"DELAYED?! What do you mean the expansion has to be delayed?!"
So much for the start of Kazuki's birthday winter break. After we met up in our hangout space after we did our chores, Zac got the bright idea to reveal this bad news to us after we'd made plans to prepare for his birthday. And it's all in the form of a sudden notice posted on the <Isekai Online> official site.
[MAINTENANCE UPDATE]
[We regret to inform you that due to some circumstances that occurred on December 17, we will be extending the maintenance time from December 19, 8:00 AM to December 21, 10:00 AM (PST). Along with the planned updates for the first expansion, [Monarch of Light], we will be adjusting features and [Sub-Races] along with [Mental Field] features.
Sorry for the inconvenience and hope you will continue adventuring in the world of <Volo>!]
"No fair! I want to play the new expansion after my birthday!" Kazuki whines. "I was even preparing myself to check out new locations unlocked there!"
I sigh at Kazuki's single-mindedness. When it comes to that game, he never thinks of why it happened instead of what.
"May I remind you that's the same time we're visiting Revolve Gear Studios the day after your birthday?" I say. "Consider it a blessing that we don't have to worry about what happens when the expansion is released afterward."
"Speaking of which, what happened on that day anyway?" Yuri asks. "Kazuki and I were in those [Hidden Quests] and he said his brother was on the same boat being almost killed by his evil twin..."
I quickly glare at Kazuki at the mere mention of that event.
"What? I thought you said you want me to tell them everything."
Zac and Damon look at each other. They don't look worried, but they seem a little reluctant before they turn back to me.
"I don't know if we want to show the video. But long story short, all participating players from a small [Guild] were massacred in a [Hidden Dungeon] near the <Wayward Cave>."
"Is it a strong boss?" Kazuki asks.
"The footage was caught after the boss was defeated. The culprit in question was a player," Damon explains.
"So? What's wrong with having a Total Party Kill in the game?" Yuri asks. "It's rare to witness, but many players are wiped because of a lone one with huge stats."
"That's the thing. The culprit has a [Total Mastery Level] below 10s, but they also possess what seemed to be a [Sub-Race]."
My eyes widen when I hear those last two words.
"[Sub-Race]?" Kazuki repeats while tilting his head.
"As in that player has a second [Race] with them?" Yuri asks. "Are you saying it has a glitch or something?"
"Not exactly. We heard rumors that this [Sub-Race] had its information hidden because it was said to be "currently in beta-testing phase"," Zac says as he uses air-quote gestures. "The reason why is that it's using one of the most controversial features installed into the [Veilcon]. AKA a feature that manipulates your head to change your personality to fit with your character or race."
Mind manipulation?! Now that he mentioned it, I also heard about it from the recent news.
Along with the normal ADVR functions and a special VR area where you can surf the internet as normal, there is a special feature that manipulates parts of your mind and aids your concentration and focus in some fields. They call it the [Mental Field] feature. Most of them were used for psychology research and medical care. However, some outliers voiced their concerns about it. Namely the possibility of being abused for criminal activities.
But the original developer of the [Veilcon] said they anticipated this. To ensure the safety of the users, they put several safety locks and features so the dangers of the [Mental Field] would be minimized and will be maintained by human moderators and trusted mental health professionals. Of course, this means minors below 13 are not allowed to use apps and games that feature [Mental Field]. Lastly, any attempts to hack into this feature would be a grave violation of the law and would put the offender in a long stay in jail and a large sum of money depending on how many mods and hacks they put in.
I did hear that <Isekai Online> did have a bit of scandal when they announced [Mental Field] support while surfing through news articles related to it. Something about enhancing the roleplay aspect of the game along with hidden features for it. But thank god, Kazuki isn't interested in doing all of those once he gets out of the [Guardian Player] program. Then again, he's already a better role-player than I am, so using [Mental Field] on him is like giving a bird a helicopter propeller.
"So what about this player with this Mental Field-powered [Sub-Race]? What happened that would have caused the maintenance delay?" I ask.
"Well..." Zac scratches the back of his head with a frown. That doesn't seem like a Zac move. "This player was said to be bullied horrendously by his guild mates. Some kind of argument happened in the video and well..."
He silently turns to his phone and taps on the screen a bit desperately. I hear a ping and I check what he sent on the Discourse app. It's a link to the said ViewTube video along with a small message.
[SwordieGuy19:
This clip is not intended for a kid named Kazuki. Keyword: NOT!]
From those capital letters on that last word, looks like he's serious about that warning. I walk away from Kazuki to watch the clip, hoping those three will reign him in while I do.
As Zac says, the video starts with an argument right in front of the corpse of what seemed to be a large green humanoid monster (a goblin or an orc?) and some of them were pushing the young boy seemingly out of anger or entertainment. I'd already witnessed a lot of bullying back in the day along with Kazuki's, but I'm still disgusted by watching this scene copied and pasted in real life.
But that's not the reason why Zac advised me not to show it to Kazuki. Rather, the next scene turns from normal footage of usual bullying to a found footage horror movie. The young player suddenly pushed the leader away like it was nothing and his body started to shift as his screams of pain and anguish turned into growls and howls. Before I knew it, the guild members were the ones who were screaming as I watched the transformed player rampage through the dungeon while grabbing the loot that some of them tried to steal with his back turned. The whole scene was horrifying to watch. The transformed player resembled a werewolf and his aggressive and hostile rampage was enough to make me think he was one. I can't even see the rest of the carnage when he quickly attacks the cameraman which results in the end of the footage. Honestly, it's better than watching all of it uncensored.
Looks like he's serious when he says to never let Kazuki see this. This video is too much even for me to endure. But what's more horrifying is that this was the result of the disgusting actions of the bullies. And I think I have a few ideas that influenced those events.
"Well, what did you see, Hayate?" My brother asks as I go back to them while pocketing my phone. "Did they encounter a glitch in the game?"
Yuri, on the other hand, groans and places his hand on his forehead. "For a genius lore player, you're too dense sometimes."
"Probably for the best. It's too violent for either of us to watch and I have a feeling that video might get taken down whether it's game footage or not," I groan in frustration. "Honestly, I don't want to know what the hell those jerks were doing to that kid, let alone knowing what they were dealing with or not."
"Because of that incident, they decided to extend the maintenance to two days so they have to adjust some of the [Sub-Races'] [Mental Field] functions to ensure none of the players would endure that disastrous carnage," Damon says. "As for the player in question, they said he's been taken off from the game for a while to seek medical attention and a professional therapist. Of course, the guild members who were involved are suspended from the game indefinitely."
Kazuki then frowns after hearing all of that. Looks like he finally realizes the severity behind the extension.
"I hope that player recovers from that incident. Now I don't feel like logging in today," Kazuki said.
"Same. But then again, one of us had a bit of trauma thanks to a certain someone. I'll make sure Dad is ready to show us around the studio after your birthday."
"Yeah! Besides, after this, we're gonna take you around town playing some arcade games! No VR, just good old-fashioned fighting games and crane games!" Zac declares while pointing at himself. "You can take some crane game lessons from this masterful master right here!"
"Masterful? You almost lost all of your money trying to get that pink teddy bear for a girl who didn't want it in the first place," Damon reminded us while I snickered from the back. "I don't even know if you can keep your money for a PNG girl on a mobile game."
"Hey! Keep my gacha waifus out of this conversation!"
After that, it was all arcade from here. Honestly, playing with old-fashioned arcade games should be better than playing with a VRMMO for today. Besides, it should keep my mind off the game for a while. But not entirely, because I'm still troubled about my last meeting with Veritates before we met up with our friends again.
-----
"Whoa! So you're the ghost who fought my brother and won in your first match! So cool!"
I groaned upon being reminded of my loss again. Kazu was busy shaking Veritates's hand, which I was questioning despite the former general about to disappear, while Yur1 and I were staring at them while wondering what could we do without making things awkward for all of us.
[I'm flattered by your compliments, young Kazu. Wind told me bits and pieces about you. I'm surprised a young boy like you possesses an amazing talent for magic and [Sign Creation].]
Kazu chuckled as his face turned red. "You can say I have a natural talent when it comes to these things."
I playfully smacked Kazu's back very gently and said, "Don't get too cocky, Kaz. The ceremony was only child's play compared to what I've been through."
I say that after I learned that he managed to beat a big bad electric bird while I spent the whole time fighting for my virtual life. I must admit, I'm jealous he beat a boss monster alone before I could dare. I'm proud of him for taking a risk and succeeding.
[Your brother is right, kid. You will face bigger monsters and enemies in your journey along the way and if you want to survive this harsh world,] Veritates said. [Having friends is nice and all who will help you in your adventures, but do not forget about yourself. You have the potential to be something greater, but you can't rely too much on your friends and loved ones to get there. You need to create something that represents your creativity, bravery, and your strengths as a magician. As your brother showed me in our battle, I have a feeling you may be able to show that same conviction as him. Just don't get discouraged when things get in your way and keep moving forward. That's what you can do as an adventurer and a person.]
An adventurer and a person... General Veritates is right. If he wants to fight alongside me and our friends, then he has to keep fighting and move forward without any complaints. That also means I have to stop being an overprotective prick and let him do whatever he wants while balancing my duties in the game. Whether I'm a [Guardian Player] or not anymore after his birthday is not up to the game. I'm still his big brother and I'm going to act like it for real.
"I will, General Veritates!" Kazu saluted the ghost with a big grin. "I won't let our kin down! That's my promise as a representative of the [Insignis] race!"
[I'm glad to hear that.] Veritates looked down and to my surprise, his body began to disintegrate into orbs of light. [Well, it looks like my time is up. I already fulfilled my wishes and I'm ready to go back to the afterlife. I'm glad to meet you, young Kazu. I'm sorry our meeting is too short. But I'm sure that you will have a bright future ahead with your friends by your side.]
Kazu responded by shaking his head with a smile. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad to meet you, too, sir. I hope we can meet your reincarnation soon."
I nodded to Veritates and said, "I assure you that our convictions will stay true and ignited no matter what. You have my word as a [Half-Sign]."
[I'm glad my teachings haven't wavered.] Veritates smiled before he turned in the other direction. [Now all that's left is...]
[MASTER!!!]
Speak of the devil. I turned around and saw Acutus running to Veritates, causing them to almost crash into me and Kazu. I should be angry at their ignorance almost hurting us. But I could tell from their face that they had a few words to say to him. They were his former pupil and it would be rude for me to get petty on them at this time.
[Oh. Acutus. Is something the matter?] Veritates asked. [I already told you...]
What happened next was along the lines of the expected and the unexpected. I was expecting a tender last moment between a master and pupil. But I didn't expect Acutus to give Veritates a very big hug and tears leaking out from their eyes. I could tell from Kazu's eyes that he was speechless at this scene, but this was for the best. Yur1 silently acknowledged this and we exchanged nods before he left the chambers first. There's no way for us to ruin this moment.
[I don't care if you're reincarnated into another teacher, soldier, or a fellow hunter, I promise that until we meet again, I will become one of the best [Insignis Scouts] <Signatio> has ever seen! I will go so far as to create a [Sign] to show that this is a promise I will never break for the rest of my life!]
[Acutus...]
I could tell from Veritates's brief shock and smile that he was touched by Acutus's promise. He then reciprocated the hug and patted his former pupil's head.
[Don't overexert yourself over it. You still have much to learn, but you still have the potential to do even more beyond your talents. Don't forget that you have a rival now. Make sure to use it to train each other and better yourselves for many conflicts and dangers that lie ahead. You are my last prodigy who will carry my legacy. Make sure to not let everyone taint it with lies and corruption.]
Acutus was about to cry from that, yet it seemed like they were trying hard to repress their true feelings. Although it's useless to do so when your former master is leaving for the afterlife.
[I-I promised. I won't let you down! I'll make sure to make you proud so I can see you again. That's my true [Sign] to you, Master!]
With those words, half of Veritates's body began to disintegrate and he smiled as his last response to Acutus. [Before I forget, let me tell you and the brothers one last warning...]
"One last warning?] Acutus, Kazu, and I asked together as we were surprised at this sudden callout.
[You will be facing more than monsters in your travels. Not everything in <Lucidus> is as rosy as you all think. But I'm sure you three and your friends will weed out the ones who will threaten the peace of <Volo>.]
More than monsters... So in other words, we'll be facing similar to those bandits who attacked the soldiers and Dahlia, but worse. I wonder if Kazu is ready to face those kinds of mobs once the first expansion comes out. But I guess I can't ask any more questions. It's not like the game and Veritates won't let us out of concern of our current strength.
[Sir, what do you mean by that?] Acutus quickly asked.
"Yeah, are you saying there are bigger mon- Hey! Wind!"
I stopped Kazu from asking. It's already too late, yet I know what Veritates's intentions behind his warning. "I'll explain later. Don't worry, it's not like those guys are going to get the better of us. So rest easy, old man. We got this."
Veritates smirked. Looks like he gets the message as well. [Alright. I'll leave the fate of <Volo> in the hands of the next generation. Make us proud, inheritors of the [Sign].]
With that, Veritates faded out of the living world and we took a moment of silence to honor the passing of the great general. This world was fictional. He and Acutus were fictional. But their feelings were real to us. Enough for us to let Acutus cry as much as they want.
[NOTICE]
[You have made a genuine promise to <General Veritates> as a tribute for his passing.]
[You have gained the title, [Honored Pupil of the General of Convictions].]
[NOTICE]
[Your promise to <General Veritates> has moved <Acutus> to tears.]
[Your relationship with <Acutus> has increased greatly! The next time you meet them, they will recognize you as your rival and friend.]
[More information will come soon.]
I should worry about the windows later. With everything going on, I feel like we're too tired to play the game any longer for today. Once we get to Arthur and Razul, we're logging out of here.
At least that's what I thought once we enjoyed our time in real life for the rest of the night.
-----
"Facing more than monsters..." I mutter.
"What monsters?"
I quickly scream briefly and turn to see Zac behind me.
"O-Oh, it's nothing," I say. "More importantly, don't you have a fighting game to play in? Kazuki is already choosing his characters."
Zac's eyes widen. "Oh, if he's choosing Drago again, I'm not gonna survive in his mirror match!"
Zac quickly runs back to the arcade center as I watch him and Kazuki about to start the game. Yet despite this real-life heartwarming moment, that last meeting still bothers me.
Realistic NPCs aside, that warning has been giving me goosebumps just thinking about it. The first expansion is coming soon and I don't know what will happen next if we meet Dahlia again. Bandits were the least of our problems, but we're going to a kingdom after the update. What would happen if we encounter unsavory characters who aren't standard cliche bad guys? What if we're going to that route?
All I know is this. Whatever plot the developers cook up won't affect our plans.
We're not only continuing the game to become stronger. We're continuing to discover the undiscovered as Kazuki wants. I don't have a clear goal both in real life and in <Isekai Online>, but I know what to do next.
But for now, I need to stop thinking about the game for a while. Kazuki's birthday is coming up and if I know anything from our past birthdays is that he is always asking for more every year.
And boy, we're going to give him that this year.
-----
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