บท 1: He was a player
Chapter 1: He was a player
"Max, my boy… You are here," A grandpa whispered on his death bed with his eyes closed as he heard the door opening.
No one other than his grandson had keys to their house. Thus, Mateo knew that the person he had been waiting for had finally arrived.
Max, an eighteen-year-old student, dropped his school bag with a sigh, "I told you I am not in a mood for your jokes during the afternoon, grandpa. What the hell you mean you will die in an hour?"
He pointed his phone's screen at his grandpa, who opened his eyes languorously. And seeing his own message, Mateo laughed faintly.
He closed his eyes, whispering softly, "It's true, my boy. You will lose your grandpa in an hour. How do I know all of this?
Well, that's because I am a player, Max." Mateo started a monologue about his main occupation that had been unfortunately postponed.
Max, who had been living an everyday life until now, couldn't believe his grandfather in the beginning. He thought his old man went senile in his old age. Yet, as Mateo continued speaking seriously with dangerous details, Max became absorbed in his story.
In fact, he even saw messages of his grandfather's glory.
"You saw it, didn't you?" Mateo chuckled as he noticed an absent-minded expression in his grandson. His words awakened the young man, making Max look at him incredulously as if he saw a hero or a man with absurd achievements.
Max nodded, his gaze much different from before.
Mateo whispered, "Every world has a player society. Those players clear the dungeons in their own worlds, then get tickets to The Tower, the ultimate goal of every player."
Even their Earth had those precarious existences; players much stronger than the best soldiers from first world countries. Their numbers were scarce, for they controlled the dungeons for their own gains.
Mateo had stumbled upon a dungeon through a lucky chance. He teamed up with established parties, who treated him worse than a porter. But when the push came to shove, Mateo was the one to kill the boss.
His abundant mana awakened thoroughly, turning him into a high player.
"Earth has a selfish player society. The leading three families control the dungeons and even birth of people with mana. If they locate someone with even a drop of mana, they turn him into a loyal dog or kill him.
Their business is the main priority… The advancement of technology that often is unexplainable through science is because of them. I didn't want to be a part of their society and even the world.
I entered The Tower, then found happiness in different worlds. Unfortunately, the origins were my shackles. I couldn't create a family with other races, even humans from other worlds.
That was when a miracle happened. One of my wives gave birth to a son. He came to the world without any mana, however. My wife also paid the price with her life for this miracle, dying with him in her arms," Mateo's eyes flashed with sadness as he slightly scrunched his face with pain.
Max bit his lips as he had never seen his grandfather in such a weak appearance.
Mateo turned his head to the side, smiling at his grandson, "I took your father to Earth, believing he would live a good life here. I made a grave mistake, however. I told him about his origins. I told him tales of his mother… and my own.
He didn't show any signs of jealousy but pride. He was proud of his origins and his father. He also grieved about his mother.
Yet, when you came to the world, the whole world shook. All three families found out about us. They chased us for a month, for I needed this much time to seal your abundant mana within your body.
You had more mana than me at birth, Max. That was when your father's jealousy took over him. He tried to kill you, so I had to banish him to the other side of the world. Max, those are your origins," Mateo uttered with complicated emotions, lifting his eyes to look at his grandson.
That was when he found out about Max's tears.
Max grasped his grandpa's hand, "Are you really going to leave me?"
"Ah…" Mateo let out a soft voice, feeling like he soon would choke on his tears. His grandson finally understood that his message wasn't a joke. He cared more about a grandpa who had raised him for years than a man he couldn't remember.
In his last hour, Mateo felt immense happiness and pride, "You've grown up into a fine man, Max.
You will overcome all our limits and reach the sights I could only see in dreams," Mateo smiled.
Max asked softly, "What couldn't you achieve, grandpa?"
"Do you really want to become a player?" Mateo asked with a clear expression. He wouldn't let his feelings control him when such a dangerous matter was on the line.
Being a player was the most dangerous job ever. Players could reach miracles, but they also could die at unexpected moments. Not every player had enough talent to clear all dungeons, let alone survive every expedition.
If Max wanted, he would be able to continue living his normal life. Mateo's seal would last an eternity on his body. However, if, by any chance, Max stumbled on one of three families without any knowledge, his ignorance would cost him his life and future.
It would also be a mistake to waste Max's talent. His abundant mana pool allowed him to pursue whatever path he wanted.
Yet, if he wanted to remain an ordinary boy, Mateo would do all for this wish.
Max smiled, "What couldn't you achieve, grandpa? I will do this in your place. I will see what you couldn't and leave your name behind."
"Don't use my nickname, fool," Mateo rebuked his grandson, "My name will bring you too many problems if you use it. But I like the idea of leaving my name in every land I couldn't step in.
If that's what you want, Max, then engrave my name on the highest trees in every land you visit. That's the best gift you can give to me!" Mateo grinned.
Max nodded, "Tell me all before you go. I want to hear more of your stories about the world and origin limits… I swear to not waste this information."
"I will be brief," Mateo smiled.
บท 2: Thank you
Chapter 2: Thank you
"If it weren't for Earth's low rank, I would be able to live for much longer. I am not an eighty-year-old grandpa; my age is something you can't fathom, Max. You can imagine my surprise when I saw skyscrapers, the technology, and other stuff that you youngsters can handle effortlessly," Mateo explained.
He returned to Earth for his son alone. His world was weak, so his beloveds also couldn't follow him. And as Mateo spent years here, he became unable to leave the world again. That was because he broke the rules by abandoning his origin world.
Mateo was utterly separated from his beloveds. And before that, he couldn't breed with women he had genuinely fallen in love with.
It was as if Earth was jealous that such a talent had run away from him.
However, The Tower was omnipotent existence. On its floors, Mateo believed that he would be able to find a cure to his limits. That he would separate that link and become part of a world he thought genuinely as his home.
He kept climbing floors just for the sake of that treasure. But then, a miracle happened, changing all his plans.
"I understand, grandpa," Max nodded gravely, seeing through his grandfather's plight. "I will overcome all. I will also visit the families of your beloveds and check on them. Maybe I will get along with their descendants."
Mateo lifted his eyebrow, "You really want to follow my steps, huh. Already thinking of a harem!"
Max knitted his eyebrows as that wasn't what he had on his mind.
Mateo continued, "I shall pass you a golden rule, then." He firmly believed that his grandson took a liking to the harem, for Mateo indeed liked spiciness and excitement in his life, too, "Be wary of skirt storm."
"You mean, shit storm?" Max rolled his eyes.
"Skirt storm!" Mateo raised his voice a little, "If you chase too many, you will be unsure who to pick first! To avoid a skirt storm, you must be wary of it. You must control your schedule, nurture your relationships, and be direct as the man!
Never let your eyes be clouded by skirts…" Mateo uttered in a tone akin to whisper, sounding too convincing.
Max nodded as if he had received the greatest inheritance.
"You also be careful with our surname and my nickname. If you get my enemies on your tail, your whole journey will be dangerous," Mateo added something he should've said in the beginning.
He coughed before continuing, "You don't have to worry about your life for now. I've been in touch with the three families' movements. I've learned about their plan to raise Earth's level.
And while it might sound like a good idea, their selfish hearts surely aim for their own gain. I reckon their old heads have finally reached the limits of their lifespans. They've lived for too long as loyal Earth's dogs.
Their plan is to find as many compatible with mana humans as possible. For that, they used the trending games to form the first immersive game world. They will use various skills from the dungeon and other worlds to create the game world, invite players in, then find talents for their families.
Use them, Max! Those bastards tried to snatch you away from me when you were just a baby! Don't even feel conscious of using their game for your own gain! How you tread in that fake world and associate yourself with those families is all up to you.
I won't be in this world when you play around with their resources," Mateo laughed before extending his hand forward, "This is my last present to you. All my information and experience will be stored in your personal player's system.
It will mask your innate mana resource from the three families," Mateo grinned as he could imagine his grandson doing wonders in that fake world, then in the real deal.
Max stared in a daze at his old man.
In his eyes, various messages appeared.
[Max Ei Lv. 1 HP: 100/100 MP: 100/100]
"Your MP is actually much more than you see, Max," Mateo explained, "You will understand wholly in the fake world. For now, just know that you are a different breed than others."
Max nodded while reading other system messages.
[You have received a new skill from Mateo Ei.]
[Mana's Freedom(SSS) - You have unlimited control over your abundant mana resources. Mana around you bend to your will. You can shape your mana into any form you wish, only limited to your imagination.]
"Max…" Mateo's weak voice rang out in Max's ears. All system messages turned into a mist, revealing the old man's frail body.
He coughed blood while his skin turned saggier. He looked as if his whole life had run away from him. Such an appearance caused Max's heart to tremble with the pain he had never felt before.
He grasped his own chest, clutching his clothes, "Grandpa! That's too fast! I still haven't thanked you-"
"So… what… are you waiting for?" Mateo rebuked his grandson.
Max immediately replied, his voice loud like thunder, "Thank you for raising me… Thank you for not leaving me alone and always being by my side. You taught me so many things…" Max's tears crumbled down his cheeks, "You gave me freedom and a choice to be myself.
I choose to follow your steps, and I swear to keep that freedom."
Ding!
[Your [Mana's Freedom(SSS)] has reacted to your feelings.]
[You have created a new skill, Mind Control Immunity(SSS).]
[You have created a new skill, Mana Conversion(SSS).]
Mateo saw the birth of two new skills through his experienced eyes, his heart swelling with pride, "I can see it… I've been blessed to have you as grandson too, Max…"
And a few breaths later, Mateo closed his eyes for an eternity…
Max's cries filled the room, for he wailed for more than just an hour.
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