands as if she just got rid of society's trash.

—Kuku... You did it on purpose, didn't you, you wanted an excuse to hit me— I speak in pain and lean my body at a 90 degree angle.

—I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just a pretty girl who gets respect— she plays with her hair deflecting her beautiful eyes that attract me like a light bulb to a moth.

I can't deny that she's beautiful, but I don't know if those are ladylike attitudes.

—Stop looking at me like that, did you discover an ability that allows you to see behind your clothes? if you don't stop doing it I'll report you for harassment, PERVERTED —she emphasized the last word.... 

—no no!... even if I wanted to —I whispered —tell me what news you wanted to give me because that's what makes you so happy? 

I slowly recovered with a slight surprise as I watched my life points drop by 10%, which meant that his strength had increased considerably since the last time we connected, two days ago.

Looking at it from my perspective and any player's perspective that's a huge thing, no one could get that many points to be able to raise their attack stats, the only way is if they had been enraptured these past two days and had been gifted the points.

She slides her right hand in the air to open the main bar, looks under objects and with one click a black token with the initials WEO appears. 

She is the type of girl who could jump in the air if she was given a rose or a stone.

—Is that from the event? —I ask, bringing my face closer for a closer look. 

—Yes, if it's from the event... I finished in 80th place in the ranking— she answers proudly with a victorious pose, the kind you do with your hands on your waist and inflate your chest, in her case it's not necessary to inflate it because of those two fat balls she has there.

Post 80 e... Who could imagine that a girl like her would reach that position if when she started she barely knew how to hold a sword. Anyway, one more disappointment for which... I don't know, I might consider throwing myself off the city's central bridge. 

—Why that dead fish face?...— laughs -—I know it's your usual face but be happy for me and what position are you in? —. 

—You know... —

As I looked at her, I could only see her eyes sparkle, waiting for my answer.

—No matter... 

I began to walk away with the aura of a man about to die, crestfallen and with my arms drooping, moving from left to right. 

—Where are you going? —She begins to follow me, almost as if she were jumping instead of walking. 

We both walk through the city streets like a bad romantic comedy couple. 

—I was trying to level up in my cooking specialty, I was looking for ingredients and by the way I was thinking of getting some points, I went on a small hunting mission, when I was going alone I met a group of very nice users and they offered me to join their group for the time being.

His tone of voice sounds weird, as if he was afraid I would get upset about it.

But I can't be bothered by that, after all we are just friends and one is free to group with the users he wants, besides for her it must have been very easy because she is a very sociable person and well she has a good plot, C cup I guess.

—After that mission we embarked on more missions throughout the day, we entered some normal and hardcore level dungeons and overcame these getting various points and ingredients, you know any day now I'll invite you to my house to try my new level of cooking but you should have seen me, I looked like I was flying, I was faster than normal... I think I could be compared as a lightning bolt —.

She continues talking about her feat with her eyes shining like the sun in MIDGAR, she extends and picks up her arms in the air, she makes certain punching movements while she continues praising her classifying achievement, I notice how people watch us very strangely, some wanting to laugh . 

—You're not being too cocky comparing yourself to a lightning bolt— I reply with a negative attitude.

—Shu, I'm not done yet — she silences me and continues without caring how the others see her.

— ah... it's going to be a long walk...

...

—And that's how they helped me to enter the ranking of classifieds, of course you can think that it was a gift but the truth is that it was a team work, tell me what do you think? some friends told me that they did all the work for me but I don't think so —

I stop at the center of the bridge, which has two large pillar-like buildings that offer an amazing view and serve as party and meeting areas, not to mention a large clock at the top.

—Tell me, do you really think it is not thanks to my effort... but as you always say that the important thing is to win I bet you will agree with me that it is not... but you know that apart from your help and my contribution I would not have achieved it if it was not thanks to you —his voice faded slightly indicating embarrassment for having said that last thing. 

—Seeing your encouragement for wanting to qualify me and seeing that you supported me in all the missions we did that motivated me more, so in part my achievement is also yours Farid because everything of yours is mine.

silly, the phrase is not like that

—And I thank you, you helped me to train and you always believed in me, that's why, that's why... you know you... you... you... well how can I say it —her cheeks blushed as she had her gaze lost in the beautiful technological sky that covered us.

—Wait Farid, what are you doing? get down from there if you fall you will lose all your points and money, get down please —she started to worry waving his hands.

—Hmh... don't you see I will do a harakiri and start again as a rookie....

I think he's right, it's not worth it or wouldn't be worth it if I hadn't sold the items I found by defeating some monsters, besides I already sent the money to my bank account so there's no complication to do this.

 I feel his thin arms wrap around my legs which causes an imbalance in my body making me fall. 

—Here I come, St. Peter— I shout as I close my eyes.

Well I couldn't help but get excited when she said that this was also an achievement of mine, the truth is that I felt like an older brother to her, although I don't know why she thought she would bother me for knowing that I was playing with other people, maybe that phrase that everything of mine was hers has something to do with it. But something that intrigues me is that I have been falling for a long time and if I remember correctly once you fall you die instantly, how strange. 

When I open my eyes I only see the abyss and I have a strong pain in my back.

Someone is holding me by the breastplate and Eve is with her body half falling down trying to stop me.

I slide my eyes towards the user who has stopped me from committing what is called harakiri gamer.

I only see the arm covered by a night blue metallic armor.

—Don't be so dramatic— he pulls me up to the bridge throwing me a couple of meters.

She who was holding me by my feet also falls with me in an improper position on my part, but I can't deny that this is worth it. 

My face is between her warm, beefy thighs which smell of cherry soap and her body odor, plus they are very soft.

As they say "after the taste comes the displeasure" and I think it's going to hurt. 

I raise my eyes slowly accompanied by a shiver that runs through my body and without delay she gives me a few blows to the head. 

—This time it was an accident — I massaged my head with pain for a few seconds, —because you saved me Skyp— I claimed with anger and bringing my fist close to his face—tell me do you want me to break your face here and now, besides it was my redemption, throwing myself into the void for not achieving my goals.

This was the HARAKIRI, the samurai tradition of cutting one's belly to avoid the shame of having lost his honor.

That bastard is always grilling whatever he wants but I would do it too if I looked like that, taller than me at 5.7ft, his avatar is the knight class so he wears a midnight blue armor. Naturally he walks with his helmet on but today he had the idea of walking without it, like Eve his appearance is not far from reality, heart-shaped face, long black hair with a lock that covers one of his cold black eyes, he also wears glasses. 

—First of all, I congratulate Eve for qualifying.

 She walks up to him and jumps in the air giving him the 5 with a very happy expression while Skyp just raises his hand reciprocating the 5. 

He's the kind of guy who could call you a jerk without showing any emotion.

—the truth is you look like a cry baby Farid, are you going to give up so easily as to throw yourself into the abyss and lose everything you have achieved, if so where were all the times you said you were going to get the qualification to the event, You know there's a contest to qualify, right, so you still have a chance. 

—A chance where? Tell me, I'm interested in that— I settle down next to him, —you know Skip I always thought you were a great guy and I regret calling you a bastard as often as you do what you want— I lay my forearm on his right shoulder and playfully run my fingers over his face.

—First of all don't be so picky, secondly what a bastard and —he doesn't even flinch —you were also a mistake and thirdly it starts in 5 minutes, in a place called the ice dungeon if you want you can...

I didn't hear anything else because I ran to the nearest portal screaming —I love you Skyp you too Eve. 

I took the first transport zone I found and indicated that it would take me to the entrance of the ice dungeon which was a new extension added in this patch.

In a jiffy I was at the entrance formed by an ice arch with a bell at the top filled with figures of different snowflakes, dolls and a frozen forest where the trees seemed to have merged with the crystalline ice.

This extension has the typical Christmas design because we are about to celebrate Christmas.

I was a little surprised because in front of me were thousands of eager players waiting for the start signal to take the first step towards the token that would give us a place in the next event.

—Shit, this will be complicated with so many people, I bet Skyp would do better than me and even Eve because they are both swordsmen and I'm just a thief, by the way, where did Skyp end up in the rankings?

I open the friends window and look for Skyp, to my luck they are the only friends I have added, I check his profile and I'm ranked 30.

—You bastard! —I close my fist shouting at the top of my lungs, which calls everyone's attention, when I realize it I duck my head in shame —but I still love you, anyway the event is about to start so let's get going. 

The bell rings in the archway with a ding dong so overpowering you could say it would rupture your eardrum. 

MINDLINK, the virtual immersion system, is so lifelike that it is designed to emulate sound, taste, smell, sight and, most importantly, pain. That's another reason why it has become so famous since its release. 

Players in the front rows enter the dungeon in an adrenaline frenzy.

The large crowd for me is a current problem because it doesn't let me enter, approach or even glance at the entrance to the icy dungeon that envelops us with the intense cold numbing my hands, in fact I think my body on my desk is shivering.

—I have to bring a coat for the next one.

 Accompanied by the loud battle cries, I hear them stop dead in their tracks along with the sound of glass shattering.

A hologram appeared over the bell and showed the image of the entrance. 

I could see myself in the middle of the crowd, I was almost at the end of the group, the camera focused on the users that had just entered.

When I saw the situation I was in a state of instant shock, the avatars of the users were on the floor all frozen by large plates of ice and further ahead were planted their legs that showed their crimson pixels equivalent to the blood in this place.

—Dammit.