Bulk PoV

At the moment its about 1 hour before the game launches again. What am I doing. At the moment I'm the hardwood floor of my teachers dojo.

This bastard doesn’t know the meaning of mercy. He keeps saying that because this is Virtual Reality Human rights can be further ignored then normal because he isn’t physically injuring me and to make it worse trainees sign a contract. Like an idiot I signed without reading and now I can’t argue because the contract states that he can train me in what ever manner he sees fit and it seems using me as a punching bag falls under that.

Teacher: ‘Is this the best you have brat.’

Bulk: ‘Urg ya. Like hell...I'll ever beat...a master.’

Teacher: ‘Huh. I know you just want to run off to that game everyone talks about. Well before you even think of that you are cleaning the main training room.’

I pushed up and glared at the elderly man in a white martial arts gi.

(http://www.tao-distribution.com/contents/media/karate-gi_blanc.jpg)

Bulk: ‘Like hell I will you old fart.’

Teacher: ‘If you don’t want to then beat me.’

Bulk: ‘Do you really think I can even land a hit on you.’

Teacher: ‘...True. You have skill and talent but you’re far from being able to. Fine, if you land a hit on me in the next five minutes you are free to go.’

I grinned and pushed myself up. I had learned from him the whole week, which is over a month in virtual reality. He has beaten me senseless everyday I have trained with him. During that time he has beaten the proper forms into my body to an ok level. Even with talent there is a limit to how much a person can actually learn in such a short amount of time.

His style of fighting is calm, he reads his opponent and strikes where it matters. Me, you might already know but I'm not the calmest guy in the world. Especially when there is an annoying old fart like him grinning childishly at me. My style is to try and overwhelm my opponent forcing him to make an opening which I mercilessly attack.

Our fighting styles are the furthest possible the same as our personalities which is why I hate this guy. Still the only reason we are here together and I learn from him is because both of us are to prideful of either giving in or quitting.

I take a post of attack and without caring I move in.

5 minutes later

Guess its not to be. That old man only blocked my assault for a full five minutes and as soon as it hit five minutes the bastards did some insane stuff that would hurt insanely in real life. He hit my elbows making me flinch from the pain before hitting my left leg HARD making me lose my balance before he simply kicked my right leg from below me and then made me kiss the floor with an unneeded sword slash to the face pushing my face to the floor.

Teacher: ‘When you can finally get up start cleaning the room.’

With that he simply left the room leaving my mashed body to slowly be restored by the VR system. In 2 minutes the pain was killed and what was in a strange position was put in place. The fatigue was still there but it was mental stuff. Its like saying the more mentally tired I am the more fatigue I have here.

A bucket and a towel was in front of me as I sit up.

Without saying anything I start.

I do the same thing in the animes. I soak the towel and then put it on the floor before I bend over and push running and cleaning. Great way to get some extra exercise as well.

I spent 2 hours cleaning. One whole hour that I could have already been back inside Etheria playing and watching Techno or Nova doing something crazy was spent cleaning a virtual dojo because the bastard owner of the place doesn’t want to use the auto clean service and he won’t let me use it either.

With everything finally done I escape from the place and head home where I lay down before activating the game.

I appear in space again like the first time I logged in. In front of me is that goddess woman that helps with the character creation.

Bulk: ‘Don’t need to ask. I’ll go with the same character.’

Ariel: ‘Well someone is in a hurry. Hehe.’

Bulk: ‘What’s so funny?’

Ariel: ‘Nothing. Pff.’

She waved me off and my body turned into a blue meteor.

As I fall down towards the world I can see far off over the mountains. It was awesome looking at a view like this. When I looked down I saw the scrapyard in its full size. Falling from super far up I still had to look far to see the end.

Looking down I noticed I wasn’t falling straight instead I was kind of arching. I wondered why but it didn’t take long for me to find out.

I fell right into a flying ship where my body was placed. Slowly my systems booted up and finally my vision was restored. I was sitting up against the captain's cabin on the top deck of the city.

What caught me off guard though was what was going on up here.

Right in front of me Techno was, without any mercy whatsoever, beating the three golems to an inch of their lives.

The rock golem was on the ground under Techno’s boot with him grinding down onto his head while the two fire golems were being constantly smashed together.

Nova: ‘This is for trying to run away from me and bro.’

I was baffled seeing them mercilessly beat on the three. I try turning my neck but the rust around my whole body causes a lot of noise drawing their attention.

Nova: ‘Ah Bulk you're finally up. Rust fix him so he can help bro with these three.’

Bulk: ‘What’s actually going on?’

Rust: ‘The three sl...familiars tried to make a run for it as soon as they came back. Suffice to say, this is the result.’

Brock: ‘GAHHH HELP US PLEASE~~~!’

Ena: ‘STOP PLEASE~~! WE WON'T TRY THAT AGAIN~~!

Blaze: ‘PLEASE KILL US ALREADY I WANT TO LEAVE~~!’

I looked up at their life bars and saw the Techno was being very meticulous with his beating. The grinding on the rock golem was doing constant damage but it was just below his own regeneration speed. The same can be said about the fire ones.

I really can’t help but pity those three. I think they might have had their choice for a new character blocked because of Nova.

A few robots appear with parts and start working on repairing my body. I also take the chance to check my stats. My level dropped to 27 from the debuff and my stats also fell way down. My body was now rusty steel so I was really pissed off at the moment. Having suffered through that bastard teachers stupid punishment I wanted to relieve my stress. I looked at the three elementals and for a moment even considered helping out but then thought a bit and pushed it out.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Simply being with Techno and Nova something interesting will soon happen. My guess is that Techno might do something to Gaia or someone like that.

Bulk: ‘Hey Rust, what happened to Gaia and you during the time we were away?’

Rust: ‘Gaia became the leader of the clockworks and set up a nation together with the Dwarf, Gnomes, Goblins, Elves, Humans, Demon, Genie and Ogre. I’m kind of like an efficient servant to her.’

I looked over at techno and notice him chuckling while his steam pipes were puffing out steam in a rhythm he was totally planning something against Gaia no doubt about it now.

After a bit the robots finished replacing the broken parts. They also helped me start my systems. I was finally able to move around.

I checked my movements but most of it was really twitchy and slow. The rust sure took its toll on our bodies.

As I check out my limits I notice Techno dropping the fire elementals and removing his foot from the head of the earth golem.

He sent a message to everyone.

Techno: ”Rust pass this. Try that again and see how nice it will be next time. Give up trying to escape, unless Nova gets bored your will stay aboard.”

I could somewhat hear the muffled sounds of sighs and whimpers from them. Again I can’t help but pity them. They probably had the worst gaming experience someone can get. The bottom of Techno’s metal boot and being Nova’s pets.

I look away cause its too pitiful to keep looking.

Looking around I notice how new the ship was. It was much better than ours. First off it wasn’t old, the metal all over it was unrusted. Looking over the side I saw that the propellers were like of an airplane instead of underneath.

Bulk: ‘Hey what happened to our ship?’

Techno: ”Scraped it, the thing was old. I’m sure I can squeeze a medium sized one out of Gaia. :D.’

Bulk: So that’s what he is planning.

Techno: ”Speaking of her and a few other things, why is it that the robots behind you have much more advanced tech all based on the stuff I made, Rust.’

Rust: ‘...What could you mean...heh’

Bulk: [b]He’s a dead man.’[b]

Just as I predicted Techno was even more ruthless towards Rust. He made the clockwork cough up what he knew. Seems they scanned all our weapons and gear while we were away so they would have weapons to fight off monsters that were appearing.

When I looked at Techno all I saw was evil intent. I think the more questions he asked Rust the more ammo he will have for attacking Gaia. I kind of fear her reaction to his demands...though I wouldn’t miss seeing for the world.

The rest of the trip to South Gate City was “calm” to say the least. Techno just sat on the top deck with that air of evilness around him. Gaia really fucked up when she flipped him. Payback is coming and 100 fold.

Jeopardy PoV

My time in the Virtual space was more like spending time in jail then being inside Etheria. I couldn’t walk around without remembering what happened. It caused me to stay inside. I simply read lots of books and left very little.

When I did leave I would always go to a bookstore and buy several books on machinery stuff which work partially with constructs who are like androids.

They aren’t completely perfect but they have machine stuff which I don’t really know how to properly work.

Finally the time to return came and I logged in. I wonder how the merfolk and Sirens are.

I appear in the character creation space floating above the world in space.

Ariel: ‘Hmm well the girl who brought us gods the best for of entertainment we have had in years. Your back for more fun in this broken world.’

Jeopardy: ‘What entertainment are you talking about?’

Ariel: ‘Well obviously we are talking about Nathaniel or Techno in here. The boy is a marvelous source of fun. Well I'm sure you want to get started. Want to continue with your old character or make a new one?’

Jeopardy: ‘What races are actually available for me?’

Ariel: ‘Let’s see, it’s easier to say the ones that aren’t. Human, Dwarf, Gnome, Goblin, Ogre, Genie, Clockwork, Demons and Elves. All of these joined together and made their own nation and since you are prohibited from starting your adventure near him you will have to deal with all the other races.’

I felt extremely down. To be denied so many strong races right off the bat without chance just because they are close to him.

Jeopardy: ‘I’ll continue with what I have.’

The goddess nodded and waved her hand. My body began descending and soon it landed in my old body inside a large merfolk village.

As I start moving I notice the people looking at me with smiles. An elderly man appears even though he is old I know it. It was someone I knew and the merfolk village chief.

Chief: ‘Good to have you back my girl.’

Jeopardy: ‘Good to be back.’

Techno PoV

The ship is currently docking onto the docks built into the scrapyard wall. To hover the large propellers turn and point down stabilizing the ship in the air. Its some nice stuff like this that I will rip out of Gaia’s annoying little hands with a smile.

We leave the ship once the path was connected and headed inside. Rust escorted us while our stuff was unloaded and sent to a separate warehouse reserved for us. Man its good to have “friends” in high places.

I’m sure Gaia is itching to get out of here and go places.

We leave the wall and walk through the town. I notice a lot of NPC who are the ones with steel bodies while players were all the weaklings with rusty metal bodies that looked to be about to break down.

We head to the largest building where the central government is kept. This building is where the leaders come to decide stuff. The government here was based on race decision. Kind of like a parlement. Each race sends a representative who speaks for the race. Sometimes the king or queen will come themselves. In Gaia’s case she is always here so she must appear or send Rust in her place.

We head in. The place also works as her home and workplace.

Three floors well made of treated steel so it doesn’t rust so fast.

We go up to the second floor where she was waiting. She was grinning and so was I.

Gaia: ‘Finally, you’re back. It was getting boring.’

Techno: ”And it’s not going to get any better”