Chapter 3: The Wolf Went To Buy Ramen ( Prologue )
The day was as beautiful as it can be!
The sun is shining brightly and birds are chirping merrily.
A blazing red Ferrari is standing on the street and waiting for the traffic light to turn green. Such a high-end luxury car naturally attracted the attention of everyone nearby.
The driver of the Ferrari, noticing everyone's eyes full of admiration and envy, pressed on the gas couple of times. The car's exhaust produced a loud revving sound, like a beast's muffled roar!
When the signal turned green and Ferrari's driver was about to make a dashing exit, A big yellow dumper came speeding out of nowhere and crashed straight into his car with BANG!
Due to smoke surrounding two vehicles in accident after crash, people couldn't make out the situation of the drivers, but when the smoke did cleared out, and people looked, they got stunned by the situation unfolding before their eye.
Both drivers ran towards each other and started beating the shit out of each other! They kept punching each other with so much vigour, and without stopping for single breath. Looking at their punching skills, someone might mistaken them for professional boxers in their championship match!
However, this wasn't the middle of the ring but the middle of the road, so their accident, followed by their punching match lead to a traffic jam.
Other vehicles started honking their horns and drivers started cursing at them, but those two kept punching each other face without stopping!
Even the loud, upbeat music coming from the advertising billboards, hanging everywhere around the streets, seems to pump both of them even more to keep punching each other harder and harder!
It didn't took long before this beautiful day turned into one hell of a mess!
"I just love peaceful days like these!" Laughed a boy loudly, looking at this choatic surroundings.
He had white hair and black eyes, and was carrying a plastic bag filled with nothing but ramen noodles in one hand and was eating vanilla ice-cream with other hand.
He looked perfectly normal guy, but If anyone heard him discribe this fish market like surroundings as 'peaceful', and specially with such a happy face, they would definitely call him a lunatic!
He is Lycan, who came in the city market to buy some food.
When he woke up today, there was already a newly build house standing next to his destroyed house, along with a brand new mailbox too!
But as the newly house only had furniture but hadn't had any food, he came to refill his stacks of ramen in city market. And he also needed some fresh air to sort out his thoughts.
He knows that when The Witch send a warning, things are bound to go haywire soon!
Since waking up this morning, his mind ran through countless possiblities, but he just hoped none of them happens. Best case scenario would be those other world's idiots solve their matter among themselves, and in worse case, they'll drag this world's people too in their problems, and destroy earth too while at it!
While he's strolling and enjoy his sweet vanilla ice-cream, his gaze fell upon a large advertising billboards, and sweet ice-cream suddently tasted bitter to him.
It was a large LED screen, displaying mythical war between gods and demon, located right at the center building of the city square. 'First immersive world! Experience Reality unlike any other virtual game! Enjoy 100% lifelike world!' Was their slogans.
"They are still brazenly luring people in and yet no one's stopping them!" Said Lycan. Suddently, he thought of something, and his face started turning cold as he kept thinking of this possibility.
But what can he do to prevent it?
"If only I wasn't bound by an oath!" For a brief moment, a mysterious golden glow flashed across his black pupil, but it quickly vanished, like it was an illusion.
He was glaring at the advertisement with a serious expression, like someone who's staring down his mortal enemy. But at the same time, he was sucking on the vanilla ice-cream, so he didn't looked that much threatening!
After some time, when he finished eating the whole ice cream, he flicked it's stick, which landed perfectly into the trash can. Surprisingly, that trash can was at great distance from him, on the opposite side of the street!
But no one seems to notice this, and Lycan also resumed his strolling along the sidewalk without turning back.
The sidewalks in this city turns into marketplace in the evenings.
The sellers are shouting at top of their lungs to attract buyer, and attracted buyers are bargaining like their life's depends on it over the handful of tomatoes. Little kids, who just came out from their schools, are throwing tantrums at their parents for plastic toys. Couples are walking slowly, holding each others hand, lost in their own pink world.
His heart filled with inexplicable emotions, when he looked at the bustling crowd around him.
Even if people called him a lunatic, he would still say that not only this clattering marketplace and that choatic traffic jam is peaceful, but this whole world is peaceful. In fact, he thinks it's hundred times more peaceful than the other world he know of.
Lycan sighed in his heart. Then he lifted his head and looked at the sky. Orange light of dusk had just settled in across the horizon.
When he narrowed his eyes, they seemed like able to penetrate anything and reveal their true nature. He seemed looking at a certain, distant place. A place not visible to the naked eyes. Suddently, he revealed a mischievous smile.
"If there's god in this world too and I'm sure there are one or who else could've created this world? So pretending you don't exist won't work on me!"
Then, with plastic bag dangling from one hand, he brought together his both hand, getting into a prayer pose, and made the most sincere face and produced the most earnest voice humanly possible, "Please hear my one prayer, and don't be like those other world's god's and mess up this peaceful world!"
Not surprisingly, he didn't got any response towards his heartfelt prayer!
Lycan just smiled and headed towards direction of his home.
Suddenly, an ear piercing loud announcement rang everywhere. It came from all those large billboards screens. They are mostly used for advertising purposes, but they also used to alert civilian if it's state wide emergency and notifying people as soon as possible is paramount!
"This is state wide emergency order! Civilians are to stay away from virtual reality games and other virtual technology until further notice!"
Lycan was happily whistling when this sudden announcement rang, and he almost spewed mouthful of blood through his whistle!
'Is this a fucking joke? What's up with this perfectly matched timing?' He thought.
All the noises coming from the market and from the vehicles in traffic-jam down instantly. Only sound of a news reporter shouting through the screens filled the surroundings.
After hearing about the tragedy that had occurred, everyone held their breaths. Some people broked into tears while some collapsed from shock. It was earth shattering news for all of them!
But surprisingly, those two, who were punching each other in the middle of the road, still kept punching each other face! It's just that their heads were turned toward the screen and they were listening to news with solemn expression, but refused to stop and kept punching each other without stopping!
Lycan, after hearing some content of the news, didn't even turned around to watch anything and kept walking toward home. He had expression of someone who had already expected something like this to happen one day.
Looking at his carefree attitude, One person asked him "Why are you not shocked by this news? Don't you care about those people's lives? Don't you feel any sympathy towards them?"
Lycan just shrugged and said. "I tried to warn peoples but no one listened. So now cry me a river but I don't care." And continued walking on his way.
That person got so dumbstruck by Lycan's response, that his jaw dropped on the floor as he kept looking at Lycan leisurely walking away from him.
By the time he recovered from shock, Lycan was already far away from him. He angrily shouted at top of his lungs "Lunatic!"
Because he thought Lycan was joking with him even times of tragedy. How could he had warned people even before tragedy. He didn't got the warning! So he concluded lycan was lying and him a lunatic.
"Well, your not the first one to call me that." Lycan mumbled, as he kept walking towards his home. He's already used to people calling him names.
But in fact, what Lycan said just now wasn't a lie. He did tried to convince people that it was not just a game. He tried to warn them about danger behind that game, but they just called him lunatic in return; Just like the person who called him lunatic earlier.
Lycan is one of the few who knew reality of that game, for it was not a just a mere game but a real world.
The world of Sword and Magic. The world of Monsters and Faires. The world of dungeon and dragons, myths and legends. The world of gods and demons. The world, where living is free but death comes at a price!
Most of the public transportation was shut of for the moment. Luckily, Lycan found a bus after walking one hour. Although bus was nearly empty, with only few passenger, those passenger were in heated among themselves. They were debating about use of games. After all, culprit behind today's tragedy was non other than the game!
"Yes. I do agree with you. I also feel bad for those poor kids" Sympathised a middle aged lady, "But you can't deny that games are also good for children metal health, games challenge them to think creatively in problem solving. It also help them make like minded friends."
"Yes! Yes!" Chimed in a slightly old aged lady. "You can't blame all games because there's one game company did something. There were already rumors going around about that company. I think you shouldn't blame game companies working down to their bone to provide kids entertainment. They've origins are also clear. Unlike that shady game company!"
"I call this a bullshit!" Declared a middle aged man in formal working cloths, "I've always known games were bad for children's mental health. Games not only make kids voilent but also increase crime rate due to their encouragement to use gun! And these facts are all backed up by scientific research! I say not only virtual game but every game should be banned from the face of the earth!"
Middle aged man kept getting fired up in his speech. Then his vision fell upon Lycan, who was sitting alone on far back seat and shooting smoke through a window. The man thought, This guy must be one of those gamer, I'll make example out of him!
"Hey you, white haired boy! What do you think about games?" The man was gloating inside his mind. If this white-haired boy try to defend games, then he'll bury him underneath all the researched based facts that he have read up on the internet just now! If it's on internet, and it say, 'Scientist have said that..' then it must be true, Right?
Lycan didn't said anything. He flicked his cigarettes out of the window and got up from his seat, because his stop have already arrived.
When Lycan reached the man, he said with serious face, "Yes, you're right. I also think what happened today can't be forgiven," Just as man about to start gloating, Lycan interjected, "But I also think people like you should be banned from face of the earth!" And left the bus.
He didn't care about two ladies along with some other passengers who bursts into laughter, or about the man who was trying to decide whether or not he should jumped out of bus window and commit suicide out of shame!
After arriving at home, Lycan cooked himself nice warm dinner(ramen), and turned on the TV as he sat on bed while merrily munching on noodles. Pressing on the TV's remote and he changed the anime channel to new channel.
News reporter was shouting out so loudly that his whole face turned red, and his bulging veins of neck looked like they would burst open at any moment, spraying blood all over the camera!
Lycan looked at the bright red headline, "When Games Start To Kill Peoples!"
He thought headline is pretty accurate considering the situation: concise and precise. In few words, it discribed the whole essence of the tragedy.
Then he switched to the next channel and almost spurted mouthful of ramen on TV screen, "Are YOU The One Playing Games OR The Games Are Playing With YOU!" Was the headline.
He choked and started coughing as he reached for the glass of water. He hurriedly switched channel in fear of dying while eating ramen! If headline is so awesome, enough to make him choke. He couldn't risk hearing further contents!
He kept pressing remote, shuffling through channels; most of them were showing same content.
But looking at the politicians performance, he had an urge to give them standing ovation!
Politicians were one step ahead of those reporters. Most of them kept shedding crocodile tears for public sympathy. But in fact, none of them did anything when they had chance to save those same innocent public. They are also responsible for this tragedy, but only handful of people know about this truth, and Lycan was one of them.
He kept shuffling channels until he got gist of the situation.
Summary of the news was as follows:
"The company behind the game mysteriously vanished overnight without leaving single trace!"
"More than 1 million players are stuck inside the game world which is suspected to be a different dimension."
"Players who was logged in at the time remain in extended coma state without showing any indication of waking up ! Their fate Remains unknown...."
Shaking his head Lycan turned off the TV, finished his dinner and after doing dishes, slowly started pacing back and forth in room.
He knew a day would arrive and eventually people will learn truth about this game. No matter what, truths can't be hidden forever! But he hadn't thought people would learn the truth in such brutal way.
"Did someone found [The Amrit] already Or did someone found Rickimaru?" His mind ran through countless possiblities.
Before he left that world, he had given [The Five-Headed Snake] to Rikimaru for safekeeping. Even if, by chance, someone manage to trace him dispite his permanent invisibility and managed to defeat him and took the artifact; it's less likely it will lead to such a huge event.
And if it's about [The Amrit] and someone, by miracle of luck, had found it already, probably that Witch, then its already late to worry about those things. That dimension will already be in state of The Third Great War!
Lycan released a sigh after a while. Whatever happened in that world, it didn't have anything to do with him. And whatever is happening in other side now, better stay there for good!
Lycan turned on the TV again, and kept shuffling through all news channel until he the found one, which made his hands frozen in place.
The News channel was showing a live broadcast of a location.
The location was a gaming cafe.
Lively gaming cafe, which is usually filled with laughters and upbeat sound, was deadly silent as a mourge filled with dead people. Only cries of people could be heard.
Players were connected with gaming helmets and some were lying in full body gaming capsules. Looking at those players, one just instinctively knew, they are not going to wake up anytime soon!
Security kept relatives of the player at distance so any accident didn't occur. But one father, who's unable to bear any longer, pushed aside 2 guards, and dashed towards his son lying in the gaming capsule. He opened the latch and pulled off helmet from his son's head, hoping that it would wake him up, however, result was not something he was ready for.
The kid, after being released from father's grip, collapsed back into gaming capsule, just like puppet cut from its string. A heart rate monitor on kid's gaming capsule showed his breathing stopped. After being disconnected from the game, the kid died...
Lycan watched that father cry and faint from shock of his loss, but he didn't feel anything. He really hoped to feel something: Guilt, sadness, anger, pain, anything!
Then he thought about how everyone keeps calling him names and said self-mockingly, "I really might be a Lunatic."
At that time, someone gently hugged him from behind. Although, hand that hugged him were trembling, but they still kept clinging to him, like they were afraid to let go even for moment, for something precious to them might disappeare from this world.
Even if the room was dark, Lycan didn't need to turn around to see who it was. It was his mother.
Lycan's mother always blamed herself for introducing him to that game. Lycan's father passed away in active line of duty, when Lycan was twelve year old. At that time, she had to work two jobs to run the house, and as she couldn't properly give her time to her son, she bought him expensive virtual gaming hamlet, so it will keep him entertainment when she has gone for jobs. But never in her dreams, she thought that game would change her son's life so much.
At first, when Lycan told her about being a reincarnate individual, that he has some memories of past and he learned all this when he was playing this game; she just laughed it off as joke. But as the time pass by, she realised it was not just a child's make believe story but he was indeed reincarnate individual. But regardless of these things, she still loves him and cared for him. Nothing can make her stop loving her son!
She knew all about what happened to Lycan in that game world, he always told her everything. But she also knows that Lycan only told her half of the things, and left other half which might hurt her.
But this used to hurt her even more, because she can only look at her son in pain, and couldn't do anything to reduce his pain.
Hearing her mother's low muffled sobs, Lycan asked "What happened, I'm here" then pointed at TV, at the players lying unconscious, and said, "Not there. Why are you crying?"
"Because you're hurt." Her mother said in gentle voice.
"Ehh! what are you talking about?" Asked Lycan.
"Then why are you smiling?"
Lycan touched his face and realised; he had been grinning widely from ear to ear this whole time.
"Whenever you're sad or angry, or when you feel guilt or pain, you just hide them behind a smile." She gently patted his head, "My son's not a lunatic. He just don't know his own emotions."
"If other heard such lousy excuse for my behaviour, They might think you're crazy too." Joked Lycan.
This habit of grinning at bad timings seems to deeply rooted into his soul. The only clue he have about this habit are his dreams, which are usually nightmares.
During those nightmares, when things get unbearable, a person always says to him, "When things gets though, Just grin and bear with it!"
So grin he did, and got himself nicknamed a lunatic!
His mother knew he won't listen to a reason so she also didn't said anything further and just kept hugging him the whole time while Lycan kept sighing at the TV news reporter and their baseless conclusions. One more absurd than another!
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
LonelyWolf
LonelyWolf Four or five moments... that’s all it takes to become an author. Everyone thinks it’s a full-time job. Wake up as an author. Brush your teeth as an author. Go to work as an author. Not true! Moments when you’re offered a choice to make a sacrifice to sit down and write a sentence, then a paragraph, then a chapter, then you realise no one's reading your chapter, so you get up, pick up a gun and shot a cute little puppy straight into his face! In these moments everything else falls away…
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