- Go on honey, enter the tube…
[- But Babe! Wait, babe, don’t, my leg is..]
- It’s fine, it will just be a little sore after.
Elicia was currently closing the lid on Jacks’ workstation. A very reluctant Jack was inside, his left leg in an uncomfortable position.
Lets’ go back in time a little.
[*sob* *sob*]
- There, there honey, it isn’t that bad…
- Ahm… excuse me? Is everything ‘rite Elly? - Said a middle-aged man with glasses. This was Tobias, an old friend of Elicia and a “close but not quite” friend of Jack.
They had gone through a bunch of things together, since first Tobi was one of those who helped Jack indirectly (through Elicia) in order to pay for his living and depression medication as well - and them Jack and Elicia were the ones to help Tobi with his marriage and, later, divorce.
He had lost a lot of things, so they gave this small cafeteria for him in order to help him re-start his life from zero.
- Oh, it’s fine Tobi. He’s just a bit depressed over his dungeon, that’s all.
- Ol’ Jack had a dungeon? I never knew!
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- Well, if you can call that mountain of him a Dungeon, then yes. But he never really took care of it, so most of the place have been overrun by other races already. There’s even a bunch of “Crazed Maniacs” all around.
- Crazed Maniacs? Shouldn’t them be lead by that meth-guy from the NPC program?
Marcus had become a small-time internet celebrity after releasing his “Goblin Emperor Vlog Diary.” Even though he couldn’t tell others about his experiences with Squeam and the first Another World Project first trial, many had identified him as one of the infamous “addicted employees” of squeam.
His vlog was pretty good and solid, though. He had developed quite a fanbase with his motto of “Kill, kill, eat and kill more!” and his small “Goblin Empire” as well.
Many in-game guilds had already challenged his empire and failed to raid them totally.
- They are. And you know how the Big Guy loves them.
Another World Project was directed at adults. But that didn’t mean videos and vlogs about it couldn’t be created and shared online. Some had become quite a sensation, with teens and children of all ages following the storylines of epic battles and timelessly heroes fighting the odds in hostile environment.
Shabe loved how the “Crazed Maniacs” had become a big sensation. Every year thousands of players would start playing Another World Project as half-orcs in order to join the “Goblin Empire”, which wouldn’t accept players unless they were half-orcs (the goblin character isn’t available to players).
- So, his mountain is good as gone, then.
- Yes. It will certainly become a part of the Goblin Empire.
[ - But my treasure is there!]
Jack whined a bit. Losing his entire treasure was a heavy blow.
- You can take it back, can’t you? - Tobi still ignored how deeply-rooted was Jacks’ reluctance to work. - I mean, it should take you just a few rounds. You’re the Dragon King after all!
- Oh, it wouldn’t be easy. That dungeon was the Dragon Kings’ Lair, and he had been dumping huge amounts of mana there every day. It’s bound for Marcus to summon at least a few hundred Boss Area level enemies for him to defeat, so he won’t be able to just dig his way to the Dungeon Core area…
Jack sobbed harder.