Rogue Wars Online

T

The slap that I received from my mother was the most painful. My head remained on the side for a while as I listened to her talk, "How dare you, Theo! Pagkatapos ng ginawa namin sa'yo, ito ang isusukli mo?!"

I scoffed a chuckle, licking my lips and briefly closing my eyes at the trobbing pain on my cheeks. Nang ibalik ko ang atensiyon sa ina ay tiningnan ko siya ng diretso sa mata.

"Mama. Anong sinasabi mo? Kailan ka ba naging nanay sa'kin?"

My anger just... exploded too. And I hate it when it always do that. Kasi naipapalabas lahat ng hinanakit na kinimkim ko sa mga nagdaang taon ㅡ mula noong bata pa lang na pinapanood ang pag-asikaso ng magulang ko sa mga ga-graduate kong kuya hanggang sa pagiging dismayado nila sa kahit anong gawin ko.

Papa was too ambitious. Mama just cares about Papa's feelings and desires. My brothers continues to be puppets who can't defend anyone despite their careers. And I can't even have a break because they had me on strict monitor.

So ginawa ko kung anong madalas na naiisip ng mga kabataang kaedad ko.

I ran away from home.

I had enough money to rent an apartment, and I know two things about getting a job. Isang buwan ang lumipas na walang kibo mula sa pamilya ko. No worried calls or concerned texts, not even a single news about me. It's like I just left their life and it didn't matter because... I never did matter.

When I exploded from anger again, I was tied to the walls of the in-game city.

"Sapphire, we're only supposed to guide and observe the players. You shouldn't mess with them like this." galit kong saad sa kaniya.

I couldn't believe it. All this while... she was working for someone else? I knew I should have been suspicious when she was overly interested at Finn. Dahil walang kung sino ang madaling makakakuha sa atensiyon niya.

Sapphire was... eccentric. Her mind works in a different way than some of us. Sometimes I think she might be a sociopath because she likes to weigh and compare the reactions of people in accordance to the terror they felt. Kaya sa organisasyon na sinalihan ko na gumagawa ng laro, siya lagi ang gumagawa ng storyline para sa horror at psychological thriller games.

The organization... was quite a big help for me. I discovered it after I helped the President of Big Box Games on a miscalculation on their program. I have always been fascinated in technologies. Siguro kaya rin ako sadyang na-inlove sa mga laro-laro na 'yan. So whenever I was free back then, I taught myself the beauty of codes and programming.

Despite my lack of diploma, he employed me. Tinuruan niya ako kung paano mag-engineer ng isang laro. He also introduced me to the organization that helps the gamers, kung saan nakilala ko si Sapphire at... Craig, another eccentric man who seems obsessed at a certain green-eyed girl. The two of us weren't very close, although my friendly relationship with Sapphire improved during the game...

It also broke apart now.

"You are hurting her."

Inikot niya ang mata. "That's the point, Theodore. I need to hurt her."

"There are better ways for you to help Marcella win against her. Let them fight against each other and cheat your way to her win!"

Even if Finn would be badly hurt now, at least it would be physically at... hindi naman talaga siya mapapahamak sa totoong buhay.

"I can't just intervene in their fight, it needs to look and be natural-"

"Isn't your way of breaking her the same-"

"-At isa pa, if she's not mentally and emotionally distracted, her chances of victory is even bigger! We need to attack her at all aspects."

"Anong we? I am not part of your little plan."