Chương 121: A clue of the broken past (IV)
Zero, too was surprised that he was able to affect the surroundings, and it confused him how he could do it. Then, a sudden surge of exhaustion hit him hard as if the life energy was just suddenly sucked out of his body. "Why am I so tired?" He stumbled and leaned on the wall.
Final Real World Quest: Alpha Division has been completed.
All 3333/3333 Individual quests have been completed. With the completion of the quest, you have saved a life. Your reward will be sent shortly.
"I succeeded." Zero couldn't help but grin. "That quest wasn't as hard as I thought." He felt at ease waiting for something to happen or a way to go back wherever he needed.
World Announcement
At 22:22:22 Eastern Time, the Final Real World Quest: Alpha Division was completed. At midnight all players will be allowed to log on. New updates have been incorporated. The Seed has taken root and has begun to sprout. Enjoy the full immersion of the game and have fun.
"What the hell is this? I failed?" Zero heard the gruff man's voice that he momentarily forgot. The man in the skull mask named Angel pushed himself off the wall. He had already bandaged himself tightly. "How did this happen?"
Stepping backward and slowly slinking towards the door, Zero did not want to stay in the same room as the man in the skull mask. Even though he could not be seen now, he did not want to take a chance. He was able to pull down the wooden bookshelf, and he worried that his body would become solid.
"Does this Alive gear play me for a fool?" Angel retorted angrily; he pulled off the skull mask. Zero stopped and glanced back, curious at Angel's outburst.
At that moment, Zero saw the face of the assassin. He remembered seeing this similar face at the grocery store with Agnis. There he also met a lovely lady with a voluptuous body that was named Roseland. Was this coincidence, or was it fate that he would meet the same gentleman here in the game world, but the more he stuck around, the more it felt like a dream?
The only problem was that this was not a dream at all. To play the game of Growth, one must be awake. If one fell asleep, the player would be forcefully logged out to give the player's mind a rest. So the question came up: Was he still in the game in the first place?
As Angel was about to take off the Alive gear and throw it onto the ground, he halted. Zero could see that Angel was thinking about something.
"So I was right," Angel spoke out, peeved. "It seems there was more than just one person present in this room a while ago."
Angel walked a couple of steps forward towards Zero. Each step Angel took getting closer to him, Zero took twice as many steps back. Like a homing missile that found its target, Angel followed Zero. He wasn't sure if Angel was following him out of pure coincidence or if it was something more.
"I know you are there." Angel broke the silence. Zero couldn't help but sprint off in a mad dash. He did not want to stay any longer than he needed to, especially now that his quest was complete. He had no purpose in staying.
Running through the hallway, skidding through corners, trying to get as far away as possible, he stumbled across Red. Red was lighting small bombs the size of a thumb. He grinned evilly as he watched, mesmerized by the dancing fire that lit the bomb. Zero was just about to pass him when Red threw dozen of small bombs around him.
"Kahahahahah! I love playing with fire! I want to see the building crumble. I want to see it fall!" Red manically laughed.
Small firecracker-like explosives went off around him like the fourth of July. Instinctively Zero ducked and covered, forgetting that they would not harm him. "This psycho maniac." Zero cursed under his breath while he had his arms over his head. The burst of the bomb did not affect him.
Zero got up and continued to run; he climbed up the stairs and went towards the second floor. Seeing an opened door, he rushed through and got up towards the ceiling. He breathed heavily from the burst of speed and stopped to catch a breather.
"At this rate, I might be stuck here forever." Zero worriedly replied. He glanced up and noticed where he was. Stunned, he became silent. "No way. I'm in my world?"
Laid out before him were modern buildings surrounding his abandoned building. Tall skyscraper-like buildings dwarfed them in comparison, making him feel small. He now understood why there was nobody except the four assassins in the building; the whole building was fenced off with danger and a private property sign on the fence.
Off in the distance, he saw buildings that he remembered. Then, finally, he was in Atlanta, Georgia.
"How?" Zero was confused. He looked down on himself and noticed that he was still in his game avatar form of a thirteen-year-old kid. The sky was red, with partial sun peeking through the sky. The sound of heavy traffic roared to life not too far away. Nothing made sense; he still did not understand how he got here in the first place.
"Hey, dragon, are you listening to me!" Zero called out towards the Silver dragon that dropped him off in the middle of Atlanta. He wanted to make sure that he was still in the game world.
"Dragon!"
Zero waited a couple of minutes more for the Silver dragon's voice, but to no avail was he able to get a response. Then, finally, the door behind him opened and out stepped Angel. Quickly turning around, he faced the assassin that was walking toward him. Gulping, Zero stood his ground. If it was a fight for survival, he would take any chance he could take, even though he was scared.
"It seems I was right." Angel's deep voice spoke. "There seems to be an unwanted young guest in my presence."
Zero stood still, waiting for a chance to either bolt or strike. But, just like he expected, he did not see a single opening. Although he was unsure what kept him from bolting forward, something else was nagging him at the back of his mind telling him not to move.
"My eyes are still not adjusted to these otherworldly things. You're kind of small, aren't you? From my guess of your black silhouette, it seems you just barely hit around ten. I'm guessing you are a kid?"
"Who are you?" Zero spoke, startling Angel. He recomposed himself just as quickly and brushed it off.
"Ah, I see. Well, what an interesting predicament. The dead helping out the living." There was no fear in Angel's voice, but instead curiosity.
"The dead? I'm not dead."
"Speak louder; I can't hear you well, boy. Even though now that I can see through the other dimension doesn't mean I can easily hear you." Angel clicked his tongue in annoyance. As Zero continued to watch, he noticed that Angel's eyes had a small tinge of red glow outlining his eyes. It got brighter as Angel walked closer to Zero.
"Who are you, boy?"
"That is none of your concern."
Angel smirked, "It seems I have a cheeky kid. Even in the afterlife, your spirits seem as cocky as ever."
Zero was getting more confused about what Angel was saying. He was not dead, but he was now being called a spirit.
"Child, are you that young spy's brother or possibly family?"
"No."
"I see. Interesting. Then why did you help him out?"
Zero thought for a moment. He did not want to spill out he was doing it because of the game or finding for his brother; such possible information could possibly give Angel a lead to him. "Because I believe what you were doing was wrong. To kill another human being. Have you no shame?"
Angel burst out laughing; his head was pulled back with his hands on his hair. Tears streamed down his face from laughing so hard. "Shame? No. My talents are god's gift to me. What I do with it is my choice. Why not put my talent to good use on a spy?"
Zero did not reply, and Angel kept on talking. He was rubbing his silver cross even more than before.
"Hmmm. I assumed you would understand; you give off the same scent as me."
"I'm no murderer nor a psychopath."
"PFT. Hahahaha." Angel wiped off his tears. "Denial is the first step to acceptance. You are only a step away. Why don't you work for me? I see so much potential in your growth. All it takes is a small push, and you would become one of the finest in the world."
"I'll pass."
"Oh? Once again, I am denied. I like you even more. Maybe one day, you will change your mind and become my apprentice in the spirit world. I need eyes and ears in the world that is difficult to transcend."
"Eternal servitude to you sounds like hell." Zero boldly stated. He was surprised that he was becoming more courageous in speaking out to Angel.
Once again, Angel laughed, "If you only knew where you are. Those so-called religious fanatics call it hell, but it's just another plane of existence. So how do you like your time in hell."
"I don't know what you mean. I've only been here a moment." Zero was goading for more answers trying to clarify what was happening before him.
"Ah. I see. You're just recently deceased. No matter, that is even better. Come child, it doesn't take long to convert." Angel sweetly replied as if conning a child with candy. The power that Zero had never felt before erupted from Angel's body. A pitch-black aura that swayed and raged like fire blazed around him. Oppressive energy that was hidden was shown as bright as daylight.
An ominous air of death and evil permeated Angel's body. Zero felt like he would be consumed in one fell swoop if he got closer to Angel.
"What is your name, boy?" Angel's voice rang out around him like a hypnotizing echo. Zero head spun from the power of his voice. "What is your name?"
A red static-like message appeared before Zero.
A battle for your soul has begun.
Caution! Caution! Caution!
"Just listen to my voice. I only want to know your name. I won't hurt you." Angel continued to coax Zero.
Zero's mind quickly became foggy, making the world around him spin. Yet, the strange power of Angel's voice continued to chant in his ears, whispering to him to give in.
"You will gain power and fame. The world will know who you are, and will not have to owe anyone. People and demons will bow down and fear you."
Unconsciously Zero's foot moves forward towards Angel.
"To gain all this, all I need is your name."
"K-K," Zero stuttered, trying to hold back his real name. His mind pushed him one way to tell Angel his true name while the other screamed to not tell Angel anything.
"What is it that you want to tell me? Don't you want to find your loved ones? Then, I can relay your final message that you will not be able to say."
Suddenly, a blazing white light shot from the sky in front of Angel. Like a sudden flashbang, the blinding light made both of them daze, and their ear rang at a high pitch. Zero stumbled around blinded. He felt a sudden pull from his back as he was dragged away.
"Kiyro. Don't let him trick you," said a male's voice. That voice struck Zero. He heard it many times and knew who it was.
"Kyle? Kyle? Is that you?"
"Keep living, Kiyro. Don't let him take your soul." The voice slowly faded away. Zero scrambled, trying to pull himself free from being dragged away.
"Kyle!" Zero reaches out towards the blinding light. The world spun out of control. All he could see was white.
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực