Free Web NovelChapter 5: V: The fan that breaks the rules.
–Chapter 5–
Title: V: The fan that breaks the rules.
The sense of uncertainty that stayed with Xavier till the very moment he saw that message had completely disappeared.
Or rather it was replaced with a feeling of confusion or would it be better to call it awe?
The latter would serve him a lot better because right now, he was indeed amazed by what he witnessed.
And it wasn’t because it was anything superb like Absolute Drop Authority or the ability to probably wield three primordial bloodines.
It was the fact that this fan of his. This very person, whoever they were, managed to give him a window into the game.
Has now been able to reach him even when all else didn’t work. Even when the game branded him an intruder.
This person, if he could still call them that, has been able to not just send him a private mail but an item attachment. The latter which was supposed to be impossible at level one.
For better understanding, the ability of equipment transfers was considered a taboo in the latter versions of Arillion Online.
After it was exploited. This was general knowledge in the game and every veteran knew that. With the reason for the restriction being the fact that beginners would get spoon fed by experienced players and guilds with legendary equipment before these beginners even began exploring the game.
And yet... Xavier stretched his right index forward and selected the message on the interface.
The air in front of him rippled and that was it. There was no extra effect or any shimmering lights.
What appeared before him was the most ordinary package he had seen in years.
A simple wooden chest or was it better suited to call it a box? It was more like a crater for storage.
But for Xavier, it was testament that even the game withheld him from communicating with Others. He was not alone...
Somehow, some way, he had his number one fan.
He had "V"
Slowly reaching for the box, Xavier opened the lid gently, revealing the three items and a note that was inside.
A note? Xavier’s mind almost spiralled... almost...
Grabbing and concealing the note in one hand, his gaze shifted to the items inside the box.
Just as unremarkable as the box that carried them. Inside was a metal dagger, a brown leather chest piece and five minor healing pills.
These were beginner necessities at best. The kind of items that people wouldn’t look at twice.
But they were necessities. Equipments that the game should have given to him as a form of starter pack for the first tutorial.
Presumably, he didn’t get any of those due to the irregular tag that was now tied to his name.
Wanting to confirm something, Xavier interacted with the dagger. He picked it up and immediately, an interface appeared hovering over it. With information etched over it.
[Stainless Dagger]
[Rarity: Uncommon]
[Description - A single-edged dagger that doesn’t rust easily. It can be used for stabbing, slashing and pruning.
Effects: +5 strength, +4 agility]
Reaching for the leather chest piece, his fingers only hovered above it but the game system responded just as fast.
[Flayer’s Vest]
[Rarity: Common]
[Description - A simple light armor that protects the torso and back. It can absorb minor blunt force, and slashing attacks
Effects: +2 constitution]
Having confirmed what he wanted to see, he didn’t bother going through the health pills, he knew their limits like the back of his hand.
The confirmation he was looking for was right in front of his eyes.
[Equip: Yes / No]
The prompt came with both items and it confirmed that the system acknowledged them fully.
They weren’t just cheats that were smuggled into the game like him. And there was no questioning one truth now, the fact that "V" was somehow over-riding the system’s limitations.
Because of him...
Quickly he unfolded the parchment and it read.
"I know you weren’t supposed to enter. I also know you wouldn’t stay behind.
Even though beginners aren’t allowed equipment transfers.
Fortunately... For you darling...
Neither of us are playing by the rules anymore. But I know you did it to find her.
So go find your sister. And while you’re at it...
Try not to bore me." – V
Darting through the note, he went through over and over again.
None of this made any sense, but every fibre of his body was grateful that this person existed. Because they gave him a chance to find what really mattered to him.
And if it was entertainment he or she wanted. Preferably it was a she after all, she just called him darling.
Then entertainment, they shall get...
With the items registered and bound under this ownership after he had equipped them.
Xavier remained still. His fingers slowly curled around the metal hilt of the dagger. He felt the weight, and it was perfect. The balance was also precise.
Brandishing the white steel, his eyes finally reflected back at him.
They quickly narrowed as he caught a glimpse of his face. He hadn’t given any attention to it till now.
The realization quickly set in. What exactly did he look like in this virtual world turned reality.
Taking another glance at his reflection through the dagger. He noticed that his eyes didn’t change much.
They were just as dark as ever, without black sagging bags of tiredness, sleeplessness and blatant exhaustion that lived underneath.
His body also felt fresher, and more alive. His skin wasn’t as pale as before. He was still very much pale but less like someone who’d spent the last six years beside a hospital bed and an apartment filled with more devices than humans.
With enough coffee and junk food in his system for another century. He actually looked better...and felt better too.
Whatever this world had done to his body, it had stripped away years of exhaustion.
Truthfully, he looked almost exactly as he remembered. Black hair that curled slightly at the edges, a straight nose and a face that had somehow won the genetic lottery despite everything else life had thrown at him.
After a few seconds, of just inspecting his own body to make sure he kept more than just his average face-card.
He glanced back at V’s message, still unable to completely shake off the impossibility of her message before the lock-out. The ability to sneak him in and now this.
One question burned curiously in the depths of his mind at this point. Who was this woman? And why on earth and Arillion was she doing all this for him?
Those were questions he couldn’t shake off immediately and instead were placed somewhere in his mind.
Because his present reality was something even his ultimate fan acknowledged. Danger lurked around him inside this swamp.
And he would have to find a way around it with this unimpressive but necessary defensive vest. Five healing pills that might be the blurry lines between life and death and this...
He rolled his thumb around the dagger, it was a pretty decent weapon for this very habitat.
With his body straightened. He looked around. The swamp was too quiet, it was never this quiet...unless!
Xavier reached for the map in the menu again and the interface opened up instantly.
And he really looked this time, noticing his cursor blinking at the southern edge of the swamp.
This was both good news and bad news. With the good news actually outweighing the bad news in this instance.
It was the fact that he was far away from triggering the quest of this territory, meaning he wasn’t anywhere near the big bad of the swamp.. "Scar"
That was a relief...
One that lasted shorter than a second or two.
Splash!
Xavier’s head tilted to his rear as he began instinctively pushing his legs in the opposite direction. The muddy floors pushing back against his forward motion.
And that was the bad news. He was in Bog striders territory. And right now..!
He was a very attractive prey.
–End Of Chapter–
A/N: If you’re enjoying the story... Add to Library. T for Thanks.
