"Patrick, wake up. If you're late, you won't be able to play again," shouts the homeowner, who is also Patrick's mom.
Even though he hasn't fully bounced back yet, and his eyes still want to shut, he reluctantly gets up. His mom's threat is no joke, not playing games means losing everything for Patrick.
He stumbles sleepily towards the bathroom, bumping into something blocking his way because his eyes are still closed to the real world in front of him.
The water at the sink isn't enough to clear his mind, but it does help him open his eyes a bit to see his room's messy yet not chaotic condition.
He sits in his chair facing the hologram-based monitor screen. It's the first day of exams for Patrick and his friends, a programming exam. But that doesn't mean he's majoring in programming.
In the 22nd century, technology rules the world, and many conventional human jobs have been replaced by new types of work. Therefore, the education industry tries to adapt by including programming as a basic subject for all high school students. However, since it's just a basic subject, so the subject matter is still basic.
Fortunately for Patrick, the programming exam is one of those allowed to be taken from home. Of course, with super tight security to handle cheating from students, the school uses a special platform to help them to detect it.
Even so, the platform seems useless for Patrick, who is naturally smart. Programming is one of his favorite subjects, and his intelligence surpasses the teachings of school, showcasing a level of brilliance beyond the curriculum.
Other than his intelligence, the platform also has security loopholes that Patrick discovered when he tried to learn its security during a study tour to the company developing the platform.
He thinks it's a foolish move by the company.
Patrick doesn't cheat to answer the exam questions, he manages to solve them all very easily. But it doesn't mean he doesn't cheat during the exam.
He has hacked the security of the exam platform to provide it to his friends, especially his friends in the game, who are actually from the same school as him. He does this intentionally so that his friends can focus on playing games rather than the exam.
However, not all his friends agree and use the cheating methods Patrick provided for them. Some choose to answer the exam honestly, while others opt for their own ways of cheating.
Patrick finishes the programming exam before the time runs out. He uses the remaining time to shower and plans to log in to the game. Unfortunately, there's not enough time, so he just showers.
The first day of exams ends quickly. The cheating can solve various school-related problems. All students know that.
On the first day, the exam goes smoothly, but unfortunately, Patrick has no time to play because his mom forbids it.
Although Patrick always says that his mom doesn't mind him playing games for a long time, and that's true. But still, like any mother, Patrick's mom forbids him from playing during exam time.
###
On the second day, Patrick wakes up earlier. He takes time for it to read the news, of course, the news about games.
Patrick is known as a smart student and, at the same time, a gaming enthusiast. No game is unknown to him. This statement doesn't just convey a literal meaning, it's just a compliment to Patrick's insight into the gaming industry. Additionally, the fact that he has emerged as the champion in several games at various levels, from regional to national and even international, adds to his achievements.
That's the main reason his mom doesn't really mind him playing games, his accomplishments are evident.
But even so, not all games appeal to him or fall under his mastery. He dislikes games with a monotonous storyline or one that remains static and unchanging after completion.
In his view, games aren't like movies or books. Games represent the latest evolution in entertainment media. Books, paintings, and music are early stages of entertainment media because books entertain textually, music entertains auditorily, and paintings entertain visually. According to him, the next stage in entertainment media involves using two perceptions, like comics that entertain visually and textually or movies that entertain visually and auditorily. However, games provide entertainment for all perceptions, incorporating music, reading materials like notes or documents, and, of course, the visual aspect of the game world itself.
Because of his perspective, he finds it hard to resist playing games, especially after hearing that his favorite game, "World of Worlds" or "WoW," will use the latest technology, namely technology of AGAR, which allows players to feel the gaming world as if it's real life in the next major update. All perceptions can feel the sensations from the gaming world.
Unfortunately, the major update coincides with exam time. So, instead, Patrick settles for reading news about the update. Of course, the sensation is far different when you only know about it compared to actually experiencing it.
After satisfying his curiosity with the news of the major update from WoW using technology of AGAR, Patrick quickly showers to shift his focus away from his desire to enter that gaming world.
Indeed, because of the new technology, a new device is required. But, Patrick already has the device even a month ago when the device was sold with a demo bundle of some games that would implement the technology.
After showering, he tries to steer clear of his computer and smartphone, attempting to avoid any further spoilers or anything related to the major update that could distract him during the exam.
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So, he hurries off to school.
###
Natasha has been waiting for Patrick's arrival and has prepared a tablet containing news for Patrick to read. "Pret, you have to see this update."
"Major Update 2.0.1v World of Worlds
World of Worlds or WoW players are eagerly welcoming the latest major update that will implement the Technology of Advance Gaming Alternate Reality or TAGAR.
On Monday (3-6-05) at 00:00 UTC, players were able to enjoy the major update, and what NeoGath or NG brought has truly received positive responses from fans. GMN site gives it a 10/10 with the message 'The best implementation of TAGAR, you in you can't out, very impressive...' While HelloGame's page also received an impressive review from 165,983 players and may continue to grow.
We ourselves have tried the major update in beta testing, and it is truly amazing, as if you are in the WoW world directly. You can smell the bread aroma at the Bakery in Town, feel your sweat flowing on a hot day, and even taste the bread at Yoza Bakery, which turns out not too tasty to eat..."
Patrick reads it but doesn't finish, he's already tempted by just reading that part of the news.
They both then walk towards their exam room, which is indeed the same room.
"And you come to change everything..." Vincent's singing voice with his false tone is heard, stopping Patrick and Natasha in their tracks.
"Shut up!" Patrick commands Vincent. "Have you studied?"
"Studied what? Economics? History? I don't care about that," Vincent replies, stopping his singing and smiling. "I'm just studying TAGAR. I bought it yesterday."
"That's good... means after this, we can all play together," Patrick replies.
"Wait, have the others bought it too? Daniel, Hector, Steve, Logan, Ethan?" Natasha asks.
Suddenly, a hand pats Natasha's shoulder, and reflexively, Natasha punches the person, but luckily, he manages to avoid it.
"Yes, Hector has already bought it," says someone next to the person Natasha almost hit.
"Come on... guys, don't play with me," Natasha says, running after Hector, who surprised her.
Patrick watches them, just smiling at their silly behavior. "Daniel, Logan, and Ethan have also bought it, they were showing it off in FWC."
Natasha fixes her clothes after playing tag with Hector. "So, am I the only one who doesn't have it?"
"Just buy it... your dad works at ReTecs, he can surely buy it for you," Hector says, teasing her and pinching her cheek.
Natasha immediately directs her elbow to elbow Hector. Hector manages to dodge it, but Ethan, who just arrived, stops him.
"Ouch!" their voices all at once when Natasha successfully elbows Hector in his genitals. Meanwhile, Hector is silent, holding his genitals, lamenting his fate, and begging for Natasha's mercy, kneeling to endure the pain.
"Heal him, Nat... haha," Logan, who just arrived, laughs seeing his friends' antics.
"I can't and won't. Let him feel it," Natasha says.
Steve and Ethan, being good friends, help Hector to stand.
Applause is heard approaching them all, a sound that certainly grabs their attention.
"Looks like you're having fun right now," Seamus says, coming with his gang members.
Patrick's friends immediately gather.
"And you also seem to be having fun with your friends," Patrick replies, standing in front.
"You're wrong... we're just getting started," Seamus responds by quickly pointing his hand towards Patrick as a signal to his gang members.
"Run!" Patrick orders.
Patrick and Hector run towards Seamus. Patrick uses a flashlight he keeps in his bag to dazzle Seamus' gang members approaching.
The flashlight is very bright because it is designed as a survival tool that can illuminate dark nights in the dense forest, becoming as bright as daylight.
So it's reasonable that Seamus and everyone in front of the flashlight are blinded for a few moments.
Hector takes advantage of this, having already put on his dark lenses to see clearly behind the blinding light of Patrick's flashlight, and kicks Seamus.
Meanwhile, Patrick's other friends run and hide.
This brief incident certainly attracts the attention of many people, but the alarm signaling the start of the exam time has already sounded.
They are saved by time.
###
The exam goes smoothly, Patrick and his friends manage to answer it effortlessly. Whether it's due to their intelligence, like Patrick and Natasha, due to cheating tactics, like Steve, Hector, and Ethan, or a combination of both, like Logan and Vincent, they all navigate through it. Meanwhile, Daniel has to take a makeup exam held after everyone else has left because he was late.
Even so, Patrick, Natasha, Steve, Hector, Ethan, Logan, and Vincent don't head straight home, instead, they stay at school. Not out of loyalty to wait for Daniel to finish his exam, but because they are called by their teachers regarding the morning incident.
They enter a room with three teachers and Seamus along with his gang.
As usual, the teachers give them a lesson and a punishment. And to prevent them from fighting again, the punishment is supervised by a teacher.
Daniel, unaware of what's happening, just watches after finishing his exam.
The punishment doesn't last long but is exhausting for them all. Seamus and his gang are allowed to go home first, while Patrick and his friends have to stay a bit longer as their bags are being searched.
"Sorry, sir. But Daniel also has something we entrusted to him yesterday," Natasha says as her bag is being searched.
"Are you sure?" asks a supervising teacher.
"Very sure. If you don't believe it, you can check for yourself, Daniel is still at school."
The teacher is still in doubt, but he keeps calling Daniel.
Daniel reluctantly joins his friends in staying longer at school.
Only two teachers carefully check their bags and gadgets. The inspection happens after the teachers get permission from the students' parents or guardians through the integrated system between teachers and parents.
Additionally, checks are also carried out in a specially designed room equipped with cameras and microphones to ensure that the teachers who check do not violate any privacy laws.
Because of that, the inspection takes quite a while, making them stay at school until the sky gets dark.
After being released, when the teachers only find Patrick's flashlight and nothing forbidden on each student, they head to a cafe not far from their school, first.