Chapter one-I do not wan to be a slime
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"So have you been a P.C.M ever before?"A guy standing next to me asked as even he got tired of looking around in this big white room.
"No...have you?"I asked looking at him. One thing I hate about this digital life is the way people dress. We are standing here for a interview and he is wearing boxers with a black tank top...I mean come on!
"You are talking to a Pro here!"He said with a smug face “I had worked in many first person shooter and even some wrestling ones!"He said looking proud.
"But isn't this game a fantasy based?"I asked to which he looked at me smiling.
"Yea but experience helps kid!"He looked around at the others standing nearby “This is just some new game this big company came out with to get along with the fantasy genre...give it a year or two when they will hire any real professionals "He immediately looked back at me “I mean professional in this genre...other than me or some other I think most people here are those who had at least played games like this once before".
"Right...so what exactly is this interview going to be like...and how many will they hire?"I asked to which his expression became really serious.
"They will hire everyone “as he said that I just stared at him to continue....was he expecting a big reaction.
"In these games the more PCM you have the better compared to NPC since hiring PCM is not really that costly and it has shown over the years that players like games with PCM much better in comparison “As he said that I gave it a though. It is true that the payment for the job is very less but the Grade B Program house is worth it!...with what's left of my savings I can afford a C grade at max which would be a simple house but just a house with nothing outside... C grade is the one inside a open connected world and B grade is something closest to a real actual house in the Digital world!
"You still need to give it your best though!"He said looking at me even more seriously" Unless you want to be a slime!'.
"Huh?"I looked at him confused again to which he put on his smug face from before again.
"They will hire us all but will give Jobs based on this trial...if you end up performing too low they will simply give you low level jobs such as a goblin or in worst case a slime!".
"Well being a slime will be quite disgusting but..",
"No no no you do not understand."He leaned forward and whispered “Try telling any of your date that you work as a Slime at an rpg game “as he said that I felt a sudden pressure at my heart.
"Buying those costly slime bodies in secret and having one as a job are two different things!"He said moving back. People have...really started to go crazy with these types of fetishes since becoming digitalize...A slime body costs in lakhs!
If I actually did told a girl that I work as slime in a game....Shit!
"By the way what is your name?"He said looking at me.
"Daniel...and you are?",
"James...you became digitalized recently right?"He said looking over me....I really am the only one wearing a suit in here huh?
"....Yes",
"The starting years are the worst....but once you will get used to it then you might like this life even better!"He said smiling while I simply smiled...I hope he is right.
"Is everyone in here....",
"No no there are some alive ones too like..."as James began to speak he stopped seeing a stage appear in mid of room with a woman and 2 guys in suits...finally someone remembers this is supposed to be a official interview!.
"Welcome all to the trial of DOOM!"the lady said raising her arms while everyone went silence....hmm I think I might leave.
"That is the name of the event you will be part of!"She said lowering her arms “You all will be given Role of random Skeleton type monsters and will emerge in middle of a beginner’s town!"She said as a screen appeared behind her “This is a beginner’s town called "Greenville" and one of the 8 towns in game."She then looked at the guy with glasses and suit beside her...when I say glasses I meant sun glasses....
"Here are general guidelines "He said stepping ahead and pointing at another screen "Number one, do not hide at places or try to be smart like that...you may set ambush but cannot avoid fighting since what would be the point otherwise?.Number two......"he kept going and going while I was really feeling a sudden urge in me to shout “What the hell?"They are just going to throw us in middle of town following these guide lines?
The guy kept going until finally stopped by the woman.
"We will judge you by your performance at this event....does anyone has any question?"as she said that one or two actually asked exactly what I was thinking....she just talked them down telling them they can go away if they like....PCM is not a job with many job security and this is a new game so they just need bodies to fill the job at this moment. There are at least around 200 of us here...of course it was not going to be a one on one interview!
" Alright then!"The lady said as a screen appeared in front of us.
Program "Monster" asked for permission.(Click here for details)
Do you accept-Yes or No
I accepted the program as I had gone over its details several times yesterday. Extreme care is given that no one manages to exploit a digitalized human by the government and companies as even a single such case can cause an entire company to shut down.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
As I did several such boxes came up asking whither to transform into a monster, “Go To" Map area 78(Greenville) and some more.
"Please select the "Go To" option and wait for the countdown."
As I did that I now appeared in a Black Room with a screen showing reverse countdown form 10...I hate going from one room to other like this...everything just disappearing and reappearing reminding its not real...I want a B grade home.
Once the countdown reached 10 it happened again and now I stood in middle of a street...have I dug out of ground since there is dirt all over me and a hole behind me!
"Waaaaaaah!" A boy with red hair shouted running towards me with a sword...wait what!
He slashed me with it and I got sent to that room again. The guy with glasses said we will keep getting respawned until all players in town are dead...this event is suppose to be the first major villain of the game shows up with us being his pawns.
I saw the Role window looking at what I had turned into previously.
Role Skeleton Fire Mage Monster strength **(2 star comman) Number of skills 3 Health 200 Manna 400 ( For More Details)
I can respawn right now or wait here for 1min...I opened the skill window
Skills Window Fire Ball(Active) 100MP-Caste a fireball(caste time 1 min) Hit(Active) 0MP-hit with hand Undead skeleton(passive) You are a undead so unlimited amount of stamina, good against sharp wepons and other such bonuses (do not need eyes to see!)
....I hope the skill window of players does a better job or this game is doomed!
I respawned and this time there are several people fighting by nearby!
"Another one!"A blonde girl in armour shouted running at me.
"Kakakakkaka!"I tried to speak but that was the sound which came...I started casting my spell as there was another skeleton nearby who threw his axe at her from the side and it made a hit!
She fell onto the ground as the skeleton who threw the ask came running and started bashing her with another axe...good thing it only shows flashes for hit or this game would had been really gory!.I kept laughing and then casted FireBall!.
Casted Fire Ball.Cost 100 manna.
Yang took 560 damage
Killed a player(Yang) and a Skeleton Axe Warrior(Peter)
....I hope the skill window of players does a better job or this game is doomed!
I respawned and this time there are several people fighting by nearby!
" Another one!"A blonde girl in armor shouted running at me.
"Kakakakkaka!"I tried to speak but that was the sound which came...I started casting my spell as there was another skeleton nearby who threw his axe at her from the side and it made a hit!
She fell onto the ground as the skeleton who threw the ask came running and started bashing her with another axe...good thing it only shows flashes for hit or this game would had been really gory!.I kept laughing and then casted Fireball!.
Casted Fire Ball. Cost 100 manna.
Yang took 560 damage
Killed a player(Yang) and a Skeleton Axe Warrior(Peter)
Ohh...well he will respawn!. I then turned and was actually horrified for a moment...there were flames everywhere with players fighting adventures while the NPC ran for their life’s....no these are not A.I but just simple bots so no need to worry about them. We PCM can see if a person is player, NPC or another PCM.
I looked at a Inn form which window several players where shooting arrows at the skeleton down here...arrows are not doing much except injuring their own guys!
I started casting another fireball and shot it at that house...it caught fire!
I then started running towards another street as I am a mage so standing on place and...good thing I can not feel this body or it might had felt really odd running with just bones!
I saw a player standing in corner with his sword thinking what to do.
"Kakakakkaak!"I made as much sound as possible as I started to cast a spell....why is he not running towards me? I shot it nearby him not hitting him and then began to cast another one.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"he shouted while running at me and hit me with his hammer....I was back in that black room again.The guy in glasses did say our job is to make sure a player enjoy the game,be challenging to those who desire such and well easy to some who...... really need to learn the game or quit!
After that I was back in here again!
All PCM players form other parts of town are going to start come too and other villages so get ready!
All PCM players from other parts of town are going to start come too and other villages so get ready!
Huh so we are only spawning in these parts?
I looked around and pointed at a Skeleton holding a giant hammer
"Kakakakka!"....no use talking but it seems he got my point as we ran towards where our map showed a number of players...we can see them on map but they cannot, If we stand at one place it will take time for them to find us.
"There they are coming!"A tall guy in armor shouted as a girl in mage robe started casting spell.
"KAKAKAAKKAAAKA!"The guy with the hammer ran straight ahead dragging his hammer! While others who came along with us ran with him. It is because of moments like this people love games like this!
I started casting fireball standing at some distance while the skeletons fought the group of players. There is one knight, a mage, rouge and a swordsmen fighting against 7 skeletons. While some of us died a number of skeletons spawned here. Yes skeleton dug out of ground and after that we get to take over...not that I am complaining!
The skeleton with the hammer is giving the knight a hard time as hammer works fine against armor and since this guy seems like a experienced player a hard fight is what he must had been looking for!
As the skeleton raised his hammer to land a blow the knight got ready and used "Deflect" with his shield while stepping to the side dodging the fireball the girl behind him fired takeing out the skeleton. I took this chance and fired a fireball at him (It seems I can hold the spell after completing the casting for some time...I hope player skill window is better).
Casted fireball.Cost 100 Manna
Earth took 360 damage
"KAKAKAKKAKAKA!"I almost shouted with laughter preparing another spell as the knight still unable to get on his feet looked at me in horror! but...I got slashed down with the swordsmen in their group while the rouge landed another blow on me takeing me out.
"This is turning out to be fun!"I said smiling looking at the map.It seems I can change where I spawn aswell to some fixed positions on the map...they really better had made system explanations better for players or this game is doomed.