"What's up, brother, still on foot?" Cole called out from behind.
Eden turned to face him. "Still on foot, brother," he answered, shaking hands with his good friend. "I've discovered I'm more of a horse guy. I prefer peace and serenity, not engine sounds and stress."
"Really?" Cole laughed. "Is this your new way of saying you can't afford a car?"
"I'm serious. Have I ever lied?" Eden asked as they walked through the gate of Jacqueline Academy.
"No, but you do manipulate the truth to your advantage," Cole replied, following closely. "I like how you're dressed today."
"Are you gonna fall in love with me?"
"I was about to say you could definitely attract some mosquitoes," Cole responded, annoyed. "What’s the first course again?"
"Tsk, you come to such a prestigious academy without even knowing your schedule?" Eden teased. "But don’t worry, brother, we're in this together."
"You don't know either, do you?"
"I'll be damned if I do."
They both laughed wholeheartedly. Cole and Eden were similar in that both were smart and splendid specimens, but neither bothered to remember trivial details.
"Do we ask someone or just go with the flow?" Cole asked.
"Go with the flow. We’ll find the right class eventually," Eden joked. He missed being a student but not the boring courses he had to attend to.
In an era where VR games were more profitable then gold mines and corporations battled on them without abiding to any laws, the best professional players were respected as kings in the high social circles. There wasn't a day for a top player to not be interviewed, for their faces to not appear on every big screen around the cities, and for a ton of money to not enter their pockets.
They were the hot bread, they were the trending and every little kid dreamed to be one. A professional player working for the best workshops and for a enough money to retire even their grandsons. But few made it to the top. The competition was outrageous, the battles in and outside of the games ended in bloodshed more often then the authorities wanted to accept or the masses were led to believe.
To reach the top, one needed more then skill, they needed support, backing, opportunity, years of training and most important of all, luck. Many were forced to end their carriers because they choose to play the wrong game, choose to invest their time in the wrong things.
The transfers of top players between the best workshops on the global level ranged from 200,000,000 Credits to 850,000,000 Credits and the transactions needed governmental approval. Why? Not because of the money, but because of the player. If too many top players left the country, then the financial system will be in danger. The economy will be a total disaster.
The people at the bottom, the common people better say, couldn't understand such things, and many refused to accept it, still hoping for their children to choose a stable carrier instead of being taken by the wave and end up in the storm of Virtual Reality Games.
But this was the reality, and while the common people and those who failed looked with jealousy and frustration, bad-mouthing those who succeed, the people in high society respected the winners and supported them, as everyone had benefits.
Of course that together with the rise of the players, some working fields disappeared while others expanded. Some institutions and scientific domains were reduced to mere memories while others thrived and new ones were created. The medical field for example experienced many changes, but continued to adapt to the necessities of the people.
In today's world, physical recovery and training centers reserved just for players were earning a fortune. The better and more popular the workshops and players these centers worked with, the more money entered into the therapists pockets. Jacqueline Academy was one of the most renowned institutions preparing physical therapists to work solely with VR players.
One could say that the students they prepared had it better then most after graduation, and had an abundant future ahead of them. However with the arrival of the new game, Ahartohaim, things will change. Same will the world. And Eden knew that.
In class, as teacher Pirunia lectured, Cole elbowed Eden for his attention. They sat in a row at the back, hidden behind the voluminous hair of a classmate.
"Have you heard the news about Ahartohaim?" Cole whispered.
"About the selection process for the beta testers?"
"Yes. Are you in?" Cole asked. "We made quite a bit of money playing VR games back in the day. I don’t know why you quit, but i believe Ahartohaim will be different. It hasn’t even been released and already has a much larger impact than the previous games. I tell you, the NASA support must be one reason. And listen here, i heard the technology used for it is insane. So, tell me, will you give it a try? Will the legend of 'Saurus' return?"
"Saurus" was Eden's name in the VR world when he and Cole were a team. Unfortunately, Eden had to quit gaming because his mother believed he had no future in it. Back then, he still lived with his mother and grandparents, with no father in the picture. But now, things were different.
Eden smiled smugly.
"I will definitely participate. Like you said, Ahartohaim is already huge, and I believe it not only has the potential to dominate the market but to change the world as we know it," Eden said with a burning gaze that even got his friend excited.
Eden now lived alone in an apartment he paid for himself and was a student at Jacqueline Academy, one of the most respected institutions in the gaming world. His mother had no reason to be upset anymore. After all, her son had a bright future ahead.
Much brighter than she ever expected, Eden thought, relaxing his posture.
Being a full-time gamer was profitable for many, but the market was divided between multiple games and niches. Because of the continuous influx of new games, investors risked losing their money. The same went for players, who risked losing all their effort if they chose the wrong niche. It was known that decent money from VR games couldn’t be earned in the early stages; work came first, then rewards.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.
The expansion of the VR games led to players having many health problems due to a lack of physical activity. Physical therapists were in demand, and the most established game workshops and professional teams had their own physical therapists and medical teams to monitor their players' health daily.
Now, they earn a lot of money, but when Ahartohaim is released, many will lose their jobs. So it’s better for me to start early and not repeat past mistakes, Eden thought before continuing his conversation with Cole.
"What does your father say about this new game?" he asked his friend, who was joyfully typing a message on his phone.
Cole didn’t respond right away, but Eden didn’t mind. He already knew the answer to his question. He asked just to appear more dedicated in his friend's eyes and to confirm that things were developing similarly to his past.
"It’s done. I got us registered," Cole said, putting his phone away. He was efficient as always.
"Already?" Eden asked, his tone a little louder then he wanted.
"What did you ask? My father's opinion about Ahartohaim?"
Eden nodded.
"He’s a businessman; he thinks fast." Cole leaned closer to Eden's ear and spoke in a low voice. "Someone from NASA tipped him off about the future prospects of the gaming world. He started selling all our helmets and devices. The gaming centers are under renovation, and he gave me a connection to register as a VIP for the beta tester selection program. What do you think that means?"
Eden pretended to think for a few seconds before replying. "That Ahartohaim doesn’t use regular equipment and that your father has high hopes for it."
"Exactly. I registered both of us as VIPs. If everything goes smoothly, we will have priority and get tested tomorrow," Cole explained.
"Aren’t you a good brother?" Eden asked, full of smiles.
"You two at the back, what are you talking about?" Teacher Pirunia’s voice echoed through the classroom.
Eden looked at the girl with the voluminous hair who was supposed to cover them and stood up.
You will pay for this, he thought. Assuming a charming and respectful attitude, he spoke.
"Teacher Pirunia, please excuse us. I couldn’t properly understand how a gamer could injure his auriculotemporal nerve and the severity of such an injury. My colleague was just explaining that a gamer could be forced to end his career because of it." Eden smiled. "Please forgive us for disrespecting your lecture." He made a short bow.
Pirunia looked at her student with wide eyes. She didn’t expect such behavior. "Very well, this time you are forgiven. Sit down and pay attention."
"Yes, thank you for your understanding," Eden said, returning to his seat.
"You've got a way with your words today," Cole said, preparing to take notes.
"A wise man knows when to bow and when to stand tall," Eden said. "And to always pay back betrayal."
. . .
The next day, at one of the selection centers, Eden and Cole were led upstairs by a military officer as soon as they arrived.
"Welcome, gentlemen!" said a man with glasses and a blue robe. "My name is Michael, and I will supervise your examination. We need to assess your health condition first, so please follow me."
The youths stepped into a room filled with medical devices. The staff examined their overall health, eyesight, strength, speed, and endurance. After more than an hour, Cole and Eden received their green pass to advance to the next stage.
"Boys, you will enter the virtual training chamber once your data is uploaded. Do you have any questions?" Michael asked in a friendly manner.
"Yes, I have one. What exactly are you testing?" Cole asked.
"We will be evaluating your adaptability, fighting strength, and reflexes—everything required for your survival in the game."
"Fighting strength?" Cole repeated.
"Yes, Ahartohaim is different from other games. You don't just enter with your mind using a helmet; you enter with your whole physical body through a portal. Ahartohaim isn't a virtual world—it exists in its own reality and is connected to the world we currently live in."
At Michael's words, Cole's face turned white. "Wha—what do you mean?" he stammered.
"Exactly what I said. It’s like entering a regular game, only the requirements for logging in are different. Don’t worry, the army has tested it before you, and it’s all safe. We just want to make it available to the public, which is why we're accepting beta testers with experience in other VR games."
"Are you afraid?" Eden asked, provoking his friend.
"Afraid? You don’t know what you’re talking about," Cole rebuked.
"The training chamber is ready," Michael announced, opening the door to a metallic room and connecting the equipment before gesturing for the youths to enter.
"Everything okay?" Eden asked after activating his pair of goggles and entering the capsule.
"Rock solid," Cole replied, doing the same.
"You have half an hour to prove your skills, so don’t waste much time managing the attributes," Michael said before closing the metallic door.
Immediately after the door closed, the goggles activated, transforming the chamber into a black world. Before their eyes appeared the specifications of their attributes as well as the weapon of choice.
----------------------------------------
[ Choose your weapon ]
* Staff
* Sword
* Axe
* Bow
* Spear
* Shield and Sword
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
[ Attributes ]
* Attribute Points: 50
* Strength -
* Intelligence -
* Agility -
* Vitality -
* Charisma -
* Willpower -
----------------------------------------
So, it’s just similar with Ahartohaim, Eden thought. He wasn’t familiar with the beta tester selection process. In the past, he decided to enter the game only after a few months since its official launch.
Eden pressed his finger on the sword icon, knowing he used that weapon best. With fifty points to allocate, he made his character just like in the game, having spent much time and effort figuring out the most efficient build. In Ahartohaim, every choice had a visible impact, so everything mattered.
----------------------------------------
[ Attributes ]
* Strength - 13
* Intelligence - 8
* Agility - 12
* Vitality - 7
* Charisma - 6
* Willpower - 4
----------------------------------------
It’s impossible for this training room to have the same parameters as those in Ahartohaim, but this should cover some situations, Eden thought.
'Why so little on intelligence?' Zizi asked. 'It’s extremely useful for every class.'
"Intelligence isn’t very useful when you start since you don’t have any decent skills. And in just half an hour, we can't do much." Eden’s voice echoed in the dark room.
"What if we don’t start from the beginning and receive skills for the combat evaluation?" Cole responded, thinking Eden was talking to him.
"Sorry!" Zizi apologized, realizing her question was inappropriate since Eden couldn’t communicate with her via thoughts yet.
"No problem," Eden responded for both of them. He was confident the combat wouldn’t be based on skills, as in the beginning of Ahartohaim, no player had any.
Finishing the allocation of his points, he pressed the [ Start ] icon, but nothing happened.
"I have to wait for everyone in the room to be ready before I can do anything," Eden said. "...if you need a coffee to help you think faster, let me know. I think I have time to grab you one."
"Shut up, I’m done," Cole responded.
At that moment, the dark room transformed into a green field. The land generated right before their eyes, and a village appeared nearby. The swords materialized in their hands, and Michael’s voice echoed from the sky.
"Your evaluation begins now. You have 28 minutes to prove your abilities, so don’t waste any time. Good luck!"
"Just like this? No instructions on what we need to do?" Cole asked, waving his sword around.
"Just show off; you’re the best at that," Eden said, running toward the village.
Cole wanted to say something inappropriate, but he was in the middle of the examination, so he swallowed his words. Eden dashed through the village, avoiding the common NPCs. His target was the leader of the settlement or anyone with a marker above their head.
Cole didn’t stand on ceremony either and went looking for monsters or someone who could give him a quest. As Michael watched their actions from outside, Eden found an old, skinny man sitting on the stairs of a nice house.
"Hello, sir. Are you alright? Can I help you with something?" he asked, seeing the irregular NPC.
The old man raised his head. "My stomach hurts, son. Can you inspect my condition?"
"Of course," Eden nodded. But as he approached the man, he immediately jumped back. A silver blade slashed the spot where he had just been.
"Good reflexes," Michael remarked.
"Sir, I’m here to help you," Eden said, drawing his sword.
"Then give me your blood; I’m famished," the old man replied, dashing at him.
Eden didn’t retreat. He aimed his sword directly at the NPC’s head. Yet the old man evaded, using his high speed to approach and stab with his dagger.