บท 321: Year 21XX
-Gaming Center, Block 80-
What was that just now? I thought for a second that someone wanted to kill me. Looking around, there are hundreds of people in this building. There's no way I could tell who that might be and how on earth have I even sensed that kind of danger?
"I'm fine, it's just that this is the first time I went out so it's probably just the weather. How about we go grab a bite?" I may be worried about nothing. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.
"Dude, how long have you been slacking off all this time? Anyway, let's go. I'm sure the others want to visit Wcdo too." I'm sure they do, Elou.
And so, we arrived at the fast-food restaurant but it's pretty hard to find a good spot to sit as there are lots of people here right now. Not to mention, we don't have that much time as the event will start soon.
"There! Let's go!" Elou found a free spot with his keen eye... but it's like pretty far... how are we supposed to go there before anyone else could take the-
Uhh... ok? Zia and Leion rushed towards the area by moving so quickly while even jumping from one place to another like those you see in anime. Seriously? How are they moving this way?
"You cannot beat me this time, Zia! I'll get there before you!" And so their childish competition has started.
"Huh? Have you ever won against my speed? How about this?" Running like an idiot, looking at them... it's embarrassing to a different level.
Elou caught me looking embarrassed. "Come on now, they're kids, what do you expect?" Are they though? Zia doesn't look like a kid anymore.
"Beat you!" Zia won again. Still, do they really have to do that?
"Damn it! I saw you almost slip too! Slick brat!" Now now, Leion, you don't have to be salty about it.
Elou looking happy, "Good job guys now we have a spot!"
We gathered in a small table that the boys have to stand up while the girls take the limited seats. The last time we visited Wcdo, there are only four of us and now there are more new people inside our little circle. I hate to admit this but this is fun.
For a while, we talked about random things, mostly game stuff, and about those things I missed. I wish we could still be like before but I think this is the last time we'll be together and I don't regret this last day. The next time we meet, I don't know when.
After a few hours, we realized that it's time. I hate to say goodbye but I don't have a choice. And so, with a simple handwave, it all ends here.
...
"People of New Life Online! It's about time! The biggest event of NLO is now about to open! Unlike before, we're about to use another type of device for you guys to try! This will be a lot different from before but let me assure you that this will be the best gaming experience you'll ever try! So come on now and get to your rooms!" Aika, wearing a fancy latex suit like those you see in sci-fi movies. She's probably about to use the cryo capsule.
And looking at this room, I could tell that this really looks familiar that I just don't remember. I used to have nightmares but now, I couldn't even dream anymore. It's like I lost a part of me that I don't remember.
"Please enter the capsule when ready." I heard the same voice as the one you hear when you create a character. It's pretty weird to hear her now knowing that she only talks when you start with a new character.
I got myself ready and decided to lie myself down inside the capsule. It felt weird as the capsule doesn't have any form of soft platform to lie on. I put my hands sideways as it has a place for it and... *PSSS* Eh? It felt like a sting on my arm. What was... My consciousness is fading and my mind is going blank... My eyes closed on their own and I could feel something burning in my skin but not with fire, it's with being frozen.
...
"Downloading consciousness"
"Uploading consciousness"
"Cryo status 5%"
...
"Cryo status 99%"
...
-Game Lobby-
*Gasp* *Gasp* Holy sh*t! The pain was unbearable! I think I was paralyzed, no wonder I couldn't move earlier. Wait, where am I?!
The place is an empty endless space with white ground floor and unreachable light above. I thought I was going to die that I almost drowned. The moment I woke up, all I could think was to gasp for air. It felt like I lost consciousness for like a moment but where the hell am I? And where are the others?
Eh? With a blink of an eye, I am now surrounded by people I don't know. The moment I looked around, there are hundreds or even thousands of people around me. I couldn't even tell.
"Welcome to all of you." I heard a voice but it didn't come from anywhere but my mind.
"What the hell is this place?!"
"Where are we? I didn't sign up for this sh*t!"
"I want to go home! I want to leave this place!"
Everyone is panicking. Of course, they would after what happened before we all came here. That pain was unbearable.
"Today is the year 21XX. A hundred years have passed and now, all the people in this place are the survivors of the Rupture." We heard the mechanical girl's voice once again. Everyone seemed to be confused about what is happening.
"Is this some kind of in-game event scenario? Because what you said were bullsh*t! I left my family to join this game and there's no way that I am the only one left!" They couldn't accept this but I already anticipated something like this. Still, it didn't cross my mind that there will be a time skip. It felt like it happened moments ago.
"It's sad to say but everyone who's not here is gone. All of you who are left are humanity's last hope. After the Rupture, all living things affected by the Rupture are now gone or mutated into something dangerous. Here..." The empty endless space changed into some kind of swamp and we are now on a foggy forest with mossy trees and-
*ROAAAAAR* What was that? Wait, that's not any kind of animal but a beast covered in roots of some kind! What the hell is happening?!
"Sh*t! Run!" Everyone panicked again. This loud monster caused everyone to push the others so they could run but isn't this only a vision of some sort? The beast couldn't even see us.
And I'm not the only one running away. It seems that there are some smart people in my area.
"Everything you see right now is the mutation caused by the Rapture. This is just an example of what the world looks like now and one more year, everyone won't be affected by the rupture anymore." That means, we have to stay here for a year to be released. So my father's plan was to prepare us for what's out there.
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